The match type determines in what types of searches your keywords will trigger: exact, phrase, or broad. The guide shows the differences, examples, the use of negatives, and how to choose the right type based on your campaign intent.
What is the match type?
Match type indicates what kinds of searches the keyword can display an ad for. In Google Ads, the options are exact, phrase, and broad. The choice affects how much traffic you receive – and how relevant it is.
In brief: exact = limited, phrase = limited word order, broad = Google's interpretation around the topic.
Types and Practical Examples
1) Exact [keyword]
The ad appears in searches that exactly match the intent.
Example: [video production helsinki] → matches: “video production helsinki”, “video productions in helsinki”.
When: when you want precise intent and direct commercial traffic.
2) Phrase "phrase string"
The ad appears when phrase string occurs in the same order, with other text possible before or after.
Example: "video production helsinki" → “affordable video production helsinki”, “video production helsinki price”.
When: when you want controlled expansion to related searches.
3) Broad keyword
Google interprets the applicant's topic and synonyms.
Example: video production → can hit “corporate video”, “advertisement video”, sometimes also “short video production”.
When: when searching for scale, but negative and good signals are in check.
Tip: in broad match, conversion signals (good measurement) are important – otherwise, you seek the wrong audience.
Synonyms & Searches
match type, match type, exact match, phrase match, broad match.
7 Steps to Choosing the Right Match Type
Define Intent. Purchase/Booking → Exact + Phrase. Research/Volume → Broad (negative included).
Group Words by Topic. Same theme in the same group; 5–20 terms / group.
Start with Two. One Exact + one Broad keyword/topic, same ad message.
Add Negatives Immediately. Free, job, wiki… (including inflections).
Monitor the Search Term Report. Move good searches to exact/phrase; add unnecessary ones to the negative list.
Bids/Strategy. When conversions accumulate, switch to Maximize Conversions / tCPA.
Update Weekly. New searches → new exacts. This way broad acts as a “discovery,” exacts as a “machine.”
Small Example
Campaign: Generic – Video Production
Group: Corporate Video →
[corporatevideo],"corporatevideo",corporatevideoNegatives: free, job, education, wiki, guide
Most Common Mistakes
All broad without negatives. The budget goes towards false impressions.
Too many keywords in one group. Relevance and quality scores suffer.
The search terms report is left unused. You don't promote good searches to be precise.
Brand and generic in the same. Data distorts; keep brand separate.
Landing does not match the search. CTR is okay, but CVR drops.
FAQ
Is broad always more expensive?
No, if the measurement and negatives are in order. Broad finds new searches that you can make precise.
Is just precise enough?
If scaling is needed, no. Keep the precise core search and the broad learning.
How does phrase differ from precise?
Phrase allows for prefixes and suffixes in the same word order; precise responds specifically to the intent.
How often do you update match types?
Go through weekly: add new precisions and remove unnecessary broad ones with the help of negatives.
