By the end of July 2021, Google stopped advertisers from creating new broad match modifier (BMM) keywords. The familiar +keyword notation was retired, and its behavior folded into phrase match. Years later, the effects of that change still shape how every Google Ads account should be structured. This guide explains what happened, what it meant in practice, and how to manage keyword match types well in 2026.
What was broad match modifier?
For years, Google Ads offered four main keyword match types: exact, phrase, broad, and broad match modifier. BMM sat between broad and phrase. By putting a plus sign in front of a word, such as +emergency +plumber, advertisers told Google that the word (or a close variant) had to appear in the search, in any order.
That made BMM popular. It gave more reach than phrase match, which at the time required words in a set order, and much more control than plain broad match, which could show ads for loosely related searches. Many accounts were built almost entirely on BMM.
What Google changed in 2021
Google announced that from late July 2021 advertisers would no longer be able to create new BMM keywords using the +keyword notation. At the same time, phrase match was expanded to absorb the useful parts of BMM.
Google’s own explanation was that phrase match and BMM “often serve the same use cases,” and that by combining the two, advertisers could reach more of the right customers. Phrase match was updated to respect word order only where order changes the meaning of the search.
Key points of the change:
- Existing BMM keywords kept running. In Google’s words, “Existing BMM keywords, on the other hand, will continue to operate with the updated phrase matching behavior.” Their bids and status could still be changed.
- Keyword text couldn’t be edited as BMM. If you wanted to change the text of a BMM keyword, it had to be converted to phrase match.
- Converting resets statistics. When a BMM keyword was converted, it was removed and replaced by a new keyword, so performance data on the new keyword started from zero. Historic data for the old BMM keyword remained available.
How advertisers were advised to convert BMM keywords
Because existing BMM keywords were already being processed with the expanded phrase match behavior, it made sense to convert them rather than leave a deprecated match type in the account. Doing so meant new keyword data would build up sooner and the account would be simpler to manage.
Google offered several tools to help:
- The “Remove redundant keywords” recommendation highlighted BMM keywords where the same term already existed as phrase match in the same ad group.
- Bulk edits in Google Ads and Google Ads Editor let advertisers change BMM keywords to another match type quickly, without editing each one by hand.
- Historic data was kept for the old keywords, so performance could still be compared before and after conversion.
The debate: more control or more automation?
Google presented the update as giving advertisers greater control and easier keyword management, with less time spent monitoring individual phrases. Google also suggested that accounts relying heavily on phrase match might see a rise in impressions, clicks, spend and even conversions, because the broader phrase match could reach people they couldn’t reach before.
Many in the PPC community disagreed. Their view was that removing BMM took away a precise tool and was in keeping with Google’s push towards automation and smart bidding, with Google increasingly in charge of which searches trigger ads.
Both sides had a point. Expanded phrase match did reduce duplication and simplify accounts. But it also meant advertisers had less exact say over query matching, and had to rely more on negative keywords and close monitoring.
What happened to traffic after the change
Google warned that advertisers might see traffic rise or fall. Searches that had previously matched one keyword could now match a phrase keyword or a historic BMM keyword instead, shifting volume around the account. The practical advice was to monitor accounts and adjust budgets to match changing volume.
In practice, the advertisers who did best were those who:
- Reviewed search term reports weekly in the months after the change.
- Added negative keywords for irrelevant searches the new phrase match picked up.
- Consolidated duplicate keywords so that the same search wasn’t split across several ad groups.
- Watched cost per conversion, not just clicks, as volume shifted.
What matters now: match types in 2026
The removal of BMM was one step in a longer trend. Since then, Google has continued to lean on broad match combined with smart bidding, and on AI-driven features that expand which searches can trigger an ad. Exact match itself now covers close variants and same-meaning searches rather than only the precise words typed.
That doesn’t mean control is gone. It means control has moved. Here is how we approach match types for clients today.
Use match types for different jobs
- Exact match for your most valuable, proven searches, where you want the tightest control over bids and ads.
- Phrase match for the core of most accounts, catching variations of your key services while still requiring the meaning to fit.
- Broad match paired with smart bidding, used deliberately where you have reliable conversion tracking and enough data for the algorithm to learn.
Make negative keywords your main control
With looser matching, negative keywords do much of the work BMM used to do. Build shared lists covering jobs, free, DIY, training and other irrelevant themes, and review search terms regularly to add more.
Feed the algorithm good data
Smart bidding and broad match are only as good as the conversions you track. Track real outcomes, such as qualified leads, calls and sales, rather than soft actions, so automation optimizes for what actually makes money.
Keep the account simple
Fewer, well-themed ad groups with relevant ads and landing pages usually beat sprawling structures with heavy duplication. The 2021 change was partly a push in this direction.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Leaving old BMM keywords untouched for years, assuming they behave as they used to. They follow phrase match behavior.
- Switching to broad match without solid conversion tracking, which lets automation spend on the wrong searches.
- Ignoring search term reports, the single best source of negative keywords and new opportunities.
- Judging changes on clicks alone, instead of on cost per lead or return on ad spend.
FAQ
Can I still create broad match modifier keywords?
No. Since July 2021, new BMM keywords can’t be created. Any remaining BMM keywords follow phrase match behavior, and editing their text requires converting them.
Is phrase match the same as the old BMM?
Not exactly, but close. Updated phrase match covers much of what BMM did, while respecting word order where it changes the meaning of a search.
Should I use broad match in my Google Ads account?
It can work well with smart bidding and accurate conversion tracking, especially in accounts with enough conversion data. Without reliable tracking and active negative keyword management, it tends to waste budget. Many accounts get the best results from a mix of match types.
Want an expert to review how your account handles match types and wasted spend? See our Google Ads management, read more on our blog, or book a strategy call.
