Exact Match Explained
Exact match keywords are a keyword matching option used in Google Ads (formerly known as Google AdWords) to tightly control which searches trigger your ads to appear. They offer the highest level of specificity compared to other match types, ensuring your ad appears only when someone searches for your exact keyword phrase or very close variants.
With exact match, your ad will appear when a user's search query exactly matches your keyword phrase, without additional words before or after, except for close variations like plurals, misspellings, or abbreviations.
For example, if your exact match keyword is "women's hats," your ad would typically show for searches exactly like "women's hats" but might also appear for "women's hat" or "women hats," as these are considered close variations.
Since Google's updates in 2021, exact match has evolved to include close variants that maintain the precision advertisers seek, while still ensuring their ads are shown to relevant audiences.
Try It Below
You can use our generator below to have a go at creating some exact matched keywords. If you want a more extensive keyword match generator/tool that covers all match types, check out our one here.