Key takeaways
- Negative keywords stop your ads from showing for searches you do not want to pay for.
- Negatives match differently from normal keywords: they do not cover close variants, plurals or synonyms.
- Find them in the search terms report, not by guessing.
- Too many negatives can block buyers; review the list as carefully as your keywords.
I manage Google Ads next to SEO through my Google Ads management service. In most accounts I take over, the fastest saving comes from the negative keyword list, not from changing bids.
What are negative keywords in Google Ads?
Negative keywords are words or phrases you add to a campaign so your ads do not show when a search includes them. If you sell paid software, adding "free" as a negative stops ads for people looking for free tools. Google describes them as a way to exclude search terms so you focus on the keywords that matter.
The definition and examples come from Google's page About negative keywords. Every click you avoid is money you do not pay as cost per click.
How do negative keyword match types work?
A broad negative blocks searches that contain all its words in any order. A phrase negative blocks searches that contain the words in the same order. An exact negative blocks only that exact search with no extra words. Unlike normal keywords, negatives do not extend to close variants, plurals or synonyms.
| Negative | Type | Blocks | Does not block |
|---|---|---|---|
| running shoes | Broad | blue running shoes, shoes running | running shoe |
| "running shoes" | Phrase | blue running shoes | shoes running |
| [running shoes] | Exact | running shoes | blue running shoes |
These examples are Google's own, from the same help page. The practical lesson: add singular and plural forms yourself when you need both.
How do you find negative keywords?
Open the search terms report, which shows the real searches that triggered your ads, and sort by cost. Mark searches that clearly cannot become customers, such as jobs, free, DIY or the wrong location, and add them as negatives at the right level. Repeat weekly for new campaigns and monthly once things settle.
Google explains the search terms report in its help center. Pair it with conversion tracking, so you judge searches by results, not by guesses.
- Jobs and careers: jobs, hiring, salary, internship.
- Free and DIY: free, template, how to make, tutorial.
- Wrong place: cities or countries you do not serve.
- Wrong product: items or services you do not offer.
- Competitor names, if you decide not to bid on them.
What are common negative keyword mistakes?
Adding broad negatives that are too short, such as one common word that also appears in buying searches. Adding negatives at the account level that only make sense for one campaign. Forgetting plurals. And never reviewing the list, so it keeps blocking searches that became valuable. Google itself warns that too many negatives reduce your reach.
Negative keywords and SEO
The search terms report is also a free source of keyword research: it shows exactly how people phrase what you sell. The searches you exclude from ads are sometimes great topics for an informational page that ranks organically. I explain how both channels fit together in SEO vs PPC in the long term and local SEO vs Google Ads. For the basics of keywords, read what a keyword is. As an SEO consultant who also manages ads, I can review your account in a free diagnosis: book it here.
Frequently asked questions
Do negative keywords cover misspellings?
Google says casing and misspellings are handled automatically, but plurals and synonyms are not.
Where should I add negatives: campaign or ad group?
At the level where the exclusion always applies. Use account-level lists only for terms you never want.
How often should I review search terms?
Weekly in a new campaign, then monthly once spend is stable.
Can negatives hurt performance?
Yes. Overly broad negatives can block buyers and cut your reach.
Do negative keywords work in Performance Max?
Options differ by campaign type. Check the current settings in your account.
About the author
Juan José Giraldo is an SEO consultant in Medellín, Colombia, with 5+ years of experience. He works on technical and local SEO for 600+ US car dealerships at Reunion Marketing, an Inc. 5000 agency, and supervises the SEO of 18 US online stores with more than 3 million products at Prontomowers. Read more · LinkedIn.
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