Keyword Match Types: Broad, Phrase & Exact in 2026

Keyword match types are the foundation of Google Ads search campaign targeting. They determine which searches trigger your ads, directly impacting everything from impression volume to conversion rates and cost efficiency. Yet match types have evolved dramatically over the past several years, and what worked in 2020 may actively hurt your campaigns in 2026. Google's continuous push toward AI-driven matching has fundamentally changed how each match type behaves, making it essential to understand the current reality rather than outdated best practices.

The three match types available today are broad match, phrase match, and exact match. Each offers a different balance between reach and control. Broad match casts the widest net, triggering your ads for searches Google considers relevant to your keyword's meaning. Exact match provides the tightest targeting, though it's no longer truly "exact" as Google now includes close variants and intent matching. Phrase match sits between them, maintaining your keyword's core meaning while allowing flexibility in how users phrase their searches.

Broad Match Explained

Broad match is Google's default and most expansive match type. When you add a keyword without any symbols or modifiers, it's automatically set to broad match. This match type triggers your ads for searches that relate to your keyword's meaning, even if the search doesn't contain any of your actual keyword terms. Google's AI evaluates user intent, search context, and historical data to determine relevance.

For example, a broad match keyword like running shoes might trigger ads for searches including "best sneakers for jogging," "marathon footwear," "athletic shoes for women," or even "Nike air max reviews." The algorithm considers these searches relevant based on user behavior patterns and semantic understanding. This expansive matching can uncover valuable search terms you would never have thought to target, but it can also trigger irrelevant clicks that waste budget.

Broad match in 2026: what has changed

Google has invested heavily in making broad match smarter through machine learning improvements. The 2026 version of broad match is significantly more intelligent than previous iterations, using signals like user location, recent searches, landing page content, and other keywords in your ad group to better understand intent. When paired with Smart Bidding, broad match now factors in predicted conversion probability before deciding whether to show your ad.

The most significant change is the integration between broad match and Smart Bidding strategies. Google's algorithm evaluates each auction individually, considering hundreds of signals to predict whether a click will convert. For searches with low predicted conversion probability, Smart Bidding automatically reduces bids, effectively filtering out many irrelevant impressions that would have wasted budget in manual bidding scenarios. This makes broad match viable for performance-focused campaigns in ways it wasn't before.

• Enhanced intent matching: AI better understands what users actually want
• Smart Bidding integration: Automatic bid adjustments based on conversion probability
• Landing page signals: Your page content helps Google match relevant searches
• Cross-signal evaluation: User history, location, and context influence matching
• Ad group context: Other keywords help define your broad match targeting

Phrase Match Behavior

Phrase match triggers your ads when searches include the meaning of your keyword. To use phrase match, wrap your keyword in quotation marks: "running shoes". Unlike broad match, phrase match requires that the search contain your keyword concept in a relatively intact form, though it allows for words before and after, and some flexibility in word order when meaning is preserved.

The phrase match keyword "running shoes" would trigger for searches like "best running shoes for beginners," "buy running shoes online," or "women's running shoes sale." It would not trigger for "shoes for a running back" (different meaning) or "how to tie shoes for running" (the meaning is about tying, not the shoes themselves). Phrase match strikes a balance between the reach of broad match and the precision of exact match.

How phrase match evolved from BMM

In 2021, Google retired broad match modifier (BMM) and merged its functionality into phrase match. The previous BMM allowed you to specify which words must appear in a search using + symbols. Today's phrase match incorporates this control while maintaining the traditional phrase match requirement that the keyword meaning appears as a coherent concept. If you previously relied on BMM for control, phrase match now provides similar functionality.

Exact Match Precision

Exact match, denoted by square brackets [running shoes], provides the tightest targeting among match types. Your ads trigger when the search matches the meaning or intent of your keyword. Despite the name, exact match hasn't been truly exact since 2018 when Google introduced close variant matching. Today, exact match includes synonyms, implied words, paraphrases, and searches with the same intent.

The exact match keyword [running shoes] would trigger for "running shoes," "shoes for running," "running shoe," and potentially "jogging shoes" or "running sneakers." It would not trigger for "running shoes reviews" or "best running shoes" unless Google determines the added words don't change the core intent. This expansion frustrates advertisers who want absolute control but generally improves campaign performance by capturing valuable close variants.

Close variants and what exact match triggers

Understanding close variants is crucial for managing exact match expectations. Google defines close variants as including misspellings, singular and plural forms, stemmings, abbreviations, accents, reordered words with same meaning, added or removed function words (like "the," "for," "a"), implied words, synonyms, and paraphrases. This is a significant expansion from the original exact match behavior.

• Misspellings: [runing shoes] triggers for "running shoes"
• Plurals/singulars: [running shoe] triggers for "running shoes"
• Stemmings: [run] may trigger for "running"
• Abbreviations: [NYC hotels] triggers for "New York City hotels"
• Reordering: [shoes running] triggers for "running shoes"
• Function words: [shoes for running] triggers for "running shoes"
• Synonyms: [running sneakers] may trigger for "running shoes"
• Implied words: [cheap flights to Paris] triggers for "cheap flights Paris"

When to Use Each Match Type

Choosing the right match type depends on your campaign objectives, budget constraints, conversion tracking maturity, and risk tolerance. There's no universally correct answer, and many successful campaigns use a combination of match types strategically deployed across different ad groups or campaigns. The key is understanding what each match type optimizes for and aligning that with your goals.

For discovery and reach, broad match excels at finding new search terms and audiences you haven't yet identified. It's particularly valuable when launching new products, entering new markets, or trying to understand how customers search for your offerings. However, broad match requires active management through search term analysis and negative keyword additions to prevent budget waste on irrelevant clicks.

For control and efficiency, exact match ensures your budget focuses on searches you've specifically validated. This is ideal for limited budgets where every click matters, highly competitive keywords where you need precise targeting, or proven high-converting terms where you want to maximize impression share. The trade-off is potentially missing valuable variations you haven't explicitly added.

Match type selection by campaign goal

Match Type Strategy by Campaign Goal

Building an effective match type strategy requires thinking beyond individual keywords to your overall campaign architecture. Many advertisers use a tiered approach where different match types serve different purposes within the same account. This allows you to capture the benefits of each match type while managing their respective risks.

A common structure is the "harvest and discover" model. You run exact match campaigns for your proven, high-performing keywords, ensuring maximum impression share and control on these valuable terms. Simultaneously, you run phrase or broad match campaigns for discovery, mining search term reports for new exact match candidates. When you find converting search terms in your discovery campaigns, you add them as exact match keywords in your harvest campaigns.

Budget allocation in this model typically weights toward your exact match harvest campaigns, where performance is more predictable. Your discovery campaigns receive smaller budgets appropriate for testing. As you identify new high-performers and migrate them to exact match, your harvest campaigns grow while discovery campaigns continue finding the next opportunities. This creates a sustainable system for keyword expansion and optimization.

Tiered match type architecture

• Tier 1 (Exact Match): Proven converters, highest budget allocation, maximum bid competitiveness
• Tier 2 (Phrase Match): Core terms requiring validation, moderate budget, data collection focus
• Tier 3 (Broad Match): Discovery and expansion, limited budget, heavy negative keyword management

Smart Bidding and Broad Match

The combination of broad match and Smart Bidding represents Google's recommended approach for most advertisers in 2026. This pairing leverages machine learning at both the targeting level (broad match) and the bidding level (Smart Bidding), creating a system where the algorithm optimizes across both dimensions simultaneously. Google's internal data shows this combination often outperforms more restrictive match type and bidding strategies.

Smart Bidding strategies like Target CPA, Target ROAS, and Maximize Conversions evaluate each auction individually using hundreds of signals including device, location, time of day, audience lists, and predicted conversion probability. When broad match surfaces a query with low conversion probability, Smart Bidding automatically reduces the bid, effectively filtering out that impression without requiring a negative keyword. This creates a dynamic, self-optimizing system.

However, this approach requires sufficient conversion volume for the algorithm to learn effectively. Google recommends at least 30 conversions per month per campaign for Target CPA or Target ROAS to function optimally. Campaigns with fewer conversions may experience inconsistent performance as the algorithm lacks enough data to make reliable predictions. For low-volume campaigns, more restrictive match types with manual bidding may still outperform broad match with Smart Bidding.

Requirements for broad match + Smart Bidding success

• Conversion tracking: Accurate, comprehensive conversion measurement is essential
• Conversion volume: Minimum 30 conversions/month per campaign, 50+ ideal
• Learning period patience: Allow 2-4 weeks for algorithm optimization
• Budget sufficiency: Enough budget to generate required conversion volume
• Negative keywords: Still necessary for clearly irrelevant searches

Search Term Report Analysis

Regardless of which match types you use, regular search term analysis is non-negotiable for campaign optimization. The search terms report shows you the actual queries that triggered your ads, revealing how Google interprets your keywords and which searches are driving clicks and conversions. This data is invaluable for identifying both opportunities (new keywords to add) and problems (irrelevant searches to block).

For broad match campaigns, review search terms at least weekly, and daily for new campaigns or high-spend accounts. You'll likely find searches you never anticipated, some valuable and some wasteful. Add valuable converting searches as phrase or exact match keywords to ensure you capture them consistently. Add irrelevant searches asnegative keywords to prevent future waste.

Even exact match campaigns benefit from search term review due to close variant expansion. You may find that close variants are driving significant impressions, some of which don't align with your intent. For example, your exact match [project management software] might trigger for "project manager software" which targets a different user need. Add misaligned close variants as negative exact match keywords to regain control.

Search term analysis workflow

Common Match Type Mistakes

Even experienced advertisers make match type mistakes that significantly impact campaign performance. Understanding these common pitfalls helps you avoid them and achieve better results from your Google Ads campaigns. Many of these mistakes stem from outdated knowledge or misunderstanding how modern match types actually behave.

One of the biggest mistakes is using broad match without Smart Bidding. Broad match with manual bidding or even Maximize Clicks bidding leads to significant budget waste because you're bidding the same amount for highly relevant and marginally relevant searches. Without Smart Bidding's query-level bid adjustments, broad match becomes a blunt instrument that drains budget on low-intent searches.

Another common error is neglecting negative keywords across all match types. Many advertisers add negative keywords only to broad match campaigns, assuming exact match doesn't need them. With close variant expansion, exact match absolutely requires negative keyword maintenance. Similarly, creating overly restrictive negative lists can block valuable traffic. Use the search terms report to add negatives based on actual performance data rather than assumptions.

Match type mistakes to avoid

• Broad match without Smart Bidding: Leads to budget waste on low-intent searches
• Ignoring exact match close variants: Assuming exact match is still truly exact
• No negative keyword management: All match types require ongoing negative keyword work
• Over-restrictive negatives: Blocking potentially valuable close variant traffic
• Single match type obsession: Using only one match type instead of strategic combinations
• Infrequent search term review: Missing both opportunities and waste
• Duplicate keywords across match types: Causing internal competition without benefit
• Expecting immediate results: Not allowing learning period for Smart Bidding to optimize

Building Your Match Type Strategy

An effective match type strategy aligns with your specific business context, budget, and goals. Start by assessing your current situation: How much conversion data do you have? What's your budget flexibility? How well do you understand your customers' search behavior? The answers inform whether you should lean toward control (exact match) or discovery (broad match).

For new accounts or products, begin with phrase match to build your keyword foundation. Phrase match provides enough reach to gather meaningful search term data while maintaining sufficient control for budget efficiency. Analyze search terms weekly, building both your keyword list and negative keyword list. After accumulating 30+ conversions and identifying top performers, expand to include exact match for proven winners and consider broad match with Smart Bidding for further discovery.

For mature accounts, audit your current match type distribution and performance. Calculate cost per conversion and conversion rate by match type to understand what's actually working. Many advertisers discover their exact match keywords significantly outperform broader match types on efficiency metrics, suggesting opportunity to shift budget or add more exact match keywords. Others find broad match with Smart Bidding delivers more conversions at acceptable CPA, justifying expanded investment.

Regardless of your strategy, maintain alignment between your match types and yourQuality Score optimization efforts. Each match type affects the relevance signals Google uses to calculate Quality Score. Broad match keywords naturally have lower expected relevance because they trigger for varied searches, potentially impacting Quality Score. Ensure your ad copy and landing pages can accommodate the range of searches each match type surfaces.

The Future of Match Types

Google's trajectory clearly points toward simplification and automation. The retirement of BMM, the expansion of close variants, and the push for broad match plus Smart Bidding all suggest Google wants advertisers to rely less on manual match type controls and more on algorithmic optimization. This aligns with Google's broader automation agenda across all campaign types.

For advertisers, this means match type expertise remains important but the application is evolving. Rather than obsessing over perfect match type structures, focus on providing the algorithm with quality inputs: accurate conversion tracking, thoughtful negative keywords, relevant landing pages, and compelling ad creative. The advertisers who thrive in Google's increasingly automated environment are those who master the inputs and let the machine handle optimization.

Your search campaign structureshould accommodate this evolution. Build campaigns flexible enough to test different match type strategies while maintaining the organization needed for meaningful analysis. Use automated rules or scripts to monitor performance and alert you to issues. And continuously educate yourself on Google's updates, as match type behavior continues to evolve with each algorithm improvement.

Ready to optimize your keyword match type strategy? Benly's AI-powered platform analyzes your search term data, identifies match type optimization opportunities, and helps you build intelligent negative keyword lists that improve campaign performance while reducing wasted spend on irrelevant searches.