Broad match type is the default keyword type for Adwords keywords.
However, many advertisers think that broad match type is the fastest way to destroy an AdWords account.
Yet every coin has two sides and so does Broad match keywords.
In spite of ruining of your AdWords account, broad match type keywords can actually be beneficial for you only if you know when and how to use them to your advantage.
Broad match keywords intend to put ads in the mixture of any search query that incorporates keyword or a relevant variant like misspellings, acronyms, synonyms, singular or plural forms.
With broad match keywords, your ads will automatically run for relevant variations of your keywords and also for those keywords that aren’t even present in your keywords list.
Using broad match keywords can be a really good option when you are starting a campaign in Google AdWords.
Moreover, they can result in an increase in conversions if properly applied and executed.
Why should advertisers use Broad Match Keywords?
Broad Match Type Keywords has an extensive reach as there is no standard measure of not letting your ad displayed.
If a keyword has been added as a broad match type, it will display the ad or any other variant of it present in the search query.
Some marketers may see it as an opportunity, others may think it to be budget draining.
However, many advertisers and marketers do not think of using broad match type keywords just because it drives in a lot of irrelevant traffic.
Here are some reasons that make broad match type keywords a significant element of your PPC strategy.
1. Increase your Traffic
Obviously! The reason is crystal clear.
The more your ad shows up for a query, the more are the chances for you to attract qualified traffic.
Advertisers often get puzzled with the thought that broad match keywords have a negative impact on their PPC campaigns.
Therefore, they restrict the potential of their PPC accounts by not adding broad match keywords to them.
If you are keenly interested in increasing the traffic for your website, it would be very cost effective for you to implement broad match keywords.
It becomes really important for you to understand that broad match keywords should be implemented correctly and efficiently.
They should be checked frequently otherwise they could get out of control and lead to a wastage of your ad spend.
Top Tip: By having broad match keywords in your account, you are going to increase the number of visits of your PPC campaigns.
2. Discover New Keywords
If you are on the path of finding new keywords, broad match keywords can be of great help to you.
They have the capability of acquiring traffic in response to a wide variety of search queries.
All you need to do is keep a record of the search query reports to see which searches stimulated your ads.
With search query reports, you get exposure to a lot of misspellings and variations of the broad match type keywords.
Broad match keywords also help you in discovering new keywords that have not yet assigned bids.
Using broad match type keywords makes sure you don’t miss out the potential variations of search queries.
Top Tip: Broad match keywords allows you to inexpensively discover new keywords that are directly related to your business.
3. Build Brand Awareness
Broad match keywords are exceedingly effective in creating brand awareness and reaching a wider audience.
If creating awareness about your brand is one of your PPC goals, then using broad match keywords can prove to be the best strategy for you.
Since they have a wider reach in terms of audience, hence, they will help you to stand out in the crowd.
Top Tip: Using broad match keywords can be your absolute ideal strategy if creating brand awareness is one of your PPC goals.
4. Covers Long Tail Keywords
Broad match keywords are a great source of discovering new and profitable long tail keywords.
They drive a larger percentage of their conversions from long tail queries.
Long tail conversions are primarily captured by broad match keywords.
More than 85% of all long tail conversions are covered by broad match keywords.
Instead of using multiple exact or phrase match type keywords, you can cover long tail searches more efficiently with the help of broad match keywords.
If you want long tail conversions, start using broad match keywords.
Top Tip: Using broad match keywords is the ultimate way to capture long tail search queries.
How can advertisers use Broad Match Keywords?
It is easy to use broad match keywords but it becomes really important to use them correctly and feasible.
Using broad match keywords will undoubtedly get your ad the most views, increase your traffic, discover new keywords, build brand awareness and cover long tail keywords.
As mentioned earlier, if the broad match keywords are not used diligently, you may end up losing a larger share of your budget.
Therefore, to make sure that broad match keywords prove a boon for your campaigns, follow the below-mentioned advice.
1. Do not dismantle your existing campaigns.
While using broad match keywords in your campaigns, ensure that none of your pre-existing campaigns get affected by it.
If you are already running campaigns that have a phrase or exact match type keywords, you might be just accidentally cannibalizing them with your broad match type keywords.
Do not panic. There is a more judicious way to deal with this scenario.
All you need to do is add all the phrase and exact match type campaign keywords as negative keywords in your broad match campaigns.
This strategy will ensure that you don’t the performance of the existing campaign in any way.
Top Tip: In your broad match campaigns, mark the existing phrase/exact match keywords as negative keywords so that their performance is not hampered.
2. Negative keywords to assist broad match keywords
It is best to use broad match type keywords in combination with negative keywords.
Negative keywords automatically become positive when working with broad match type keywords.
For those advertisers who use broad match keywords in their campaigns, application of negative keywords becomes mandatory.
Here, negative keywords not only keep things in order but also works in your favor consistently.
When you add negative keywords to your broad match campaigns, you are limiting the number of times that your ad is displayed when it is not relevant.
Further, this contributes to improving your CTR.
Top Tip: Negative keywords acts as a way to stabilize profitable broad match type keywords, therefore, diminishing the unfavorable impact of irrelevant queries.
3. Reduce the bid on broad match
However, the bidding strategy for various PPC match type keywords vary.
When it comes to broad match type keywords, bidding strategy becomes as important the negative keywords.
While using broad match keywords in your campaigns, you should be aware of the bidding and the CPC.
Since broad match type keywords bring in potential inconsistency with it.
Therefore, you will want to lower the impact of unpredictability by implementing good bidding strategy.
Let me just give you an example of a bidding strategy.
- Exact match keywords should get the highest bid.
- Phrase match keywords should get 10–30% bid reduction from the exact match keywords.
- Broad match keywords should get 35–45% bid reduction from the exact match keywords.
Top Tip: By lowering the bid of broad match type keywords, you will get cost effective and controlled keyword discovery. This will also help you to get an inexpensive way to get connected/related searches to your website.
4. Track the search query reports
Perform a thorough inspection of the search queries that are stimulating your ads.
This will let you discontinue attracting some irrelevant traffic.
Keeping a track with the search query reports will allow you to see for what user searches your ads were being triggered.
From this, you can identify long tail keywords and different variations of the keywords.
Another feature of search query report is that indicates any typos or misspellings that may appear in your broad match type keywords.
Top Tip: Search Query Reports will give you valuable information to improve your broad match type keywords lists.
Summary
Thoroughly weigh your campaigns and use those keywords that really backs up your overall campaign goals and works best for you.
It is uncertain to say that broad match keywords will work accurately for every campaign.
It may or may not work properly for every campaign, but when used correctly and precisely, it may prove to be a great way to generate conversions.
Give the broad match type keywords a run and see the results for yourself.
Laser focused on ROI w/ Adwords for our clients.
Originally published at https://www.linkedin.com on July 3, 2017.
