This isn't clickbait or hyperbole. Call it an exploration of "what if."
In one sense, exact match is already dead, at least compared to what it used to be. It's still the most accurate targeting option we have, but it's not what it once was.
Will exact match die?
I'd assume the search engines would be ecstatic about that. There's a never-ending quest to slowly wean everyone from match types and hand your targeting decisions over to AI.
I think it's a real possibility. Google's been pushing hard in that direction, doing everything short of just ripping match types away:
Changing what match types mean, making everything looser in definition
Changing where and how broad match settings are applied and managed
Making it a priority for their ad reps to harp on advertisers about its benefits
Forcing everyone to PMAX where broad search runs rampant
And now AI Max for search—another push toward broad match
I think it's more likely than not that Google will continue pushing us toward this exact match-less future. But there are some things working in our favor.
If you can't tell from my tone, I think advertisers should have a say in how we define our targeting. So far, I've not seen AI translate into amazing results. If anything, results are lackluster in many cases. And because it's all a black box, there's nothing to take away, learn from, or improve - you just keep feeding in your credit card and hoping it gets better.
What will save us?
Thankfully, lots of things out of Google's control work in our favor:
AI search is blowing up and hurting Google (finally some competition! No offense Bing 😜)
Advertisers are voicing concerns that automated bidding and trusting AI isn't delivering the promised wins
Courts and decisions about Google's unfair practices (not much has come from this yet, but I hold out hope that courts weigh in our favor and force Google to give advertisers either control over targeting or transparency into where money is spent, if not both)
In recent calls with Google ad reps, I've voiced these concerns and have been told we're not alone. Much larger advertisers are sharing similar feedback.
Google has had too long of a run being unchecked. It's resulted in less transparent and less favorable advertising for everyone.
How do you prepare for this reality?
How do you prepare for this reality?
So assuming this continues to erode and we lose more controls, what can advertisers do?
Think back to before search advertising, which also happens to be before the explosion of social media advertising. What did companies do then? They thought more about their target customers. Created video and image-based ads that spoke to them. Showed those ads in different places to build awareness that grew to interest and then action.
It's no different now. Except that advertisers have grown lazy.
Did you know that 70% of ad spend goes into search, even though it accounts for less than 30% of impressions online? Or that 70%+ of all impressions are non-search but only get 20-30% of ad budgets? (I heard this from a Trade Desk speaker at an event recently.)
What I'm saying is: it's time to create true campaigns. Place ads in more locations, and outside of Google for sure. Bring back diversity in where we place ads. More diversity in the types of ads and the creativity in those ads. Spend more time thinking about what our customers care about and value than trying to find some silver bullet and magic lever.
Whether Google or any other network makes further changes that only help them and hurt advertisers, enough is clear: their interests aren't in seeing advertisers succeed. It's only about their bottom line.
So what's our bottom line?
Think more deeply. Be more creative. Find new places to share messages and build potential customers into active customers.
The world is still digital, but it doesn't start and end with Google. Beyond how search is transforming, it's also about choices and controls over your money and your results.
I'd love to hear your thoughts or feedback. Shoot me an email at info@tower33.com or connect on LinkedIn here https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyoutside/
Thanks for reading!
