Keyword Match Types & Negative Keywords
Match types are dials that control how loosely or tightly your keyword catches searches — and negatives block the junk.
What you will learn
- Explain broad, phrase and exact match
- Choose the right match type for a goal
- Use negative keywords to stop wasted spend
A net with adjustable holes
A keyword decides which searches can trigger your ad. But you also pick a match type, which controls how loosely or tightly that keyword catches searches. Picture a fishing net: a wide net catches a lot (including junk); a tight net catches only the exact fish you want.
| Match type | How you write it | Catches | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broad | shoes | Anything related — even loosely | Wastes money on off-topic searches |
| Phrase | "running shoes" | Searches that include that phrase | Medium reach, medium control |
| Exact | [running shoes] | That search and very close variants | Smallest reach, highest control |
See it in action
Say your keyword is the words running shoes. Here is what each match type would let through.
| Someone searches | Broad | Phrase ("running shoes") | Exact ([running shoes]) |
|---|---|---|---|
| running shoes | Shows | Shows | Shows |
| best running shoes for men | Shows | Shows | No |
| buy shoes online | Shows | No | No |
| running shorts | May show | No | No |
Note: Broad match reaches the most people but lets in off-topic searches like running shorts. Exact match is the tightest. Many beginners start with phrase match for a sensible balance of reach and control.
Negative keywords: your money-saver
A negative keyword is a word you tell Google to never match. It blocks searches you do not want, so you stop paying for clicks that will never buy.
Selling: brand-new running shoes
Negative keywords to add:
-free
-repair
-used
-jobs
Now searches like "free running shoes" or
"running shoe repair" will NOT trigger your ad.Note: Someone searching for free or used shoes is not going to buy new ones. Blocking those words stops wasted clicks and lowers your cost. Negative keywords are one of the easiest ways to save money.
Tip: A simple starting recipe: use phrase or exact match for control, then add negative keywords like free, cheap, jobs and used to filter out people who will never buy from you.
Watch out: Broad match with no negative keywords is how beginners burn through a budget fast. It can show your ad for searches barely related to what you sell. Always pair broad match with a strong negative list.
Q. You sell brand-new shoes. Which negative keyword best stops wasted spend?
free as a negative keyword blocks people searching for free shoes, who will never buy. The other words describe what you actually sell.✍️ Practice
- For the search keyword
yoga classes, write which match type you would use and why. - List 5 negative keywords for a premium online clothing store that does not want bargain hunters.
🏠 Homework
- Pick a product. Write 3 keywords with a chosen match type each, plus 5 negative keywords, in a small table.