What are Broad Match Keywords?

Google AdWords ‘broad match’ keywords can be awesome but also can attract some unwanted traffic.  According to Google, with broad match “your ads automatically run on relevant variations of your keywords, even if these terms aren’t in your keyword lists”.  What does that all mean?  It means with broad match keywords,  you can bid on a term like “shoes” and Google will guess that you want your Google ads to show when someone bids on a term like “sneaker”.    That’s great if you sell sneakers but terrible if you don’t.  Here’s more about how Google defines Broad Match keywords.

Why use Broad Match Keywords?

Using broad match keywords is a great way to discover new keywords your prospective dental patients might be using.   It is nearly impossible to research or guess at every keyword someone searching Google might use.  In fact, Google says 15% of Google searches have never happened before.

Broad match keywords can help your dental practice discover ways that prospective dental patients are searching for dentists in your area.  For instance, you could guess most people are searching using “dentist Plano, Texas” but in fact, most people might be searching for a term like “dental office Plano TX”.

With broad match,  your dental practice will quickly start to see trends of how dental patients are searching Google in your area. (PRO TIP – create phrase, exact and modified broad match keywords for relevant keywords found using broad match!)

Why ‘broad match’ is Dangerous for Dentist AdWords Campaigns…

Dentists should use AdWords Campaigns.  Dentists should use broad match keywords.  But, dentists should be very, very careful using broad match keywords.

Simply using the broad match keyword ‘dentist’ might attract clicks your dental practice would never want to pay for.  Below are just a few examples of keywords that might trigger your ad with broad match.

“how to avoid going to the dentist”

“dentist school”

“dentist name from Christmas movie”

“orthodontist”

“dentist college”

“dental hygienist training”

“dentist tools”

“dentist chair”

“Smith Family Dentist”

If you are thinking people would never click on one of my dentist Google ads with the above Google searches, you are wrong.  Most people spend less than one-second reading a Google ad before they decide to click.  Who knows why they click.  Could be because they are bored, curious or really, really dumb but you can expect your Google dentist ad to get clicks even when they are not remotely related to the Google search.  It happens.  It can’t be avoided.

So, sure, use broad match keywords. But, monitor them closely!  If you find you are paying for way too many irrelevant searches it might be time to add more exact, phrase, modified broad match keywords to your Google AdWords account.  (PRO TIP – Adding negative keywords is also a great way to reduce wasteful Google ad clicks. Example dentist negative keywords: college, school, Christmas, tools, chair)

Want to know what is triggering your dentist ads in Google.  Be sure to check, the search terms report in your AdWords account.  About the search terms report

Conversion Smiles is a Dentist Google Ads Management Company