Broad Match in Google Ads: Boost Reach & Relevance with Broad Match Keywords

Broad Match

Definition
Broad Match is a keyword match type in Google Ads that allows your ad to show a wide range of search terms related to your target keyword, including synonyms, misspellings, and other variations. Unlike exact and phrase match types, Broad Match doesn’t require the user’s search term to match your keyword exactly. This match type helps advertisers capture a larger audience, which can lead to more website traffic and improved campaign reach.

Benefits of Using Broad Match
With Broad Match, your campaigns can:

• Reach additional relevant search terms beyond what exact and phrase match provide, helping expand your audience.
• Provide more data for Smart Bidding (Google’s AI-powered tool for optimizing bids based on real-time data), which can use this data to improve ad performance.
• Capture high-intent queries by identifying related terms, which helps broaden coverage while maintaining relevance.

When to Use Broad Match

1. Starting a New Campaign: Broad Match is ideal for new campaigns where gathering data on keyword performance and discovering effective search terms are priorities.
2. Increasing Brand Awareness: If your goal is to increase visibility and reach, Broad Match helps by displaying ads to a broader audience.
3. Testing Ad Performance: Broad Match allows for testing various keywords and ad copies, making it easier to assess ad effectiveness and gather actionable insights.

Example:
Suppose your keyword is “home workout plan”. With Broad Match, your ad might also appear for searches like “at-home exercise routine”, “online fitness classes”, or “home gym workouts”. This ensures your ad reaches people searching for similar services even if they use different terms.

Best Practices for Broad Match

1. Pair with Smart Bidding: Since Broad Match expands your reach, using Smart Bidding can help target only the most relevant searches at the right bid.
2. Review Search Terms Report Regularly: Use the search terms report to identify irrelevant terms and add them as negative keywords, optimizing your budget for more qualified traffic.
3. Add Negative Keywords: Exclude terms that don’t align with your offering to ensure your ads appear only for the most relevant searches.

Image source:Support Google

FAQs:

• When should I use Broad Match instead of Exact or Phrase Match?
  Use Broad Match when you’re starting a new campaign, aiming for brand awareness, or gathering data on relevant search terms. Exact Match is best for highly specific targeting, while Phrase Match works well for capturing relevant searches where word order matters.
• Does Broad Match lower ad relevance?
  Broad Match can lower relevance if not monitored closely. To maintain relevance, regularly review search terms reports and add negative keywords to exclude irrelevant traffic.
• Can I use Broad Match without Smart Bidding?
  While possible, it’s recommended to pair Broad Match with Smart Bidding. Smart Bidding uses Google’s AI to make real-time adjustments, helping ensure that broad matches are shown in the right auctions to the right users.

Ready to expand your reach with Google Ads? Start experimenting with Broad Match, and let Anderson Collaborative’s team help you optimize your ad strategy for better results.