Are you noticing a lot of inaccuracies in your Google Search terms? If so, then this blog is for you! Chances are if you are looking for a digital advertising agency, you may have heard an account executive or two mention Google Ads and the different match types they have to be able to utilize into the campaign. In case you weren’t aware, Google Ads is a type of search advertising Raleigh NC. I am here to give you the 411 on all the fun of search advertising on the Google Ads network and how to succeed based on the selected match type for keywords.

Currently, there are three (R.I.P.  mod. broad) match types that can be used within the Google Ads platform. These are broad match, phrase match, and exact match. Chances are if you are coming up for the wrong terms in regards to advertising, you are utilizing too many broad match terms instead of running a blended approach for optimal success. Let our digital advertising agency help!

Contestant Number One: Broad Match Type

First up is contestant number one. Contestant number one wants to be seen by everyone. Introducing broad match! Broad match is the default match type in Google Ads and the one that reaches the widest audience. This is also the one where many advertisers make a mistake. When using broad match, your ad is eligible to appear whenever a user’s search query includes ANY WORD in your key phrase, in any order.

For example, if you use broad match on "cheap cars," your ad might be displayed if a user types "luxury cars," "fast cars," or "cheap apartments." See how this match type can quickly start a wildfire if your digital advertising agency isn’t tactical about your match type targeting? Because broad match ads are set up to reach the widest possible audience, searchers might see and click your ad when querying irrelevant topics, and these costs can add up surprisingly fast. Broad match is the default when setting up your account, so you will want to be sure you are avoiding a costly mistake.

Contestant Number Two: Phrase Match

Now entering contestant number two: phrase match. Contestant number two loves to be versatile but can still beat around the bush sometimes. Phrase match offers the versatility of broad match, but with more control. Your ad will only appear when a user searches your phrase using your keywords in the exact order your digital advertising agency set them up in, but there might be other words before or after that phrase. Google does, however, identify synonyms in this type of match, so you may need to be careful here as well, but not as careful as you need to be with broad match.

The newest change to phrase match is that it will now match to even more search terms, because the modified broad (R.I.P.) match type is retired and its functionality is getting absorbed by phrase match as of February 2021.

Contest Number Three: Exact Match

Last but not least, we have an exact match entering the competition. Exact match likes to be taken literally and only likes to be taken at face value. Exact match is the most specific and restrictive of the keyword match types. With this match type, users would only see your ad when they typed your exact keyword phrase by itself (sometimes a plural word or synonym get by, but not often. For example, if your keyword phrase was "Red Shark Digital," your ad would only be eligible to show up when a user searched for "Red Shark Digital" (those words in that exact order) and not for "Red Shark," "shark digital" or "Red Shark Digital Greenville."

So, Who’s Your Perfect Match? | Red Shark Digital | Digital Advertising Agency

Well unfortunately, I can’t give you that answer without learning a little more about you. If you are interested in running a Google Ads campaign and would like some help find your perfect match, be sure to reach our to our digital advertising agency Raleigh NC today!

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