7 Powerful Negative Keywords Tips for New Advertisers

 In online advertising, negative keywords are essential for improving your ad campaigns. Many advertisers concentrate on finding the right keywords but forget about negative keywords, which can result in wasted money, unhelpful clicks, and poor results. For beginners, learning to use negative keywords can greatly help you reach your marketing goals.

What are Negative Keywords?

Negative keywords are words or phrases that stop your ads from showing up in unrelated searches. By using them, you make sure your ads reach the right people, save money, and get better results.
For example, if you sell expensive running shoes, adding “cheap” as a negative keyword will stop your ad from appearing in searches for “cheap running shoes.” This way, you attract customers who want high-quality products.

Importance of Negative Keywords

1. Enhanced Targeting: Filters out irrelevant traffic.
2. Cost Efficiency: Reduces wasted ad spend.
3. Improved Click-through-Rate: Ensures only qualified users see your ads. 
4. Better Conversion Rates: Attracts an audience with higher intent to purchase. 
5. Improved Quality Score: Google rewards well-targeted campaigns, lowering your cost-per-click (CPC).

How Do Negative Keywords Work?

1. Match Types:

• Broad Match: Blocks ads if the keyword appears in any order.
• Phrase Match: Blocks ads if the exact keyword phrase appears in the same sequence.
• Exact Match: Blocks ads only for exact keyword match.

2. Filter Search Objective: Keeps your ads from showing to users who are not interested in your offerings. 
3. Save Money: Prevents spending on irrelevant or low-performing searches.

 Negative Keywords Features

1. Broad Match: Blocks searches containing the keyword in any order. 
2. Phrase Match: Blocks searches with the exact keyword phrase. 
3. Exact Match: Blocks searches matching the keyword exactly.
4. Campaign -Level: Applies to all ads in a campaign. 
5. Ad Group-Level: Applies to specific ad groups.

 Types of Negative Keywords

1. Broad Match:
   Blocks ads from showing on searches that include the keyword in any order.
   Example: If the keyword is “free trial”, your ad wont show for searches like “how to get a free trial” or “free trial software.”
2. Phrase Match:
   These exclude searches that contain the exact phrase.
   Example: If the keyword is “cheap laptop”, your ad won’t appear for “cheap laptop deals,” but it might still show for “cheap gaming laptop.”
   
3. Exact Match:
   These prevent ads from appearing only on searches that exactly match the keyword.
   Example: If the keyword is “buy car”, your ad won’t show for “buy car,” but it could still appear for “buy used car.”

7 Easy Tips for Using Negative Keywords

1. Do Proper Research
   Start with tools like Google’s Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Ahrefs to identify irrelevant search terms that might trigger your ads. Analyze their search volume and relevance to your offerings.What to Do: Make a list of words people might search that do not fit your product or service.
   Example: If you sell “organic pet food,” negative keywords could be “synthetic,” “cheap,” or “homemade.”
2. Check Search Term Reports
   Look at search term reports in Google Ads to see what people are searching for when your ads show. Find and block irrelevant terms.What to Do: Regularly review these reports and add unwanted search terms to your negative keyword list.
   Example: If people search for “dog food recipes” and click on your ad, it is a sign they are not looking to buy.
3. Avoid Keyword Conflicts
   Make sure your rules do not block important traffic by overlapping with the keywords you want to target.What to Do: Use keyword tools to find overlaps before finalizing your lists. Make sure terms like “cheap” are only used for luxury product ads, not for budget-friendly ones.
   Example: You sell both high-end handbags and affordable accessories. If you use the word “cheap,” it could stop people from finding your “cheap accessories.”

4. Regularly Update your List
   Trends change, so keep your list up to date to make sure your campaigns stay effective.What to Do:

   A term like “eco-friendly” might not apply anymore if you no longer sell eco-friendly products.
   Example: Set a reminder to check and update your list every month or three months. Remove old terms and add new terms that are no longer relevant based on current trends.

5. Monitor Performance Metrics
   Keep an eye on metrics like Click-Through-Rate (CTR) and Conversion Rate (CVR) to see how well your changes are working.What to Do: Try A/B testing to check how the changes are affecting your results. Keep tracking performance to make sure the changes are improving your campaign.
   Example: After removing the word “cheap” from your luxury product campaign, you notice more clicks and higher sales, showing better audience targeting.
6. Consider Match Type for Quality
   Use the right match for quality. Broad match covers general terms, while exact match targets very specific queries.What to Do: Use a broad match for “cheap” to avoid all searches related to cheap items, and an exact match for “cheap designer handbags” to avoid just specific phrase.
   Example: Your luxury brand wants to avoid “cheap” in general, but only wants to avoid “cheap designer handbags” specifically.
7. Organize Keywords by Campaigns or Ad Group
   Make sure to apply filters at the campaign or ad group level, so they only affect the relevant ads.What to Do:

   Organize your filters carefully. For the women’s clothing campaign, remove keywords related to men’s clothing, like “men’s jackets, “but keep them in men’s campaign.
   Example:  If you have a clothing store with separate campaigns for men’s and women’s clothing, make sure to avoid using “men” in your women’s clothing ads, but keep it in the men’s campaign.

Example by Industry

FAQs

1. Can negative keywords hurt my campaigns?
   No, they help improve your campaign by showing ads to the right audience. But if you use in general terms, your ads might not reach enough people.
2. How many negative keywords should I use?
   There is no set number. Start with a small list and add more based on your campaign data.
3. Can they be used in all campaigns?
   Yes, you can use them in search, display, and shopping campaigns. They work differently for each, so adjust as needed.
4. Do negative keywords impact Quality Score?
   Not directly, but they help by improving your click-through-rate (CTR), which boosts Quality Score.
5. Can they be used in Smart Campaigns?
   Yes, even though Smart Campaigns are automated, you can add negative keywords to block unwanted terms.
6. Are they case-sensitive?
   No, they are not. For example, “Free” and “free” work the same way.

Also, Checkout: CPC and CPA: Discover the 5 Powerful Differences

Negative keywords are essential for running a successful ad campaign, especially for beginners in digital marketing. By following these seven tips, you can target the right audience, avoid unnecessary costs, and get better results. Regularly updating your negative keyword list will help keep your campaigns effective and relevant as the digital world changes.