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The Madison Avenue Field GuideA field guide to marketing & advertising, by Brandon Mina

GlossaryBrand & Performance MarketingKeyword Match Types

Brand & Performance Marketing

Keyword Match Types

Settings that control how closely a search query must match your keyword to trigger an ad: broad, phrase or exact.

By Brandon MinaCEO, BrandPilot AIUpdated November 2026

Short answer

Keyword match types are settings in search advertising that control how closely a search query must match a keyword to trigger an ad. The main types are broad match, phrase match, and exact match, ranging from widest to narrowest reach. Advertisers combine them to balance reach, relevance, and cost control.