Understanding Google Adwords

There are four different Match Types within Google Adwords: Broad Match, Phrase Match, Exact Match and Negative Match. These are designed to help you run your Google Adwords campaign as effectively and efficiently as possible. Below we explain what each of these Match Types mean and how they affect your campaign.

Broad Match

Using Broad Match keywords will trigger your advert to show if a search term containing your keyword or keywords (along with other words and in any order) is entered into Google. Your adverts will also show when variations such as synonyms and stemming of your keyword/keywords are searched for as well as singular and plural forms.

Broad Match Keywords are the default matching option within Google Adwords and will generate the highest volume of traffic.

Phrase Match

Using Phrase Match Keywords in your Google Adwords campaign will mean your advert will show only when people are searching for that exact keyword/keywords (in the correct order), although the search may contain other words before or afterwards. Close variants including acronyms, abbreviations, accents, misspellings and stemming will also trigger your advert to show as well as singular and plural forms.

By using Phrase Match instead of Broad Match you are able to target customers more precisely and avoid paying for clicks from customers searching for terms unrelated to your business.

Exact Match

Using Exact Match Keywords means your advert will only show when your exact keyword/keywords are searched for without any other words before or afterwards. Close variants such as acronyms, abbreviations, accents, misspellings and stemming will still trigger your advert to show.

Exact Match keywords are the most precise form of targeting within Google Adwords and as such produce the lowest volume of traffic.

Negative Match

Negative Match Keywords are used to prevent unwanted clicks from irrelevant search terms and can be applied to the whole Google Adwords campaign or individual Ad Groups. By using a Negative Match Keyword you are preventing your advert from showing when that word is searched for.

For instance, if you have a Broad Match Keyword of “Eagle” and a Negative Match Keyword of “Bald” your advert would not show when someone searches for “Bald Eagles”.

Moving Forward with Google Adwords

To speak to one of the Media Street team about Google Adwords and other forms of Pay Per Click (PPC) advertising please call us on 01392 914033.

Recommended Reading: The Importance of Pay Per Click, Facebook Advertising.