Keyword Match Options

Objective: Learn how to use the keyword match options available in Microsoft adCenter.

Introduction

With keyword match options, you can specify how closely a customer's search query must match your keyword before your ad is displayed. There are three keyword match types: broad, phrase, and exact.

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Broad Match

Broad match triggers the display of your ad when the word or words in your keyword appear in a customer's search query, in any order. Broad match can also trigger the display of your ad for query terms that are synonyms, plurals, and related phrases, even if they aren't in your keyword list.

For example, if your keyword is "winter vacations" it will match with the query terms "vacation winter" or " ski winter vacations". It may also match a query for "winter trips" because adCenter identifies "trips" as a synonym for "vacations". However, the keyword will not match with the query terms "winter" or "vacation."

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Phrase Match

Phrase match triggers the display of your ad when the word or words in your keyword appear in a customer's search query, even if other words are present in the search term.

For example, your keyword "winter vacations" would match searches for "ski winter vacations" and "tropical winter vacations," but not "tropical vacations" or "summer vacations."

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Exact Match

Exact match triggers the display of your ad when the exact word or words in your keyword appear in a customer's search query, in exactly the same order.

For example, your keyword "winter vacations" would only match searches for "winter vacations," with no spelling variations. It would not match with "vacation winter", "winter" or "vacation".

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Negative Keywords

Negative keywords help to prevent your ad from being displayed for search queries that are unrelated to what you are advertising.

For example, if you specialize in tropical winter vacations and do not want your keyword "winter vacations" to match searches for "ski winter vacations", specify "ski" as a negative keyword.

Why You Should Choose an Appropriate Keyword Match Option

When selecting a match option, you should consider your goals for the ad group and the customer segments you have targeted.

• Use broad match when you want to expose your ads to a wider audience. With broad match you'll get more impressions with a shorter list of keywords. Broad match is also a good option when you've targeted a very specific customer segment.
• Use phrase match to help prevent your ad from being displayed for irrelevant variations of your keyword.
• Use exact match to precisely match your keyword and lower your costs. You'll get fewer impressions, but may get a higher click-through rate because your ad is shown to an audience looking for exactly what you are advertising. Exact match works well when your targeting options are set to a large customer segment.
• Use negative keywords when you know a term doesn't apply to your business.

You can choose any or all of the search match options for a keyword. If you do not specify a match option, Microsoft adCenter uses broad match by default.

You are able to bid separately for each match option you choose. For example, if you bid on all three match options for the keyword "winter vacations", then "winter vacations" appears in your keyword list three times with a separate bid for each match type.

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Setting Match Options for New Ad Groups

To set the keyword match options for a new ad group, follow these steps:

• Create a campaign, ad group, and ad.
• On the Keywords page, add your keywords.
• At the top of the keyword table, select the Show match types check box.
• In the Search match types column, select the match types that you want to apply to each keyword.
• Add negative keywords in the Negative keywords column.
• Click Continue.

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Setting Match Options for Existing Ad Groups

To change the keyword match options for an existing ad group, follow these steps:

• Select a campaign, then, select an ad group.
• On the Keywords tab, scroll to the top of the keyword table and click Edit Keywords.
• At the top of the keyword table, select the Show match types check box.
• In the Search match types column, select the match types that you want to apply to each keyword.
• Add negative keywords in the Negative keywords column.
• Click Continue.

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