What Is an Exact Match Keyword?
An exact match keyword is a term that applies to both search engine optimization (SEO) and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. Exact match keywords indicate that your web page or ad exactly matches a search query without a broad or partial match type.
In SEO, an exact match keyword refers to the target keyword for a web page exactly matching a search query. Content creators use exact match keywords on the page to improve keyword prominence and density for the target phrase to help the content rank higher in the search engine results pages (SERPs).
In pay-per-click advertising, an exact match keyword indicates a match type that allows your ads to appear for searches that have the same meaning or same intent as your keyword and not necessarily the exact wording. The syntax for exact match keyword targeting in PPC ads is to use square brackets, such as [running shoes].
Visit the SEO Glossary
Go to the SEO Glossary to find more terms and definitions that relate to the field of search engine optimization.
The Editorial Staff at SEO Chatter is a team of search engine optimization and digital marketing experts led by Stephen Hockman with more than 15 years of experience in search engine marketing. We publish guides on the fundamentals of SEO for beginner marketers.
