What it is:
Negative phrase match is a Google Ads keyword setting that prevents your ad from showing when a search query contains your negative keyword phrase exactly in the same order. The search can include additional words before or after the phrase, but as long as the phrase appears in that order, the ad will be blocked.
How it works:
- You add a negative phrase match keyword to your campaign or ad group.
- Google Ads blocks your ad whenever the search contains the exact phrase in order, even if there are other words in the query.
- Searches that only contain part of the phrase or the words out of order will not be blocked.
Example:
Negative phrase match keyword: running shoes
| Search Query | Could an ad show? |
|---|---|
| blue tennis shoes | Yes |
| running shoe | Yes |
| blue running shoes | No |
| shoes running | Yes |
| running shoes | No |
When to use it:
- To exclude specific phrases that are irrelevant to your business.
- Helps protect your budget from searches that contain exact unwanted phrases.
Tips for optimizing Negative Phrase Match:
- Use alongside negative broad match and negative exact match for complete control.
- Regularly check your search terms report to identify new phrases to exclude.
- Use for filtering out phrases that are frequently irrelevant but may appear in otherwise valuable searches.