What keyword match types should we prioritize in our Bing Ads campaigns?

Choosing the right keyword match types in Bing Ads is crucial for effectively targeting your audience and optimizing your ad spend. Here's a breakdown of the different keyword match types and recommendations on which to prioritize based on your campaign goals:

### **1. Broad Match**

- **Description**: Broad match keywords show your ads for searches that include any variation of your keywords, including synonyms, related searches, and variations in order.
- **Use Case**: Ideal for generating a high volume of traffic and discovering new keywords. It's useful when you want to reach a wide audience and explore which keywords might perform well.
- **Priority**: Use it with caution. Broad match can lead to irrelevant traffic if not monitored closely, so it's important to regularly review search term reports and add negative keywords to filter out irrelevant queries.

### **2. Broad Match Modifier (BMM)** *(Note: BMM is being phased out in favor of phrase match in Microsoft Advertising)*

- **Description**: Broad match modifier allows you to specify that certain words in your broad match keywords must appear in the search query, but they can be in any order and can include other terms.
- **Use Case**: Useful for improving relevancy compared to pure broad match while still reaching a broad audience.
- **Priority**: As BMM is being phased out, focus on using phrase match for similar benefits with better control.

### **3. Phrase Match**

- **Description**: Phrase match keywords show your ads for searches that include the exact phrase or close variations of it, with additional words before or after the phrase.
- **Use Case**: Great for targeting users who are searching for specific phrases related to your business, allowing for more control than broad match.
- **Priority**: Highly recommended. It offers a balance between reach and relevance, ensuring that ads are shown for searches that are closely related to your keywords.

### **4. Exact Match**

- **Description**: Exact match keywords show your ads only for searches that exactly match your keyword or close variants.
- **Use Case**: Ideal for targeting very specific queries with high intent. It helps in capturing users who are searching for exactly what you offer.
- **Priority**: Essential for campaigns focused on high precision and lower volume. Exact match helps ensure that your ads are shown to users with the highest likelihood of conversion.

### **5. Negative Keywords**

- **Description**: Negative keywords prevent your ads from showing for specific terms that are irrelevant or unprofitable.
- **Use Case**: Crucial for filtering out unwanted traffic and improving the relevance of your audience.
- **Priority**: High priority. Regularly review search term reports and add negative keywords to exclude irrelevant queries and improve campaign efficiency.

### **6. Modified Broad Match (for Phrase Match users)**

- **Description**: Although BMM is being phased out, the concept remains relevant in the sense of creating a phrase match keyword with variations. Phrase match will now handle the role of BMM, focusing on keyword phrases with close variants.
- **Use Case**: Useful for achieving similar broad reach as BMM while maintaining control over which queries trigger your ads.
- **Priority**: Focus on optimizing phrase match keywords for similar results.

### **Recommendations**

1. **Start with Broad Match and Phrase Match**: Use broad match to capture a wide audience and identify potential new keywords. Pair this with phrase match to refine targeting and increase relevance.

2. **Incorporate Exact Match for Precision**: Use exact match for high-intent keywords where precision is critical, such as for high-value products or services.

3. **Implement Negative Keywords**: Regularly update your negative keyword list to exclude irrelevant traffic and prevent wasted spend.

4. **Review and Optimize**: Continuously review performance data and adjust your match types based on what works best for your goals. Consider using automated tools and features within Bing Ads to enhance keyword targeting.

By carefully selecting and prioritizing keyword match types, you can effectively target your audience, optimize your ad spend, and improve the performance of your Bing Ads campaigns.