Exact match keywords in Google Ads: Everything you need to know

Welcome to our weekly Search Engine Land series, Everything you need to know about Google Ads in less than 3 minutes. Every Wednesday, I’m highlighting a different Google Ads feature, and what you need to know to get the best results from it – all in a quick 3-minute read.

Today, we’re discussing exact match keywords – the intuitive and the not-so-intuitive facts you need to know about how keyword match types work today.

I’ll cover: 

• What are keywords?
• Keyword match types in Google Ads: Broad, Phrase, Exact
• The evolution of exact match keywords
• When to use exact match keywords
• The power of negative keywords

What are keywords in Google Ads?

Before we get into the specifics of exact match keywords, let’s recap what keywords are in the context of Google Ads.

Keywords are the words or phrases you use in your ad account to tell Google when you want your ads to show up.

Queries, on the other hand, are the things that real people type into the Google Search bar. When there’s a match between a user’s query and your keyword, you’re eligible to show a Search ad.

Keyword match types in Google Ads: Broad, Phrase, Exact

Your keyword isn’t the only thing that determines what kind of queries you can advertise on. Your keyword match type is how you communicate to Google how “tightly” or “loosely” you’d like the user’s query to match your keyword.

• Broad match keywords mean you want to  advertise when the user’s query is related to your keyword.
• Phrase match keywords mean you want to advertise when the user’s query contains the meaning of your keyword.
• Exact match keywords mean you want to advertise when the user’s query has the same meaning as your keyword.

If you don’t pick a match type, the default is broad match.

The evolution of exact match keywords

Did those definitions confuse you? In the past, exact match was exactly that: your ad would only show if the user’s query exactly matched your keyword. If they misspelled it, or used the plural instead of the singular, it would still match, but that was it.

Google quietly tweaks match types around 2021, so all match types – including exact match – have become, shall we say, more flexible. Instead of the user’s query needing to exactly match your keyword, it now just needs to match the intent or meaning of your keyword.

For example, let’s say you have the exact match keyword [tissue box] in your Google Search campaign. Back in 2019, if a user searched for “tissue boxes” then you would be eligible to show an ad, but if they searched for “Kleenex box” you would not.

Now, if you have the exact match keyword [tissue box], you could match to queries like:

• Kleenex box
• Tissue box cover
• Toilet paper holder
• Square tissue box
• Wood Kleenex box cover

These would all be considered “close variant” matches, and they would be marked as such on your search terms report.

When to use exact match keywords

You might be thinking, “Hold on, that doesn’t sound very exact!” And you’d be right. But this evolution of exact match isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Putting our optimistic hat on, the expanded exact match allows your ads to reach a wider audience searching for similar things to your keywords, while still giving you more control than broad or phrase match.

Because of this, exact match keywords are a great fit for newer advertisers and advertisers with small budgets. While they don’t offer complete control, exact match keywords offer you the most possible control in Google Search campaigns.

The power of negative keywords

Even with exact match, you might find your ads showing up for queries that aren’t quite what you had in mind. That’s where negative keywords come in. These are words or phrases that tell Google when you don’t want your ad to show.

For example, if you’re selling tissue boxes and notice your ad appearing for searches like “toilet paper holder,” you can add “toilet paper holder” as a negative keyword to prevent this from happening again.

Match types apply for negative keywords, too.

The exact match negative keyword [toilet paper holder] would only block searches that exactly match it; if someone searched for “bathroom paper holder,” you would still be eligible to serve an ad. I generally use phrase match negative keywords, and in this example, I would probably add “toilet” as a phrase match negative keyword, which would exclude all user queries that contain the word “toilet.”

While match types have become a bit more nuanced over time, they remain one of the key levers you have for controlling your Google Ads targeting and maximizing your ad investment.

Regardless of which keyword match type you choose, remember to use negative keywords strategically and keep a close eye on your search terms report to ensure your ads are reaching the right audience.