There are four types of keyword matches in Google Adwords:
Broad Match
- Broad Match is the default option in Adwords.
- Broad Match is designed to drive the maximum amount of traffic and generate the highest cost for advertisers.
- Broad Match keywords are not specific enough to drive the quality traffic you need or want
- An Example: Your keyword is ‘golf clubs’, and someone types in ‘ golf ‘, your Ad will show. It will also show for the search term ‘ night clubs’ . Now you can see the problem with Broad Match…it’s too broad.
Phrase Match
- Phrase Match is a big improvement from Broad Match, and improves the quality of traffic significantly.
- Phrase Match will show your Ad anytime a shopper enters a query with your keywords in the query.
- An example: Your keyword is ‘golf clubs’, and someone types in ‘quality golf clubs’, your Ad will show. It will also show for the search term ‘free golf clubs’ . It’s an improvement, but it’s still not there.
Exact Match
- Exact Match means an exact match.
- An Example: If your keyword is ‘golf clubs’, the only time your Ad will show is when someone types in ‘golf clubs’.
- Phrase Match generates much lower traffic levels than Broad Match or Phrase Match, but it is the highest converting.
Negative Match
- Negative Match is very useful for weeding out high volume traffic that has no hope of converting.
- Recommended whenever you are not using Exact Match.
- An Example: You have a negative keyword – -free gold clubs in your keyword list. If your keyword is ‘golf clubs’ and someone types in ‘free golf clubs’, your negative keyword would come into effect, and your Ad will not show.
Conclusion:
Save yourself some money, and make sure you use the proper keyword match, which in most cases is either Phrase Match or Exact Match. If you use Phrase Match, make sure to make a list of Negative Keywords.