What Is Broad Match?
Also written as broad match keyword, broad keywords, broad match type.
Definition
Broad match is the Google Ads keyword setting that lets your ad show on searches related to your keyword, even without the same words. It is the default match type and the widest of the three. A broad keyword like yoga mat can reach searches about related home workout gear.
Written by Christopher Krassnig, Founder & CEO of ZenoX Media. Written by the ZenoX team from the accounts we run. Definitions are general; the numbers in examples are maths, not client results.
Broad Match, Explained
Broad match reads more than the words you typed. Google says it may look at the person's recent searches. It may also read your landing pages, your assets and the other keywords in your ad group to work out intent.
So it can find buyers you never thought of. It can also spend on searches that have little to do with what you sell. A big account with clean conversion data can absorb some test clicks. A new store with a small budget can burn through it fast.
Because broad is the default, you can buy it by accident. Type a keyword with no quotes or brackets and it is broad. Check your keywords before a campaign goes live.
If you run broad, do three things. Track real purchases first, so bidding learns from sales. Read the search terms report often. Add negative keywords for anything you would never sell. Never use it on your own brand name.
How We Use It at ZenoX
We keep broad out of Brand Search, where it pays for unrelated searches. New Search keywords start on exact match, built from search terms that already sold. Our feed campaigns reach wide searches anyway, so we do not need broad keywords to find reach.
Questions People Ask About Broad Match
Is Broad Match the Default in Google Ads?
Yes. Google says broad match is the default match type. If you add a keyword without quotes or square brackets, it runs as broad. That catches a lot of beginners out, so check the match type on every keyword before you switch a campaign on.
Should a New Store Use Broad Match?
We would not start there. A new store has little sales data and a small budget, and broad match can spread that money across loosely related searches. Start with tighter keywords on Search, watch what sells, then widen if the numbers support it.
Related terms
- Keyword Match TypesKeyword match types are the settings that tell Google how close a search must be to your keyword before your ad can show.
- Exact MatchExact match is a Google Ads keyword match type that shows your ad on searches with the same meaning or same intent as your keyword.
- Phrase MatchPhrase match is a Google Ads keyword match type that shows your ad on searches that include the meaning of your keyword.
- Negative KeywordA negative keyword is a word or phrase you tell Google never to match your ad against.
- Search Terms ReportThe search terms report is the list of actual queries people typed before they saw your ad.
Go deeper
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