Difference between, Exact, Broad and Phrase Keywords

12 years ago

Hi Alisha,

I'll use an example to illustrate. If you had a site about red ribbons which you wanted to advertise using Adwords, you could have the following possible keywords to choose from:

red ribbons
- This is an example of exact match. Your ad will only show to users who type in this exact phrase as a search query.

big red ribbons
red ribbons for gifts
- This is phrase match, which includes your exact match phrase, but your ad would also show for search queries with additional words before and/or after the exact match phrase.

red and blue ribbons
ribbons red color
- Broad match. It still includes your original words "red" and "ribbons", but your ad will show for any search queries which include these two words and in no particular order.

Hope this helps

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dp40oz

12 years ago

Unless you are doing Pay Per Click advertising the only thing you should be looking at is exact match. Exact match is what Google shows. Broad & Phrase are mostly valuable to advertisers not so much for SEO.

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dburk 12 years ago

Hi Alisha1,

The match type options are for keywords used in Search Engine advertising campaigns, like Google AdWords. The keyword matching options help you control which searches will trigger your ad to appear. This link will explain in detail how the matching options work:

Using keyword matching options - AdWords Help
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arojilla

11 years ago

Originally Posted by dp40oz

Unless you are doing Pay Per Click advertising the only thing you should be looking at is exact match. Exact match is what Google shows. Broad & Phrase are mostly valuable to advertisers not so much for SEO.

And this may explain why back in the day my traffic expectations were so unrealistically high so many times...

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TotalWebsiteControl

12 years ago

Exact match is exactly what the user types into google search.

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UMS

12 years ago

Originally Posted by HenrySEO89

Exact match is exactly what the user types into google search.

Incorrect.

If a user does a search with quotes, then that is a phrase match search. It isn't possible to do an exact match search. It's either a broad a phrase match search.

I give some specific examples in my blog post about keyword research mistakes.

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TotalWebsiteControl

12 years ago

Originally Posted by UMS

Incorrect.

If a user does a search with quotes, then that is a phrase match search. It isn't possible to do an exact match search. It's either a broad a phrase match search.

I give some specific examples in my blog post about keyword research mistakes.

You're Incorrect sir

Comparing Broad, Phrase, and Exact Match Search Volume Data | Layered Thoughts

Have a good one

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UMS 12 years ago

Originally Posted by HenrySEO89

You're Incorrect sir

Comparing Broad, Phrase, and Exact Match Search Volume Data | Layered Thoughts

Have a good one

Well, if you want it straight from the horses mouth.

Using keyword matching options - AdWords Help

You CAN NOT do an exact match search query.
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dburk

12 years ago

Originally Posted by UMS

Incorrect.

If a user does a search with quotes, then that is a phrase match search. It isn't possible to do an exact match search. It's either a broad a phrase match search.

I give some specific examples in my blog post about keyword research mistakes.

Hi UMS,

Sorry but that is incorrect.

There is no such thing as a "broad match search" or a "phrase match search".

Match types are attributes that determine which keyword search terms will trigger advertisements on search engines. Nothing to do with phrase searches (note: I wrote "phrase searches", not "phrase match", those are completely different terms and are not directly related).

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TotalWebsiteControl

12 years ago

Originally Posted by UMS

Incorrect.

If a user does a search with quotes, then that is a phrase match search. It isn't possible to do an exact match search. It's either a broad a phrase match search.

I give some specific examples in my blog post about keyword research mistakes.

You say its impossible to do a exact match search? what happens when i google the following keywords

[dog training tips]

This isn't a exact search?

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kingsweb

12 years ago

Google Adwords tool suggests you the relevant keywords for your website. This tool suggests you exact match, broad match and phrase match result for your keywords.

When someone types the Exact keyword in without any additional word, it is calculated as exact match searches.

Phrase match is more flexible than exact match, the search volume with the whole phrase and the closest alternative are calculated.

Broad match is the default match type, the search volume with included related words, similar words or synonyms and grammatical forms for the keyword.

I hope you are clear now.

Thanks

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aadi144

12 years ago

Exact search-The exact main keyword you are looking for.For example,if your keyword is movie tickets and you are optimizing with that keyword and people searches for that keyword only then its an exact match.

Broad Search- If you are having a search by adding more words to it but having the keywords in any order is a broad search.For example,if one is searching for movies tickets of latest movies then its a broad search.

Phrase Search- If you are using keywords with phrases for example,movie tickets in PVR,Movie tickets in Wave Cinemas.Then it is phrase search.

Thanks

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chiwawa

12 years ago

This is not my site and i don't have any affiliation to it, i'm just trying to help you understand the differences between the three words. I hope it helps you. The Difference Between Broad Match, Phrase Match and Exact Match

Thanks

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erica6

12 years ago

[DELETED]

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dburk

12 years ago

Originally Posted by aadi144

Exact search-The exact main keyword you are looking for.For example,if your keyword is movie tickets and you are optimizing with that keyword and people searches for that keyword only then its an exact match.

Broad Search- If you are having a search by adding more words to it but having the keywords in any order is a broad search.For example,if one is searching for movies tickets of latest movies then its a broad search.

Phrase Search- If you are using keywords with phrases for example,movie tickets in PVR,Movie tickets in Wave Cinemas.Then it is phrase search.

Hi aadi144,

Sorry, but you are wrong. While you do seem to have a grasp of certain aspects of matching methods, you are apply that understanding to the wrong actions.

Bottomline: Match types do not refer to how a user searches, it refers to which searches trigger ads based on the match type.

Originally Posted by chiwawa

This is not my site and i don't have any affiliation to it, i'm just trying to help you understand the differences between the three words. I hope it helps you. The Difference Between Broad Match, Phrase Match and Exact Match

Hi chiwawa,

That article does a fair job of explaining, except it is out of date and no longer accurate.

Originally Posted by HenrySEO89

You say its impossible to do a exact match search? what happens when i google the following keywords

[dog training tips]

This isn't a exact search?

Hi HenrySEO89,

No, there is no such thing as an exact match search.

The brackets ( [] ) are ignored and that search is treated as just a regular search, returning the exact same results a searching for the keyword without the brackets.

Originally Posted by erica6

Broad Match Type

Definition: When a user searches for a term that contains all the words of the targeted keyword.

Phrase Match Type

Definition: When a user searches for a term that contains the entire phrase of the targeted keyword.

Exact Match Type:

Definition: When a user searches for the exact keyword with no additional words.

Hi erica6,

I want to give you credit for being half correct.

Because you definition does not include a complete thought, it is too ambiguous to be giving full credit. based on you definition there is no way to know if you actually understand what that match types represent.

To add clarity to you post, pleas allow me to complete the thought in your definitions:

Broad Match Type

Definition: [Advertisements are triggered] When a user searches for a term that contains all the words [or similar words (i.e. stemming, synonyms, and words with similar meaning)] of the targeted keyword.

Phrase Match Type

Definition: [Advertisements are triggered] When a user searches for a term that contains the entire phrase [or similar words (i.e. stemming, synonyms, and words with similar meaning)] of the targeted keyword.

Exact Match Type:

Definition: [Advertisements are triggered] When a user searches for the exact keyword [or similar words (i.e. stemming, synonyms, and words with similar meaning)] with no additional words.

That's right Warriors, Google changed a few months back, and they now trigger ads for stemming, synonyms, and words with similar meaning, even on exact match keywords, unless you disable that feature in your campaign settings. Due to these changes it is no longer possible to get accurate search volume for a specific keyword. It will be close, but not exact.

Thanks

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dinesharulmani

11 years ago

Hi Friends,

Thanks for your kind information.. Right now i am very clear about the Exact, Broad and Phrase.. And i need another information from all of you... After the penguin update, i hear that we should not work for keyword instead of that we should work for human.. For that how can i take the keyword, Means ie., What are all the keywords i want to take (Weather i should take High, Medium or Low Competition Keywords)
For Example., Some of My Exact Keyword are "Digital Marketing" or "Digital Marketing Agency" or "Digital Marketing Company"

Pls give me suggestion.. Here i am waiting for your response?? Thanks in advance...

Regards,
Dinesh Arulmani

Thanks

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steveg63

11 years ago

Originally Posted by Alisha1

Hi all,

I'm confused while choosing the keywords for my business website that what is the main difference between exact,broad and phrase keywords? Can anyone differentiate it? :confused:

If you are running ppc campaigns you should be using all three types in the add, 1 add group with 1 key word or phrase in the add group, using the 3 variables, but use the modified broad match, '+key word'

Thanks

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joann111

11 years ago

we created so many high pr website back links manually day by day, such as twitter etc , but for more than 1 year now, it still does not seem to link back to our website from alexa or google tracking , what is incorrect things that we do to cause this happen? many thanks

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Difference between, Exact, Broad and Phrase Keywords

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