Broad match can bring in volume, but without discipline it also brings in searches that have nothing to do with your business — and you pay for every one of those clicks.
Where the Waste Comes From
- Broad match expands to loosely related searches based on Google’s interpretation of intent, not your literal keyword
- Without a strong negative keyword list, irrelevant searches keep slipping through week after week
- Automated bidding can chase volume on broad match without regard to lead quality
How to Regain Control
- Pull the Search Terms report weekly — not monthly — and add clearly irrelevant terms to your negative list immediately
- Build a running “negative keyword library” you reuse across new campaigns, rather than starting from zero each time
- Test phrase match or exact match in parallel campaigns to compare cost-per-lead against broad match honestly
- Set up automated rules or alerts for sudden spend spikes on the Search Terms report
Broad match isn’t inherently bad — it’s broad match left unmanaged that quietly eats your budget.
Want your account audited for wasted spend? See our Google Ads services or get in touch.