AdWords - A Guide to Keyword Matching

Keyword matching is an AdWords tool that helps youwould not appear. It would only be eligible to appear
control the distribution of your ad. It allows yourwhen someone searched for 'flying lessons' only.
keywords to become even more targeted, so you4. Negative match: -keyword
can precisely manage who sees your ads. This isEnsures your ad doesn't show for any search that
important because every click to your ad costs youincludes that term.
money, and the more targeted your ads are the higherBy putting a minus symbol in front of your keyword,
your chances are of turning that website visitor into a'-helicopter' would mean that your ad would not appear
paying customer.for any searches that contained the word 'helicopter'.
There are five different keyword settings in AdWords.This works really well when you consider your broad
To use a keyword matching option, you just add thematch keywords.
appropriate punctuation to your keyword (when youExample: If you use the broad match keyword 'flying'
are adding the keyword to your keywords list).and combined this with '-helicopter' in the same ad
1. Broad match: keywordgroup then any time a user searches for 'helicopter
Allows your ad to show on similar phrases andflying lessons' they will not see your ad.
relevant variations.5. Broad match modifier: +keyword +keyword
Broad Match is the default option for all your AdWordsAllows a mix of both broad match and exact match.
keywords and therefore requires no punctuation to beBroad match modifier allows keywords to have the
added to the keyword.versatility of broad match (match search queries in
Example: If one of your keywords was 'flying lesson'any order, misspellings, singular/plural form,
then your ad would be eligible to appear whenabbreviations and acronyms, and stemmings (like 'fly'
someone searches for either or both of the wordsand 'flying'), but also keeps them confined, so
'flying' and 'lesson' in any order. The search query couldsynonyms and related searches won't trigger your
also include other terms, and your ads could also showads.
for plural forms like 'lessons', synonyms, and otherExample: If your keyword was '+flying +lesson', your
variations.ad could be triggered by many variations, such as 'fly
2. Phrase match: "keyword"lessons', but for example it would not be eligible to
Allows your ad to show for searches that match theappear for searches of 'flying schedules'. In this
exact phrase.example we are also able to target users searching
Example: By putting your keyword into quotationfor 'lessons in advanced flying', 'beginner flying lessons'.
marks, the keyword "beginner flying lessons" wouldConclusion:
only be eligible to appear when a user searches forThe AdWords keyword matching options make your
these three words in that exact order. It can alsokeywords even more targeted and helps drive the
appear for searches that contain other terms as longright customers to your website.
as it includes the exact phrase you've specified. SoIt is tempting for AdWords beginners to make all or
someone could search for 'cheap beginner flyingmany of their keywords broad match type, however
lessons' and your ad would also be eligible to appear.this is not advised as you can end up targeting many
3. Exact match: [keyword]users that don't fall into your target market. However,
Allows your ad to show for searches that match thecombining broad match keywords with negative match
exact phrase exclusively.keywords can be a recipe for success. Also, it's
Example: By surrounding your keywords in squareimportant to use the keyword search tools to discover
brackets, the keyword [flying lessons] would only benegative match keywords.
eligible to appear when a user searches for that exactOnce you are more experienced with AdWords you
phrase, in that exact order and without any other textshould then experiment with broad match modifier,
before or after. So if someone entered the searchwhich is very flexible and is a great way to further
term 'cheap beginner flying lessons' then your adtarget the right audience for your product.