Increasing Ad Relevancy with Keyword Match Types: Best Practices & Examples

By:
Declan
April 25, 2023

In today's digital world, advertising is a crucial aspect of any business or brand's marketing strategy. However, with so many ads vying for consumer attention, it can be challenging to create ads that actually reach your target audience. One of the most critical factors that can impact the success of an ad campaign is ad relevancy.

Why is ad relevancy important?

Ad relevancy refers to the degree to which an ad matches the intent behind a user's search query or online behavior. When an ad is relevant to a user's needs or interests, it's more likely to be clicked on and ultimately leads to a conversion. On the other hand, when an ad is irrelevant, it can result in wasted ad spend and a poor user experience.

One way to improve ad relevancy is by using match types. Match types are a feature of pay-per-click (PPC) advertising platforms like Google Ads that allow advertisers to control how closely their keywords must match a user's search query for their ads to be triggered. By understanding and using the right match types, advertisers can improve their ad relevancy and reach their target audience more effectively.

How to use match types to improve ad relevancy

Users can increase ad relevancy with keyword match types by choosing the appropriate match type for each keyword, which will help ensure that their ads are displayed to the most relevant audience possible. 

Broad match types can be used to reach a wider audience but may result in irrelevant clicks if not properly managed. Phrase match types allow for greater control over ad targeting, while exact match types ensure that ads are only displayed to users searching for specific terms. By testing and optimizing match types over time, users can improve the effectiveness of their campaigns and reach a more targeted audience, ultimately leading to increased conversions and ROI.

Choosing the right match type for your keywords can be crucial to improving ad relevancy and performance. Here are some tips to help you choose the right match type for your PPC campaigns:

Analyze your keyword intent: 

Understanding the intent behind your keywords is crucial to choosing the right match type. For example, if your keyword is "buy shoes," you might want to use an exact match type to ensure that your ad only appears when someone searches for that exact phrase.

Start with broad match: 

Broad match allows your ad to be triggered by any search query that's related to your keyword, even if it's not an exact match. This can help you discover new keywords and potential opportunities for your campaigns. However, be careful not to rely too heavily on broad match as it can lead to irrelevant clicks and wasted ad spend.

Use negative keywords: 

Negative keywords are a way to exclude certain search terms from triggering your ads. This can help you avoid irrelevant clicks and improve the overall relevancy of your ad campaigns.

google app on phone

Experiment with different match types: 

Testing different match types can help you find the best combination for your specific campaign and audience. For example, you might find that using phrase match for some keywords and exact match for others works best for your campaign.

In addition to choosing the right match type, there are some best practices for using each match type effectively:

Broad match: 

Use broad match to discover new keywords and potential opportunities, but be sure to regularly review and refine your keyword list to avoid irrelevant clicks.

Phrase match: 

Use phrase match for keywords that have a specific phrase or string of words that must be included in the search query. This can help ensure that your ad is triggered by more relevant searches.

Exact match: 

Use exact match for highly specific keywords or phrases that have a very defined intent. This can help ensure that your ad is only triggered by the most relevant searches.

Testing and optimizing match types is also important to improve ad relevancy and performance. Here are some strategies for doing so:

Track and analyze performance metrics: 

Keep track of important metrics like click-through rate (CTR), conversion rate, and cost-per-click (CPC) for each match type. This can help you identify which match types are performing best for your campaigns.

Refine your keyword list: 

Regularly review and refine your keyword list to ensure that you're targeting the most relevant keywords and excluding irrelevant ones.

A/B testing: 

Test different match types for the same keywords to determine which one performs better. This can help you make data-driven decisions and improve the overall performance of your campaigns.

google on laptop at desk

Case studies/examples

Real-life examples can help illustrate the importance of using match types to improve ad relevancy and performance. Here are a few examples:

An online shoe retailer was using broad match for their keyword "running shoes." While this helped them reach a larger audience, they were getting a lot of irrelevant clicks from people searching for "walking shoes" or "dress shoes." By switching to phrase match for this keyword, they were able to reach a more targeted audience and improve their conversion rates.

A travel agency was using an exact match for their keyword "Hawaii vacation packages." While this ensured that their ads only appeared for the exact search query, they were missing out on potential customers searching for related terms like "Hawaii flights" or "Hawaii hotels." By experimenting with phrase match and broad match for this keyword, they were able to reach a larger audience and increase their conversions.

Final Thoughts

choosing the right match type for your keywords is essential to improving ad relevancy and performance in PPC advertising. By using the tips and strategies outlined in this blog, you can optimize your campaigns and reach a more targeted audience.

If you want to learn more about PPC advertising, check out our related blogs on The Ultimate Guide to Keyword Match Types, How to Choose the Right Keyword Match Type, and Advanced Techniques for Using Keyword Match Types. And if you're looking for an easy way to choose the right match type for your keywords, Soone Agency offers a free keyword match type tool that can help you save time and improve the effectiveness of your campaigns.