What is the difference between broad match, phrase match and exact match in Google Ads?

Short Answer: Broad match allows your ads to show on searches that include misspellings, synonyms, related searches, and other relevant variations, while phrase match targets searches that contain a specific phrase or close variations of that phrase. Exact match restricts ads to only appear on searches that match the exact term or close variations of the exact term.

Full Explanation

In Google Ads, keyword match types control when your ads are eligible to appear based on what people are searching for. Broad match offers the widest reach by allowing your ads to trigger on search queries that may have misspellings, synonyms, or searches related closely to your keywords. This helps capture a range of relevant searches beyond the specific words you choose.

Phrase match narrows the targeting, ensuring your ads appear only when the search includes the exact phrase or variations that are very close to that phrase. This means your ads show when users input a specific sequence of words, maintaining a sense of order and context.

Exact match is the most restrictive type, showing your ads only when the search query exactly matches your keyword or very close variations of it. This tight targeting limits your ads to very precise search terms, often improving relevance at the cost of reduced reach.

Step-by-Step Breakdown

1. Broad Match: Ads can appear for searches including misspellings, synonyms, related keywords, and other relevant variants of your keyword.
2. Phrase Match: Ads only appear for searches that contain the specified phrase or close variations, preserving the phrase order.
3. Exact Match: Ads appear only on searches matching the exact keyword or close variations without change in the keyword order.

Real Examples

While we only utilize the definitions given, typical behavior can be summarized as follows: a broad match keyword could trigger your ad for variations like misspelled words or related searches, phrase match would trigger your ad only if the search contains your keyword phrase, and exact match will trigger the ad only when the search exactly matches the keyword or slight variations.

Common Mistakes

• Using broad match without monitoring can bring irrelevant traffic due to its wide reach.
• Confusing phrase match with exact match, leading to unexpected ad displays.
• Assuming exact match means only the strict exact keyword without recognizing that close variations are also included.

FAQs

Q: Can broad match keywords show ads for misspellings?
A: Yes, broad match covers misspellings, synonyms, related searches, and relevant variations.

Q: Does phrase match allow ads to show if the phrase words are out of order?
A: No, phrase match requires the phrase or very close variations in order.

Q: What does exact match include?
A: It includes searches that exactly match your keyword or very close variations of it.

Key Takeaways

• Broad match offers the most flexible reach by including misspellings and related terms.
• Phrase match targets ads to searches containing a specific phrase or close versions of it.
• Exact match limits ad appearance to exact keywords or near-exact variations, ensuring precise targeting.