Google Ads is a powerful platform for digital advertising, and one recent notable change revolves around broad match modifiers. General match modifiers are keywords that allow advertisers to capture a more comprehensive range of search queries related to their products or services.
Previously, broad match modifiers required adding a plus sign (+) before specific keywords within a keyword phrase. This ensured the ads would be triggered for search queries that included those modified keywords and close variants.
However, in recent updates, Google has changed the broad match modifier functionality. Instead of using the plus sign, Google Ads treats all keywords as general match modifiers by default. This change means that advertisers no longer have the option to define a broad match modifier explicitly.
This alteration in Google Ads’ broad match modifier functionality aims to simplify keyword management for advertisers. It allows for more automation, as the system now handles the keyword matching, taking into account variations, synonyms, misspellings, and related terms more comprehensively.
While this change can streamline keyword management, it also brings a potential drawback of reduced control over keyword targeting specificity.
Advertisers may experience their ads being triggered for a broader range of search queries, leading to lower relevance and potentially inefficient ad spending.
Advertisers must closely monitor their campaign performance and adjust accordingly to adapt to this change. It is recommended to regularly review search term reports to identify any irrelevant queries triggering ads and add negative keywords to optimize relevance.
In conclusion, the changes in Google Ads’ broad match modifier functionality introduce automation and simplicity to keyword management. However, advertisers must stay vigilant and fine-tune their campaigns to ensure the ads effectively target relevant search queries.