Broad Match vs Phrase Match in Google Ads: Which to Use

Broad match shows your ad for searches related to the meaning of your keyword, even when the search shares none of your words. Phrase match shows it only for searches that include the meaning of your keyword, or a more specific version of it. Broad gives you reach and less control. Phrase gives you a tighter fence. For most local service businesses with a limited budget, phrase and exact match are the safer starting point, and broad match earns its place only once your account tracks real conversions.

That’s the short version. The rest of this guide covers the details that cost advertisers money: what each type really matches today, what happened to the old broad match modifier, how Smart Bidding changes the calculation, and how to set up an account so you aren’t paying for clicks that never turn into calls.

TL;DR

• Broad match is the widest type and the default for new keywords. It matches on meaning, not on words, and it works best with Smart Bidding and solid conversion data.

• Phrase match (written in quotation marks) matches searches that contain your keyword’s meaning or a more specific form of it. It keeps you closer to what you actually sell.

• The broad match modifier (+keyword) is gone. Since July 2021 it behaves like phrase match, so don’t type plus signs on new keywords.

• Small budget and no conversion tracking? Start with phrase and exact, add negative keywords from day one, and widen later.

• Whatever you choose, read the search terms report every week. That’s where the money leaks.

Table of Contents

• What each match type actually does

• Broad match: wide reach, and a bill to match

• Phrase match: the middle path

• Broad match vs phrase match side by side

• Which one should you start with?

• A setup that works for local service businesses

• Five mistakes we see in accounts we inherit

• Our perspective: match types matter less than what you measure

• Questions to ask before you hand over your account

• Want someone to run this for you?

• A quick checklist before you launch or fix a campaign

• FAQ

• Sources

What each match type actually does

A match type tells Google how closely a search has to resemble your keyword before your ad can enter the auction. Google Ads has three for positive keywords: exact, phrase and broad. Google’s own help page describes them as a hierarchy of control, with exact the most restrictive and broad the least.

Two details trip people up.

First, none of these is a literal word match anymore. Google’s own account of its changes describes a shift from matching words to matching meaning. A phrase match keyword can show for a search with different wording if the intent is the same.

Second, when several of your keywords could match the same search, Google prioritizes an identical exact match keyword as long as it’s eligible. That’s why a mix of types in one account can work without the types fighting each other.

Broad match: wide reach, and a bill to match

Broad match is the least restrictive type. Per Google’s documentation, it’s built to show ads on a wide range of related queries, including synonyms, misspellings and related topics that may not contain your keyword at all.

The documentation also says broad match looks at contextual signals such as the user’s intent, your landing page content and recent search activity. Phrase and exact match don’t use those signals the same way. That’s the real reason Google pushes broad match alongside Smart Bidding: the system makes auction-time decisions about which of those wide searches are worth bidding on.

Where broad match works

• Your account has a conversion goal set up properly, such as form fills, tracked calls or booked appointments.

• You’ve already collected a meaningful run of conversion data.

• You use Smart Bidding, so bids respond to the likelihood of a conversion rather than to a flat number you guessed.

• You have a tight negative keyword list and someone who checks it.

Where it burns money

Broad match without conversion data is the classic mistake. Google steers you to match it with Smart Bidding, and for good reason: with no signal about what a good lead looks like, the system explores, and you pay for the exploring. The walk-away version: a plumber who turns on broad match for “drain cleaning” with only click tracking, and ends up paying for searches about drain cleaning jobs, drain cleaning courses and drain cleaning products.

There’s also a recent change worth knowing about. Google states that, starting in September 2026, campaigns using the campaign-level broad match setting will automatically be upgraded to AI Max. If you’ve been running that setting without watching it, check your campaign settings now. Don’t assume the account still behaves the way it did last spring.

Phrase match: the middle path

Phrase match keywords are written in quotation marks. Google says phrase match triggers ads on searches that include the meaning of your keyword or a more specific form of that meaning. Word order counts when it matters to the meaning. As Search Engine Land’s guide notes, Google will only respect word order when it’s important to the meaning of the search.

A practical example. You run a roofing company and bid on “emergency roof repair”:

• Likely to match: “emergency roof repair near me”, “24 hour emergency roof repair”, “emergency roof repair cost”.

• Unlikely to match: “roofing jobs”, “how to become a roofer”, “roof shingles for sale”.

That second list is exactly what broad match can drag in. With phrase match you give up some reach and keep your intent intact.

Phrase match now includes the old broad match modifier

You may remember the broad match modifier, the plus sign in front of words. Google discontinued it, and phrase match took over its reach in July 2021. Any legacy modifier keywords still in an account behave like phrase match. If an old agency left you with an account full of +plus +signs, that’s your explanation for why they don’t act as you’d expect.

One caution if you advertise on more than one platform. Microsoft’s documentation describes it differently: there, broad match modifier keywords now serve as broad match rather than phrase. Don’t copy settings across platforms and assume they behave alike.

Broad match vs phrase match side by side

Notice what’s missing: a winner. The right choice depends on your data, your budget and how specific your service is. A one-truck operation selling one service in one city has a different answer than a multi-location business with a year of tracked leads.

Which one should you start with?

Ask yourself these questions in order.

1. Are your conversions tracked? If the account can’t tell a booked job from a stray click, don’t use broad match. Fix tracking first.

2. Is your budget small relative to your market? If you only have a few clicks per day, every irrelevant click hurts. Phrase and exact keep those clicks relevant. Our breakdown of what Google Ads costs in Canada shows why a small budget has little room for experiments.

3. Is the service specific? “Furnace repair” is specific. “Home services” is not. The more specific, the more phrase match fits.

4. Do you have a person who reads search terms? Broad match is only as good as the cleanup behind it.

If you answered “no” to the first question, or yes to the second, begin with phrase and exact. If all four lean the other way, test broad match in its own campaign with a capped budget.

A setup that works for local service businesses

Seasoned advertisers often blend the types. Google’s documentation describes the same idea: exact match protects branded and high-intent terms, while broad match with Smart Bidding discovers new search terms people would miss on their own. Here’s how that looks for a local contractor or service company.

1. Exact match for your money terms. The searches that mean someone is ready to call, like “emergency plumber London Ontario”. These get the most control.

2. Phrase match for service plus modifiers. “Water heater replacement”, “basement waterproofing”, “furnace installation”. They catch variations and location add-ons without drifting off topic.

3. Broad match in a separate, capped campaign, only once conversions are tracked. Treat it as a discovery test. Keeping it separate means you can see what it costs and what it returns without muddying the rest.

4. Negative keywords from the start. Add “jobs”, “salary”, “course”, “DIY” and “free” before the first click arrives. Add more every week from the search terms report.

5. Move winners down the ladder. When broad match turns up a search that converts, add it as an exact keyword. You keep the lead and lose the guesswork.

Google’s own guidance on building keyword lists also points to starting with exact match, which gives you the most control over who sees your ads. That fits what we see in practice: control first, reach second.

Five mistakes we see in accounts we inherit

Broad match on every keyword, with no conversion goal. The account spends, the clicks come, the phone stays quiet.

No negative keywords. Without them, even phrase match leaks. You’re paying for people who were never going to hire you.

Using plus signs. The modifier is obsolete. Plus signs on new entries don’t create a modifier, and the leftovers act like phrase match.

Judging by clicks. A cheap click isn’t a lead. Judge match types by cost per booked job or answered call.

Never opening the search terms report. This report shows the actual searches that triggered your ads. If nobody reads it, nobody knows which match type is wasting money.

Our perspective: match types matter less than what you measure

We get asked about broad vs phrase match a lot, and our honest answer is that the argument is a distraction if the account is measuring the wrong thing.

Google has moved from matching words to matching meaning. That means the lever you control isn’t so much the keyword’s punctuation as the goal you give the system. Tell it “clicks” and it’ll find you clicks. Tell it “booked jobs and calls answered” and it has something real to optimize toward. That’s how we build campaigns: around booked jobs and calls, not impressions.

So here’s our rule. If an account has clean conversion tracking and enough history, broad match inside Smart Bidding is a fair test. If it doesn’t, phrase and exact match are the responsible choice, because a small budget can’t afford to teach the algorithm for free. We’d rather you spend your first month’s budget on searches you can recognize as your customers.

The other thing we’d tell any owner: you shouldn’t need an account manager to translate this for you. At Launch & Found you work directly with founder-operators, with no hand-offs to account managers, and no lock-in contracts. If you ask why a given keyword is set to broad, you get a straight answer from the person who set it.

— Launch&Found

Questions to ask before you hand over your account

Whether you manage Google Ads yourself or hire someone, these questions reveal a lot.

“Which match types are you using, and why?” Good answer: “Exact and phrase on your core services, broad only in a test campaign once conversions are tracked.” Walk-away answer: “Broad on everything, Google’s AI handles it.”

“What are you measuring?” Good answer: calls, form fills and booked jobs. Walk-away answer: impressions and click-through rate.

“How often do you review search terms and add negatives?” Good answer: weekly in the first months, and you’ll show me what you removed. Walk-away answer: silence, or “the system does it.”

“Can I leave if it isn’t working?” Good answer: yes, and the account stays yours. Walk-away answer: a contract that holds your account hostage, not a convenience.

If you’d like to see what a proper agency engagement costs, our guide to what a Google Ads agency costs lays out the ranges, and our comparison of Google Ads vs Facebook Ads helps if you’re deciding where to put the first dollar.

Want someone to run this for you?

If you’d rather not babysit a search terms report, we manage Google Ads for businesses across southwestern Ontario and beyond. Our Google Ads management is built around booked jobs and calls answered. Contact us for a quote and to see if we're a fit.

A quick checklist before you launch or fix a campaign

• Conversion tracking records calls, forms and booked jobs, not just page views.

• Core service keywords are exact and phrase match.

• Any broad match keywords sit in their own campaign with a budget cap and Smart Bidding.

• Negative keywords are in place before launch.

• Old plus-sign keywords have been reviewed and rewritten.

• Someone has a weekly slot on the calendar to read search terms.

• You’ve checked whether campaign-level broad match settings were moved to AI Max in your account.

That list alone fixes most of the waste we find in audits.

FAQ

Is phrase match better than broad match?

Neither is better in every case. Phrase match gives you tighter control and suits small budgets and specific services. Broad match gives more reach and works best when Smart Bidding has real conversion data to learn from.

Does phrase match still exist?

Yes. Phrase match is still one of the three core match types, written in quotation marks. Since July 2021 it also covers the traffic the broad match modifier used to handle.

What symbol do you use for a broad match modifier?

You don’t anymore. The plus sign was retired in July 2021, and typing it on new keywords won’t create a modifier. Old modifier keywords still in an account act like phrase match.

How is phrase match different from exact match?

Exact match, written in square brackets, is the most restrictive type and targets searches with the same meaning as your keyword. Phrase match also allows searches that include that meaning with extra words around it. Exact gives you the most control, phrase gives you a little more room.

Can I mix match types in one account?

Yes, and most good accounts do. When more than one keyword could match a search, Google prioritizes an identical exact match keyword as long as it’s eligible. A common blend is exact for high-intent and branded terms, phrase for services, and broad in a capped test.

Sources

• About keyword matching options, Google Ads Help

• Making it easier to reach the right customers on Search, Google Ads Help

• About changes to phrase match and broad match modifier, Google Ads Help

• About the broad match keywords campaign setting, Google Ads Help

• Build effective keyword lists, Google Ads Help

• What are keyword match types, Microsoft Learn

• PPC keyword research and match types, Search Engine Land

Recommended

• Google Ads vs Facebook Ads: Which Should You Run in 2026?

• Facebook Ads vs Google Ads for Realtors: A Practical Comparison

• Local Service Ads: A Practical Guide for Contractors and Realtors

• Google Ads for Real Estate Agents: A Complete Practical Guide

Written with BabyLoveGrowth to get found on Google and AI search