In PPC, keywords are the words and phrases you add to an ad group to tell Google Ads which searches can trigger your ads and enter you into the ad auction.
Think of keywords as your targeting filter for Search campaigns: when someone types a query, Google checks whether that query matches one of your keywords (using the match type you chose), then decides if your ad is eligible to compete. If you are eligible, your ad’s position and cost are influenced by your bid and your ad quality signals (like expected click-through rate, ad relevance, and landing page experience), so keywords are only one part of why you show up and what you pay per click.
How keyword matching actually works
Keywords do not work like a perfect “contains this exact text” rule. Google uses keyword match types to decide how close the search needs to be, and it also uses “close variants,” meaning your keyword can match searches with the same intent or meaning even if the wording is not identical (plural vs singular, reordered words, and similar phrasing). That is why you can set “exact match” and still see a few similar searches in your search terms report.
| Match type | What it’s trying to catch | Simple example | What it can match to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exact match | Very tight intent match, not necessarily identical wording | [emergency dentist orlando] | Searches with the same meaning, plus close variants |
| Phrase match | Meaning of your phrase in a broader query | "emergency dentist orlando" | Longer searches that include the same meaning, before or after words can change |
| Broad match | Widest reach, matches related searches | emergency dentist | Related searches, synonyms, and other meaning-based matches |
| Negative keywords | What you do not want to show for | -free, -jobs, -school | Blocks searches that include unwanted themes |
What this means for your budget and lead quality
The wider the match type, the more searches you can enter, which can increase volume but also increases the odds of paying for the wrong clicks. This is why negative keywords matter so much. For local service businesses in Orlando, we often start by blocking obvious time-wasters like “DIY,” “free,” “salary,” “training,” “how to become,” and “near me” mismatches outside your service area.
Keywords also work best when your account structure stays tight: one theme per ad group, ads that repeat that theme in plain language, and a landing page that answers the same intent. If your keyword is “roof repair Orlando” but your page talks mostly about roof replacement, clicks can still happen, but conversion rates usually drop and costs can climb.
Local Orlando example you can copy
If you are a dentist near downtown, you might run an ad group around “emergency dentist,” use exact and phrase for high-intent terms like “emergency dentist Orlando” and “toothache dentist Orlando,” then use location targeting to keep traffic near where you actually serve (for example, around your office near 32801, Winter Park, Maitland, or Dr. Phillips). That way your keywords and your geo settings work together, instead of paying for clicks from across Florida that will never book.
If you want help building a clean keyword list, match types, negatives, and landing pages that fit your budget, our PPC management team can map it out around the calls and booked appointments you want, not random traffic.
One last tip: before you add a keyword, label its intent (emergency, pricing, brand, comparison, or informational). That habit keeps your ads and pages aligned, and it pairs nicely with how we think about search intent when we build campaigns for local businesses.
