Announcement: As of February 2021, Google has initiated the discontinuation of modified broad match for Google Ads. Explore the available match types within Google Ads.Keyword matching is pivotal in constructing a successful Google Ads campaign, as it dictates the placement of your advertisements. Google provides a range of keyword matching options.A particularly valuable option is the broad match modifier (BMM). This setting enables your ad to display for near-variant searches of your keywords, yet offers greater control over the search queries triggering your ad than the standard keyword match setting. Curious to discover more about broad match modifiers for Google Ads, their benefits, and how to implement them? Continue reading! For additional insights and advice from our team of digital marketing specialists, subscribe to our email newsletters!Broad match modifiers are an advanced keyword matching feature within Google Ads.They operate similarly to the standard broad match type, yet provide enhanced control. The broad match setting enables your ads to appear for precise keywords, along with synonyms, misspellings, related searches, and other keyword variations. Broad match modifiers enable you to select keywords that must be present in the search query for your ad to be displayed.Your ad will also show for close variations of the designated keywords. Close variants encompass:
Misspellings
Abbreviations
Acronyms
Diverse grammatical forms of the word
Synonyms
Paraphrases
To designate a keyword as essential, prepend a plus sign (+) to the word.Let’s examine some broad match modifier examples. Suppose your targeted keyword phrase is “hiking boots.” With standard broad match, your ads might appear for searches like “hiking boots,” “hiking shoes,” and “boots.” However, if you apply broad match modifiers to the same phrase and mark “hiking” as essential, your ad will only appear for “hiking boots” and “hiking shoes.” It will not display for just “boots” as that search lacks the term “hiking.” As another example, if your target keyword phrase is “+wireless +headphones,” you are utilizing broad match modifiers, and both terms must be present in the search for your ad to show. Your ad would appear for searches including:
Wireless headphones
Cheap wireless headphones
Wireless earbud headphones
It would not display for searches that do not include all the required keywords.
Over-ear headphones
Wireless speakers
Headphones
The broad match modifier keyword match type grants you superior control over who views your ads and where your ad spend is allocated, while still benefiting from exposure to closely related searches. This serves as an optimal balance for the breadth of your target audience.With broad match modifiers, you can reach a wider audience than with exact match or phrase match options, yet you can also refine your audience more than with standard broad match. By targeting a more focused audience, you may achieve a higher click-through rate (CTR) on your ads and enhance your visibility compared to exact match and phrase match.Utilize broad match modifiers by adding broad match keywords as you normally would in Google Ads, but precede the words you wish to convert into broad match modifiers with a plus sign.For your ad to appear for a specific search, the search must include the words with a plus sign or a close variation thereof. Your broad match modifiers should be formatted as follows:
+dog +sweaters
Do not insert a space between the plus sign and the word you are modifying. If you place a plus sign in front of one term but not another in your keyword, the term with the plus sign will be a broad match modifier, and the other will be a broad match. Consider the following keyword phrase:
Holiday +dog +sweaters
Here, “dog” and “sweaters” are essential for your ad to display. While targeting “holiday,” your ad will also appear for “sweaters for dogs” and other similar searches that do not include the word “holiday.” It is also crucial to note that broad match modifiers are exclusive to broad match keywords. There is no equivalent for phrase match or exact match, which are two additional keyword matching types.However, you can employ multiple match types within a single campaign. If you are using exact match or phrase match keywords and wish to broaden your reach with broad match modifier keywords, create a separate ad group. Then, generate a broad match modifier version of your exact or phrase match keywords.For instance, if your exact match keyword is “travel coffee mug,” your broad match modifier keyword would be “+travel +coffee +mug.” For comprehensive guidance on setting up broad match modifiers in Google Ads, refer to these step-by-step instructions.
Log in to your Google Ads account
Select “Keywords” from the menu on the left side of the page
Click the blue plus sign button
Select the ad group to which you want to add your broad match modifiers
Enter your broad match modifier keywords, ensuring to include the plus sign in front of the keyword
Click the “Save” button
Your ads will now run with your broad match modifier keywords. To update an existing broad match keyword to incorporate a broad match modifier:
Log in to your Google Ads account
Select “Keywords” from the menu on the left side of the page
Hover over the keyword you wish to edit and click on the pencil icon
Insert a plus sign before the words you want to convert to broad match modifiers
Click the “Save” button
Selecting the appropriate keyword matching settings is critical for any Google Ads campaign. Yet, several other elements contribute to a successful strategy. If you seek expert support in optimizing your ad spend, consider partnering with WebFX. As an experienced Google Ads agency and a Google Premier Partner, we can craft and execute a tailored pay-per-click (PPC) advertising strategy to maximize results for your business.For more information about our Google Ads services, call us at 888-601-5359 or request a free quote online today!
