Since the update date, phrase match keywords and broad match modifier keywords are associated with the same searches as users. Before understanding what this change is, let's take a step back and look in detail at what types of keywords we are talking about.
Keyword Match Types
When creating a campaign, the advertiser selects a list of keywords through which they want to reach specific user traffic. Keywords are words or phrases that are strategically selected so that ads appear in correspondence with certain user searches. In addition, they are the basic components of a Google Ads campaign to intercept people when they search for what they need.
It is important to note that there are different types of keyword matches. The advertiser uses keyword matches to give machine learning indications about when to show ads, respecting users' searches.
Phrase match keywords cause ads to be shown to users searching for the exact keyword, even if it is preceded or followed by other words.
Let's take a practical example. By entering the keyword bicycle helmets , the ad will obviously appear when users search bicycle helmets , but also for searches like racing bike helmets o bicycle helmet prices.
Exact match keywords cause your ads to be shown to users who search for words with the same meaning or intent as the keyword. Therefore, for a keyword like tennis shoes , ads can be shown for searches like tennis tent o comfortable tennis shoes.
Unlike phrase matching, which involves inserting the keyword in quotes, for example, » tennis shoes" , for an exact match you must enter the keyword between two square brackets [tennis shoes].
Ads containing broad match keywords may also show for keyword-related searches, including misspellings, punctuation, plurals, synonyms, or similar misspellings. For example, if the keyword is a low carbohydrate diet , the ad is also likely to be seen by those who search carbohydrate-free foods .
Broad match is the default match type assigned to all of your keywords, unless the advertiser chooses to enter a different one. In addition to generic, there is also modified broad match.
They are very similar to each other but in this case the modifier causes the ads to be shown only for searches that include the words preceded by the sign + (+ elegant + shoes).
The peculiarity of this match is that the ad will not run for related keywords. If the keyword in question is elegant shoes, the ad will be shown to those who search elegant shoes but not to those who seek formal shoes.
What changes with the new update and the removal of the broad match modifier
Starting on the date of the update, modified broad match will be progressively removed and keywords with the broad match modifier and phrase match modifiers will have the same behavior.
However, starting in July 2021, it will no longer be possible to create keywords with a broad match modifier, but the same matching functionality will be available via phrase one.
What will advertisers have to do to deal with this update? The answer is nothing, Google Ads will automatically merge the two matches. During the transition, until July 2021, you will still be able to create keywords for the broad match modifier, but since they will have the same behavior as the phrase match, it is recommended that you start creating only the latter.
As directly stated by Google Ads Support, this update could lead to an increase in traffic for phrase match keywords and, at the same time, a slight decrease in traffic for broad match modifier keywords.
How to deal with the new Google Ads update
We wonder the reason for this update. Google claims to have done this to make it easier to manage keywords in your Google Ads accounts and to offer more control and better reach.
However, there is no doubt that traffic could be significantly affected by this change. We know there will be a gradual implementation of changes over the months and no immediate action is required. Therefore, it is of fundamental importance to monitor the performance and keep an eye on the performance of your Google Ads campaigns. We can only wait and see in the coming months whether this update will benefit advertisers, in terms of campaign performance, or not.
