Keywords are words or phrases that are used to match ads with the terms people are searching for. The keyword match types dictate how closely the keyword needs to match with the user’s search query so that the ad can be considered for the auction. For example, you could use broad match to serve your ad on a wider variety of user searches or you could use exact match to hone in on specific user searches.
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Keyword match types
Ads may show on searches that are related to your keyword, which can include searches that don’t contain the direct meaning of your keywords. This helps you attract more visitors to your website, spend less time building keyword lists, and focus your spending on keywords that work. Broad match is the default match type that all your keywords are assigned because it is the most comprehensive. That means you don't have to specify another match type (like exact match or phrase match).
The syntax for broad match is to simply input the keyword. Below is an example of how broad match works:
To deliver relevant matches, this match type may also take into account the following:
- The user’s recent search activities
- The content of the landing pages and assets
- Other keywords in an ad group to better understand keyword intent
Note: It’s critical to use Smart Bidding with broad match. This is because every search query is different, and bids for each query should reflect the unique contextual signals present at auction-time. Smart Bidding uses these signals to ensure that, for all of the relevant searches you could reach with broad match, you’re only competing in the right auctions, at the right bid, for the right user. Learn how to Grow your business with broad match and Smart Bidding .
Tips
- Adding very similar keywords, such as “red car” and “car red” isn’t recommended, as only one keyword would match both searches. However, doing so won’t affect your costs or performance in any way. For example, the broad match keywords “red car” and “car red” will be recognized as duplicates and the one with the higher Ad Rank will be used. Even though all your similar keywords may be eligible to serve on the same search, you'll have only one bid in the ad auction. Learn more About ad group and asset group prioritization within a Google Ads account .
- Check out the Search Automation technical guide to learn more about the signals Google uses, how queries match to keywords, how Google's AI makes keyword matching more effective, and what you can do to improve performance.
- Google Ads may automatically recommend adding keywords through the Recommendations feature. These recommendations will identify the optimal set of keywords needed to maximize your campaign’s performance. Learn more About recommendations .
Ads may show on searches that include the meaning of your keyword. The meaning of the keyword can be implied, and user searches can be a more specific form of the meaning. With phrase match, you can reach more searches than with exact match and fewer searches than with broad match, only showing your ads on the searches that include your product or service.
The syntax for phrase match is to put quotes around your keyword, such as “tennis shoes”. Below is an example of how phrase match works:
Ads may show on searches that have the same meaning or same intent as the keyword. Of the 3 keyword matching options, exact match gives you the most steering over who views your ad, but reaches fewer searches than both phrase and broad match.
The syntax for exact match is to use square brackets, such as [red shoe]. Below is an example of how exact match works:
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Use Smart Bidding with all match types to optimize for your performance objectives. Smart Bidding works best with broad match because the wide set of searches allows it to learn what works best for you. Learn more About Smart Bidding .Negative keywords
You can use negative keywords to 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 a negative keyword for baseball hats.
Language Targeting
Multi-lingual users may view ads in a different language than they search if Google is confident the user understands the language of the ad. For example, a user who understands English when querying in Spanish for "zapatos azules" can be served an English ad matching with the keyword "blue shoes". Learn more About Language targeting
How Performance Max works with Search campaigns and keywords
Performance Max compliments existing Search campaigns and respects your keyword targeting through a structured prioritization system. The campaign selected to enter the auction is determined by whether the user's search query is an identical match to your eligible Search keywords or Performance Max search themes, and the keyword's match type.
- Exact match: Exact match keywords that are identical to the search term are prioritized. If the user's search query is identical to an eligible exact match keyword (for example, [skydiving license] for the search term "skydiving license") in your Search campaign, the Search campaign is prioritized over any other broad or phrase keyword or a Performance Max campaign.
- Phrase and broad match (shared priority): Phrase and broad match keywords (including AI Max) or search themes that are identical to the search term. If the search query is identical to an eligible phrase or broad match keyword in your Search campaign, it shares priority with an identical Performance Max search theme (for example, the Performance Max search theme "skydiving license" is prioritized over the phrase keyword "skydiving" for the search term "skydiving license" because it is identical to the query while the phrase keyword is not).
- Relevance (AI-based ad group prioritization): If a search term could match keywords in several ad groups, only the most relevant ad groups (based on AI) are considered, (for example, for "skydiving certifications near me," ad groups for "skydiving license" would be considered more relevant than "skydiving courses for beginners").
- Ad Rank: If multiple Search keywords or Performance Max search themes share equal priority based on the criteria above (Priorities 1 to 3), the ad or asset group that generates the ad with the highest Ad Rank will be prioritized.
At times, you may find existing keywords showing in Performance Max instead of your Search campaign due to ineligibility factors such as:
- The Search campaign is limited by budget.
- The keyword has low search volume status.
- All creatives or landing pages for the ad group are disapproved.
- All campaign or ad group targeting requirements are not met.
