Keywords play a crucial role in connecting businesses with their target audience in online advertising. However, beginners often face two major problems: reaching the wrong audience due to broad targeting and wasting their budget on irrelevant clicks. Once you decide on your keywords, you simultaneously need to decide which match type to use for optimal targeting. Understanding keyword match types helps beginners effectively control which searches trigger their ads, ensuring better campaign results.
To find the right keyword There are many useful and free tools available in the market. Google has its own property called Google Keyword Planner. You’ll need to have a Google Ads account to use it, but you can start using it for free.
Let’s understand how google works ,When a user searches a term related to your keyword, Google may show your ad based on match types and your ad’s Quality Score. As an advertiser, you bid on keywords, and Google matches them to search terms based on relevance. Keyword Match Types let you control how closely the match should be.
Earlier there was four types but google removed the fourth one and it was broad match modifier (BMM).so there are only three types till now.
Broad Match: Shows ads for searches related to your keyword, including synonyms and variations. Example: “running shoes” might trigger “best sports shoes.”It can drive irrelevant traffic by default, so marking the negative keyword is the only solution here, and don’t use very general words here. Note : Broad match can cover phrase match as well as exact match entirely .
- Phrase Match: Shows ads when the exact keyword phrase is part of the search query. Example: “digital marketing courses” triggers “best digital marketing courses.”
Earlier, it was on the basis of syntax match, which means we used to match searches to keywords, but now it is on the basis of search intent, which means it should match your keyword or relate to the meaning ,only then will Google trigger your ads. Note : phrase match entirely covers exact match you don’t have to put same keyword separately but it can’t cover broad match .
- Exact Match: Shows ads only when the search query exactly matches the keyword or with some variations .
While exact match was once highly restrictive, it is now slightly broader. It allows for slight variations like misspellings, plural forms, reordered words, or synonyms that don’t change the intent of the search.
For example:
- Keyword: digital marketing course
- Ads may show for: “digital marketing courses,” “courses for digital marketing,” or “digital marketing class.”
Optimize Your Ad Spend
Choosing the right match types is crucial because it allows you to reach your target audience while avoiding unnecessary spend on irrelevant clicks for that we can use negative match .
Negative Match
Negative match prevents your ad from appearing for specific search terms that are irrelevant to your business. This is essential for filtering out unwanted traffic and ensuring your budget is spent on meaningful clicks.
Example:Keyword: Running shoes
Negative Keyword: Free
Excluded Searches: “Free running shoes”
Advice: Regularly review your search term report to identify irrelevant searches and add them as negative keywords. Continuously update your negative keyword list to refine your targeting.
conclusion
Understanding keyword match types is essential for running successful Google Ads campaigns. By choosing the right match type, you can control your ad’s reach, improve relevance, and optimize your ad spend. Whether you’re aiming for a broad audience or targeting a specific niche, the right match type can make all the difference.
Experiment, analyze your results, and adjust your strategy to find what works best for your business. With practice, you’ll master the art of keyword targeting and drive meaningful results for your campaigns.
