How does keyword match type affect targeting?

Great question! The keyword match type in Google Ads (including YouTube Discovery Ads) controls how closely a user's search must match your keyword for your ad to be shown. It directly affects your targeting precision, reach, and cost.

Here's a breakdown of the three main match types and how they influence targeting:
🔹 1. Broad Match (default)

    Your ad may show for searches that include synonyms, related searches, and variations—even if they don't contain the exact words.

    Reach: 🔓 Very wide

    Example Keyword: camera gear

    Your Ad Might Show For: best DSLR accessories, photography equipment, GoPro gear

✅ Pros: Maximum exposure
⚠️ Cons: Can be less targeted, sometimes brings irrelevant clicks
🔸 2. Phrase Match (use quotation marks: "keyword")

    Ads show only when the exact phrase (or close variations) is part of the search query, in the same order, but additional words can be before or after.

    Reach: 🎯 More focused

    Example Keyword: "camera gear"

    Your Ad Might Show For: best camera gear, cheap camera gear for travel

    Won't Show For: gear for camera, photography accessories

✅ Pros: Better targeting
⚠️ Cons: Slightly smaller reach
🔹 3. Exact Match (use square brackets: [keyword])

    Ads show only for that exact keyword or very close variants (like plurals or misspellings), and nothing extra.

    Reach: 🔐 Narrowest

    Example Keyword: [camera gear]

    Your Ad Might Show For: camera gear, camera gears

    Won't Show For: best camera gear, gear for camera

✅ Pros: Ultra-targeted, good for high-intent traffic
⚠️ Cons: Smallest reach, may limit impressions
💡 Pro Tip:

For YouTube Discovery Ads, you might want to:

    Start with phrase match to find a balance between reach and relevance

    Use exact match for super-specific, high-intent keywords

    Avoid relying only on broad match unless you're doing a wide awareness campaign or have strong negative keywords in place