Keyword Match Types, explained properly.
What are keyword match types?
Keyword match types in Google Ads control how broadly or narrowly your keyword matches the searches that trigger your ad.
The three main match types
- **Broad match** (keyword): your ad can show for searches related to your keyword, including synonyms and related topics. The widest net, useful for discovery but needing strong negative keyword management to avoid waste. It requires Smart Bidding to work well. - **Phrase match** ("keyword"): your ad shows for searches that include the meaning of your keyword. Wider than exact, narrower than broad. - **Exact match** ([keyword]): your ad shows only for searches with the same meaning as your keyword. Modern exact match includes plurals, synonyms and same-meaning rephrasings, so it is broader than its old definition. Tightest control, lowest volume, highest relevance.
Broad match modifier (deprecated)
Google retired broad match modifier (BMM) in 2021. Phrase match now covers much of the territory BMM used to occupy.
How to choose
- **Use exact match** for your highest-intent, high-value keywords where you want tight control. - **Use phrase match** for broader reach with reasonable safeguards. - **Use broad match** only with Smart Bidding and aggressive negative keyword discipline. Most modern accounts mix all three rather than picking one. Review your Search Terms report regularly to see what your broad and phrase match keywords are actually triggering.
Negative keywords
Like positive match types, negatives have match types too: negative exact, negative phrase and negative broad. Use phrase match negatives by default, because they catch genuine variations without being too aggressive.
Take this further
Match types are foundational PPC. We find audit wins in almost every account from tightening or loosening match types to fit each campaign's goal.
Keyword Match Types: common questions.
Has Google removed exact match?
No. Exact match still exists, just with a broader interpretation than a decade ago. Same meaning rather than same words is the modern definition, and square brackets [keyword] still trigger exact match.
What happened to broad match modifier?
Google deprecated broad match modifier in 2021 and folded its functionality into phrase match. Phrase match is now slightly broader than it was, covering most of what broad match modifier used to.
Should I use broad match keywords?
Only when paired with Smart Bidding such as Maximise Conversions, Target CPA or Target ROAS. Broad match without Smart Bidding wastes budget on irrelevant searches. With Smart Bidding, broad match can outperform tighter match types because the algorithm has more variation to work with.
How often should I review match types?
Weekly during the first month of any new campaign, fortnightly after that, and monthly for stable accounts. The Search Terms report reveals whether match types are interpreting too broadly or too narrowly.
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