Our role as a PPC agency requires us to keep up to date with the latest changes in the PPC industry. In February, Google announced upcoming changes to keyword match types that will affect how we plan, setup and manage Google Ads campaigns.
The changes will expand the phrase match type to include some modified broad match keywords. The updates align with how many PPC experts currently use modified broad match keywords in campaigns and makes this type obsolete – support for broad match modifiers will end later this year.
Google has provided a graphic to explain the changes to phrase match and modified broad match keywords.
A simple example to illustrate the change would be to compare the modified broad match keyword +dog +food and phrase match keyword “dog food”. Currently, +dog +food will match against any search that includes these two words, in any order. The phrase match keyword will match against searches that include the phrase, with the words needing to be in the same order. For example, “best food for my dog” would match against the modified broad match keyword but not the phrase match.
Google’s changes will merge this aspect of broad match modifiers into phrase match. So, in the example above, the phrase match keyword would be all that’s required for the same search.
PPC agencies have some time to react to these updates, which started rolling out towards the end of February. A transition period means no changes are required immediately but we’re already working to update existing campaigns as well as other aspects of our process such as setup and management scripts. Broad match modifiers will not be available after July 2021 for new campaigns and support will be dropped completely soon after.
Over the years, Google has slowly cut back certain controls within Google Ads with the trade-off being increased automation options. While this latest change feels like more of the same, it combines two aspects that many PPC managers implement already.
If you’re interested in learning more about this update to Google Ads or would like more information on our PPC services, please get in touch.