How to use negative keywords the right way
Running Google Ads without negative keywords is like trying to fill a leaky bucket - no matter how much budget you pour in, most of it ends up going to waste.
And even if you are using them, if you’re not doing it right, you could be blocking the very people who are ready to buy.
In this post, I’ll walk you through how negative keywords work, the mistakes business owners often make, and how to fix them - PLUS, a free tool at the end to help you sort your keywords faster and more accurately.
What Are Negative Keywords (And Why You Should Care)
When you run Google Ads, your ads can show up for loads of different search terms. Some are bang on. Others? Completely irrelevant.
Negative keywords are words or phrases you don’t want your ad to show for. You’re saying to Google, “Don’t waste my money on this.”
Just like target keywords you can add them as:
Broad match - This means you don't want to pay for any clicks associated with that keyword wherever it appears. E.g, What
Phrase match - This means you don't want to pay for any clicks associated with that particular phrase, wherever it appears E.g, [What is the best air conditioning unit]
Exact match - This means you don't want to pay for clicks associated with the exact search E.g, "What is the best air conditioning unit"
Example:
If you run a domestic air conditioning installation business and someone types “why does my car air con smell”, you don’t want to pay for that click. In this case, you would remove anything associated with cars.
That’s where negative keywords come in. They filter out the noise and ensure your budget is going to people who are actually interested in what you sell.
Another example concerns intent. Let's say you only want users who are ready to buy an air conditioning unit, you don't want to spend money on clicks from users asking questions about the unit. You don't want "how much does an air conditioner cost" or "how hard is it to fit an air conditioner". In this example, we would add the word "how" as a broad match negative keyword.
This also highlights the importance of carefully planning your ad campaigns and ad groups, including the negatives you want to add to each campaign and/or group.
What Happens If You Don’t Use Them
A lot of small businesses don’t add any negative keywords at all. And honestly, that’s one of the quickest ways to burn through your ad budget.
Here’s what could happen:
Your ads show up for the wrong audience
You get clicks from people who’ll never convert
Your cost-per-lead goes up
Your campaign starts looking “ineffective” (when really, it’s just messy targeting)
Even adding a few basic negatives can stop wasted spend, straight away.
The Common Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)
1. Not Adding Any at All
We’ve covered this, but it’s worth repeating. If you haven’t touched your negative keywords list, you’re probably paying for pointless clicks. Start small - even a handful of exclusions can make a big difference.
2. Using Broad Match by Accident
If you just type in a negative keyword without using match types, Google treats it as a broad match. That can be dangerous.
Example:
You add “free” as a negative keyword. Sounds logical.
But now your ad might not show for searches like “free quote for home AC installation” - which could be a great lead.
Use match types properly:
[exact match] for precision
"phrase match" for context
Avoid broad match unless you’re confident it won’t block good traffic
3. Guessing Instead of Reviewing
Guessing what to block is risky. Always check your Search Terms Report in Google Ads. It shows you exactly what people typed in before clicking your ad.
If you see irrelevant terms in there, those are the ones to exclude.
Marco's Advice
One of the biggest mistakes I see with Google Ads is businesses completely ignoring negative keywords. It might seem like a small thing, but it’s often the reason behind wasted spend and poor-quality leads.
If you’re not actively managing what you don’t want to show up for, you’re leaving your budget wide open to clicks that’ll never convert. And worse, you could be missing the people who want to buy from you. Don’t learn this the hard way. We are meticulous in how we set up our campaigns, always taking time to review keywords, paying close attention to the ones we want to remove.
If you are reading this and need help with your digital marketing, why not book a call with us.
How to Do It Smarter (and Save Time)
If you’re not sure where to start, I’ve created a handy Keyword Sorting Sheet that does most of the heavy lifting for you.
It’s a simple tool where you can:
Paste in your suggested keywords
Easily mark which ones to include or exclude
Automatically format them into exact match
Copy the clean list straight into your Google Ads account
It’ll save you loads of time and help you avoid blocking good keywords by mistake.
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Better Keyword Strategy = Better Results
Negative keywords aren’t just an optional extra, they’re essential if you want your ad budget to go further.
Whether you’re just getting started or trying to improve a campaign that’s not working, getting your negatives right can have a massive impact.
So, take a few minutes this week to check your Search Terms Report, use the sorting sheet, and fine-tune your keyword list. Small tweaks here can lead to better leads and less money down the drain.
Optimising your PPC campaigns is key, but integrating these tactics into a broader digital marketing strategy will help ensure your small business gets the best return on its marketing investment.
If you’d rather have someone take a look for you or want help making your ads work better, we’d be happy to help.
Get in touch below and let’s make sure your Google Ads are set up to bring in the right leads.
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