In Google Ads, most marketers focus on selecting the right keywords, carefully researching terms they think will attract potential customers. However, just as important—and often overlooked—are negative keywords.
These are the terms that tell Google who you do not want to reach. Without them, your ads may be shown to people who have no interest in your product or service, wasting both clicks and budget. Adding negative keywords prevents this, saving money while improving click-through and conversion rates. Put simply, negative keywords make your campaigns more efficient, targeted, and ultimately more effective.
What are negative keywords?
Negative keywords are search terms you deliberately exclude from triggering your ads. They act as a filter, ensuring your ads are only shown to audiences who are likely to engage or convert. By using negative keywords, you can avoid irrelevant traffic and focus your budget on the users most likely to become customers.
For example, imagine you run a luxury watch store. You want to attract customers who are looking for high-end, premium products. If you don’t add negative keywords, your ads could appear for searches like “cheap watches,” “free watches,” or “discount watches.” These users are unlikely to convert, yet each click costs you money. By excluding these terms, you refine your audience, prevent wasted spend, and increase the chances that your ads are reaching people who are genuinely interested in purchasing a luxury watch.
The benefits go beyond just saving money. Negative keywords also improve your campaign’s overall performance metrics. Higher click-through rates signal to Google that your ads are relevant, which can boost your Quality Score, reduce cost-per-click, and improve your ad placement. Over time, this creates a virtuous cycle: more precise targeting leads to better results, which allows you to invest further in campaigns that generate real ROI.
Negative keywords are not a one-time fix. They require ongoing attention. Search behaviour evolves, trends shift, and new irrelevant terms can appear in your Search Terms Report. Regularly reviewing and updating your negative keyword list ensures your campaigns remain focused, efficient, and aligned with your business goals.
Why are negative keywords essential?
1. Reduce wasted ad spend
One of the most immediate benefits of negative keywords is their ability to save money. Without them, your ads may appear for searches that have little or no relevance to your business. Users who click on these ads are unlikely to convert, meaning you are paying for traffic that does not generate value. By carefully excluding irrelevant terms, you ensure your budget is spent on potential customers who are genuinely interested in your offering, making every pound count.
2. Improve click-through rate (CTR)
Filtering out irrelevant traffic also helps boost your click-through rate. When users see ads that are highly relevant to their search, they are more likely to engage. A higher CTR signals to Google that your ads are relevant, which can improve your Quality Score. Higher Quality Scores, in turn, can reduce your cost-per-click and improve your ad placement, creating a more cost-efficient campaign.
3. Enhance conversion rates
While selecting the right keywords is critical, negative keywords are equally important for driving conversions. They prevent your ads from being shown to the wrong audience, ensuring that clicks come from users who are more likely to take action.
For example, if you are selling properties in Málaga, you would not want your ads appearing for people searching for homes in Valencia. Similarly, if you are a physiotherapist, you would want to exclude searches like “medicine for back pain” rather than therapy-focused queries. By focusing on relevant searches, your ads attract qualified leads, leading to higher conversion rates and a better return on investment.
4. Increase ad relevance
Negative keywords help create more focused campaigns, improving the relevance of your ads to the intended audience. When campaigns are structured with both carefully chosen keywords and well-planned exclusions, your ads are more likely to appear to users at the right moment in their buyer journey. This targeted approach builds trust with potential customers and reinforces your brand’s credibility.
5. Optimise campaign performance
Using negative keywords makes your campaign data more reliable. Since your ads are not shown for irrelevant searches, performance metrics such as CTR, conversion rate, and cost-per-click more accurately reflect the behaviour of your target audience. This clarity allows you to make informed decisions about further optimisations, reallocating budget to the best-performing keywords and refining campaigns to achieve maximum efficiency.
How to find and use negative keywords
1. Analyse search term reports
One of the most effective ways to build a strong negative keyword strategy is by regularly reviewing your Google Ads search term reports. These reports provide a detailed view of the actual queries that triggered your ads, revealing opportunities to exclude irrelevant or low-performing searches. Any term that does not align with your business objectives—or that attracts users unlikely to convert—should be added to your negative keyword list.
For example, if you run a boutique hotel in Barcelona, you might notice searches like “cheap hostels in Barcelona” or “Barcelona student accommodation” triggering your ads. These clicks are unlikely to lead to bookings, so adding them as negative keywords can save your budget for more qualified leads. Regularly analysing these reports ensures that your campaigns remain focused, efficient, and aligned with your goals.
2. Use keyword research tools
Keyword research tools, such as Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Ahrefs, can help you identify potential negative keywords based on search trends, search volume, and competition. These tools allow you to anticipate irrelevant terms that could waste budget before they start impacting your campaigns.
For instance, if your business sells premium coffee machines, keyword research may reveal searches for “cheap coffee machines,” “coffee machine DIY repair,” or “coffee machine spare parts.” These are unlikely to convert and can be added as negative keywords to protect your budget and focus on high-intent prospects actively looking to purchase your products. Using these tools ensures your campaigns remain precise and cost-effective.
3. Group negative keywords into lists
Managing multiple campaigns can become cumbersome without a structured approach. Organising negative keywords into lists allows you to apply them across campaigns efficiently, ensuring consistency and saving time.
For example, an e-commerce business may create a generic negative keyword list including terms like “free,” “jobs,” “DIY,” or “samples.” This list can be applied to all relevant campaigns, automatically preventing irrelevant searches from triggering ads. You can also create more targeted lists for specific product categories, such as excluding “cheap” or “discount” for premium products. Grouping negative keywords in this way makes ongoing management simpler and keeps campaigns aligned with your strategy.
4. Refine negative keywords over time
Negative keyword management is not a one-off task; it requires ongoing attention. Search behaviour evolves, new trends emerge, and your business offerings may change, all of which can create new opportunities for exclusions.
Continuously monitor your campaign performance, reviewing which search terms are triggering ads and identifying low-quality clicks. Update your negative keyword lists regularly to ensure your targeting stays sharp. Over time, this iterative approach improves campaign efficiency, increases ROI, and ensures that your ads consistently reach the most relevant, high-intent audience. This proactive management is what separates effective campaigns from those that burn through budget without delivering meaningful results.
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 get the most out of their Google Ads campaigns through strategic keyword management, including the smart use of negative keywords. By refining targeting, eliminating wasted spend, and focusing on high-intent audiences, we help our clients improve click-through rates, boost conversions, and maximise their return on investment. If you want to make every pound of your ad budget count and see real, measurable results from your campaigns, get in touch with us today. Let’s work together to take your digital advertising to the next level.