Keyword Matching Options
You can specify your search-targeted keywords as broad matches, phrase matches, exact matches, or negative matches. These options can refine your ad targeting, helping you spend less on irrelevant clicks so that you increase your return on investment. We suggest using a combination of two or more keyword matching options to run an effective ad campaign.
Broad Match - This is the default option. If your ad group contained the broad-matched keyword tennis shoes, your ad might be eligible to appear when a user's search query contained tennis and shoes, in any order, and possibly along with other terms. Your ads could also show for singular/plural forms, synonyms, and other relevant variations. For example, you ad might show on tennis shoe or tennis sneakers. Check out this blog post to learn how broad match can help you reach more customers (English only).
Phrase Match - If you enter your keyword in quotation marks, as in "tennis shoes", your ad will appear when a user searches on the phrase tennis shoes, in this order, and possibly with other terms in the query.
In this case, the search can also contain other terms as long as it includes the exact phrase you've specified. For example, your ad may appear for the queries buy tennis shoes and tennis shoes store but not shoes for tennis.
Exact Match - If you surround your keywords in brackets -- such as [tennis shoes] -- your ad would be eligible to appear when a user searches for the specific phrase tennis shoes, in this order, and without any other terms in the query. For example, your ad wouldn't show for the query red tennis shoes or tennis shoe. You likely won't receive as many impressions, clicks, or conversions with exact match as you would with broad match. However, if you've carefully constructed a comprehensive keyword list, the traffic you do receive may be more targeted to your product or service.
Negative Keyword - You can use negative keywords to weed out irrelevant searches. To specify a negative keyword, place a negative sign (-) before the keyword. If your keyword is tennis shoes and you add the negative keyword -cheap, your ad won't appear when a user searches for cheap tennis shoes. You can apply this option for a keyword at both the ad group and campaign level.
