Google Ads Keyword Match Type Changes

Google Ads Match Type Changes

It’s time to say goodbye to one of my favorite match types, broad match modified. RIP.

In July 2021, Google plans to sunset the broad match modified (BMM) keyword match type and consolidate keywords into three match types: broad, exact, and phrase.

Additionally, as of this month, phrase match has been updated and expanded to include traffic that currently would only be picked up by BMM keywords. The new functionality in phrase match is intended to capture relevant traffic while eliminating the need for the BMM keyword match type. BMM is also undergoing a change to act like phrase match until the July update.

I’ve always found that BMM keywords were a great way to pick up a broad but relevant range of traffic while providing search query data that can be used to organize and optimize campaigns for maximum ROI. However, with the changes to phrase match, managing this change requires a clear understanding of the new functionality.

Why Is Google Making This Change?

Currently, BMM and phrase match are very similar in the way that they work. By making this change, Google is simplifying and streamlining account management.

“We’ve seen that phrase match and broad match modifier often serve the same use cases, and that you can reach more of the right customers through a combination of the two’” - Google.

What Does This Mean for My Campaigns?

Very large accounts (spending in the millions of dollars a year) often optimize at the match type level because the difference in ROI can be impactful. However most smaller accounts, so long as they are organized, won’t notice a change in performance.

Here’s an explanation from Google on the impacts of the change:

“For example, the phrase match keyword ‘moving services NYC to Boston.’ will continue to cover searches like ‘affordable moving services NYC to Boston.’ It will also cover searches that traditionally only matched under broad match modifier, such as ‘NYC corporate moving services to Boston.’ Phrase match won’t show ads for searches where the direction is reversed (for example, people looking to move from “Boston to New York City”).” - Google.

Source: Google

Optimizing based on search intent (i.e looking at search terms actually used to trigger ads and pairing with a negative keyword strategy) remains crucial when trying to maximize ROI.

Looking Forward

Google is continuing to move Google Ads towards automation. It’s hard to know how many accounts running in Google Ads are not being expertly managed, but it’s probably the majority of them.

I’ll admit that Google Ads is far too complex and time-consuming for anyone who doesn’t do this full-time. Google sees the opportunity to simplify management while increasing ad spend which translates to revenue for Google.

For example, traditional broad match keywords now automatically look at “additional signals in the account” which includes the user’s recent search activities, contents of the landing page, and other keywords in the ad group. Google states:

“To start, broad match now looks at additional signals in your account to deliver more relevant searches. When paired with Smart Bidding, these broad match signals–which include landing pages, keywords in your ad group, and more–can help you unlock new opportunities for your business.” - Google.

By doing this, and encouraging the use of broad match, Google is blurring the line between manual and automated account management. They are saying “let us decide when and who to show your ads to, and we’ll help you get the right people.”

The issue with this is that Google’s system is still awful at knowing what a client’s website and business are about. Broad match keywords inevitably lead to higher CPA and less relevant traffic.

One of the first things we do during an audit of a new account is to look at the search terms (what people are actually searching for) that are showing up. Most of the time we find a ton of irrelevant traffic, and it’s a surprise to the client to see it. With some reorganization, tracking, and optimization we’re able to improve their campaign performance and bring it in line with their marketing goals.

As Google moves forward with these and other changes, be certain that you have a clear understanding of how they impact your campaigns. Getting expert help managing your campaigns can deliver better results for your business.

Andrew Hutton