When you run Google Ads, you tell Google which searches should trigger your ads. Negative keywords do the opposite: they tell Google which searches should not. For most local businesses, adding good negative keywords is one of the quickest ways to cut waste and improve lead quality.
Why negative keywords matter
Google's matching is flexible. An ad for "plumber" might also show for "plumber jobs," "plumbing school," "how to become a plumber," or "free plumbing tips." Every click on those costs money and brings no customer. Over a month, that waste adds up.
Negative keywords stop your ads from showing on irrelevant searches, so more of your budget goes to people who might hire you.
How to find negative keywords
Start with the search terms report. In your account, review the actual searches that triggered your ads and clicks. Look for anything irrelevant, such as:
- Job and career terms
- Free, cheap, or DIY terms (when you sell paid services)
- Training or school terms
- Product or parts searches if you provide service
- Other cities or regions you do not serve
- Competitors' names, if you do not want to appear for them
- Words that suggest a different product or service
Add them as negatives. Repeat this regularly, because new searches appear all the time.
Think ahead. Brainstorm terms you know are not relevant before launching a campaign.
Check with your team. Customer service and sales staff often know which kinds of callers waste time.
How match types work for negatives
Negative keywords have match types, and they behave differently from regular keywords:
- Broad match negative: blocks searches that contain all of your negative words, in any order. Be careful: it will not block close variations or searches containing only some words.
- Phrase match negative: blocks searches that contain your exact phrase, with other words before or after.
- Exact match negative: blocks only that exact search.
Choosing the wrong type can block too little or too much. Review how Google currently handles negatives, since details can change.
Account-level vs campaign-level vs ad-group-level
- Account-level lists apply across the account. Good for universal exclusions like jobs and free.
- Campaign-level negatives apply to one campaign.
- Ad group-level negatives help you stop campaigns or ad groups from competing with each other.
Use lists to keep things organized.
Starter ideas by type of business
These are illustrative starting points. Always check against your own search terms report, because some words may be relevant to you.
Home services (plumbing, HVAC, roofing): jobs, careers, hiring, salary, training, school, course, DIY, how to, free, parts, wholesale, supply, manual.
Law firms: jobs, internship, school, LSAT, free, template, form, pro bono (if you do not offer it), salary.
Restaurants: recipe, how to make, jobs, franchise, supplier.
E-commerce: free, DIY, wholesale (if you do not sell it), used (if you sell new), repair (if you do not offer it).
Add your own based on what your searches show.
Do not overdo it
Negatives are powerful, and blocking too much can cut off real customers. Avoid adding a word that might appear in a legitimate search. Review impression and conversion changes after adding large lists. If something drops sharply, check what you excluded.
Pair negatives with the rest of the fundamentals
Negative keywords reduce waste, but they will not fix an account that has weak ads, a poor landing page, or no tracking. Combine them with:
- Tight keyword groups and relevant ads
- A fast, clear landing page
- Call tracking
- Review of search terms every week or two at first
Our free ROAS Calculator shows how trimming wasted spend can change your return.
A simple routine
- Weekly for the first month: review search terms and add negatives.
- Monthly after that: review again and clean up.
- Whenever you add a campaign: set starter negatives first.
- Quarterly: audit your negative lists for terms that are now blocking good traffic.
Frequently asked questions
They reduce irrelevant traffic. Your volume may drop, but quality and cost per lead often improve.
As many as are useful, not a set number. Quality beats quantity.
Google provides suggestions and some automated controls, but reviewing search terms yourself catches things automation misses.
What to do next
If you want an expert to review your search terms and find the leaks, book a free strategy call. You can also read about our PPC advertising service.
