How to Set Phrase Match and Broad Match Keywords
To specify a phrase match keyword in Google Ads, simply enclose your keyword in quotation marks. For example, typing "running shoes" with quotes will ensure it’s treated as a phrase match.
Broad match, on the other hand, is the default option. If you just enter your keyword without any punctuation, like running shoes without any quotes, Google Ads will automatically treat it as a broad match.
Mixing these match types lets you balance flexibility and precision in your campaigns, perfect for fine-tuning your results.
Broad Match Modifiers: Adding a Layer of Control
Broad match modifiers offer a way to fine-tune your broad match keywords in Google Ads. By adding a plus sign (+) in front of specific words within your keyword, you tell Google that those words—or very close variants—must show up in the user's search for your ad to appear.
For example, let's say your keyword is +at-home workout plan. With this setup, your ad could display for searches like "at-home exercise plan" or "best at-home workout routines," but it wouldn’t show up for searches like "gym workout plan" where the "at-home" aspect is missing.
This approach strikes a balance: you reach a broader range of searches than phrase or exact match, but still keep important terms locked in for better relevance.
How Negative Match Types Work
Just like with regular keywords, you can fine-tune your campaigns by using different types of negative keywords: negative broad match, negative phrase match, and negative exact match. Each serves a unique purpose to help you filter out searches you don’t want your ads showing up for.
Negative Broad Match: This is the default setting. Your ad won’t appear if the search query contains all your negative keywords, but if someone searches using just parts of your negative keyword, your ad could still show. For instance, if your negative keyword is “running shoes,” your ad might still show for “red shoes” or “running gear,” but not for “running shoes.”
Negative Phrase Match: With this one, your ad is blocked from searches containing your negative keyword phrase in the same order. Searches can include extra words before or after, but as long as your exact phrase shows up in the correct order, your ad won’t appear. So, using “running shoes” as your negative phrase match, your ad wouldn’t show for “discount running shoes for women,” but it could show for “shoes for running.”
Negative Exact Match: The strictest of the group. Your ad is prevented from showing only when the search query matches your negative keyword exactly and in the same order, with nothing else before or after. So, if “running shoes” is your negative exact match, someone searching precisely “running shoes” won’t see your ad, but “cheap running shoes” might still trigger it.
What are Negative Keywords in Google Ads?
Negative keywords add another layer of control to your Google Ads campaigns. They let you specify which search terms you don’t want your ads to show up for, helping you avoid irrelevant clicks and wasted spend.
Here’s how they work: Let’s say you’re advertising an “at-home workout plan,” but you don’t offer or want to target users looking for workout equipment. By adding “equipment” as a negative keyword, your ads will skip anyone searching for workout equipment, keeping your ad focused on more qualified leads.
Negative keywords don’t account for close variations, so you’ll need to include all the versions you want to block. For example, to avoid “workout machines” and “exercise equipment,” you’d enter each one separately.
Negative keywords come in three match types, just like regular keywords:
- Negative broad match: Ads won’t appear if the search contains all the negative keywords, but might still show if only some are present.
- Negative phrase match: Blocks your ad when the search contains the exact negative keyword phrase, in the same order, even if extra words appear before or after.
- Negative exact match: Stops your ad if the search term matches your negative keyword exactly and in the same order, without any extra words.
Using negative keywords wisely helps you filter out unrelated traffic and keeps your campaigns as focused as you want them to be.
What to Do After Using Broad Match Keywords
Once you've collected enough performance data from a campaign running broad match keywords, it's a good idea to use what you've learned to make your ads more targeted. If you spot your ads showing up for searches that aren’t quite a fit, consider switching to phrase match for better control.
Phrase match lets you keep some flexibility, but helps weed out those off-topic searches—especially if you noticed irrelevant traffic coming from search terms with extra words mixed in. By refining your match type, you can ensure your ads appear for more relevant queries while minimizing wasted spend.