The Importance of choosing the correct Keyword Match Types. To build your search campaigns you need to setup Keywords in every Ad Group. You must add keywords that match the words or phrases that people search for.
Keyword Match Types
Symbol
Keyword
+Keyword
“Keyword”
[Keyword]
Broad Match
Broad match is the default match type that all your keywords are assigned to. Ads may show on searches that include misspellings, synonyms, related searches, and other relevant variations. So if your keyword is “women’s hats,” someone searching for “buy ladies hats” as well as “women’s scarves” might see your ad.
Example: if your keyword is: kids vegan shoes
Your Ad may show for searches such as:
Broad Match Modifier
Similar to broad match, except that the broad match modifier option only shows ads in searches that include the words with a plus sign “+” in front of them (+women’s hats), or close variations of the “+” terms.
Example: if your keyword is: +red +shoes
Can match search queries such as:
But not search queries such as:
Phrase Match
Ads may show on searches that match a phrase, or close variations of that phrase, which may include additional words before or after. Ads won’t show, however, if a word is added to the middle of the phrase that changes the meaning of the phrase. Phrase match is designated with quotation marks (“women’s hats”).
Example: if your keyword is “tennis shoes” in quotations
Can match search queries such as:
But not search queries such as:
Exact Match
Ads may show on searches that match the exact term or are close variations of that exact term. Close variants include searches for keywords with the same meaning as the exact keywords, regardless of spelling or grammar differences between the query and the keyword but without additional words before or after. Exact match is designated with straight brackets ([red shoe]).
Example: if your keyword is [shoes for kids] in brackets
Can match search queries such as:
But not search queries such as:
Choose a simple keyword strategy
Choose a simple keyword strategy that fits your needs. One way as recommended by Google is to have different match types in the same Ad Group since only 1 keyword will trigger your Ad at a time.
Keyword Match Types
Symbol
+Keyword
[Keyword]
To Add new Keywords go to the relevant Ad Group > In the Keywords tab click the + sign in the Keywords tab (refer) video below. Don’t forget to add the correct match type symbols.
To come up with new keyword ideas or to see the estimated search volume of specific keywords use the Keyword Planner. Watch the free video: How to Use Google Keyword Planner – Discover New Keywords.
Negative Keywords
Another very important component of keywords is Negative Keywords. Negative Keywords prevent your Ads from being triggered by certain words or phrases.
Negative Keywords also use match types. The difference between Negative Keywords and their positive counterparts is that you need to use:
Example: your store sells shoes for kids but not running shoes
You want your Ad to show for queries such as:
But you don’t want your Ad to show for queries such as:
If you add the exact match negative keyword
[running shoes]
you would still be showing your Ads to search terms such as:
To avoid this you need to add other variants such as:
or simply add running as a phrase match negative keyword.
“running”
How to Add Negative Keywords?
Go to your Google Ads > Keywords > Negative Keywords (watch the video below).
Recap
