When it comes to creating a successful Google Ads campaign, what symbol would you use to add a broad match modifier?
Broad match modifiers (BMM) are a powerful tool that can help you reach a wider audience without sacrificing relevance.
The process of adding a broad match modifier to a keyword is simple.
First, select the keyword you want to modify and navigate to the “Match Type” column.
From there, select “Broad Match Modifier” from the dropdown menu.
This will add a plus sign (+) in front of the keyword, which tells Google Ads to only show your ad for searches that include that keyword or a close variant.
So what symbol do you use to add a broad match modifier? It’s as simple as adding a plus sign (+) in front of the keyword you want to modify.
This symbol tells Google Ads that the keyword should be included in the search query, but it can also include close variants of the keyword.
By using broad match modifiers, you can cast a wider net while still maintaining control over which searches trigger your ads.
What Symbol Would You Use To Add A Broad Match Modifier?
If you’re looking to add a broad match modifier to your Google Ads campaigns, you’ll need to use a specific symbol. The symbol you need to use is the plus sign (+).
To use the broad match modifier, you simply add the plus sign (+) in front of the keyword that you want to modify.
For example, if you wanted to use the broad match modifier for the keyword “cloud ERP systems,” you would write it as “+cloud +ERP systems.”
The plus sign (+) tells Google that the keyword must be included in the search query for your ad to be shown, even if the other words in the query are different.
It’s important to note that the broad match modifier is different from regular broad match.
With regular broad match, your ad may show up for search queries that are related to your keyword, even if they don’t include the exact keyword.
With the broad match modifier, your ad will only show up for search queries that include the modified keyword.
Using the broad match modifier can help you reach a more targeted audience and increase the relevance of your ads.
However, it’s important to monitor your campaigns and adjust your keywords as needed to ensure that you’re getting the best results.
Applying Broad Match Modifiers
When using Google Ads, applying broad match modifiers can help increase the reach of your ads by allowing them to show for searches that include variations of your target keyword. To apply a broad match modifier, you will need to use the “+” symbol in front of the keywords you want to modify.
For example, if you are advertising a product that helps with back pain and want to target searches related to “back pain relief,” you could use the broad match modifier “+back +pain +relief.”
This would allow your ad to show for searches that include variations of those keywords, such as “relief for lower back pain” or “how to relieve upper back pain.”
It is important to note that while using broad match modifiers can increase the reach of your ads, it can also lead to irrelevant clicks and wasted ad spend.
To avoid this, it is recommended to use negative keywords to exclude searches that are not relevant to your product or service.
Here are some best practices for applying broad match modifiers:
- Use them for keywords that are important to your business and have a high search volume.
- Monitor your search terms report regularly to identify irrelevant searches and add them as negative keywords.
- Combine them with other match types, such as phrase match and exact match, to create a well-rounded keyword strategy.
- Avoid using them for brand keywords, as they can lead to unwanted clicks from users searching for something unrelated to your brand.
By following these best practices, you can effectively use broad match modifiers to increase the reach of your ads while still maintaining relevance to your target audience.
Impact Of Broad Match Modifiers
Broad Match Modifiers (BMMs) were introduced in 2010 as a way for advertisers to specify certain words that must be included in a search query.
However, as of February 18, 2021, BMMs will be retired and the phrase match type will be expanded to match to more search queries.
This change will heavily impact the way search campaigns are run moving forward.
While BMMs were a useful tool for advertisers, the new phrase match behavior will provide even more control over the search terms that trigger your ads.
With the updated phrase matching behavior, phrase and BMM keywords will behave the same way for all languages.
This means that phrase match keywords will now match to search queries that include the same meaning as the keyword, even if the words are in a different order.
If you currently use BMMs in your campaigns, it’s important to start preparing for the transition to phrase match.
You can either convert your BMM keywords to phrase match or create new phrase match keywords from scratch.
Keep in mind that performance statistics will not carry over to the new instances if you choose to convert BMM keywords to phrase match.
Smart bidding users are encouraged to use the broad match type, as the changes to phrase match and BMM will not impact exact match, broad match, or negative keyword match types.
It’s also important to regularly review your search terms report and add negative keywords to ensure that your ads are only showing for relevant searches.
In summary, the retirement of BMMs and the expansion of phrase match will provide advertisers with even more control over their search campaigns.
By preparing for the transition and regularly reviewing your search terms report, you can ensure that your ads are showing for relevant searches and driving the best results for your business.
Common Mistakes With Broad Match Modifiers
When it comes to using broad match modifiers, there are a few common mistakes that advertisers make.
Here are two of the most common mistakes and how to avoid them:
Incorrect Symbol Use
The most common mistake that advertisers make when using broad match modifiers is using the wrong symbol.
The correct symbol to use is the plus sign (+), which tells Google to include the modified term in the search query.
However, some advertisers mistakenly use other symbols, such as the asterisk (*) or the hashtag (#), which can cause their ads to appear for irrelevant searches.
To avoid this mistake, always use the plus sign (+) when adding a broad match modifier to your keyword.
Additionally, make sure to double-check your keywords before launching your campaign to ensure that you have used the correct symbol.
Misplacement Of Modifier
Another common mistake that advertisers make when using broad match modifiers is placing the modifier in the wrong position within the keyword.
The modifier should be placed directly in front of the term that you want to modify.
For example, if you want to modify the term “cloud,” you should use the keyword “+cloud ERP” rather than “cloud +ERP.”
Placing the modifier in the wrong position can cause your ads to appear for irrelevant searches or limit the reach of your campaign.
To avoid this mistake, always place the modifier directly in front of the term that you want to modify.
By avoiding these common mistakes, you can ensure that your broad match modifier campaigns are effective and reach the right audience.
Key Takeaways
If you want to use a broad match modifier in your Google Ads campaign, you can use the “+” symbol before the keyword you want to modify.
- For example, if your business sells cloud ERP systems, you can use the broad match modifier “+cloud +ERP” to ensure that the keyword “ERP” appears in the search query regardless of whether the word “cloud” is present or not.
- It is important to note that as of July 2021, Google has made changes to its keyword match types, and the broad match modifier is no longer available.
- Instead, the phrase match now incorporates the behaviors of the broad match modifier. This means that if you want to expand your audience reach, you should use the phrase match option.
- Using broad match modifiers can help your ads reach a wider audience without requiring you to build an extensive keyword list.
- However, it is important to monitor your campaign closely and adjust your keywords as necessary to ensure that you are targeting the right audience and getting the best results.
In summary, if you want to use a broad match modifier in your Google Ads campaign, you can use the “+” symbol before the keyword you want to modify.
However, it is important to stay up-to-date with Google’s changes to its keyword match types and adjust your strategy accordingly.