Match Type
01 Definition
Match Type meaning: The setting that controls how closely a search must relate to your keyword to trigger ads.
Match Type is a Google Ads keyword setting that decides how strictly a user's search must align with your keyword. The main options, broad, phrase, and exact, trade reach for control. Choosing among them shapes how many and which searches your ads can appear on.
Also called
Why it matters
How Match Type fits the work
It is a foundational lever in search advertising, letting you balance how wide you reach against how tightly you control query relevance.
In context
You set the same keyword to exact match in one ad group and broad match in another to compare relevance and volume.
Practical note
Modern match types rely on meaning and close variants, so none is perfectly literal. Combine them with negative keywords and search term reviews for control.