The four keyword matching options determine which Google searches can trigger your ads to appear. These options can help you control who sees your ads.
You can set each search-targeted keyword to have one of those four settings. To use a keyword matching option, just add the appropriate punctuation to your keyword:
- Broad match: keyword
Allows your ad to show on similar phrases and relevant variations - Phrase match: "keyword"
Allows your ad to show for searches that match the exact phrase - Exact match: [keyword]
Allows your ad to show for searches that match the exact phrase exclusively - Negative match: -keyword
Ensures your ad doesn't show for any search that includes that term
With some options, you'll enjoy more ad impressions, clicks and conversions; with others, you'll get fewer impressions and more narrow targeting. By applying the appropriate matching options to your keywords, you can best meet your ROI goals.
Broad Match
This is the default option. If your ad group contained the keyword 'tennis shoes', your ad would be eligible to appear when a user's search query contained either or both words ('tennis' and 'shoes') in any order, and possibly along with other terms. Your ads could also be displayed for singular/plural forms, synonyms and other relevant variations.| Broad match keyword: | Ads may show on searches for: |
| tennis shoes | tennis
shoes buy tennis shoes tennis shoe photos running shoes tennis trainers |
Run a Search Query Performance Report to see what keyword variations trigger your ad.
Phrase Match
If you enter your keyword in quotation marks, as in "tennis shoes", your ad would be eligible to appear when a user searches on the phrase tennis shoes, with the words in that order. It can also appear for searches that contain other terms as long as it includes the exact phrase you've specified.| Phrase match keyword: | Ads may show on searches for: | Ads won't show on searches for: |
| "tennis shoes" | red tennis shoes
buy tennis shoes tennis shoes photo |
shoes for tennis
tennis shoe tennis trainers |
Phrase match is more targeted than broad match, but more flexible than exact match.
Exact Match
If you surround your keywords in brackets - such as [tennis shoes] - your ad would be eligible to appear when a user searches for the specific phrase 'tennis shoes', in this order and without any other terms in the query.| Exact match keyword: | Ads may show on searches for: | Ads won't show on searches for: |
| [tennis shoes] | tennis shoes | red tennis shoes
tennis shoe buy tennis shoes |
You probably won't receive as many impressions, clicks or conversions with exact match as you would with broad match. However, if you've carefully constructed a comprehensive keyword list, the traffic that you do receive may be more targeted to your product or service.
Negative Match
If your keyword is 'tennis shoes' and you add the negative keyword '-used,' your ad will not appear for any searches that contain the word 'used'.| Keywords: | Ads may show on searches for: | Ads won't show on searches for: |
| tennis shoes
-used |
tennis shoes
buy tennis shoes tennis |
used tennis shoes
shoe used for tennis |
Negative keywords are especially useful if your account contains lots of broad-matched keywords. It's a good idea to add any irrelevant keyword variations that you see in a Search Query Performance Report or the Keyword Tool as a negative keyword. Learn more
Learn more about negative keywords
Remember, no matter which matching options you use, it's important to only use keywords that accurately describe your product or service. Read more tips on creating an effective keyword list.
