Microsoft clarified that exact match keywords take priority over Performance Max and Ad Rank
- Date
- Dec 18, 2025 (first reported)
- Regions
- Global
- Primary source
- PPC Land
Microsoft Ads Liaison Navah Hopkins confirmed that an exact match keyword in a Search campaign wins the auction over Performance Max for the same query; otherwise Ad Rank decides. Copilot surfaces do not block exact match, though broad match and PMax serve more often on conversational queries.
Primary source: PPC Land (2025-12-18). Also covered by Search Engine Roundtable (2025-12-26).
Sources
- open_in_newMicrosoft Advertising now gives exact match total control over ad auctionsPPC Land · Dec 18, 2025
- open_in_newMicrosoft Advertiser Exact Match Trumps Ad RankSearch Engine Roundtable · Dec 26, 2025
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