← Glossary
What are keyword match types?
Match types control how loosely Google may match a search to your keyword — broad, phrase or exact.
Exact match triggers on the keyword and very close variants. Phrase match requires your keyword's meaning to be contained in the search. Broad match allows Google wide latitude to decide what's related.
Broad match paired with conversion data works well and is what Google recommends. On a small budget with no conversion history it's the fastest way to spend money on tangential searches, because the system has nothing to learn from and guesses.
The usual sequence is to start on phrase and exact, accumulate conversions — roughly 30 a month is the commonly cited threshold — then introduce broad match once the bidding system can steer it.