SEM Insider · Keywords
How to Build a Negative Keyword List That Stops Wasted Spend in Google Ads
Match type rules, starter categories, a weekly mining routine and a shared-list structure you can apply to any Search account.
Updated September 22, 2026 · 9 min read
In this guide
How negative keywords work
A negative keyword tells Google Ads not to show your ad when a search contains that term. Negatives can be added at campaign level, ad group level, or through shared negative keyword lists applied to multiple campaigns. At account level, you can also exclude terms across Search and Shopping, and Performance Max supports its own negative keyword settings.
Negative keywords behave differently from positive keywords in one important way: they do not match close variants. A negative for plumber will not block plumbers or plumbing. You need to add variants yourself.
No close variants
Plurals, misspellings and synonyms are not blocked automatically. Add each variant you want excluded, such as job and jobs, or free and freebie.
Negative match types
| Negative match type | Syntax | Blocks the search when… | Example negative | Blocks | Does not block |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broad | free | All words appear, in any order | free trial | trial free software | free software |
| Phrase | “free trial” | The exact phrase appears, words in order | “free trial” | get a free trial now | trial free |
| Exact | [free trial] | The search is exactly the term, nothing added | [free trial] | free trial | free trial software |
Use negative broad
For single words that are always irrelevant, such as jobs, salary or diy.
Use negative phrase
For multi-word ideas that are irrelevant only together, such as “how to become”.
Use negative exact
To stop one specific query without blocking longer searches that may convert.
Starter negative categories
Most accounts benefit from a starter list before launch. Review every term against your offer first. Free is irrelevant for a law firm but may be relevant for a software company that offers a free plan.
| Category | Example terms | Skip if… |
|---|---|---|
| Employment | jobs, job, career, careers, hiring, salary, resume, internship | You are recruiting |
| Education | course, courses, training, certification, degree, class, tutorial | You sell training |
| DIY / informational | diy, how to, what is, definition, meaning, examples | You want top-of-funnel content traffic |
| Free / cheap intent | free, freebie, torrent, crack, download free | Your offer includes a free tier |
| Research sources | wikipedia, reddit, pdf, pictures, images | Rarely relevant for direct response |
| Support / existing customers | login, sign in, customer service, phone number, cancel | You run a support campaign |
| Used / second-hand | used, second hand, refurbished, rental | You sell those |
Mining the search terms report
A starter list covers predictable waste. The search terms report finds the rest. Run this routine weekly for active accounts and every two weeks for low-volume accounts.
Open the search terms report
Go to Campaigns, then Insights and reports, then Search terms. Set the date range to the last 7 or 14 days.
Sort by cost
Start with the queries that spent the most. Waste at the top of the list matters more than long-tail oddities.
Filter for zero conversions
Add a filter for conversions equal to 0 and cost greater than your target CPA. These are the strongest negative candidates.
Identify the irrelevant word
Find the single word or phrase that makes the query irrelevant. Adding that root term blocks many future variants, not just one query.
Choose the match type and level
Use broad or phrase for irrelevant themes, exact for one-off queries. Add to a shared list if the term is irrelevant account-wide, or to the campaign or ad group if it is only irrelevant there.
Check for conflicts
Before saving, make sure the negative does not block any of your active keywords. Google Ads flags conflicting negatives in Recommendations and in the keyword diagnostics.
Use n-grams for larger accounts
With hundreds of queries a week, export the report and break queries into single words and two-word phrases. Summing cost and conversions per word shows which roots waste the most money across many queries.
Organizing shared lists
Shared lists keep negatives consistent and save time when you manage several campaigns. A simple structure works for most accounts.
| Shared list | Contents | Applied to |
|---|---|---|
| Universal exclusions | Employment, education, free, research sources | All Search campaigns |
| Support and existing customers | Login, cancel, customer service | All non-brand campaigns |
| Competitor names | Competitor brands you do not want to bid on | Non-competitor campaigns |
| Brand terms | Your own brand name and variations | Non-brand campaigns, to keep brand traffic in the brand campaign |
| Service cross-negatives | Other services you offer | Each service campaign, so queries go to the right campaign |
List limits
Each shared negative keyword list can hold up to 5,000 keywords, and an account can have up to 20 shared negative lists. Plan categories rather than dumping every term into one list.
Mistakes that block good traffic
- Adding negatives on a single click. Wait for enough data unless the query is clearly irrelevant.
- Using broad negatives for words with double meanings. A negative for cheap may block cheap flights for a budget travel brand that wants that traffic.
- Negating your own keywords. A negative that matches an active keyword stops it from serving entirely.
- Blocking brand in the brand campaign. Brand negatives belong only in non-brand campaigns.
- Never reviewing old lists. Offers change. A term that was irrelevant last year may be a new service now.
Negative keywords matter even more when you use broad match or AI Max search term matching. For the requirements before switching to broad match, see our broad match guide.
Weekly negative keyword checklist
Weekly routine
- ☑Pull search terms for the last 7–14 days, sorted by cost
- ☑Filter for zero-conversion queries above target CPA
- ☑Extract the irrelevant root word or phrase
- ☑Add variants manually, including plurals and misspellings
- ☑Choose the right match type and level
- ☑Add account-wide terms to the correct shared list
- ☑Check for conflicts with active keywords
- ☑Log what was added and why
Frequently asked questions
Do negative keywords match close variants?
No. Negative keywords do not expand to plurals, misspellings or synonyms. Add each variant separately.
How often should I add negative keywords?
Weekly for accounts with steady traffic, every two weeks for low-volume accounts. New accounts benefit from reviews every few days in the first month.
What is the difference between campaign and shared negative lists?
Campaign negatives apply to one campaign. Shared lists are created once in the shared library and can be applied to many campaigns, which keeps exclusions consistent.
Can negative keywords hurt performance?
Yes, if they block relevant searches. Broad negatives on common words and negatives that conflict with active keywords are the most common causes.
Do negative keywords work with Performance Max?
Yes. Performance Max supports negative keywords at campaign level and through account-level exclusions, so irrelevant search queries can be blocked there too.
