In the world of Apple Search Ads, the concept of exact match<\/a> keywords might not be as \u201cexact\u201d as you think. While exact<\/em> suggests a strict one-to-one match between your chosen keyword and a user’s search query, the reality is a bit more cryptic. This can lead to some surprising results a savvy marketer can be alert to in their Apple Search Ads approach and strategy.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” text_align=”left” row_position=”default” row_position_tablet=”inherit” row_position_phone=”inherit” overflow=”visible” pointer_events=”all”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” overflow=”visible” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text css=”” text_direction=”default”]\n According to Apple, exact match is<\/p>\n \u201cdesigned to match queries to the specific term you select and to closer variants than broad match. It may still include spelling variations, word rearrangements, translations, and other variants deemed close by our systems.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n However, Apple\u2019s own example demonstrates that closer variants<\/em> can actually encompass a wide range of variations.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner equal_height=”yes” content_placement=”middle” column_margin=”none” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” text_align=”left” row_position=”default” row_position_tablet=”inherit” row_position_phone=”inherit” overflow=”visible” pointer_events=”all” css=”.vc_custom_1722439669824{border-top-width: 1px !important;border-bottom-width: 1px !important;border-top-style: solid !important;border-bottom-style: solid !important;border-color: #e6e6e6 !important;}”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”padding-2-percent” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”top-bottom” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” overflow=”visible” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”7\/12″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” column_padding_type=”default” gradient_type=”default”][vc_column_text css=”” text_direction=”default”]For example, if the keyword photo edit free<\/em> is set to exact match, it will match to its corresponding search term, but may also match to:<\/p>\n When adding keywords to an ad group, ASA marketers add brackets [ ] around the term to indicate an exact match keyword. Given this guidance, you might meticulously craft a list of exact match keywords, each a slight variation of the other, hoping to capture every possible search query. Oddly, however, you may find that impressions are disproportionately skewed toward one or two of these keywords. This might be because Apple\u2019s algorithm considers \u201ccloser variants\u201d in addition to the exact term. Honestly, it can be a bit of a black box.<\/p>\n Even with multiple similar exact match keywords in an ad group, Apple assigns credit to one or two for the majority of your impressions. This can lead to unexpected and unwanted outcomes. [\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” text_align=”left” row_position=”default” row_position_tablet=”inherit” row_position_phone=”inherit” overflow=”visible” pointer_events=”all”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” overflow=”visible” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text css=”” text_direction=”default”]\n It might surprise most Apple Search Ads buyers that this exact match situation can lead to a frustrating bidding war against\u2014guess who? YOURSELF!<\/strong><\/p>\n Advertisers seeing low impressions on certain keywords might raise their bids on those keywords in hopes of attracting more traffic. This can trigger Apple to assign credit for impressions to a keyword while making another keyword that previously showed volume go to zero. We\u2019ve observed marketers going back and forth like this in a cyclical trap\u2014resulting in bid amounts significantly higher than their keyword\u2019s average cost per tap (CPT)<\/a>.\u00a0 Although this doesn\u2019t increase the price you pay, it makes it much more difficult to understand which keywords are working and calculate appropriate bids.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner equal_height=”yes” content_placement=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”column_reverse” text_align=”left” row_position=”default” row_position_tablet=”inherit” row_position_phone=”inherit” overflow=”visible” pointer_events=”all”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” overflow=”visible” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/2″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text css=”” text_direction=”default”]\n Make sure you don\u2019t get stuck triggering a keyword bidding war against yourself.<\/p>\n First, simplify your keyword list.<\/strong> Don’t feel obligated to include every possible variation of your exact match keywords. Apple’s broad interpretation means that you can focus on core terms, omitting variants with misspellings, alternative languages, and so forth. This simplifies your strategy\u2014especially for brand terms.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner column_padding=”padding-3-percent” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” overflow=”visible” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/2″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” column_padding_type=”default” gradient_type=”default”][image_with_animation image_url=”2405″ image_size=”full” animation_type=”entrance” animation=”None” animation_movement_type=”transform_y” hover_animation=”none” alignment=”” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” image_loading=”default” max_width=”100%” max_width_mobile=”default” margin_top=”10″][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” text_align=”left” row_position=”default” row_position_tablet=”inherit” row_position_phone=”inherit” overflow=”visible” pointer_events=”all”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” overflow=”visible” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text css=”” text_direction=”default”]Second, monitor bid-to-CPT ratio.<\/strong> Do this by keeping a close eye on the \u201cheadroom\u201d between your bid and the average cost per tap (CPT). If this ratio exceeds 2x, it\u2019s a sign that your impressions might be attributed to a similar keyword. Consider adjusting your bids accordingly or deploying an automation strategy through a tool such as Search Ads Maven to manage bids consistently across geographies and audience segments.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” text_align=”left” row_position=”default” row_position_tablet=”inherit” row_position_phone=”inherit” overflow=”visible” pointer_events=”all”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” overflow=”visible” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text css=”” text_direction=”default”]\n Understanding the nuances of exact match keywords in Apple Search Ads is crucial for effective campaign management. If you streamline your keyword list and monitor bid-to-CPT ratios, you can avoid unnecessary vicious cycles and get the most out of your spend. No one wants to get into an absurd bidding war against themselves.<\/p>\n Looking for expert advice or need an automation tool for Apple Search Ads? Contact<\/a> our team or request a demo<\/a> to learn how we can automate management of not only your exact match keyword strategy, but also all other aspects of your search results campaigns and other ad placement types. [\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" [vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overflow=”visible” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none”…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":2403,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-2396","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-education"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.searchadsmaven.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2396","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.searchadsmaven.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.searchadsmaven.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.searchadsmaven.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.searchadsmaven.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2396"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.searchadsmaven.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2396\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2419,"href":"https:\/\/www.searchadsmaven.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2396\/revisions\/2419"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.searchadsmaven.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2403"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.searchadsmaven.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2396"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.searchadsmaven.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2396"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.searchadsmaven.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2396"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Apple\u2019s Definition of Exact Match<\/h2>\n
\n
\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” text_align=”left” row_position=”default” row_position_tablet=”inherit” row_position_phone=”inherit” overflow=”visible” pointer_events=”all”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” overflow=”visible” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text css=”” text_direction=”default”]\nThe Illusion of (Explicit) Control<\/h2>\n
The Bid War Trap<\/h2>\n
How to Avoid the Trap<\/h2>\n
An Exact Conclusion<\/h2>\n