The use of “Broad Match” in Google Ads: Does it really make sense?

In the world of online marketing, Google Ads is an indispensable tool that helps businesses reach their target audience effectively. Within the Google Ads ecosystem, there are several keyword matching options you can use to target your ads. One of them is the so-called “broad match” (broad keyword matching). But does it really make sense to use this option? Let’s dive deeper and find the answer to this question.

What is Broad Match?

Broad Match is the default keyword matching option that Google Ads offers you. If you use this option, your ad can match a wide range of search queries that include the keyword, but also those that include misspellings, synonyms, related queries, and other relevant variations.

For example, if you target the keyword “gym Berlin” in Broad Match, your ad could also be triggered by search queries such as “gym in Berlin”, “fitness center in Berlin”, “best gym in Berlin” and similar variations.

But does it make sense to use Broad Match? Here are the pros and cons of this option.

Advantages of Broad Match

1. Wider reach: Broad Match allows your ad to reach a wider audience. It can be especially useful if you are just starting out with Google Ads and want to drive traffic to your website quickly.
2. Time saving: since you don’t have to pick every single keyword variation, using Broad Match saves a lot of time when creating your Google Ads campaigns.
3. New keyword ideas: Broad Match can also help you discover new keyword ideas, as Google will also show your ad for related search queries.

Disadvantages of Broad Match

1. Irrelevant traffic: One of the biggest disadvantages of Broad Match is that it often leads to irrelevant traffic. Since your ad can be triggered on a wide range of search queries, there is a chance that users will click on your ad who are not actually part of your target audience.
2. Higher costs: Since Broad Match often leads to a high number of clicks, it can also cause your Google Ads costs to increase.
3. Lower conversion rate: due to more irrelevant traffic, using Broad Match can result in a lower conversion rate compared to more precise keyword matching options.

Ultimately, whether or not you should use Broad Match depends on your individual goals and marketing strategy. If you want to generate traffic quickly and have a sufficient budget, Broad Match could be a suitable option. However, if you’re aiming for a higher conversion rate and more effective use of your budget, other keyword matching options such as Phrase Match or Exact Match might suit your needs better.

No matter which option you choose, it’s important to regularly monitor and optimize your Google Ads campaigns to ensure you’re getting the most out of your budget. In the dynamic environment of online marketing, continuous improvement and adaptation is the key to success.

In fact, the keyword option “Broad-Match” is currently not yet able to assign the most suitable and conversion-strongest search terms with smart-bidding strategies in order to outperform phrase-match or exact-match keywords (as of the end of 2022).

If you receive a recommendation from Google Ads to switch all keywords to Broad Match because this would work better, you should take this recommendation with a grain of salt.