Glossary/Brand & Performance Marketing/Keyword 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 Mina·CEO, BrandPilot AI·Updated 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.