Google Ads simplifies broad match testing

Google Ads is simplifying how advertisers test broad match keywords – and it could mean faster, cleaner insights without the usual campaign duplication hassle.

One campaign, two arms. Google’s latest update introduces a built-in A/B testing framework for broad match inside single Search campaigns, as long as you’re using Smart Bidding. That means no more cloning campaigns or manually syncing changes.

• The experiment automatically creates broad match versions of your exact and phrase match keywords.
• Traffic splits 50/50 between your existing setup (control) and the broad match variant (treatment).
• All campaign-level updates apply to both arms, minimizing drift.

Yes, but. It doesn’t work with portfolio bid strategies. So if you’re running those, you’ll have to sit this experiment out.

How it works. You can launch the experiment in two places:

• Under Experiments in your Google Ads account.
• From the Recommendations tab by choosing “Apply as experiment” on a relevant suggestion.

Why we care. This is a notable shift in how advertisers test match types, which is a traditionally messy process. No more separate campaign builds = less error-prone setups. Faster, cleaner results thanks to fewer cold starts and synced changes. Better measurement with built-in reporting in the Experiments tab. For anyone using Smart Bidding, it’s a low-friction way to assess whether broad match can drive more conversions or efficiency.

Google suggests running tests for six to eight weeks to get actionable insights. If results are strong, you can confidently shift to broad match.

First seen. This update was spotted by Founder and PPC Specialist Hana Kobzová when she spotted the Google Help document about this new feature.

• “This streamlines testing and removes major friction for PPC managers,” Kobzová said.

Bottom line. Google keeps nudging advertisers closer to broad match. Now, Google is giving you cleaner tools to do it.