“In Google Ads, most marketers focus on picking the right keywords. But just as important—and often ignored—are negative keywords. Adding them helps prevent your ads from showing to the wrong people, saving you money and boosting your click-through and conversion rates. Simply put, negative keywords make your ads more effective.”
This version keeps it specific to Google Ads, simplifies the language, and makes it sound more conversational while maintaining a professional tone. Let me know if you’d like any tweaks!
What are negative keywords?
Negative keywords are search terms that you specifically exclude from triggering your ads. By adding these terms to your campaigns, you prevent your ads from appearing for irrelevant or low-intent searches. This ensures that your budget is allocated to users who are genuinely interested in your product or service.
For example, if you own a luxury watch store, you might want to exclude terms like “cheap watches” or “free watches” because people searching for these terms are unlikely to convert into paying customers. By using negative keywords, you refine your audience and prevent wasted ad spend.e.
Why are negative keywords essential?
1. Reduce wasted ad spend
One of the biggest advantages of negative keywords is their ability to save money. If your ads appear for irrelevant searches, users who click on them may not be interested in your offering, leading to wasted clicks and higher costs without meaningful conversions.
2. Improve click-through rate (CTR)
By filtering out irrelevant traffic, negative keywords help increase your CTR. A higher CTR signals to Google that your ads are relevant, which can improve your Quality Score and lower your cost-per-click (CPC).
3. Enhance conversion rates
In Google Ads, most marketers focus on picking the right keywords. But just as important—and often ignored—are negative keywords. Adding them helps prevent your ads from showing to the wrong people, saving you money and improving your results.
For example, if you’re selling properties in Málaga, you don’t want your ads showing to people searching for homes in Valencia. Or if you’re a physiotherapist, you wouldn’t want to waste your budget on people looking for ‘medicine for back pain’ instead of actual therapy.
When your ads only appear for relevant searches, you attract more qualified leads—people who are actually interested in your services. This leads to a higher conversion rate and a better return on investment (ROI).
4. Increase ad relevance
Negative keywords contribute to a more focused and targeted campaign, which improves the relevance of your ads. A well-structured campaign with relevant keywords and exclusions helps ensure that your ads appear to the right audience at the right time.
5. Optimise campaign performance
With negative keywords, your campaign data becomes more reliable. Since your ads are not showing up for irrelevant searches, you can better analyse performance metrics and make informed decisions about further optimisations.
How to find and use negative keywords
1. Analyse search term reports
Regularly review your Google Ads search term reports to identify irrelevant or low-converting queries. Any term that doesn’t align with your business goals should be considered for exclusion.
2. Use keyword research tools
Tools like Google Keyword Planner or third-party software can help you identify potential negative keywords based on search trends and competition.
3. Group negative keywords into lists
To manage your campaigns efficiently, create negative keyword lists and apply them across multiple campaigns where necessary. For example, if you run an e-commerce business, a generic negative keyword list might include terms like “free,” “jobs,” or “DIY.”
4. Refine negative keywords over time
Negative keywords are not a one-time fix. Continuously monitor campaign performance and update your list to keep filtering out unwanted traffic.
Conclusion
Negative keywords are a powerful tool that can significantly enhance your advertising efforts. By excluding irrelevant searches, you can save money, improve CTR, increase conversions, and boost overall campaign performance.
At Erichsen Consulting, we specialise in helping businesses optimise their Google Ads campaigns through strategic keyword management, including effective use of negative keywords. If you want to maximise your ad spend and improve your campaign results, get in touch with us today, and let’s take your digital advertising to the next level!