Keyword match type tool
Paste a list of keywords and get them back in broad, "phrase" and [exact] match, ready to paste into Google Ads or Microsoft Advertising. Combine up to three columns to build every variation at once.
Keyword match type generator
Export for Google Ads Editor
Columns: Campaign, Ad group, Keyword, Criterion Type. Modified broad is left out because Google Ads no longer accepts it.
Your keywords never leave your browser.
How to use the keyword match type tool
- Paste your keywords into the first box, one per line. Copying a column from Google Sheets or Excel works.
- Optionally fill boxes two and three to build combinations. Put services in one, modifiers such as agency or near me in the next, and locations in the last. Empty boxes are skipped.
- Choose a separator. Space joins words normally. Nothing joins them into one word, which is useful for brand and domain-style terms. Dash gives
seo-services. - Pick the match types from the Match type dropdown; you can tick several. The results update as you type. Tick Group by keyword to list each keyword's match types together instead of grouping by match type.
- Pick a text case if you want one: lowercase, UPPERCASE, Title Case (every word capitalised) or Sentence case (first word only). To change the case of a list without adding match types, untick every match type and the results come back as plain text.
- Copy the results into Google Ads, or download a CSV for Google Ads Editor.
The tool also tidies the list for you. It removes extra spaces, strips any brackets, quotes or plus signs already in your list (so you can paste a formatted list back in and convert it to another type), removes duplicates, and warns you about any keyword that Google Ads would reject for length.
What each match type does in Google Ads today
Google Ads has three keyword match types: broad (no symbols), phrase ("quotes") and exact ([brackets]). They control how closely a person's search has to match your keyword before your ad can show. Broad reaches the most searches; exact reaches the fewest but the most precise.
All three match on meaning rather than exact wording. Google treats plurals, misspellings, abbreviations and reordered words as the same keyword when the intent is unchanged. The table uses one keyword, packers and movers delhi to mumbai, to show the difference.
| Match type | How you type it | Can show for | Will not show for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broad | packers and movers delhi to mumbai | Related searches, even without your words: home shifting services mumbai, delhi mumbai relocation cost | Little is excluded; control comes from negative keywords and Smart Bidding |
| Phrase | "packers and movers delhi to mumbai" | Searches that include the meaning: best packers and movers delhi to mumbai, packers movers from delhi to mumbai price | Searches where the order changes the meaning: packers and movers mumbai to delhi |
| Exact | [packers and movers delhi to mumbai] | The same meaning: packer and mover delhi to mumbai, delhi to mumbai packers and movers | Anything that adds meaning: packers and movers delhi to mumbai price |
| Modified broad Retired | +packers +movers +delhi +mumbai | Cannot be created since July 2021. Existing ones behave as phrase match. | |
Broad match
Broad match is Google's default and now leans heavily on signals beyond the keyword, such as the landing page, other keywords in the ad group and the person's recent searches. It works best paired with Smart Bidding (Maximise Conversions or Target CPA) and conversion tracking you trust. Without those, broad match tends to spend on loosely related searches.
Phrase match
Phrase match is the middle ground most Indian small-business accounts should start with. You keep word order where it matters, which is important for routes, comparisons and "X for Y" searches, while still picking up longer, more specific searches you would never think to list.
Exact match
Exact match gives you the most control over cost per click and over which ad text appears. Use it for your proven, highest-converting terms and for brand terms. It is also the right type when the budget is small and every irrelevant click hurts.
What happened to modified broad match?
Modified broad match let you put a plus sign in front of words that had to appear in the search, such as +ca +firm +delhi. Google started merging it into phrase match in February 2021 and stopped allowing new modified broad keywords in July 2021. Any +keyword still sitting in an old account now matches exactly like phrase match, and its performance history was kept.
We kept the option in the tool because people still inherit old accounts and keyword spreadsheets full of plus signs. Paste them into the first box, untick modified broad, tick phrase, and you have a clean, current list. Do not upload new plus-sign keywords; Google will treat them as phrase match anyway.
Building keyword combinations from three columns
The three boxes multiply together. Three services × three modifiers × three cities gives 27 keywords; tick broad, phrase and exact and you get 81 lines. The example below the tool builds exactly that list from google ads / facebook ads / ppc, agency / company / services and delhi / noida / gurgaon.
Combinations are fast, but more keywords are not automatically better. Before you upload:
- Delete combinations nobody searches. Check them in Keyword Planner, or better, in your own search terms report.
- Keep ad groups tight. Put one theme in each ad group (for example, all Noida keywords) so the ad text and landing page can match the search.
- Do not run the same keyword in several match types inside one ad group unless you have a clear reason. Google already prefers the exact keyword when a search is identical to it, so duplicates mostly split your data.
- Add negative keywords on day one: jobs, salary, course, free and internship waste the most money in Indian service accounts.
Which match type should you start with?
It depends mostly on budget and conversion tracking, not on the industry.
- Under about ₹30,000 a month, or no reliable conversion tracking: exact and phrase only. Review the search terms report weekly and move winning searches into exact.
- Reliable conversion tracking and 30+ conversions a month: test broad match with Maximise Conversions or Target CPA in a separate campaign, and compare cost per lead, not clicks.
- Brand terms: exact match, in their own campaign, so brand clicks do not flatter the numbers of your other campaigns.
If you would rather have someone else do this, our Google Ads management and PPC management pages explain how we build and run accounts, and what it costs.
Frequently asked questions
Is this keyword match type tool free?
Yes. There is no sign-up, no limit on list size and no watermark on the output. It runs entirely in your browser, so the keywords you paste are never sent to our server or stored anywhere.
What is the difference between phrase match and exact match?
Exact match [keyword] shows your ad only for searches that mean the same thing as the keyword, including close variants such as plurals, misspellings and reordered words that keep the meaning. Phrase match "keyword" also allows searches that include that meaning plus extra words before or after it. Exact gives you the most control; phrase gives you more reach at a slightly higher risk of irrelevant clicks.
Does modified broad match (+keyword) still work in Google Ads?
No. Google folded broad match modifier into phrase match during 2021, and since July 2021 you cannot create new +keyword keywords. Old BMM keywords still in an account now behave exactly like phrase match. The tool keeps the option only for auditing older accounts and spreadsheets.
Can I use these match types for negative keywords?
Yes. Negative keywords use the same symbols: a plain word is a negative broad match, quotes make a negative phrase match and square brackets make a negative exact match. Negative keywords do not expand to close variants, so add plurals and common misspellings yourself.
Are Google Ads keywords case-sensitive, and can I change the case?
No. Google Ads and google ads are the same keyword. That is why the tool removes duplicates regardless of capitalisation. Case only matters for how the list reads, so use Text case to make it consistent: lowercase for keyword lists, or Title Case and Sentence case when you are reusing the phrases in ad headlines and descriptions.
How do I import the keywords into Google Ads Editor?
Open Download CSV for Google Ads Editor, optionally type a campaign and ad group name, and download. The file has Campaign, Ad group, Keyword and Criterion Type columns. In Google Ads Editor use Account → Import → From file, or paste the rows into Make multiple changes. Every row needs a campaign and ad group before Editor will accept it.
Does this work for Microsoft Advertising (Bing Ads)?
Yes. Microsoft Advertising uses the same syntax: plain text for broad, quotes for phrase and square brackets for exact. Paste the output straight into the keyword box or into Microsoft Advertising Editor.
What are the Google Ads limits on keyword length?
A keyword can be at most 80 characters and 10 words. The tool flags any combined keyword that breaks either limit, which happens easily when you join three columns of long phrases.
Sources
Search terms, match types and wasted spend, itemised.
