Keyword match types help steer which searches can trigger your ad. So you could use broad match to show your ad to a wide audience or you could use exact match to hone in on specific groups of customers.
Where to start
Consider starting with broad match. Add negative match keywords to exclude searches that aren’t related to your business (optional).
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Broad match
Broad match is the default match type that all your keywords are assigned. Ads may show on searches that include misspellings, synonyms, related searches, and other relevant variations. For example, if your keyword is women’s hats, someone searching for “buy ladies hats” might view your ad. Learn more about broad match.
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Negative keywords
Negative keywords exclude your ads from showing on searches with that term. For example, if you’re a hat company that doesn’t sell baseball hats, you could add baseball hats as a negative keyword. Learn more about negative keywords.
Reach the right customers by adding keywords
High-quality, relevant keywords can help you show your ads to the customers you want and when you want. Some advertising platforms recommend 5–20 keywords per ad group.
More advanced options
These options are only recommended for advanced advertisers trying to segment specific sets of searches.
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Phrase match
Ads may show on searches that match a phrase, or are close variations of that phrase, with additional words before or after. Ads won't show, however, if a word is added to the middle of the phrase or if words in the phrase are reordered in any way. Phrase match keywords are designated with quotation marks, for example, "women's hats". Learn more about phrase match.
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Exact match
Ads may show on searches that match the exact term or are close variations of that exact term. Close variants include searches for keywords with the same meaning as the exact keywords, regardless of spelling or grammar differences between the query and the keyword. Close variations here may also include a reordering of words if it doesn’t change the meaning and the addition or removal of function words (prepositions, conjunctions, articles, and other words that don’t impact the intent of a search), implied words, synonyms and paraphrases, and words that have the same search intent. Designated with brackets, the keyword [women's hat], for example, could show when someone searches for “hats for women.” Learn more about exact match.
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Broad match modifier
Broad match modifier is similar to broad match except that this option only shows ads in searches including the words designated with a plus sign (+women’s hats) or close variations of them.
Some broad match modifier behavior has moved to phrase match type. In conjunction with Google Ads, Microsoft Advertising, and Yahoo! JAPAN Ads, Search Ads 360 will soon end support for creating broad match modifier keywords in manual campaigns.
Keyword match type summaries
| Match type | Special symbol | Example keyword | Ads may show on searches that contain: | Example searches |
| Broad match | none | women's hats | Misspellings, synonyms, related searches, and other relevant variations. |
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| Phrase match | “keyword” | “women’s hats” | Matches of the phrase (or close variations of the phrase) with additional words before or after. |
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| Exact match | [keyword] | [women’s hats] | Exact matches of the term or close variations of that exact term with the same meaning. |
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Broad match modifier In conjunction with Google Ads, Microsoft Advertising, and Yahoo! JAPAN Ads, Search Ads 360 will soon end support for creating broad match modifier keywords in manual campaigns. |
+keyword | +women’s +hats | All the terms designated with a + sign (or close variations of those terms) in any order. Additional words may appear before, after, or between the terms. |
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How Google Ads Performance Max works with Search campaigns and keywords
Google Ads Performance Max complements existing Google Ads Search campaigns and respects your keyword targeting. If the user’s search query is identical to an eligible Search keyword of any match type in your account, the Search campaign will be prioritized over Performance Max. If the query isn’t identical to an eligible Search keyword (including the spell-corrected search term), the campaign or ad with the highest Ad Rank, which considers creative relevance and performance, will be selected. Learn more About Performance Max campaigns in the Google Ads Help Center.
At times, you may find existing keywords showing in Performance Max instead of Search campaign due to ineligibility factors. Here are a few reasons why Google Ads determines that a Search keyword isn’t eligible to trigger an ad:
- All campaign or ad group targeting isn’t met.
- All creatives or landing pages for the ad group are disapproved.
- It has low search volume status.
- The Google Ads campaign is limited by budget.