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Negative keywords exclude searches you do not want a campaign to match. In Google Search campaigns, negative broad, phrase, and exact match apply different exclusion rules. Use the narrowest rule that removes the irrelevant intent without blocking suitable customers.
They are a control, not a guarantee of better conversions. A poorly chosen exclusion can remove valuable traffic just as easily as unwanted traffic.
Negative match types, with an example
For the negative term used desks:
- Broad: excludes searches containing both words in any order.
- Phrase: excludes searches containing those words together in that order, including searches with additional words.
- Exact: excludes that search without additional words.
Thus, “used office desks” meets the broad rule but not the phrase rule; “buy used desks” meets broad and phrase, but not exact. This is an original illustration of the rules in Google’s negative-keyword documentation.
Negatives do not expand like positive keywords. Add relevant synonyms and singular/plural forms separately when needed. Google’s current guidance says casing and misspellings are handled automatically. Display and Video exclusions behave differently, so do not assume these Search rules apply to every campaign.
Start with a reason, not a generic blacklist
Write down why a query is irrelevant. Useful categories might include an unoffered service, a different product meaning, or a task the campaign is not designed to serve.
For example, a business selling new office furniture might consider excluding searches specifically seeking secondhand inventory. It should not automatically exclude “affordable” if it can serve price-conscious buyers.
Similarly, “free” might indicate a poor fit for a paid product, or it might be part of a relevant query about a free trial. The complete search and the offer matter. A copied list of supposedly low-value words does not know your business.
Review actual search terms
Use the advertising account’s search-term report to investigate queries that actually appeared in reporting. Separate obvious irrelevance from relevant searches that have not converted yet.
Before excluding a relevant term, consider the conversion delay, amount of evidence, tracking quality, and landing-page experience. One click without a purchase does not establish that a query is worthless.
Keep a small review record:
- Search term and campaign
- Why the intent is unsuitable
- Proposed negative and match type
- Where the exclusion should apply
- Relevant searches it could accidentally block
- Reviewer and change date
Add exclusions at the appropriate scope
Google’s instructions for adding negative keywords cover selecting the campaign or ad group and entering negatives with the appropriate match type. Review that scope before saving. A campaign-specific problem does not necessarily justify an account-wide exclusion.
Use shared lists for genuinely shared exclusions, then document which campaigns use them. An edit to a reused list can affect more than the campaign you are currently investigating.
After making a change, verify the saved terms and applied scope in the account. Retain the previous list so an overbroad exclusion can be reversed.
Check for conflicts and unintended effects
Compare proposed negatives with the products, services, and positive keywords the campaign is intended to cover. Ask a colleague to test a few realistic customer searches against the rule.
For the furniture example, a broad negative containing “office desks” could exclude the business’s core offer. A more specific irrelevant-intent phrase would be a different decision.
Review the change over a meaningful period. Compare qualified leads or purchases alongside spend and search relevance. Lower spend is not automatically an improvement if it also removes profitable customers.
What about Quality Score?
Google describes Quality Score as a diagnostic tool, not an input to the ad auction. Do not promise that adding negatives mechanically increases the score or lowers every CPC. Improving relevance is a practical aim, but its effect should be measured in the actual account.
Use BrandWell to support the review
In Visibility’s Keywords and Research area, investigate the different meanings and tasks around a topic. That can inform a review, but broader search estimates are not a substitute for the campaign’s own search-term evidence.
Give AIMEE a reviewed export and a clear description of what the business sells. Ask it to suggest categories and explain possible false exclusions. Keep recommendations as a draft until a person checks the proposed match types and scope.
If a relevant search needs a better educational destination, review the existing article opportunity in RankWell. Sometimes the issue is a weak page rather than a query that should be blocked.
Frequently asked questions
Should every campaign share the same negatives?
No. An irrelevant search for one offer may be valuable for another. Reuse only exclusions that make sense across the affected campaigns.
Can I exclude every term that has not converted?
That is usually too blunt. First check relevance, evidence volume, conversion delay, and tracking. Review obviously unsuitable intent separately from uncertain performance.
Do negative keywords replace location targeting?
No. Configure and review the campaign’s geographic settings separately. A list of place names is not a complete location strategy.
Reviewed and updated October 2, 2026.
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