Google AdWords Rolls Out Broad Match Modifier Feature in UK And Canada

Marketers in the UK and Canada are the first to benefit from the new AdWords broad match modifier feature that allows higher conversion rates with better ROI when using exact and phrase match keywords.

The beta version of this new feature has already been made available to a group of happy fews in the U.S. for a couple of months, including Brad Geddes, according to a post on Google’s official blog.

How it works
Add a “+” in front of a word or a keyword phrase in a broad match keyword. Google will look for that exact word within the potential customer’s search but will also include close variants, such as misspellings, singulars/plurals, abbreviations, acronyms, and stemmings (like “floor” and “flooring”). It will leave out synonyms (like “quick” and “fast”) and related searches (like “flowers” and “tulips”).

Higher ROI promise
“During initial tests, advertisers who mainly used phrase and exact match found that adding modified broad match keywords increased campaign clicks and conversions, while providing more precise control than with broad match,” Google said, referring to the beta test group.

This is what you can get comparatively in searches with all keyword strategies:

Well received and perceived innovation
Reactions to the launch of the broad match modifier features seem to be quite positive.
“We’re pleased to see that Google seems to be listening to the market demand for improved match types… it sounds really useful and worth trying for very specific merchants with limited product types and applications, people looking to get some extended reach, without ROI compromise,” commented Nichola Stott, CEO at theMediaFlow, a search and social media agency based in London.

Across the Ocean in the U.S., paid search platform ClickEquations‘ Senior Marketing Manager, Alex Cohen chimed in: “I’m glad Google is expanding our targeting options. This gets 1 step closer to the “Include” match type we’ve been asking for. Google needs to continue refining their targeting options and opening up more features in their API, e.g. Google Product Listing Ads.”

Revenue generation for Google
Tempted to try out that feature? Bear in mind that Google has nothing to envy in terms of revenue stream – implementing the Broad Match Modifier will entail making slight changes to your existing deal. Indeed, overall click and conversion volumes are likely to plummet for users of broad match keywords. “In order to maintain these volumes, we recommend keeping existing broad match keywords active, adding new modified broad match keywords, and adjusting bids to achieve your target ROI based on observed performance,” Google explains.

You can also take a look at Brad Geddes’ suggestions if you would like to ride the tide as best as you can.

Thoughts? Can you see yourself using this new match type?