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AdWords keyword matching for precision and relevancy

June 9, 2008

Use keyword matching to specify how precise and relevant a search term must be to trigger your ad. If the ad shows for terms that are not relevant, you could be wasting money. If the ad only shows for very precise terms, you could be losing custom.

Keywords can be assigned as broad, phrase, exact or negative matches.

Broad match

This is the default setting. A broad match keyword will trigger the ad whenever the keyword components appear in a search query. The ad will show if the query contains other words, regardless of word order in the query and if the query contains similar words (for example, plurals or synonyms).

For example, the following queries would trigger an ad that was broad-matched on the keyword used cars:

Used car dealers in London
Cars used in James Bond movies
Advertising methods used to sell cars

Broad matching will reach the widest possible audience but carries the greatest risk of irrelevancy.

A problem with broad matching is that it may be too broad. In recent years Google has included extended matching under the umbrella of broad matching. This means that your ad may show for a more precise, or similar, keyword that you did not actually bid on. That’s fine if the keyword is relevant, but a potential waste of money if it is not.

Phrase match

Phrase-matching will cause the ad to be triggered if the keyword compents appear in the same sequence and form in a search query.

For example, the following queries would trigger an ad that was phrase-matched on the keyword used cars:

Where to buy used cars
Used cars for sale

But none of the queries in the broad-matching example would trigger the ad.

Phrase-matching will deliver a smaller, more targeted audience at a reduced cost. The cost saving is likely to be twofold. Firstly because a more precise keyword will probably be cheaper to bid on, and secondly because there should be less wasted clicks.

Exact match

The search query must exactly match the keyword in order for the ad to be triggered. Using the previous example of used cars, only the search query used cars would trigger the ad.

This is the most precise form of matching. It carries a high degree of relevancy, the lowest cost and a greater opportunity for converted clicks. But it also delivers the lowest potential audience.