Running ads on Amazon helps you reach people who are ready to buy. But just picking keywords isn’t enough. You also need to tell Amazon how your keywords should match what shoppers are typing.
When you create a campaign, you’ll choose keywords related to your product. For example, if you’re selling a stainless steel water bottle, you might use “water bottle” as a keyword.
But Amazon gives you three ways to match that keyword to searches: broad match, phrase match, and exact match.
Each match type works differently. One brings in more traffic, another gives you better control, and one targets only the most specific searches. Choosing the wrong one can waste your money. Choosing the right one can help you get more sales.
In this blog, we’ll explain what each match type does, when to use them, and how to choose the best option for your goals.
Broad match gives your ad the widest reach. With this option, your ad can show up for search terms that are loosely connected to your keyword, even if the shopper uses different words.
Let’s say your keyword is “fitness tracker.” Amazon might show your ad to someone searching for “best step counter” or “smartwatch for workouts.” The shopper isn’t typing your exact words, but Amazon sees the search as close enough.
This can help you reach more people, but it also means your ad might show up in places that don’t make sense.
Phrase match gives you more control than broad match. Your ad will only show when a shopper’s search includes your keyword in the exact order you’ve written it, even if other words are added before or after.
For example, if your keyword is “organic dog treats,” your ad might appear for searches like:
But it won’t show for “dog treats organic” or “healthy treats for dogs,” because those break the exact word order.
Phrase match helps keep your ad placements more relevant. It’s a great way to find out what shoppers are really typing when they’re ready to buy, and it helps you spot small keyword variations that lead to sales.
Exact match gives you the most control over who sees your ad. Your ad will only show if the shopper’s search is an exact match to your keyword, with the same words in the same order. Amazon may allow small changes like plurals or minor spelling differences, but that’s it.
For example, if your keyword is “wireless gaming mouse,” your ad will show for searches like “wireless gaming mouse” or “wireless gaming mice”.
But it won’t show for “best mouse for gaming” or “gaming wireless mouse”
This tight control means your ad is shown to people who are searching for exactly what you’re selling, which often leads to better results.
Broad match works best at the start of your product launch. Early on, your goal is to gather data—to see what real customers are typing and which searches lead to sales. Broad match helps with that by giving your ad the widest possible reach.
Since it covers more search variations, it quickly brings in impressions and clicks. That helps you learn which keywords are worth focusing on later.
Once your campaign has enough data and you’ve found strong-performing keywords, it’s smart to pause broad match. That way, your budget goes to more targeted match types like phrase and exact, where performance is easier to control and returns are stronger.
Phrase match should be part of your campaign at every stage. It gives you a good mix of control and discovery.
As your campaign runs, phrase match helps you spot new keyword ideas based on real shopper searches, without wasting money on completely unrelated terms.
If your main goal is to find new converting keywords, keep the bids for phrase match a bit lower than exact match, so you’re not overspending while testing.
Exact match is your best tool for scaling what’s already working. When you find a search term that brings in strong sales with a good return, you can target that exact phrase with a focused bid.
This match type is where you put serious budget behind proven winners. It gives you full control and lets you double down on what’s driving results. Over time, exact match campaigns can become the core of your most profitable ad strategy.
The simple answer is all of them, just at different stages.
When you're starting, use broad match to learn. It helps you find out what people are actually searching for. You’ll get more clicks, some useful, some not, but that’s how you gather real data.
As you begin to see which searches bring in real buyers, add phrase match to keep things relevant while still learning. Once you know exactly what works, use exact match to focus your budget on your best keywords (the ones that drive the most sales).
Each match type has its place. Start wide, then sharpen your focus as your campaign grows.
And if you ever feel stuck or want expert help managing your Amazon ads, the team at Brandefyn can help you scale with smart, data-backed strategies so you get the most out of every click.