If you’re managing Google Ads for service‑based businesses, you’ve probably heard different opinions on match types like broad match and phrase match. But what actually moves the needle in performance?
In this post, we break down a real user experience where running a broad match experiment alongside a phrase match campaign significantly improved results. We’ll go over why this works, how to set it up, and how to use the data you collect to optimize your campaigns.
📌 Why This Matters
Google Ads match types determine how closely a user’s search query must match your keyword. In recent years, Google has shifted toward machine learning and automation — meaning match types behave differently than they did in the past.
Many advertisers still rely heavily on phrase match for control. However, this alone often limits growth. Running a broad match experiment helps Google explore new queries and bring in valuable traffic you might be missing otherwise.
📉 What Happened: A Real Case
A client accidentally let their broad match experiment expire — and their phrase match campaign performance tanked.
After:
- Letting the broad match experiment expire → performance dropped
- Re‑starting the broad match experiment → performance recovered
- Nothing else changed (same ads, same keywords)
This suggests that the data Google collects from broad match plays a significant role in optimizing results — even for phrase match campaigns.
🎯 What Broad Match Actually Does
It’s NOT a “sacrifice to the Google gods.” Here’s what’s really happening:
✅ 1. Broad Match Increases Data Volume
Broad match lets your ads show for related queries — not just exact keyword phrases. This gives Google more search term data to:
- Discover new relevant keywords
- Understand which query variations convert
- Improve targeting signals for your phrase match campaign
✅ 2. Broad Match Helps Identify High‑Value Terms
By reviewing search term reports, you can pinpoint new converting terms that:
- Should be added as exact or phrase match keywords
- Should be added as negative keywords to reduce waste
✅ 3. Phrase Match Provides Stability
Phrase match gives control and relevance, but on limited query coverage. When supported by broad match data, it becomes more effective, not redundant.
💡 Best Practices for Running Broad Match Experiments
Based on the experience shared in the video and industry best practices:
🔹 Run Broad Match as an Experiment
Set up the experiment to use a portion of your budget (e.g., 20–25%). This limits risk while still letting Google explore opportunities.
🔹 Review Search Terms Regularly
Look at the search queries from your broad match experiment to:
- Add new converting terms to your phrase match campaign
- Block irrelevant or low‑quality traffic with negative keywords
🔹 Let Campaigns Mature
New campaigns often need time to gather meaningful data. Broad match accelerates this process by exposing more varied search behavior.
🔹 Don’t Fear CPC Changes
Yes — broad match can show on unexpected terms — but if managed with budget control and negative keywords, it enhances rather than drains results.
🧠 Summary: Why This Works
| Strategy | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Phrase Match | Control & relevancy |
| Broad Match Experiment | New data & keyword discovery |
| Search Term Optimization | Campaign refinement |
| Budget % Control | Risk management |
When used together, broad match acts as a data miner, and phrase match acts as the precision performer.
🚀 Want Help with Your Google Ads?
If you’d like a professional audit, setup, or management for your campaigns, my team offers full Google Ads services tailored to your niche.