Keyword match type tool.
Paste your keywords, pick the match types and copy them straight into Google Ads or Microsoft Advertising. Combine lists with the keyword mixer, or build a negative keyword list from our starter themes.
Add a starter list review each one: some may suit your business
Keyword mixer: add words before or after each keyword
Paste the results into a keyword or negative keyword box in Google Ads, Microsoft Advertising or either Editor. Everything runs in your browser: nothing is sent anywhere.
Free, no sign-up. Everything is calculated in your browser.
Keyword match types, explained.
Match types control how closely someone’s search has to match your keyword before your ad can show. Google Ads and Microsoft Advertising both use three:
- Broad match:
accountant london. Shows for searches related to the keyword’s meaning, including ones that don’t contain its words. The most reach, and it works best with Smart Bidding, accurate conversion tracking and a good negative list. - Phrase match:
"accountant london". Shows for searches that include the keyword’s meaning, with words before or after it. A good balance of reach and control. - Exact match:
[accountant london]. Shows for searches with the same meaning or intent. The most control and the least reach.
All three now match close variants: plurals, misspellings and rewordings with the same meaning. Broad match modifier (+accountant +london) was retired in 2021; this tool strips the plus signs so you can re-wrap old keywords.
How negative keywords are different
Negative keywords stop your ads showing for searches you don’t want, and they behave differently from normal keywords:
- Negative broad blocks searches containing all its words, in any order.
- Negative phrase blocks searches containing the exact phrase, in that order.
- Negative exact blocks only that exact search.
- No close variants. “job” doesn’t block “jobs”, so add plurals and common misspellings yourself.
Build them from your search terms report, not guesswork: check it weekly, add anything irrelevant, and keep themes such as jobs or DIY in shared negative keyword lists so they apply across campaigns. Performance Max and AI Max campaigns need guardrails too: see our Performance Max best practices.
Using the keyword mixer
The mixer combines your keywords with words before or after them, services with locations, for example, so “accountant” plus “london” and “manchester” gives you every combination in one go. Keep lists tight: a few well-chosen keywords with good negatives usually beat thousands of variations.
For more ways to cut wasted spend, read our Google Ads quick wins and account audit checklist, then set a target with the CPA calculator. Then write the ads with our Google Ads ad preview tool, or see our PPC management.
Keep calculating.
Tracking checker
Enter your website and see which pixels and tags it runs, what fires before cookie consent, whether Consent Mode v2 and ad click IDs work, and if you have server-side tracking.
Open tool →TrackingUTM builder
Tag your links with presets for Meta, TikTok, Google, email and more, then see which GA4 channel each link lands in, and get dynamic URL parameters for your ad platforms.
Open tool →Costs & biddingCPM calculator
Calculate cost per thousand impressions from spend and impressions, and see the budget needed to hit a reach target.
Open tool →Match type questions.
01What are keyword match types?
Match types tell Google Ads and Microsoft Advertising how closely a search has to match your keyword. Broad match (keyword) covers searches related to its meaning, phrase match ("keyword") covers searches that include its meaning, and exact match ([keyword]) covers searches with the same meaning or intent.
02What is the difference between phrase match and exact match?
Phrase match shows your ad when a search includes the meaning of your keyword, with other words before or after it, "accountant london" can match “best accountant in london for startups”. Exact match only matches searches with the same meaning or intent as the keyword, so it gives you the most control and the least reach.
03What happened to broad match modifier?
Google retired broad match modifier (+keyword) in 2021 and folded its behaviour into phrase match. If you paste keywords with plus signs into this tool, it removes them so you can wrap them in a current match type.
04How do negative keywords work?
A negative keyword stops your ads showing for searches that contain it. Negative broad blocks searches containing all of its words in any order, negative phrase blocks searches containing the exact phrase in that order, and negative exact blocks only that exact search.
05Do negative keywords block plurals and misspellings?
No. Unlike normal keywords, negative keywords don’t match close variants, so “job” won’t block “jobs”. Add singular, plural and common misspellings separately: the starter lists in this tool already include both.
06Where should I add negative keywords?
Add them at campaign or ad group level for anything specific, and in shared negative keyword lists for themes that apply across campaigns, such as jobs. Account-level negatives cover every eligible campaign, and Performance Max supports campaign-level negative keywords too.
07Does this work for Microsoft Advertising?
Yes. Microsoft Advertising uses the same syntax, plain text for broad, quotes for phrase and square brackets for exact, so you can paste the results into either platform, or into Google Ads Editor and Microsoft Advertising Editor.
Tight keywords, weekly negatives and bidding set from your margins. That’s how we run paid search.