Google Ads Keyword Match Types: Broad, Phrase and Exact Match Explained (2026)

Google Ads keyword match types decide which searches can trigger your ad. There are three: broad match (searches related to your keyword), phrase match (searches that include the meaning of your keyword) and exact match (searches with the same meaning or intent). Broader types reach more searches; narrower types give you more steering. Negative keywords use the same three names but follow different rules.

This guide covers what each match type does today, what happened to broad match modifier, how Google picks between keywords that could all match one search, and how to combine match types with bidding and negative keywords. Definitions are quoted or paraphrased from Google Ads Help.

The three match types at a glance

Google Ads Help also states that broader match types capture all the queries of narrower match types, plus more. In practice this means you do not need to add the same keyword three times in three match types to "cover" it.

Broad match: matching on related intent

Broad match is the default. You type the keyword without any symbols, and your ad becomes eligible for searches that are related to it, which Google says can include searches that do not contain the keyword's direct meaning. Google's own example: the keyword low carb diet plan may show ads on searches such as "carb free foods", "low carb diets" and "mediterranean diet books".

To decide what counts as related, Google Ads Help says broad match may also take into account:

• The user's recent search activity
• The content of your landing pages and assets
• The other keywords in the ad group, to better understand intent

That last point matters for account structure. A broad keyword sitting in a tightly themed ad group is interpreted differently from the same keyword in an ad group full of unrelated terms.

Google is explicit about bidding: its help page says it is critical to use Smart Bidding with broad match, because every search is different and bids need to reflect the context of each auction. Running broad match on manual CPC removes the part of the system designed to price those looser matches. If you have not set up Smart Bidding yet, start with our Google Ads Smart Bidding guide and, for choosing a target, Target CPA vs Target ROAS.

Phrase match: the meaning must be included

Phrase match uses quotation marks, such as "tennis shoes". Google Ads Help defines it as showing ads on searches that include the meaning of your keyword, where the meaning can be implied and the search can be a more specific form of it.

Word order still counts when it changes the meaning. Google's example uses the phrase keyword "moving services NYC to Boston":

• It can match "affordable moving services NYC to Boston" and "NYC corporate moving services to Boston".
• It won't show for a search about moving from Boston to New York City, because reversing the route changes the meaning.

Phrase match is where most advertisers land when they want reach beyond an exact list but do not want the broader, signal-driven matching of broad match.

Exact match: same meaning, not same letters

Exact match uses square brackets, such as [red shoe]. Google Ads Help defines it as showing ads on searches that have the same meaning or same intent as the keyword, and notes that of the three options it gives you the most steering over who sees your ad.

The key word is meaning. Exact match is not a literal string filter. A search can be worded differently and still match an exact keyword if Google judges the intent to be the same. If you need to confirm what your exact keywords actually matched, the search terms report is the place to check.

Exact match also connects to reporting elsewhere in the account. Quality Score, for example, is calculated from searches that exactly match the keyword, which is why changing a keyword's match type does not change its score. See Google Ads Quality Score for the details.

What happened to broad match modifier

Older guides describe a fourth match type, broad match modifier (BMM), written with plus signs such as +moving +services. According to Google Ads Help:

• In February 2021, Google Ads began folding broad match modifier behavior into phrase match.
• As of July 2021, phrase match and BMM keywords share the same updated phrase matching behavior in all languages, and new keywords can no longer be added with the +keyword notation.
• Legacy BMM keywords keep serving, but they behave as phrase match keywords.

If you inherit an account with plus-sign keywords, treat them as phrase match. There is no separate BMM behavior left to manage.

Which keyword serves when several could match

In a real account, one search can match several of your keywords across ad groups and campaigns. Google Ads Help describes the order of preference:

1. Exact match keywords identical to the search term are preferred first.
2. Phrase and broad match keywords (including AI Max) or Performance Max search themes identical to the search term come next and share priority.
3. If nothing is identical, AI-based ad group prioritization picks the most relevant ad groups for the search.
4. If several keywords or search themes still tie, the one producing the highest Ad Rank wins.

"Identical" includes spell-corrected searches, but it does not include plurals or synonyms. So an exact keyword [skydiving license] is identical to a misspelled search for it, but not to a search for "skydiving licenses".

The practical takeaway: if a query needs a specific ad, bid or landing page, give it an identical exact match keyword in the campaign you want to own it. This rule also governs how Search campaigns share queries with Performance Max, which we cover in PMax vs Search campaigns.

Negative keyword match types follow different rules

Negative keywords stop your ad from showing on searches that contain a term, and Google warns that negative match types behave differently from positive ones. For Search campaigns, Google Ads Help defines them this way:

The biggest difference: negative keywords don't match close variants or other expansions. Google's example is the negative broad keyword flowers. It blocks a search for "red flowers" but not a search for "red flower". Google says you need to add synonyms and singular or plural forms yourself if you want to exclude them, while casing and misspellings are handled automatically.

This asymmetry catches many accounts. Your positive keywords are matched by meaning, but your negatives are matched far more literally, so a negative list that looks complete can still let related searches through.

The broad match setting and AI Max in 2026

Two newer controls sit on top of individual match types:

• Broad match keywords campaign setting. Google Ads Help says this setting makes a Search campaign use broad match exclusively: it converts existing phrase and exact keywords to broad and keeps new keywords broad. It is only available with conversion-based Smart Bidding. Google also states that starting in September 2026, campaigns using this campaign-level broad match setting will automatically be upgraded to AI Max.
• AI Max for Search campaigns. Google describes AI Max as a suite that includes improved search term matching, text customization and final URL expansion. Its FAQ says negative keywords are still respected with AI Max turned on, and recommends a conversion or conversion value based bid strategy to use its full capabilities.

If you run the broad match setting today, check the campaign after the upgrade and review which searches it now serves on.

How to choose match types in practice

There is no single correct mix, but the documented behavior points to a workable approach:

• Start from measurement. Broad match depends on Smart Bidding, and Smart Bidding depends on conversion data. If conversion tracking is not in place, fix that first; our Google Ads account setup guide treats it as part of setup.
• Use exact match for queries that must be controlled. Brand terms, high-value product terms, or any query that needs its own ad copy or landing page.
• Use phrase match for reach with guardrails. Useful when you can describe the intent but cannot list every wording.
• Use broad match where Smart Bidding has enough data. Pair it with a tightly themed ad group and relevant landing pages, since both are signals broad match reads.
• Don't duplicate across match types by default. Broader types already cover narrower ones; duplicates mostly split data.
• Review the search terms report on a schedule. Add negatives for irrelevant searches, remembering to include plurals and synonyms.
• Watch spend after widening match types. Broader matching can find more eligible auctions, so check pacing against your plan. See Google Ads budget pacing.

Match types only apply to keyword-based campaigns. App campaigns and Demand Gen campaigns don't use keywords at all; if you promote an app, see YouTube ads for app installs for how targeting works there.

Common mistakes

• Following BMM tutorials. The +keyword notation can't be added anymore, and legacy BMM keywords already act as phrase match.
• Treating exact match as literal. It matches on same meaning or intent, so check the search terms report instead of assuming.
• Running broad match on manual bidding. Google calls Smart Bidding critical for broad match.
• Assuming negatives work like positives. Negatives ignore close variants; plurals and synonyms must be added.
• Changing match types to fix Quality Score. The score is based on exact searches of the keyword, so the match type does not move it.

FAQ

What are the 3 keyword match types in Google Ads?

Broad match, phrase match and exact match. Broad match shows ads on searches related to your keyword, phrase match on searches that include its meaning, and exact match on searches with the same meaning or intent. Broad gives the most reach and exact gives the most control.

Is broad match modifier still available in Google Ads?

No. Since July 2021, new keywords can't be added with broad match modifier notation. Existing BMM keywords still serve, but Google Ads Help says they behave as phrase match keywords.

Do exact match keywords always win over broad match?

Only when the exact keyword is identical to the search term, which includes spell-corrected searches but not plurals or synonyms. If no keyword is identical, Google uses ad group relevance and then Ad Rank to choose.

Why is my ad still showing for a search I added as a negative keyword?

Negative keywords don't match close variants. A negative broad keyword "flowers" blocks "red flowers" but not "red flower", so you need to add singular, plural and synonym forms separately.