Reduce Wasted Spend: Your Negative Keywords FAQ Handbook

Negative keywords play a crucial role in optimizing Google Ads campaigns, ensuring budget efficiency and targeted reach. However, navigating their intricacies can be challenging. This comprehensive guide tackles questions around negative keywords, with clear and concise answers for better understanding.

Whether you are a seasoned pay-per-click (PPC) professional or new to the field, this handbook aims to equip you with the knowledge and strategies necessary to maximize the effectiveness of your campaigns. Let’s embark on a journey of discovery and unlock the full potential of negative keywords.

To get everyone up to speed before addressing some advanced negative keyword concepts, let’s review the fundamentals first.

What are negative keywords?

Negative keywords are like gatekeepers in your Google Ads campaigns, blocking irrelevant search terms from triggering your ads. They prevent your ads from showing for searches that wouldn’t be a good fit for your target audience, saving you money and potentially improving the click-through rate of your ads. Imagine you sell high-end jewelry. Adding “cheap” or “costume” as negative keywords would prevent your ads from appearing for searches containing those terms, ensuring your ads reach users genuinely interested in expensive jewelry. By strategically using negative keywords, you can refine your targeting, avoid wasted clicks, and ultimately maximize the effectiveness of your Google Ads campaigns.

How to find negative keywords in Google Ads?

Optimizing your Google Ads campaigns requires identifying and implementing negative keywords. These act as gatekeepers, preventing irrelevant searches from triggering your ads. Here’s how to find them:

1. Search Term Report: Analyze the “Search Terms” report, revealing the actual terms users searched for that triggered your ads. Look for irrelevant terms like “free” or “alternatives” and add them as negative keywords.
2. Auction Insights: This tool shows how your ads compete with others. In the “Overlapping terms” tab, you might find irrelevant searches where your ads appear. These can be potential negative keywords.

By actively searching for and implementing negative keywords, you ensure your budget reaches the right audience, boosting clicks, conversions, and campaign efficiency.

Now that we have the fundamentals in place, let’s dig deeper into negative keywords and understand more about it.

Here are some of your questions answered

Can Negative Keywords impact my Quality Score?

Yes, negative keywords can positively impact your quality score. They do this by preventing irrelevant searches from triggering your ads, leading to a higher perceived relevance to your target audience.

Negative keywords act like filters, preventing your ads from showing for irrelevant searches. This can benefit your quality score in two ways:

1. Increased Click-Through Rate (CTR): By excluding irrelevant searches, your ads are shown to users with a genuine interest in your product or service. This typically leads to a higher click-through rate (CTR), which is a positive factor in determining quality score.
2. Improved Ad Relevance: Negative keywords ensure your ads are only triggered by searches truly relevant to your offering. This tells Google your ad is well-matched to the user’s intent, contributing to a better quality score.

Remember, effectively using negative keywords requires ongoing monitoring and refinement. Regularly review your search term reports and add relevant negative keywords to further optimize your campaigns and maximize your quality score.

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How do negative keywords interact with other targeting options like location and time?

Negative keywords work independently of other targeting options like location and time in Google Ads. This means:

• Adding a negative keyword will not affect your location or ad schedule targeting settings, and vice versa.
• You can use negative keywords in conjunction with location and time targeting to further refine your audience reach.

Here’s how they interact:

1. Independent Operation:

• Negative keywords: Focus on search terms, preventing your ads from triggering for specific words or phrases, regardless of the user’s location or time of search.
• Location targeting: Defines the geographical locations where your ads are shown.
• Time targeting: Specifies the days and times your ads appear.

2. Combined Targeting for Refinement:

• You can use negative keywords alongside location and time targeting to achieve granular control over your audience reach.
• For instance:
  • You may exclude searches containing “used” for your ad promoting “new cars” while targeting specific cities and business hours.
  • You can negate searches for “cheap” while targeting high-income areas during peak shopping hours.

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Can I use broad match negative keywords, or should I stick to exact match?

Both broad match negative keywords and exact match negative keywords have their uses in Google Ads, and the best choice depends on your specific goals and campaign needs:

• Use broad match negative keywords:
  • When you want to exclude a large group of irrelevant terms with various variations.
  • When you’re confident about the core term and its close variations.
• Use exact match negative keywords:
  • When you want precise control over specific terms and their variations.
  • When dealing with high-value campaigns where accidental exclusion can be costly.

Ultimately, the best approach is to experiment and test both options in your specific campaign context. Monitor your search term reports and adjust your negative keyword strategy based on your results. You can even combine both broad and exact match negative keywords in the same campaign for a more comprehensive approach.

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How often should I review and update my negative keyword list?

Reviewing and updating your negative keyword list in Google Ads is essential for optimizing your campaigns and ensuring that your ads are being shown to the most relevant audience. The frequency of reviewing and updating your negative keyword list can vary depending on several factors, including:

1. Campaign Performance: If you notice that your ads are still appearing for irrelevant searches or your click-through-rate (CTR) is lower than expected, it may be time to review and update your negative keyword list.

2. Search Query Reports: Regularly monitor your search query reports to identify any new search terms triggering your ads that are irrelevant to your business. If you find keywords that are not relevant, consider adding them to your negative keyword list.

3. Seasonality: If your business experiences seasonality or changes in trends, you may need to adjust your negative keyword list accordingly. Certain terms may become more or less relevant at different times of the year.

4. New Products or Services: If you introduce new products or services, review your negative keyword list to ensure it aligns with the offerings. New products may attract different types of searches that were not previously considered.

5. Industry Changes: Stay informed about industry trends and changes in consumer behavior that could impact your keyword strategy. Adjust your negative keyword list accordingly to stay relevant.

As a general guideline, it’s recommended to review and update your negative keyword list at least once a month, but more frequent updates may be necessary depending on your specific circumstances. Regular monitoring and optimization of your negative keyword list can help improve the performance of your Google Ads campaigns and ensure your budget is being spent efficiently.

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How do automation tools assist in negative keyword management?

Automation tools play a crucial role in negative keyword management for Google Ads campaigns. These tools streamline the process by analyzing search query reports to identify irrelevant terms and suggest new negative keywords based on performance metrics. By continuously monitoring campaign performance, automation tools ensure that the negative keyword list remains up-to-date and effective.

Moreover, automation tools can take rule-based actions, such as adding or excluding terms, based on predefined criteria. This automation not only saves time but also improves the overall effectiveness of the campaign by focusing the budget on the most valuable searches.

Furthermore, integration with other platforms allows for a comprehensive view of negative keyword performance across various advertising channels, enabling advertisers to make informed decisions. In summary, automation tools optimize negative keyword management by streamlining processes, improving efficiency, and maximizing the performance of Google Ads campaigns.

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What are some common mistakes to avoid when working with negative keywords to ensure campaign success?

Here are some common mistakes to avoid with negative keywords:

1. Neglecting negative keywords: This leaves your campaigns vulnerable to irrelevant clicks and wasted budget.
2. Using only broad match: While convenient, it can unintentionally exclude relevant searches with similar terms. Using broad match negative keywords can unintentionally exclude relevant searches. Instead, opt for phrase or exact match negatives to avoid blocking potentially valuable traffic.
3. Not monitoring search terms report: This can lead to missing new irrelevant searches requiring exclusion. Failing to regularly review search query reports can result in missed opportunities to add new negative keywords. Analyze these reports to identify irrelevant terms triggering your ads.
4. Adding negative keywords at the wrong level: Adding them to the wrong campaign or ad group can limit their effectiveness.
5. Not updating your list: Irrelevant search terms evolve, so regularly review and update your negative keyword list.
6. Forgetting about location and time: Remember, negative keywords work independently, so continue using location and time targeting for further control.
7. Not Considering Match Types: Understand the match types for negative keywords and use them strategically. Employ exact match negatives for precise control and broad match negatives sparingly to avoid unintended exclusions.

By avoiding these mistakes, you can ensure your negative keywords effectively refine your targeting, improve campaign performance, and ultimately, maximize your return on ad spend (ROAS).

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What Happens If I Add Too Many Negative Keywords?

Adding too many negative keywords to your Google Ads campaign can have a few consequences:

1. Limiting Ad Reach: Excessive use of negative keywords can restrict your ad’s reach by blocking potentially relevant searches. If you exclude too many variations and combinations of keywords, you may miss out on reaching potential customers who could convert.

2. Missed Opportunities for Optimization: Excluding too many keywords can limit your ability to gather data and insights for optimization. You may miss out on identifying new keyword opportunities or trends that could improve your campaign’s performance.

3. Difficulty in Revising and Managing: Managing a large number of negative keywords can become cumbersome and time-consuming. It may be challenging to review and update your negative keyword list effectively, leading to missed opportunities for optimization and wasted resources.

To avoid these issues, it’s essential to:

1. Focus on Relevance: Prioritize relevance when adding negative keywords. Exclude terms that are clearly unrelated to your products or services, as well as those that consistently lead to irrelevant clicks or low-quality traffic.

2. Use Match Types Wisely: Utilize different match types for your negative keywords to control the level of restriction. Employ exact match negatives for precise exclusions and broad match negatives sparingly to avoid unintended consequences.

3. Test and Iterate: Experiment with different negative keyword strategies and continuously test their effectiveness. Adjust your negative keyword list based on performance data, keeping what works and refining or removing what doesn’t.

4. Strike a Balance: Aim for a balance between targeting precision and reach. Exclude only the most irrelevant and costly keywords while ensuring your ads are still being shown to a broad enough audience to drive sufficient traffic and conversions.

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What precautions should be taken when using automation for negative keywords?

1. Start Slow: Don’t automate everything at once. Begin with a small set of well-defined, broad match negative keywords based on clear criteria. Monitor their impact and adjust the automation rules as needed before scaling further.

2. Review Suggestions Carefully: While automation tools can provide suggestions for negative keywords, it’s essential to review these suggestions carefully before implementation. Ensure that the suggested negative keywords are indeed irrelevant to your business and won’t unintentionally block valuable traffic.

3. Use Reliable Tools: Ensure the chosen automation tool is reputable and has a proven track record of success. Look for tools that offer clear documentation, support, and customization options to fit your needs.

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What are the negative keyword limits in Google Ads to be aware of for optimal campaign performance?

There are a few limits to be aware of when using negative keywords in Google Ads:

Number of keywords:

• Per list: You can add up to 5,000 negative keywords to a single list.
• Per account: You can create a maximum of 20 shared negative keyword lists per account. This means you can have a total of 100,000 negative keywords across all your shared lists.
• Per campaign: You can add up to 10,000 negative keywords directly to a specific campaign.

Display and Video campaigns:

• There’s a separate limit of 5,000 negative keywords for Display and Video campaigns.
• Additionally, only 1,000 negative keywords at the account level are considered for Display and Video campaigns.

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Can you add negative keywords to the Performance Max campaign?

While directly adding negative keywords to Performance Max campaigns isn’t currently possible at the campaign level, account-level negative keywords can still be used to exclude irrelevant traffic from your campaign. Google Ads recently introduced this to allow advertisers more control over who sees their ads in these automated campaigns.

Here’s a quick summary:

• Direct campaign-level control: Not available yet.
• Account-level control: Available and works for Performance Max campaigns alongside other search and shopping campaigns.
• Contacting Google Ads support: Still an option for specific needs, although account-level negatives offer a more streamlined approach.

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Related Links:

• Navigating Smart Bidding in Google Ads : Your FAQ Handbook
• What Key Discoveries Emerged From Our Negative Keyword Quiz?
• 7 Must-Do Checks Before Adding Negative Keywords