Managing wasted ad spend is a top priority for any successful PPC campaign.
One of the most effective ways to achieve this is by implementing a strong negative keyword strategy.
By blocking irrelevant searches, you can ensure your ads reach the right audience, maximize your ROI and streamline campaign performance.
Here’s how to start with the best practices for effectively using negative keywords.
Preparing negative keywords before launch
You don’t have to wait for a campaign to collect click data to start adding negative keywords. Add as many as you can before launching the ad campaign.
Most industries have a large list of common irrelevant keywords you can block before setting a campaign live.
To find negative keywords, use the same approach as regular keyword research for PPC, but focus on finding keywords to block instead of target. Common tools for keyword research include:
Google Ads Keyword Planner.
Google, ChatGPT or other AI search platforms.
Third-party keyword research tools.
Dig deeper: Negative keywords in paid search: 6 strategies for effective implementation
Blocking negative keywords strategically with n-gram analysis
By using n-gram analysis, you can identify and block a single word that makes multiple search terms irrelevant.
This approach helps pinpoint effective one-word negative keywords and saves you time instead of blocking each term individually.
As PPC expert Frederick Vallaeys explains:
“In PPC, we can use n-grams to analyze the performance of commonly found word sequences. For example, we can find data for strings of words that appear frequently throughout many keywords or search terms. By aggregating data, we can more easily pick up on performance trends in accounts.”
For instance:
If you have a local business in Houston that services Houston, you can block the word “Dallas.” That is not the city you service, and if there are no relevant searches that would contain that word, then you can block all future searches that contain the word “Dallas,” regardless of what other words are also in the search phrase.
Also, a home AC repair services ad campaign could block “car” as a negative keyword because they do not want to show up for any search that contains the word “car” if they only repair home AC units. This saves time instead of adding many exact match keywords by checking the box inside the Google Ads or Microsoft Ads dashboard.
When to use multiple-word negative keywords
You can also use two- or three-word negative keywords to achieve the same effect.
For instance, blocking brand names like “Home Depot” or “Old Navy” can be useful.
If using multiple words, put them in quotes to ensure they are treated as a negative phrase match.
Broad match types for multiple words are less effective.
While Google Ads is improving negative keyword matching, including misspellings, this feature should still be monitored closely.
To streamline your strategy, opt for concise one- or two-word negative keywords that encompass a common theme. This minimizes the need to repeatedly add similar terms. Use exact match negative keywords sparingly for greater efficiency.
Special consideration: If your one- to three-word negative keyword would accidentally block searches you want to show for, try exact match negative keywords instead.
For example, if you wanted to show for “home depot alternatives”, you couldn’t add “home depot” as a negative keyword or a brand exclusion. You would instead add a series of exact match keywords.
Managing negative keywords proactively
Take note of related negative keywords
Be proactive in adding negative keyword variations.
For instance, if your AC repair company ad shows up for job-related searches, don’t just block “jobs” – also add related terms like:
“Careers.”
“Certifications.”
“Hiring.”
“Salary.”
The key is anticipating and blocking irrelevant search terms before they impact your campaign performance.
Use shared negative keyword lists
Instead of spending hours manually checking boxes in the Google Ads search terms report, it’s much more efficient to add keywords directly to the campaign or a shared list.
Use negative keyword lists that can be shared across multiple campaigns instead of adding negative keywords to each campaign individually.
In the new interface, you can find this under Shared library > Exclusion lists > Negative keyword lists.
Additionally, you can use the brand lists in the shared library to block search terms that include brands you want to avoid.
Save common negative keywords for other clients and accounts
Keep a separate spreadsheet of common negative keywords you frequently use, which can save time when launching new campaigns.
For agencies, building a master list of industry-specific negative keywords can be especially beneficial for multiple clients in the same field.
Whether you work in-house, freelance, or at an agency, saving commonly used negatives allows you to apply them consistently across accounts.
For instance, if your ads often show for test-related queries, you can block terms like “describe,” “explain,” “true or false,” “what are the” and similar phrases typically used by people seeking test answers.
Here’s an example list to exclude such searches:
answer
“the following”
choose
select
true
false
“check all”
difference
discuss
similarities
explain
describe
importance
significant
significance
might
may
must
please
“what are the”
“what is the”
name
he
she
his
her
their
owns
owner
if
define
From preparation to proactive management: Negative keywords done right
Negative keywords are essential for minimizing wasted spend and maximizing PPC performance. By preparing in advance and regularly refining your lists, you can ensure your ads consistently reach the right audience.
A proactive approach to negative keywords saves time, optimizes your budget and boosts ROI, making it a key part of any successful campaign.
Dig deeper: PPC keyword strategy: How to align search intent with funnel stages