In a Manual campaign, every keyword you enter needs a match type. Even the exact same keyword will surface for completely different search terms depending on which match type you choose.
Example Keyword: "Product A wireless charger"
Broad Match — matches the widest range.
| Example Matching Search Term | Why |
|---|---|
| cheap Product A wireless charger | words added before/after still match |
| wireless charger Product A recommendation | matches even if word order changes |
| Product A slow-charge set | matches related terms/synonyms too |
Phrase Match — the phrase must appear in that exact order.
| Search Term | Match? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| premium Product A wireless charger set | Match | words only added before/after |
| Product A wireless charger deal | Match | word only added after |
| Product A fast wireless charger | No match | a word is inserted inside the phrase |
| wireless charger Product A | No match | word order is reversed |
Exact Match — the search term must be nearly identical to the keyword.
| Search Term | Match? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Product A wireless charger | Match | identical to the keyword |
| Product A wireless chargers | Match (close variant) | singular/plural difference |
| Product A wireless charger set | No match | extra word added after |
| wireless charger Product A | No match | word order is reversed |
So Which One Is Best? (A Hypothetical Comparison)
| Match Type | Impressions | Clicks | Orders | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broad | 5,000 | 150 | 6 | High reach, but irrelevant terms can creep in and push ACOS up |
| Phrase | 2,000 | 80 | 8 | A reasonable middle ground |
| Exact | 800 | 40 | 7 | Low reach, but clear intent tends to mean higher conversion |
There's no single right answer. Early on, many sellers use Broad to gather data widely, then narrow down to Phrase or Exact — and concentrate budget — once they've identified which search terms actually convert.
Key Takeaways
Broad means "cast a wide net to collect data," Phrase means "keep the order, stay flexible on the edges," and Exact means "target only shoppers with clear, matching intent."