Adalysis just published one of the largest Google Ads match type studies to date: 16,825 campaigns analyzed across different bid strategies.
Key takeaways:
• Exact match remains the most efficient, highest CTR and conversion rates, lowest CPA.
• Phrase match is increasingly unreliable, often with higher CPA and overlap issues, as Google’s expansion makes targeting less predictable.
• Broad match can work under smart bidding (Target ROAS, Max Conversion Value), especially for scale and higher-value conversions, but it needs enough data and careful monitoring.
• Manual CPC & Max Clicks, exact match dominates, but broad match can help with early volume.
Practical strategy:
– Start with exact match for efficiency.
– Layer in phrase match for more reach (carefully monitored).
– Use broad match only when you have enough data and automated bidding in place.
The trend is clear: Google wants advertisers to lean on broad match + automation, but exact match is still your best friend for control and efficiency.
