What You Should Know About Different Keyword Match Types

 The keyword match types offered by Google help you make sure your money is wisely spent on Google Ad campaigns by preventing you from wasting it on unqualified traffic that is unlikely to convert.

Continue reading to find out more about the various keyword match kinds for PPC advertising, the traffic types they produce, and how to use them.

Types of Keyword Match

For Google Ads, there are four main kinds of keyword match: broad match, phrase match, exact match, and negative match. The graphic below displays the syntax for employing each type, the search phrases that would expose your ads, and the queries in which each type's ad will appear.

Each category will be covered in detail below, along with explanations of how each one appears in search results.

1. Wide Match

When your ads appear in search results for terms that are related to the meaning of your keywords but do not necessarily contain the precise wording, this is known as a broad keyword match. This kind is the default for Google Ads and functions best with intelligent bidding. Your keyword should be written out in the syntax.

If your keyword is "iPhone case," your ad may appear when people search for terms like "apple phone case" and "best iPhone case for kids."

When you use a broad keyword match, you can reach a larger audience, but the visitors you receive are less focused because their searches are connected to your keyword. Google will also consider a user's search history, the content of your landing page, and other keywords in your ad group to make sure that traffic is at least somewhat connected.

2. Word Pairs

When a phrase match is used, your adverts appear in queries that contain your keyword or more specialized variations of it. Your keyword can have words added before or after it, but not in the middle. The proper syntax is to enclose your target word in quotation marks, such as "keyword."

If "iPhone case" is your phrase match keyword, you might appear in searches for phrases like "purchase iPhone case," "blue iPhone case," and "iPhone case sale."

Using phrase match exposes your advertising to a smaller audience, but viewers are more targeted because they are only displayed in searches that mention what your ad is for. Keep in mind that phrase match criterion replaced modified broad match in 2021 and included its characteristics.

Phrase match against broad match

Phrase match reaches fewer audiences but has better qualified traffic for what you're giving, whereas broad matches have a larger audience but may not always include searchers who are specifically seeking for what you're selling.

Therefore, whether a user searched for an iPhone case, an apple phone case, or an iPhone 11 case, your advertisement would appear. However, if you used a word match, your advertisement would only appear for an iPhone case.

3.Exact Match 

The antithesis of a broad match is an exact match, where your advertising only appear in searches for the same precise meaning or intent as your term. This can include accents, misspellings, abbreviations, singular or plural forms, and misspellings.

You'll attract more targeted visitors to your website with this type, but your reach will be smaller. Your keyword should be enclosed in square brackets, as in [keyword].

If [iPhone case] is your keyword, your ad will appear in searches for iPhone cases, iPhone cases, and case iPhone.

4. Bad Types of Keyword Match

Negative keywords help you concentrate on targeting the correct users by excluding your advertising from certain queries. Although not for the precise search you entered, your advertising will appear for related terms.

Negative wide match, negative phrase match, and negative precise match are the three types of negative keywords. We'll talk about them below.

1.Positivity Broad Match

The default negative keyword is a broad negative match. No matter what order the terms are in, if the query contains all of the terms you've chosen, your advertising won't show up. You should just write your keyword in the syntax.

Using the keyword "running shoes" as an example, Google claims that while your advertising would appear in searches for blue tennis shoes and running shoes, they would not appear for searches for blue running shoes, running shoes, or running shoes.

2. Matching Negative Phrases

If you use negative phrase match keywords, your advertisements won't appear in searches that include the identical keywords you've provided in the exact same sequence. If the order is the same as the keyword you've specified, your ads won't display if the query contains extra terms. Your keywords should be encapsulated in quotes.

If "running shoes" is your keyword, your ad will appear when people search for blue tennis shoes, running shoes, and shoes for running, but not blue running shoes.

3. Exact Match Negative

In searches that contain your exact keyword in the precise sequence you choose, without any further terms, negative exact match will block your advertisements. Put your keyword inside brackets according to the syntax.

Google claims that your advertisement would appear for blue tennis shoes, running shoes, and running shoes, not for running shoes.

For your PPC advertising' ROI to be as high as possible, use keyword match types.

The money you spend on Google Ad campaigns will help you attract the correct kind of visitors if you use the right keyword match type, increasing your chances of gaining new clients, generating sales, and maximizing return on investment.