Use the Google Ads Match Type Tool to automatically modify your keyword list into the appropriate match types for a PPC campaign.
What Are Keyword Match Types?
In Google Ads, there are four match types: broad match, phrase match, exact match, and negative match. Each match type determines how closely a user’s search query must align with your specified keywords for your ads to appear.
Broad match allows for a wide range of variations. Phrase match requires the query to include the exact phrase or close variants. Exact match ensures your ads show only for the precise keyword or close variants. Negative match prevents your ads from displaying when certain keywords are present. Understanding these match types is crucial for effective keyword targeting and ad campaign optimization in Google Ads.
This broad match, broad match modifier, exact match, and phrase match tool can be used with Google Ads and Microsoft Advertising.
Why do match types matter? Match types make or break the profit of your campaign by determining who sees your ads.
Copy-and-paste your initial broad keyword list in the free tool below. Use the Keyword Planner if you do not have an initial keyword list. No data is stored here so your privacy is safe. Check the match types you want on the left then click “Generate Modified List ››”:
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What is Each Match Type?
| Match type | Modifier symbol | Example phrase | Conditions that trigger a match | Example search |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broad match | None | Google AdWords | Misspellings, synonyms, plurals, modified terms, any order, and similar searches. | adwords help |
| Phrase match | “” | “Google AdWords” | The phrase and near variations in the same order appear anywhere in the search term. | google adwords tool |
| Exact match | [] | [Google AdWords] | Exact search or a close variation. No other words can exist. | google adwords |
| Negative | Added to negative keywords | Google Ads | The exact phrase must be in the query to be excluded. | google adwords help |
What Happened to Broad Match Modifiers?
In February 2021, Google announced they removed the broad-match modifier type, making it behave as a phrase-match. Despite every experienced advertiser hating this change because it feels like regression, the update remains. If you include a broad-match modifier in your keywords, it will cause no issues and be treated as a phrase-match. Microsoft Advertising has retained the match-type.
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