Running a successful Google Ads campaign requires more than just selecting the right keywords—it’s equally important to filter out irrelevant traffic using negative keywords. Negative keywords help prevent your ads from showing for searches that are unlikely to convert, saving your budget and improving overall ad performance.
What Are Negative Keywords?
Negative keywords are words or phrases that prevent your ads from appearing when those terms are included in a user’s search query. By adding them to your campaigns, you ensure that your ads only show to highly relevant audiences, reducing wasted clicks and improving return on ad spend (ROAS).
Why Are Negative Keywords Important?
- Prevent Wasted Spend: Avoid clicks from users who are not interested in your product or service.
- Improve Click-Through Rate (CTR): Your ads appear to more relevant users, leading to a higher CTR.
- Increase Conversion Rate: Eliminate irrelevant searches, focusing on users who are more likely to convert.
- Enhance Quality Score: Google rewards high-performing ads with lower CPC (cost per click) and better ad placements.
Common Negative Keywords for All Google Ads Accounts
Regardless of your industry, there are several categories of negative keywords that every Google Ads account should include:
1. Free & Cheap-Related Searches
Unless you offer free services or products, excluding these terms will prevent users looking for unpaid options from clicking your ads.
- Free
- Cheap
- Low cost
- Discount
- Affordable
2. Job & Career Searches
People looking for jobs are not potential customers, so adding employment-related keywords as negatives helps filter out these searches.
- Hiring
- Careers
- Jobs
- Internships
- Salary
3. Educational & Research-Related Searches
If you’re selling a product or service, you don’t want traffic from users looking for information instead of making a purchase.
- How to
- Guide
- Tutorial
- Example
- Definition
4. Competitor Names (Optional)
Depending on your strategy, you may want to exclude competitor names if you are not targeting competitive bidding.
- [Competitor brand names]
- [Competitor product names]
5. Irrelevant Audience Segments
Make sure your ads don’t appear for searches that are unrelated to your offering.
- DIY
- Homemade
- Craigslist
- eBay
- Amazon
6. Inappropriate & Adult Content
Filtering out adult and offensive terms ensures your ads maintain brand safety.
- NSFW
- Adult
- Porn
- Nude
- Sex
How to Add Negative Keywords in Google Ads
- Go to Google Ads Dashboard.
- Select a Campaign or Ad Group.
- Click on ‘Keywords’ → ‘Negative Keywords.’
- Add your list and save.
Final Thoughts
Using negative keywords is crucial for optimizing your Google Ads performance. By continuously refining your negative keyword list, you can improve targeting, minimize wasted ad spend, and drive better results for your campaigns.
Want expert help managing your Google Ads? Contact us today for a free consultation!