Is Broad Match the new standard? Google's latest query matching update

There’s been a huge update in Google’s paid search algorithm, and we’re here to break down everything you need to know. Google has updated its query matching system, prioritising Broad Match keywords.

But what does it all mean for your marketing strategy and for the future of paid search as we know it?

This significant change in the algorithm impacts how ads are triggered and could significantly affect your campaign performance. Your ads will no longer simply be shown to users based on the conventional keyword match types, as a focus on Broad Match will now more heavily incorporate contextual signals and user intent.

As a marketer, you need to understand the implications to adapt your strategies accordingly. Want all the answers in one place? Read on and allow us to be your guide.

• Why Google is favouring Broad Match
• How this impacts your Google Ads strategy
• Pros and Cons of Broad Match
• Best practices for your Broad Match strategy
• Is this the future of Search?

Why Google is favouring Broad Match

In July 2024, Google announced that it would be updating its query matching, allowing marketers to essentially turn off keyword match types and default entire campaigns to broad match types. You’ll then provide details to Google Ads on what “brand inclusions” they should trigger your ads to show for.

This is a turning point for the way marketers have used Google Ads and worked with Google’s machine learning algorithms over the years. This update really showcases the enhanced machine-learning capabilities of Google’s current algorithm, allowing for a better understanding of user intent.

In an ideal world, this Broad Match approach to targeting will provide a broader reach by matching ads to more relevant queries, without stifling potential clicks from interested users. Previously of course, this would all have been handled through extensive negative keyword lists, which often have to include pretty laborious additions like misspellings and similar, related search terms to your target keywords. This was a process that took time away from managing your marketing funnel and optimising strategy. 

Google aims to simplify ad management by reducing the need for extensive keyword lists. So this could be a time-saving update for your current marketing workflow.

The update leverages real-time signals like user location, recent search activity, and search themes. Whilst this has had a mixed reaction, we’re optimistic that this will be a change that could bring in useful and relevant users to your audience.

How This Impacts Your Google Ads Strategy

Let’s get down to the nuts and bolts of this change: what it means for your marketing strategy.

The main result of this update is a broader reach for your campaigns: Ads can appear for a wider range of search queries, due to ads being triggered by search themes, based on aggregated search data direct from Google.

Budget-wise, this means you have to accommodate the potential for increased impressions and clicks due to broader matching. At least to begin with, we would recommend allowing for a healthy flexibility with any campaigns being run with this update. In short, this may require adjustments in bidding strategies and budget allocation.

As with any significant change to your tried and trusted strategies, this necessitates a closer watch on search terms reports to monitor performance. Luckily, Google has optimised the Insights tab for any Performance Max campaigns. Now you can see search data from your campaign grouped by themes, into different categories. 

Pros and Cons of Broad Match

As this change takes hold of your future marketing strategy, it’s important to keep a broad perspective (pun intended) on the pros and cons of this update:

Pros:

• Increased reach and visibility for ads.
• Potential for discovering new high-performing keywords.
• Simplifies keyword management.
• Uses advanced machine learning for better intent matching.

Cons:

• Higher risk of irrelevant traffic and wasted spend.
• Requires more rigorous monitoring and optimisation.
• Potential for higher costs if not managed properly.
• Less control over your ads visibility and targeting, compared to traditional keyword strategies. 

Best Practices for your Broad Match Strategy

There are a few steps we’d recommend as you begin your experimentation with this  new targeting style:

Get familiar with the updated Insights tab in Performance Max analytics. Regularly review search terms reports to identify and exclude irrelevant queries, but do this with search query themes in mind specifically. It’s time to think like Google.

Use tailored exclusion groups (for example, “competitor brands”) to prevent wasteful spending. Monitor your performance metrics closely to adjust bids and budgets as needed.

Combine Broad Match with automated bidding strategies for optimal results. If you’re using Performance Max, this will already be taken care of.

Leverage audience data to refine targeting and improve relevance. Remember, no matter how much automation you include in your campaign, you can still tailor that automation to be based on your knowledge and insight to your audience. You’re the expert!

Is this the future of Search?

The big question in the minds of digital marketers right now is this: is this the future of Search?

Specifically, this question refers to the future of Paid Search campaigns and their relationship to keywords. Will they be using keywords at all in the future? How soon might this change take place?

Google updating its Insights tab to include search themes does seem to signal that this change is here to stay. Sundar Pichai, CEO at Google, recently said “In search, we try to reflect what’s out on the web. And we want to give trustworthy, high-quality information.”

It would seem that Google’s focus for the future relies heavily on AI integration. But that relevancy is at the height of its effectiveness. So if ad targeting based on search themes, rather than specific keywords chosen by marketers themselves is the future, relevancy will need to be at the forefront of Google’s algorithm.

Summary

Google's shift towards Broad Match marks a significant change in ad query matching. It’s something totally new and quite radical for the search industry overall.

This update offers both opportunities and challenges for advertisers, some good and some more challenging, such as the risk of higher percentages of irrelevant clicks.

As a result of these changes, adapting your marketing approach with strategic planning and vigilant management is crucial. We’d recommend you stay informed and flexible in your strategy moving forward, so you can stay one step ahead of these changes. 

Google may update their algorithm, but with the right flexibility and know-how, your campaigns can remain as strong and effective as ever.

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