Creating great ads and choosing the right keywords are crucial for running profitable ad campaigns. However, another essential element that often gets overlooked is negative keywords.
Negative keywords help prevent your ads from showing up in irrelevant searches, ensuring that your budget is spent wisely. In this guide, we’ll explore negative keywords, why they matter, how to find them, and how to add them to your campaigns.
Important Points:
- Negative keywords help filter out unrelated searches, ensuring your ads reach the right audience and reducing wasted spend.
- Using them improves your ad efficiency by targeting the right audience.
- Regularly updating your negative keyword list keeps your ads aligned with user intent.
- These keywords enhance ad relevance, reducing cost-per-click (CPC) and improving Google Ads quality scores.
- By strategically excluding unwanted searches, you can maximize your ad spend.
What Are Negative Keywords?
Negative keywords are words or phrases you specify to prevent your ads from appearing in unrelated searches. Search engines sometimes display ads to users searching for topics that have nothing to do with your business, such as:
- Products or services you don’t offer
- Coupons or discounts
- Product reviews
- How-to guides
- Inappropriate or unrelated content
Each time someone clicks on your ad for an irrelevant search, your budget takes a hit. Negative keywords stop this waste, allowing you to focus on potential customers.
Example: If you run a clothing store that doesn’t sell children’s apparel, you should add keywords like “kids’ clothes” and “baby outfits” to prevent irrelevant clicks. This ensures your budget is used for people looking for what you actually sell.
How Negative Keywords Work in Paid Search
Negative keywords function in the opposite way to regular keywords. Instead of signaling when an ad should be displayed, they tell the advertising platform when not to show your ad.
To manage this, you create a list of that keywords, which you then apply to your campaigns on platforms like Google Ads or Amazon Ads.
Types of Negative Keywords
There are three different types, each offering various levels of control:
1. Negative Broad Match Keywords (Default Setting)
A broad match negative keyword excludes any search containing the specified words in any order.
Example: If you use “running shoes” as a broad match negative keyword, your ad won’t appear for searches like:
- Running shoes
- Shoes running
- Running shoes for women
- Best running shoe brands
However, it may still show for “running shoes” or “shoes for runners.”
2. Negative Phrase Match Keywords
A phrase match negative keyword blocks searches that contain the exact phrase in the same order, even if additional words are present.
Example: If you use “running shoes” as a phrase match negative keyword, your ad won’t appear for:
- Running shoes
- Running shoes for women
- Best running shoes
But it will still appear for searches like “shoes running” or “running shoe.”
3. Negative Exact Match Keywords
An exact match negative keyword only blocks searches that match exactly—no extra words allowed.
Example: If you use “running shoes” as an exact match negative keyword, your ad won’t appear for “running shoes” but may still show for “running shoes for women” or “best running shoes.”
Why Negative Keywords Matter for Your Campaigns
Implementing negative keywords in your campaigns can significantly improve performance. Here’s why:
- Improves Targeting: Your ads reach the right audience instead of people with unrelated search intent.
- Reduces Wasted Spend: Avoids paying for clicks that don’t convert.
- Increases ROI: More relevant clicks lead to better conversion rates and higher profits.
- Enhances Ad Quality Score: Google favors relevant ads, which can lower your CPC.
At DiMarketo, we offer expert Google Ads management in Dubai, helping businesses maximize their online visibility and drive targeted traffic. Our team specializes in creating high-performance ad campaigns. From keyword research and ad creation to bid optimization and A/B testing, we ensure every campaign delivers the highest ROI.
Whether you’re looking to generate leads, boost e-commerce sales, or enhance brand awareness, our data-driven approach ensures your ads reach the right audience at the right time.
How to Find and Select Negative Keywords
Negative keywords vary by business, but here are some common ones that many companies exclude:
- Free
- Cheap
- Coupon
- Video
- How-to
- Adult content
Here are five ways to discover negative keywords specific to your business:
1. Check Your Search Terms Report
Google Ads provides a Search Terms Report, showing real searches that triggered your ads. Find it under Campaigns > Insights and Reports > Search Terms
Identify irrelevant searches and add them to your negative keyword list.
2. Use Google Keyword Planner
Google’s Keyword Planner can help uncover terms that don’t fit your business. Type in your core keyword, analyze the suggested search terms, and exclude the irrelevant ones.
3. Analyze Competitor Ads
Tools like Semrush’s Advertising Research can show what keywords competitors target. Identify and exclude irrelevant keywords to optimize your campaign.
4. Study Industry Trends
Perform a Google search using industry-related keywords and analyze irrelevant search results.
5. Consider User Intent
Think about search behavior—some users are looking for information, not products. Exclude words like “DIY,” “repair,” or “best reviews” to focus on buyers rather than researchers.
How to Add Negative Keywords to Google Ads
There are two primary ways to add these keywords to Google Ads:
1. Through the Search Terms Report
- Select the irrelevant keywords in your Search Terms Report.
- Click “Add as negative keyword”.
- Choose to apply them at the campaign, ad group, or list level.
- Save changes.
2. From the Google Ads Dashboard
- Navigate to Campaigns > Audiences, Keywords, and Content > Search Keywords.
- Click “Negative Search Keywords” and select the “+” button.
- Enter your negative keywords using:
- Quotes (“”) for phrase match
- Brackets ([]) for exact match
- Save to an existing or new negative keyword list.
Best Practices for Negative Keywords
- Include Singular and Plural Forms: Block “shoe” and “shoes” to cover all variations.
- Analyze Performance Metrics: If a keyword gets clicks but no conversions, consider making it negative.
- Experiment with Match Types: Start with a broad match, then refine with a phrase or an exact match.
- Regularly Update Your List: User search behavior changes over time—keep optimizing.
Final Thoughts
Negative keywords are a powerful tool for making ad campaigns more effective and cost-efficient. By strategically excluding unwanted searches, you ensure your ads reach the right audience, maximize your ad budget, and improve overall campaign performance.
Start by identifying a few negative keywords, testing their impact, and continuing to refine your strategy. The results will speak for themselves!