When running Google Ads campaigns, you want to ensure that your ads appear only for relevant searches. That’s where negative keywords come in.
Negative keywords allow you to exclude specific search terms that aren’t relevant to your business, helping you save budget, improve click-through rates (CTR), and drive higher-quality traffic.
What Are Negative Keywords?
Negative keywords prevent your ads from showing up for specific words or phrases that aren’t a good match for your campaign.
For example, if you sell luxury watches, you might want to exclude searches like:
❌ “cheap watches”
❌ “free watches”
❌ “watch repair”
This prevents your ad budget from being wasted on people who aren’t likely to convert.
Benefits of Using Negative Keywords
✅ Reduce Wasted Ad Spend – You won’t pay for clicks from users who are not interested in your product or service.
✅ Improve Click-Through Rate (CTR) – By filtering out irrelevant searches, your ad will appear only for qualified users, leading to a higher CTR.
✅ Increase Conversion Rate – If your traffic is more relevant, you’ll attract more potential customers who are actually interested in what you offer.
✅ Improve Ad Relevance & Quality Score – Google rewards ads that match user intent, meaning a higher Ad Rank and lower cost-per-click (CPC).
✅ Refine Targeting for Better ROI – By eliminating non-converting searches, your campaign becomes more efficient and cost-effective.
Types of Negative Keywords
Google Ads allows you to set three different match types for negative keywords, just like regular keywords:
1. Broad Match Negative Keywords
- Blocks searches that contain all the negative keyword terms, even if they’re in a different order.
- Example:
- Negative keyword: “cheap watches”
- Blocked searches: “buy cheap watches,” “cheap men’s watches”
- Won’t block: “watches for men” (since “cheap” is missing)
2. Phrase Match Negative Keywords
- Blocks searches that contain the exact phrase in the same order.
- Example:
- Negative keyword: “cheap watches”
- Blocked searches: “best cheap watches,” “cheap watches for sale”
- Won’t block: “affordable watches” (since the phrase “cheap watches” is not in it)
3. Exact Match Negative Keywords
- Blocks searches that exactly match the keyword phrase.
- Example:
- Negative keyword: [cheap watches]
- Blocked search: “cheap watches”
- Won’t block: “cheap men’s watches,” “cheap wristwatches”
How to Find Negative Keywords
To maximize the effectiveness of your campaigns, you should regularly identify and add negative keywords. Here’s how:
✔ Use the Search Terms Report – In Google Ads, check the search terms report to see what users are actually searching for before clicking on your ad. If you notice irrelevant queries, add them as negatives.
✔ Analyze Your Google Analytics & Search Console Data – Look at which search queries are bringing visitors to your website. Identify low-value queries and add them as negatives.
✔ Think Like Your Customers – If you were searching for your product/service, what keywords would you not want to trigger your ad?
✔ Use a Negative Keyword List – Build a master list of common negative keywords (e.g., “free,” “cheap,” “jobs,” “how to,” “DIY”) and apply it across multiple campaigns.
Best Practices for Using Negative Keywords
✔ Regularly Update Your Negative Keyword List – As your campaign runs, continuously monitor and refine your list.
✔ Be Careful with Broad Negative Keywords – If you go too broad, you might unintentionally block relevant searches. Always check how a negative keyword impacts performance.
✔ Use Campaign and Ad Group-Level Negatives – Apply broad negatives at the campaign level, while using more specific negatives at the ad group level to refine targeting.
✔ Don’t Overdo It – Excluding too many keywords can limit your reach and reduce traffic. Focus on removing only truly irrelevant terms.
Conclusion
Negative keywords are one of the most powerful tools in Google Ads for improving targeting, reducing wasted spend, and driving better results. By actively managing your negative keyword list, you can ensure your ads are seen only by the right audience, leading to higher conversions and a stronger return on investment (ROI).
