What it is:
Negative broad match is a keyword setting in Google Ads that prevents your ad from showing for searches that include all the words in your negative keyword phrase, in any order. However, your ad may still appear if only some of the words are present in the search.
How it works:
- You add a negative broad match keyword to your campaign or ad group.
- Google Ads blocks your ad whenever a search query contains every word of your negative keyword phrase, regardless of order.
- Searches containing only part of the phrase will not be blocked.
Example:
Negative broad match keyword: running shoes
| Search Query | Could an ad show? |
|---|---|
| blue tennis shoes | Yes |
| running shoe | Yes |
| blue running shoes | No |
| shoes running | No |
| running shoes | No |
When to use it:
- To exclude irrelevant traffic that contains all terms of a specific phrase.
- Helps save budget by preventing clicks from searches unlikely to convert.
Tips for optimizing Negative Broad Match:
- Combine with negative phrase match and negative exact match for more precise control.
- Regularly review search term reports to identify queries that should be blocked.
- Use it to filter out broad but low-intent searches without restricting your overall reach.