Broad match and exact match are keyword targeting options within platforms like Google Ads and Microsoft Advertising, dictating how closely a user’s search query needs to match your chosen keywords to trigger your advertisement. As of early 2026, these remain fundamental to effective digital advertising, but current systems include increasingly sophisticated AI to refine targeting.
- Broad Match: Your ad can show for searches that include misspellings, synonyms, related searches, and other relevant variations of your keyword.
- Exact Match: Your ad will *only* show when the search query exactly matches your keyword, or very close variations of it (considering grammatical forms and close variants as defined by the platform).
- Phrase Match (a middle ground): Now features enhanced capabilities in 2026, allowing for more flexibility than exact match but tighter control than broad match.
In 2026, Australian businesses need to be particularly mindful of colloquialisms and regional variations in search terms. For example, someone in Queensland might search for “ute parts” while someone in Victoria might use “utility parts”. Broad match can capture both, but requires careful negative keyword implementation to avoid irrelevant traffic. Platforms are also adapting to Australia’s evolving privacy regulations, impacting how user data informs keyword matching and optimisation.
Instead of navigating these technical complexities and constantly refining your keyword strategy, let ROI.com.au handle it for you. We can take care of all this for you. Contact our team today to discuss a tailored digital advertising solution for your business.
