Use keyword matching options to better target your ads.
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:
1. Broad match: keyword Allows your ad to show on similar phrases and relevant variations
2. Phrase match: "keyword" Allows your ad to show for searches that match the exact phrase
3. Exact match: [keyword] Allows your ad to show for searches that match the exact phrase exclusively
4. 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 show 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 sneakers
Run a Search Query Performance Report to see what keyword variations trigger your ad. Check out this blog post to learn how broad match can help you reach more customers (English only).
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 sneakers
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 likely 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 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 you see in a Search Query Performance Report or the Keyword Tool as a negative keyword.