Google made a big announcement last week that affects digital advertising customers using Google Ads. Google recognizes that the way people search is changing constantly. According to the search engine giant, 15% of searches they see each day are new. In the coming weeks, broad match modifier and phrase match keywords will begin matching words that share the same meaning as the keyword. Google expects advertisers to see, on average, 3 to 4% more clicks and conversions on these keywords. On average, 85% of these new clicks aren’t covered by your existing keywords. 

More, Relevant Traffic From Broad Match Modifiers

In the past, close variants would only match for queries that included some variation of the original keyword set. Google uses the example of “lawn,” “mowing,” and “service” matching for “services to mow my law.” With the new update, close variants can match for searches that don’t contain the selected keyword at all, as long as they share the same meaning. These same keywords may now match for “garden services” searches, for example. The update aims to bring advertisers more, relevant traffic.

More, Relevant Traffic From Phrase Match

The same principle applies to phrase match keywords after the new update. Phrase match keywords show your ads when the search includes your keyword or close variants of the exact phrase with additional words before or after. This now includes searches that contain words that share the same meaning as the keyword. In the past, “lawn mowing services” would match for searches like “lawn moving service prices.” With the new update, your ads can trigger when someone searches for “grass cutting service near me.” 

Maintaining Control of Your Google Ads

Google addresses the concerns advertisers may have about maintaining control and flexibility over their Google Ads accounts. 

“If a query currently matches to an exact, phrase, or broad match modifier keyword that exists in your account, we’ll prevent that query from matching to a different phrase or broad match modifier keyword that’s now eligible for the same auction as a result of this update.”

In order to get the most out of this new update and maintain control of your Google Ads, Google recommends monitoring performance as traffic may fluctuate due to these changes. You may want to make adjustments, like pausing certain keywords. Google also recommends considering negative keywords and updating these lists to exclude matches you don’t want. This update won’t impact your negative keywords, as they don’t match to close variants.

G5’s Digital Advertising analysts are hard at work preparing for this new update. Subscribe to our blog for the latest news regarding this update and the future of digital advertising.