Google plans to start serving Recommendations when using broad match in Google Ads, making it easier to benefit from the strategy and gain better performance.

For advertisers using Smart Bidding, Google will identify existing words that will likely improve performance when switched to broad match.

Google estimates that on average, advertisers switching their phrase match and broad-match modified keywords to broad match can see more conversions and a higher conversion value.

What consumers want and how they search for related information continually changes, which makes it more difficult for marketers to anticipate all possible search that is relevant to a business. For example, “a broad match keyword like women’s hats could match to relevant queries you may not have thought of, like winter headwear for women or women’s accessories,” writes Brandon Ervin, product manager at Google Ads.

Since Google has limited the search terms it shows advertisers, proving performance and keeping track of broad match keywords have become more difficult.

Pairing a broad-match keyword with Smart Bidding, per Google, allows marketers to use auction-time signals to set the right bid for each of these queries. Marketers no longer need to anticipate, forecast, and manage every potential search or combination of words. 

Japan Experience, a travel company, and Dentsu’s advertising agency iProspect have already found success with this strategy.

Japan Experience adopted broad match and Smart Bidding to drive incremental conversions. The company’s CEO Thierry Maincent wrote that Japan Experience grew revenue by 112% year-over-year, with one third of that revenue generated by broad-match keywords.

Kasper Spanjer, PPC strategist at iProspect, had a similar experience. iProspect used broad match with Smart Bidding to generate long-term growth and maintain performance, experiencing an increase in unique search terms generated by broad match and leading to a 20% increase in conversions.