I was considering making Google AdWords match types the topic of my next blog post. However, SearchEngineLand recently posted a great recap here so I figure I’ll just share that with you instead!
The article also includes a blurb about the recently announced broad match modifier, which gives advertisers (in Canada and the UK only right now) greater control. Per Google, “Each word preceded by a + must appear in the user’s search exactly or as a close variant. Close variants include misspellings, singular/plural forms, abbreviations and acronyms, and stemming variations (like floor and flooring). Synonyms (like “quick” and “fast”) and related searches (like “flowers” and “tulips”) are not considered close variants.”
Looking forward to the US release of that one soon!
For an official Google AdWords explanation of the various match types, read their help section here.
And while you’re setting match types in AdWords, remember to review your keyword structure too. Account structure and keyword grouping are very important factors in building effective and profitable PPC (pay per click) campaigns with high Quality Scores. You can read more about keyword grouping in my recent blog, “Are You a Keyword Groupie?“