Google Ads Keywords: Match Types and Negative Keywords, Explained Simply
Your keywords tell Google which searches may show your ad. The match type decides how loosely Google reads them. Get these two right and most of your budget lands on people who want what you sell. Get them wrong and you pay for clicks from people looking for something else entirely: jobs, free advice, a different city, a competitor.
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The three match types
| Match type | How you write it | Your ad can show for | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broad | plumber haifa | Anything Google judges related, including searches without your words | Accounts with conversion tracking and smart bidding |
| Phrase | "plumber haifa" | Searches that include the meaning of your phrase, like "cheap plumber in haifa" | Most small business campaigns |
| Exact | [plumber haifa] | Searches with the same meaning as your keyword | Your proven, most valuable searches |
Broad match is the default and reaches the most people, but for a new account with little data it often wanders far from what you meant. A safer start for a small budget is phrase match on your main keywords plus exact match on the handful you are sure about. Once conversion tracking has a few dozen results and you use Maximize conversions, test broad match in a separate ad group and compare cost per lead.
Choosing your first keywords
- 1Write down how a customer would describe the problem, not how you describe your service. People search "leaking pipe under sink", not "residential plumbing solutions".
- 2Add the place for local businesses: the city, the neighborhood, or "near me".
- 3Add buying words where they fit: price, cost, book, order, quote, best.
- 4Check each one in Keyword Planner for volume and estimated click price. Drop the ones nobody searches and the ones you cannot afford yet.
- 5Group them by theme, 5 to 15 keywords per ad group, so the ad text can match the search.
Negative keywords: the cheapest win in Google Ads
A negative keyword tells Google never to show your ad for searches containing it. It is the single most effective way to stop wasting money, because every irrelevant click you block is money that goes to a real customer instead. Most new accounts benefit from a starter list on day one:
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- Job seekers: jobs, career, salary, hiring, vacancy
- Learners: course, training, how to, diy, tutorial, certification
- Bargain hunters, if you are not one: free, cheap, used, second hand
- Places you do not serve: other cities, other countries
- Products or services you do not offer
Your best negative keywords are in your own account. Open the Search terms report weekly. It lists the real searches that triggered your ad. Anything irrelevant goes on the negative list. After a month, most accounts have cut a large share of their wasted clicks this way.
When to add, pause or change keywords
- A search term that converts and is not yet a keyword: add it as phrase or exact match.
- A keyword with plenty of clicks and no conversions after a fair test: pause it, or check whether the landing page matches it.
- A keyword with almost no impressions: it may be too narrow, or your bid is too low to enter the auction.
- Change one thing at a time and give it a week, so you can tell what made the difference.
Häufig gestellte Fragen
How many keywords should a small business start with?
Usually 10 to 30, split into a few ad groups by theme. More keywords do not mean more customers. A short list of specific, high-intent searches spends a small budget far better than hundreds of loose ones.
Should I bid on my competitors' names?
It is allowed, but you cannot use their trademark in your ad text, the clicks are often expensive, and relevance is low because people want that specific company. Most small businesses get more from their own service keywords first.
Should I bid on my own business name?
Usually yes, if competitors show ads for your name. Brand searches are cheap, convert well, and stop a competitor from sitting above you when someone is already looking for you.