Definition
Match types determine how closely a user's search must match your keyword before your ad shows: broad match (widest), phrase match (medium) and exact match (narrowest).
Also called: Match types, Keyword matching, Match typeFrom search to a relevant landing page.
An ad aligned with the intent.
Eligibility is not a guarantee of exposure. Bid, relevance, context and other auction factors affect delivery.
01What does the person want to achieve? Group searches by need.
Reach vs control
Broad match reaches widest (including synonyms and related searches) and gives the algorithm the most to work with, but demands tight negative keywords to avoid waste. Exact match reaches narrowest and gives the most control. Phrase match sits in between.
With modern smart bidding, broad match can work surprisingly well, because bidding can read the context and bid accordingly, but only with clean conversion signals and a disciplined negative list. Without them, broad gets expensive fast. The choice of match type is therefore tightly linked to the quality of your tracking.
Frequently asked questions
Is broad match dangerous?
Not in itself. With clean conversion signals, smart bidding and a disciplined negative list, broad match can perform well and find searches you'd never have thought of. Without those prerequisites, it wastes budget.
Which match type should I use?
It depends on your tracking and how much control you want. Exact gives the most control; broad gives the most reach with smart bidding. Many accounts use a combination and steer the breadth with negative keywords.
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About the author
Malthe Ærbo Weibeck
Pull specialist with 8+ years' experience. Comes from the agency world and has since worked as an independent consultant for several of the country's largest brands.
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