{"id":5684,"date":"2018-08-20T08:15:42","date_gmt":"2018-08-20T15:15:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/charlesavemktg.com\/blog\/?p=5684"},"modified":"2019-07-16T14:07:48","modified_gmt":"2019-07-16T21:07:48","slug":"keyword-match-types","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/charlesavemktg.com\/blog\/keyword-match-types\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding Keywords and Keyword Match Types"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Keywords are the heart of any PPC campaign. But confusion surrounds the concept of keywords. In this article, let’s discuss what keywords are and how they’re different from search queries. Then, let’s begin to understand how ads are matched to search queries using keyword match types.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is a keyword?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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As it relates to PPC, a keyword<\/strong> is a word or phrase that is used to match your ads with the terms people are searching for on a search engine like Google.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keyword<\/em> and search query<\/em> are sometimes used interchangeably, but they’re not exactly the same thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A keyword is actually an abstraction; it’s a reference point to find related words and phrases. A search query<\/strong>, on the other hand, is the phrase a user types into the search bar to find information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an advertiser, you target keywords. Your target keywords are the phrases that you think will match with search queries from potential customers interested in your product or service. How these ads are matched is explained by keyword match types<\/strong> below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Long-tail keywords<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Keywords can be extremely general, like shoes<\/em> or cameras<\/em>. While it’s sometimes beneficial to target keywords with a high volume of search traffic, it’s usually better to target people searching specifically for what you have to offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, rather than targeting a general keyword like shoes<\/em>, you could get more specific and target men’s shoes<\/em>. But this is still a broad term that could describe any men’s shoe. Men’s brown loafer size 12 <\/em>is more targeted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This kind of targeted and specific keyword is known as a long-tail keyword<\/strong>. Long-tail keywords usually contain three or more words. While a long-tail keyword may not receive as much search volume as a general keyword, its specificity means you have a better chance of making a sale or creating a conversion. Why? Because the user knows exactly what he’s searching for (that is, a size 12 men’s loafer), and you, the advertiser, can point him directly to a size 12 men’s loafer on your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keyword Match Types<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

How your target keywords are matched with a user’s search query is determined by the keyword match type<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are three main keyword match types: broad match, phrase match, and exact match<\/a>. There is also a fourth match type, modified broad match, that is a derivation of the first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keyword match type #1: Broad match<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When you type a keyword by itself, without any special punctuations, it is set to broad match<\/strong>. And as the name applies, broad match will match each keyword to the broadest set of queries that users type into Google.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Broad match keywords enable the Google algorithm to display your ad when someone types <\/p>\n\n\n\n