Which match type is best? Trick question... The answer is all of the above. Through auditing hundreds of Amazon ad accounts, I’ve uncovered insights about the strengths and pitfalls of each match type.
𝗕𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵: Captures a wide audience, great for brand exposure and discovering new keywords. Brands focusing solely on Broad Match often see a scattergun effect. They reach many but fail to convert effectively, resulting in diluted market share. Also, if you want to scale a performing search term, tough luck. Accounts using only Broad Match miss the opportunity to connect deeply with high-intent customers, essential for sustained sales growth.
𝗣𝗵𝗿𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵: Reaches customers with searches including your specific phrase, offering more targeted exposure. Some brands over-rely on Phrase Match, thinking it’s sufficient for targeted reach. However, they often miss out on highly specific customer intents captured by Exact Match. These accounts can see decent traffic but often struggle with conversion optimization, as they’re not capturing the most motivated buyers.
𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵: Targets customers searching exactly for your keyword, leading to high relevance and potential conversion. It's also the only match type you can leverage to increase your investment on a specific search term. I've observed brands exclusively using aggressive Exact Match for ranking, thinking broader targeting is unnecessary. While they gain good product ranking, they often suffer from low listing sessions and overlook broader market opportunities. Such a narrow focus can lead to missed opportunities in market capture and brand awareness, vital for long-term growth.
𝗡𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 – 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗶𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿: Excludes irrelevant traffic, focusing your ad spend on suitable audiences. Neglecting Negative Match can lead to wasted ad spend on irrelevant clicks. It's an often-overlooked aspect that is crucial for campaign efficiency. Regular refinement of Negative Match lists is a key strategy I've seen missing in many accounts, leading to inefficient ad spend.
The most effective strategy combines all match types. Broad Match for reach and discovery, Phrase and Exact Match for targeted and high-intent traffic, and Negative Match for efficiency. Successful accounts balance these elements, adapting their strategy to capture both wide audience engagement and high-value customer interactions.
𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝘁: Review how you’re currently leveraging each match type. Don’t lean too heavily on one type. Use each for its strengths while compensating for its weaknesses. The market is ever-evolving. Regularly refine your match type usage and bidding strategy based on performance data. In Amazon Ads, it's not just about what you do, but how you do it.
If you’re looking to apply these nuanced strategies to your Amazon ads, let's connect.