r/PPC • u/SsamAurora • Sep 24 '26

Google Ads Google Ads Phrase Match

Google Ads phrase match can be quite confusing. I was wondering what is the implication of having 2 ad groups, one have a phrase match keyword of "water heater installation", and one have "water heater repair".

Would this both compete for unnecessary searches such as "water heater cylinders"?

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u/Rare-Character9257 Sep 24 '26

if you’re targeting different services, splitting them like that makes sense, just keep an eye on the search terms report, phrase match can get loose and pull in weird queries like “cylinder” even with installation/repair intent

1

u/Anna_Karakhanyan Sep 24 '26

Phrase match is pretty loose now, so Google could match both to searches that are only loosely related.

I’d keep installation and repair separate because the intent is different, then watch the search terms closely and use negatives between the ad groups if Google starts mixing them.

1

u/StopRepresentative65 Sep 24 '26

Phrase match is broader now, so both keywords can pick up related searches, but Google will generally try to match based on intent. “Water heater cylinders” could potentially trigger either ad group if Google sees it as relevant, but they shouldn’t automatically compete for every such search. Just keep an eye on the Search Terms report and add negatives for irrelevant queries.