Using the Adwords Broad Match Modifier

Have you started using the Broad match modifier in Adwords? This summer Google globally rolled out an additional option to help you with your Adwords campaigns. The new Broad Match modifier is an excellent option for those who want more visibility then is offered through Phrase and Exact match but still want keywords which are more targeted then standard Broad Match.

Learn more about adwords keyword match types in Bethany Bey’s excellent primer and then move on the tips for keyword match types.

We’ve all heard stories of how using Broad match can sometimes be a bit of adventure. Sure using Broad Match is going to get you greater visibility, but you’re putting a lot of faith in Google’s hands and are going to spend a lot of time with negative keywords. How often have you spent in front of a search query report shaking your head at irrelevant keywords that Google thinks are related?

So now Google is allowing more control over Broad match keywords. This is a welcome change that I’m sure most advertisers will be happy to embrace. This doesn’t mean that you can abandon those search query reports and negative keywords, but it should make targeting keywords a little easier.

So how does it work?

When adding new keywords to your campaign, you will use the plus symbol (+) in front of your keywords. So if you’re targeting ‘NFL jerseys’ you might use (+NFL +jerseys). This will mean that the keywords with the (+) symbol in front must appear exactly or in a very close form to trigger an Ad within Google. These close variations would include misspellings, singular/plural, abbreviations, acronyms and stemmings. Keywords which won’t trigger your ad include synonyms and most importantly keywords which Google thinks are related.

Example:

Keyword: +NFL +Jerseys

Also Matches

• NFL Jersey
• NFL Jersie
• NFL Jackets and Jerseys

Won’t Match

• NFL T-Shirts

In the past a search query such as ‘NFL T-Shirts’ could trigger your broad matched ‘NFL Jerseys’ keyword as Google might think they’re related. With the new Broad Match Modifier, advertisers should be able to avoid some of these issues.