Free White Paper: More Profit with Better Match Types

Match Type is the paid search option which has perhaps the highest impact, is the least understood, and is most often under-utilized.

In this white paper, we take a long look at the Match Type option and how and why you should use it to improve your paid search campaigns and results.

MATCH GAME: MATCH TYPES DEFINED

The Match Type option is the primary connector between your keywords and the search queries users actually enter into the search engines. Each keyword has a Match Type associated with it, which defines how the keyword is connected to search queries (the actual phrase a search types, not necessarily the one you buy). On Google we have these options:

• The EXACT Match Type turns the keyword into a rifle. It will only cause your ads to be displayed when the query is identical to the keyword. (At least in theory, we’ll cover some real world exceptions later).


• The PHRASE Match Type turns your keyword into a shotgun. It will hit anything surrounding the keyword as long as the query contains your purchased keyword(s) with anything before or after them.


• The BROAD Match Type turns your keyword into a bomb. It will explode in all directions and send debris and shrapnel farther and wider than you had ever imagined. In other words, the keyword can match pretty much any query the search engine decides is even tangentially related. (There will definitely be more on this later).

In addition to these Google now offers ‘Automatic Matching’ as we’ve written about previously on the ClickEquations blog.

The theory of these basic Match Type definitions are easily understandable - but in practice deciding the right Match Type isn’t always easy.

The problem is that each Match Type is a filter of sorts, letting certain queries through and stopping (or reducing the probability of) your ad from showing for other queries.

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