11/25/2024
are the words or phrases a marketer adds when starting a campaign. These keywords can have different match types: broad, exact, or phrase.
, on the other hand, are the actual queries that users type into Google, and the search system decides to show the ad based on the match type.
Search terms encompass everything a user enters into the search bar. Therefore, they may include errors, synonyms, similar variations, and related queries. This feature allows for accounting for the human factor and always offering relevant content, regardless of how accurately a user formulates their query.
Thus, the difference between keywords and search queries is linked to whether it involves user action or marketer action. While search queries refer specifically to the text a person enters when searching for information or shopping online, a keyword is used within a specific advertising campaign and may match the query, not match it, or only approximate it. A single keyword can correspond to numerous search queries—both commercial and informational.