One of the most challenging aspects of running a pay per click campaign for new advertisers is optimizing keyword match types. The broad match, phrase match, and exact match can really bite you in the … you know what I mean. It can get complicated. But it doesn’t have to.
One way to think about match types is funneling. By using match types to narrow your focus to a specific target market, you can funnel the right prospects into your sales and conversion cycle more cost efficiently and more effectively. Broad match should be used for keywords that are so narrow in focus anyway that to get any narrower is to essentially close the door on your prospects. One exception might be where you can capture a broad swath of your target market and close the door on unqualified prospects with negative keywords.
Perhaps the most difficult match type is the phrase match. There is so much room for error. But if you have a clear idea what type of prospect each phrase will attract without any modifiers then you can optimize your PPC campaign to attract the market you are trying to reach. Exact match is easier, but if overdone you can leave a lot on the table. You would do yourself well to focus a lot of energy on learning how to play with match types.
