Which match type is most competitive and requires the highest bids?

• A. Exact match
• B. Broad match
• C. Phrase match
• D. Negative match

Answer: (A)

Exact match targets search queries with the highest purchase intent because it triggers only on the exact term or very close variants. That precision makes these terms the most valuable to advertisers, so they bid the most to win those exact moments customers show intent. The result is the tightest competition and the highest bids per click for exact match. Broad match reaches a wide range of terms, so bids tend to be lower even though it can drive more traffic. Phrase match sits in between—more queries than exact but still fairly relevant. Negative match is about excluding terms and doesn’t compete for those searches. So the most competitive and highest-bidding type is the exact match.