Phrase match trumping Exact match

Google matching on Phrase terms even though user makes exact search

[rustyzipper]

For many keywords, we have an exact, phrase, and broad iteration of each keyword within the ad group. We eventually settle down to highest bids for exact, lower for phrase and very low for broad.

In the initial stages of keyword discovery and determining performance, it is not uncommon for us to bump up the bids of the phrase or broad match terms so that they are closer to or even above the exact match terms. This allows us to review our logs for organic search terms coming through on the broad or phrase matches in order to add these as keywords or refine negative keywords.

One thing we've seen consistently though is that even though we have an exact match term, google will very frequently serve up our phrase match term, less often the broad match term.

Often (but not always) our phrase match term in these cases has a higher bid. Even so, I would expect Google to serve up our Broad match term if someone searches for that term exactly.

Can someone explain how/when google decides to serve up broad match or phrase match rather than exact match terms when someone does that exact search?

Thanks!

Jennifer

[vincevincevince]

Broad match terms should be seen as fuzzy targets - even if you wrote 'blue widgets' as a broad match term, that's not an precise hit for blue widgets. A phrase or exact term for 'blue widgets' would be considered an un-fuzzy and precise hit for blue widgets and hence more specific and likely to be served given the same bid.

I'm slightly confused by your thread; you seem to be mixing the terms broad match and exact match which are quite different things - could you clarify what the question is?

Do you see:
"blue widgets" shown in preference to [blue widgets]
Or:
"blue widgets" shown in preference to blue widgets (e.g. broad)

[rustyzipper]

OK, I'll clarify:

My ad group contains:

[blue widget] ** 0.15 ** url?source=google&kw=blue%20widget_exact
"blue widget" ** 0.11 ** url?source=google&kw=blue%20widget_phrase
blue widget ** 0.07 ** url?source=google&kw=blue%20widget_broad

User searches for: blue widget

Google matches their search to my "blue widget" ad, instead of my [blue widget] ad.

In other words, Google is displaying my phrase match ad, even when someone does an exact search and I have a keyword for that exact term.

Thanks!

Jennifer

[beesticles]

Google should always be showing the closest match to the users query, so in your case they should show the exact match. The only times when I've seen that this doesn't happen is when there's a technical error by Google. I'd advise getting in touch with them and asking them to look into it.

[conor]

I have seen similar and am not very comfortable trusting Google to decide which of the multiple match types to display. As a best practice it is not wise to use multiple matches in the same adgroup.

If you want more control on which match type is displayed I would recommend breaking out your match types to separate adgroups and useing negative matching to force the match type you want .eg;

To force exact match in your exact match adgroup

[Blue widget]
-"Blue widget"
-Blue widget

To force phrase match in your phrase match adgroup

"Blue widget"
-[Blue widget]
-Blue widget

[rustyzipper]

Google confirmed that this should not be happening. I've sent them logfiles. We have about 30,000 keywords across many campaigns & ad groups. I've thought about restructuring them as you suggest but it would be a major pain.

[Israel]

broad match has me very leary of late.

I'll give the contrived example of north climate widgets

I can't give the real broad keyword terms without violating TOS, but it is a viable term people certainly do search on.

I saw I was getting hits from Adwords for the single word north

1) Why people search on "north", I have no idea. No ads show for that single term.

2) Why does Adwords show my ad for such an odd query and it was quite often too? Is this my "reward" for a high CTR? Am I accorded an even more expanded broad match?

********

So I'm re-evaluating all my broad matches. If they contain any "common" terms, they're out. Only supercalifragistic widgets would I dare make broad now.

I still had over 100% ROI in December, but it could have been better. At least I've learned something. More to add to the list of "features" that appear to be broken in Adwords.

********

It's a shame that broad match has become so useless because I can't have an unlimited amount of phrase/exact keywords and it's impossible to predict the many ways people may "phrase" their queries.

I'm no amateur at this either. 2004-2006 or so, any reasonable term did what it should. Now I'm dealing with an unseen enemy.

********

Anyone else seeing this? Any ideas?

Israel

[Israel]

I have seen similar and am not very comfortable trusting Google to decide which of the multiple match types to display. As a best practice it is not wise to use multiple matches in the same adgroup.

Conor,

I've seen this stated by experienced folk before.

Why exactly is it undesirable now? It used to be the way to go.

Thanks!

Israel

[conor]

Because the don't seem to get it 'RIGHT' ( well not my version of Right anyway ) Most of the time

[beesticles]

I don't agree with you Conor, that seems a like a lot of work for no gain. In my experience Google always selects the correct match type, unless as in Rustyzipper's case there is a technical problem.

[conor]

If you mix match types in the same Adgroup I guarantee you that Googles automatic matching will not display the ad you would want all of the time - add differing bids and bidmanagment to the mix and it becomes a mess.

Israel - we still get great results from broadmatch only campaigns where we have a really tight campaign and Adgroup level negative lists and use exact negative match on broad terms. eg;

-[north]