Negative Keywords and Tuning
Cut waste, raise relevance.
What Negative Keywords Do
Negative keywords tell Google when NOT to show your ad. They block searches that contain terms you specify, stopping irrelevant clicks before you pay for them.
They are the single most effective tool for cutting wasted spend, especially when you use broad or phrase match.
Add as negatives to a shoe store:
-free
-jobs
-repair
-diy
-wikipedia
Query "free running shoes" -> blocked by -freeThe Search Terms Report
The Search Terms report is where tuning starts. It shows the real queries that triggered your ads, with clicks, cost, and conversions for each.
Scan it regularly: add converting terms as keywords, and add wasteful or off-intent terms as negatives.
Search Terms report (sample):
term clicks cost conv
buy trail running shoes 18 $25 3 -> add as keyword
running shoes free 9 $14 0 -> add negative
running shoes meme 4 $6 0 -> add negativeAll lessons in this course
- How Search Ads Work
- Keyword Match Types
- Writing Responsive Search Ads
- Negative Keywords and Tuning