Understanding Adwords - Part V: The Matching Game

For some stupid reason, I have had a tough time in the past grasping the concept of the different matching options of google keywords. There are three specific matching types:

1) Broad matches:

For example: golf clubs

If you use these two words as your keyword, a google browser will find it if the words golf and clubs appear in the search despite its order and location.

golf balls and clubs (found)
golf clubs (found)
best golf clubs in town (found)

2) Phrase matches (defined by quotations around the keywords):

For example: "golf clubs"

In this instance, the words golf and clubs must appear just like it is typed within the quotes. There may, however, be other keywords around it:

golf balls and clubs (not found)
golf clubs (found)
best golf clubs in town (found)

3) Exact matches (defined by brackets around the keywords):

For example: [golf clubs]

For exact matches, the searcher must only type in the keywords defined, in that order, with no other keywords present:

golf balls and clubs (not found)
golf clubs (found)
best golf clubs in town (not found)

Now the first question you may ask yourself is "Why would I use a phrase or exact match if the broad match gets me the most results?". Yes, that is true, but a few things to point out:

1) Broad matches are much more competive and may cost you more money to bid on
2) Broad matches may produce clicks you don't want. For example: free golf clubs
3) Exact and Phrase matches gets higher priority than broad matches for page position
4) Exact and phrase matches help to reduce keyword cost and produces higher quality clicks.

One more thing to point out! In Adwords, you must specify plurals explicitly! Many PPC's will include a plural form by default, but not Adwords. So if you are using golf clubs as a keyword, you may also want to include golf club as well!