Google Ads is an incredibly effective tool for businesses looking to reach new audiences and grow their customer base. However, it can be difficult to know how to get the most out of your ads without a solid understanding of the different keyword match types. In this blog post, I’ll explore the different types of keyword matches in Google Ads and explain how each one works.
Broad Match
Broad match is the default keyword match type in Google Ads. With broad match, your ad will be triggered by any search term that Google deems relevant to your keyword, including synonyms, misspellings, and related searches. For example, if you bid on the keyword “running shoes,” your ad could show up for searches like “sneakers for jogging” or “best shoes for runners.”
While using broad match keywords can be a great way to reach a wide audience, it can also lead to a lot of irrelevant clicks and wasted ad spend. To avoid this, it’s important to monitor your campaigns closely and use negative keywords to filter out irrelevant search terms.
Phrase Match
Phrase match allows you to target search terms that include your keyword phrase in the exact order you specify. To use phrase match, simply put your keyword phrase in quotes. For example, if you bid on the keyword “running shoes,” your ad would only show up for searches like “best running shoes” or “discounted running shoes.”
Phrase match is a good option for advertisers who want more control over the types of search terms that trigger their ads.
Exact Match
Exact match is the most specific type of keyword match in Google Ads. With exact match, your ad will only show up for searches that exactly match your keyword phrase. To use exact match, simply put your keyword phrase in brackets. For example, if you bid on the keyword [running shoes], your ad would only show up for searches that include the exact phrase “running shoes.”
Exact match is a good option for advertisers who want to target a very specific audience or who have a limited budget and want to avoid wasted ad spend.
Negative Match
Negative match is a way to exclude certain search terms from triggering your ads. To use negative match, simply add a “-” sign in front of the keyword you want to exclude. For example, if you bid on the keyword “running shoes” but don’t want your ad to show up for searches related to “used running shoes,” you could add “-used” as a negative keyword.
Negative match is an important tool for preventing irrelevant clicks and reducing wasted ad spend.
Future Changes
So what’s changing with the new update? If you’ve got a brand match variant live in the ad group, Google will now remove any and all exact and phrase match keywords for that search query. The broad match keyword will take priority and will continue to serve. This might mean that you begin to see your ads being shown for less relevant searches especially where your keywords include a commonly searched word that isn’t industry specific.
Conclusion
In conclusion, understanding the different types of keyword matches in Google Ads is crucial for creating effective ad campaigns. By choosing the right match type for your goals and using negative keywords to filter out irrelevant search terms, you can maximise your ad spend and reach the right audience for your business.
