What is Google Ads Keyword Match Types

Understanding Google Ads Keyword Match Types

When you're creating a Google Ads campaign, one of the most important decisions you'll make is choosing your keyword match types. Keyword match types determine how closely your ad needs to match a user's search query in order for your ad to show.

There are five different keyword match types in Google Ads:

• Broad match keywords match the widest range of search queries. For example, if you bid on the keyword "shoes," your ad could show for searches like "buy shoes," "cheap shoes," or "running shoes."

• Phrase match keywords match search queries that include your keyword phrase in the exact order, but with other words before or after. For example, if you bid on the phrase match keyword "running shoes," your ad could show for searches like "best running shoes" or "where to buy running shoes."

• Exact match keywords match search queries that are exactly the same as your keyword, including the case of the letters. For example, if you bid on the exact match keyword "running shoes," your ad would only show for searches that are exactly the same, like "running shoes."

• Negative match keywords prevent your ad from showing for certain search queries. For example, if you bid on the keyword "running shoes" but you don't want your ad to show for searches like "cheap running shoes," you could add the negative match keyword "cheap" to your campaign.

The best keyword match type for your campaign will depend on your goals. If you want to reach a wide audience and get as many impressions as possible, you can use broad match keywords. However, you'll also be more likely to show for irrelevant search queries, which can lead to low click-through rates (CTRs).

If you want to target more specific search queries and improve your CTRs, you can use phrase match or exact match keywords. However, you'll also reach a smaller audience.

Negative match keywords can be helpful for preventing your ad from showing for irrelevant search queries. This can help you improve your CTRs and save money on your Google Ads campaigns.

Experiment with different keyword match types to find what works best for your campaign. There is no one-size-fits-all answer, and the best match type for your campaign will depend on your specific goals and budget.

Here are some additional tips for choosing keyword match types:

• Consider your target audience. Who are you trying to reach with your Google Ads campaign? If you're targeting a broad audience, you may want to use broad match keywords. But if you're targeting a specific audience, you may want to use phrase match or exact match keywords.

• Think about your budget. Broad match keywords can be more expensive than phrase match or exact match keywords. This is because your ad is more likely to show for irrelevant search queries. If you have a limited budget, you may want to avoid broad match keywords.

• Track your results. Once you've chosen your keyword match types, it's important to track your results. This will help you determine which match types are working best for your campaign. You can use Google Ads' reporting tools to track your results.

By understanding Google Ads keyword match types, you can create more effective campaigns that reach your target audience and improve your results.

The best keyword match type to use will depend on your goals and budget. Here is a general overview of the different keyword match types and when to use them:

• Broad match: Broad match keywords match the widest range of search queries. This is a good option if you want to reach a large audience and get as many impressions as possible. However, you're also more likely to show for irrelevant search queries, which can lead to low click-through rates (CTRs).

• Phrase match: Phrase match keywords match search queries that include your keyword phrase in the exact order, but with other words before or after. This is a good option if you want to target more specific search queries than with broad match, but still reach a wider audience than with exact match.

• Exact match: Exact match keywords match search queries that are exactly the same as your keyword, including the case of the letters. This is a good option if you want to target very specific search queries and improve your CTRs. However, you'll reach a smaller audience than with broad match or phrase match keywords.

• Negative match: Negative match keywords prevent your ad from showing for certain search queries. This is a good option if you want to prevent your ad from showing for irrelevant search queries, such as misspellings or competitors' keywords.

• Broad match modified: Broad match modified keywords are a hybrid of broad match and phrase match. They match search queries that include your keyword, but they also match search queries that include your keyword with other words before or after, as long as those words are closely related to your keyword. This is a good option if you want to reach a wider audience than with phrase match, but still avoid showing for irrelevant search queries.

It's important to experiment with different keyword match types to find what works best for your campaign. There is no one-size-fits-all answer, and the best match type for your campaign will depend on your specific goals and budget.

What's The Best Keyword Match Type To Use?

Here are some additional tips for choosing keyword match types:

• Consider your target audience. Who are you trying to reach with your Google Ads campaign? If you're targeting a broad audience, you may want to use broad match keywords. But if you're targeting a specific audience, you may want to use phrase match or exact match keywords.

• Think about your budget. Broad match keywords can be more expensive than phrase match or exact match keywords. This is because your ad is more likely to show for irrelevant search queries. If you have a limited budget, you may want to avoid broad match keywords.

• Track your results. Once you've chosen your keyword match types, it's important to track your results. This will help you determine which match types are working best for your campaign. You can use Google Ads' reporting tools to track your results.

I hope this helps!