Broad Match

Broad match: Definition

A keyword option that allows your ad to show when someone searches for that keyword, variations of it, as well as other related topics. The broad match keyword “bicycle bell” can cause your ad to show if someone searches for variations and related searches like “cycling accessories,” “blue bicycle helmets,” and “bell reviews for bikes.” Broad match lets a keyword trigger your ad to show whenever someone searches for that phrase, similar phrases, close variations of the keyword terms, related searches, and other relevant variations. For example, when you add “hats” as a broad match keyword, you tell Google Ads to try to show your ad for searches containing that term or a similar one. Your ad might show for searches on “hat,” “sun hats,” “winter accessories”, and “sombreros.” Broad match keywords help you reach the widest audience. Broad match is one of the four keyword matching options that help control how closely the keyword needs to match a person’s search term in order for your ad to appear. You can choose one or more matching options for a keyword, and broad match will be used by default if you don’t specify a particular matching option. You can see the actual search queries that triggered your ads in the “Details” drop-down menu on the Keywords tab.

Close variants allow keywords to match to searches that are similar, but not identical to the targeted keyword, and help you connect with people who are looking for your business—despite slight variations in the way they search—reducing the need to build out exhaustive keyword lists to reach these customers. By default, all keyword match types are eligible to match to close variants. There is no way to opt out. For exact match keywords, close variants may also include:

Close variant	Description
Words with closely related syntax	This may include misspellings, singular or plural forms, stemmings (for example, floor and flooring), abbreviations, or accents.
Reordered words with the same meaning	For example, [shoes mens] and [mens shoes].
Adding or removing function words	Function words are prepositions (like in or to), conjunctions (like for or but), articles (like a or the), and other words that don’t impact the intent of a search. For example, [shoes for men] is a close variant of [men shoes] with the function word “for” removed.
Implied words	For example, if your exact match keyword is [daydream vr headset], your ads may show on searches for “daydream headset” since “vr” is implied.
Synonyms and paraphrases	For example, if your exact match keyword is [bathing suits] ads may also show on searches for “swimming suits.”
Same search intent	For example, if your exact match keyword is [images royalty free] ads may also show on searches for “free copyright images.”

Broad match modifier and phrase match close variants may also include:

Close variant	Description
Words with closely related syntax	This may include misspellings, singular or plural forms, stemmings (for example, floor and flooring), abbreviations, or accents.
Reordered words with the same meaning	For example, the phrase keyword “red shoes” may show on searches for “running shoes red.”
Adding or removing function words	Function words are prepositions (like “in” or “to”), conjunctions (like “and” or “but”), articles (like “a” or “the”), and other words that don’t impact the intent of a search. For example, the phrase match keyword “hats for winter” could match to searches for “winter hats on sale” with the function word “for” removed).
Implied words	For example, if your phrase match keyword is “daydream vr headset”, your ads may show on searches for “daydream headsets for sale” since “vr” is implied.
Synonyms and paraphrases	For example, if your broad match modifier keyword is +bathing +suits, your ads may also show on searches for “red swimming suits.”
Same search intent	For example, if your phrase match keyword is “images royalty free” ads may also show on searches for “free copyright images of baseball.”

Tips for Using Broad Match 

•Make sure to go long-tail 

We recommend a minimum of 3 words. The longer tailed phrases you include, the more you’re giving Google to work with. 

•Monitor your search terms like a hawk 

Bidding on broad match keywords is not a set it and forget it type of strategy. You’ll need to monitor your search terms like a hawk and add negative keywords to your campaigns and ad groups. This is exactly what we offer with our PPC services for clients who can’t handle this ongoing initiative in-house. We have a general rule of thumb that in order for broad match to be successful, the search terms have to be above 90% quality. Another tip is to leverage your client for insight into the search terms. When you have an industry expert help with search terms, you are going to improve the quality of your account. 

•Keep your ad groups simple 

We don’t recommend going above 5 broad match keywords within each ad group. You want to keep your keywords tight with broad match so you can determine the winners and losers and make adjustments from there. Of course, the keywords should align with the ad copy, which is a best PPC practice. 

•There are other options 

We love testing different match types with our PPC campaigns. There’s a good chance broad, phrase or broad match modifier could outperform broad. There’s also dynamic search ads, which also do a great job of driving longer tailed queries to your site, especially for eCommerce.