Google Ads negative keywords keep an ad from serving when a search matches a term you exclude. Their match rules differ from positive keywords: a negative broad match blocks only when every negative term appears, while phrase and exact negatives impose tighter word-order and extra-word rules. Start with the searcher’s intent, then choose the narrowest match and campaign scope that removes the unwanted query without cutting off a useful one.
In brief: use unquoted words for negative broad, quotation marks for negative phrase, and square brackets for negative exact. Google says negatives account for capitalization and misspellings, but you should not assume they expand to singulars, plurals, synonyms, or other close variants. When you add a term from the Search terms report, Google defaults it to negative exact for a Search campaign; check the match type before saving. Google’s negative-keyword guide and Search terms report instructions document these rules.
Negative match types: a practical truth table
The examples below isolate the effect of one negative keyword on Google Search. “Blocked” means that this negative would make an ad ineligible for that query; other campaign settings and targeting still affect whether an ad serves. The broad, phrase, and exact examples use the words bike repair only to demonstrate matching mechanics. They are not negatives for the illustrative repair shop: applying any of them would block core bike-repair service searches. Google defines the negative match rules in its current match-type guide.
| Negative entered | Search term | Blocked? | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
bike repair (broad) | repair bike tire | Yes | Both negative terms appear adjacent in the opposite order; tire is an extra final word. |
bike repair (broad) | book bike repair near me | Yes | Both terms appear; extra words do not save the query from this broad negative. |
bike repair (broad) | bike tune-up near me | No | The query does not contain the negative term repair. |
"bike repair" (phrase) | book bike repair near me | Yes | The exact ordered phrase is present; words can appear before or after it. |
"bike repair" (phrase) | repair bike | No | The words are in the opposite order. |
"bike repair" (phrase) | bike tire repair | No | The word tire interrupts the phrase. |
[bike repair] (exact) | bike repair | Yes | The same words appear in the same order with no extra words. |
[bike repair] (exact) | bike repair near me | No | The query has additional words. |
[bike repair] (exact) | repair bike | No | The order changes. |
[bike repair] (exact) | BIKE REPAIR | Yes | Capitalization is accounted for automatically. |
[bike repair] (exact) | bike repairs | No | Plural expansion is not automatic; add a plural only if that observed intent should also be excluded. |
That distinction is easy to miss: negative broad is not positive broad. It blocks when all negative terms appear, in any order, even if other words are present; it does not treat related concepts as interchangeable. Google’s Search terms help names capitalization and misspellings as automatically handled, while its negative-keyword pages say not to expect other close-variant expansion. Do not assume singular/plural, stemming, synonyms, abbreviations, or accents are covered; the help page specifically treats accented forms as different terms. Review and add a variant only when the actual search family and your offer justify it. For positive matching and prioritization, see understand query matching and prioritization. Google on negative keywords and search-term matching · Google on negative matching and symbols.
One edge case concerns the query, not the length of the negative: Google says an ad may still show when the excluded term occurs after the sixteenth word of a long search. If a critical excluded term would appear later in a long query, do not assume the negative blocks it. Google documents the 16th-word position limitation.
Use the Search terms report as evidence, not a complete query log
Open Campaigns → Insights and reports → Search terms, then review the term, campaign or ad group, and outcome in the same date range. For keyword-based Search targeting, the Keyword column can identify the matched positive keyword; it is hidden by default, so add it when useful. That field is not returned for Dynamic Search Ads or Shopping targets, and it is not required to review Performance Max queries. Google describes the report as terms with enough activity to be shown; low-query-activity searches can be omitted for privacy. Search terms insights may group those terms into themes or “other queries” without revealing them. An empty report row therefore does not prove that no one searched for a query. Google’s Search terms report documentation.
The Search terms report and Search terms insights can also show slightly different conversion totals because conversion processing can lag. If a query has few clicks or no recorded conversions yet, check the conversion action, your normal lead or purchase cycle, CRM lead quality, and the report date range before excluding it. There is no universal number of clicks or fixed waiting period that makes a query irrelevant. For a broader framework on choosing useful conversion evidence, see choose trustworthy conversion evidence.
A 12-query bike-repair decision worksheet
Illustrative worksheet assumptions: this local shop sells repair appointments and offers a free quote; it does not recruit, teach classes or tutorials, or sell parts online. Emergency availability is unknown, so the urgent query stays on monitor until the shop confirms its hours and response capability. These are sample terms, not an account export.
“Exclude” below means a candidate only if the stated offer assumption is true and the term appeared in the account’s own search-term evidence. The syntax column is the negative to consider; the scope column limits where it would apply. Read back the saved match type because Search terms report additions default to exact match for Search campaigns.
| Search term | Decision | Candidate negative and scope | Reason, collateral check, and follow-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| bike repair near me | Keep | None | Local service intent fits the offer. Keep it on the protected-search list when checking conflicts. |
| emergency bicycle repair near me | Monitor | None yet | Confirm the shop handles emergency work during the hours this query implies. Keep it eligible if the shop can respond; consider an exclusion only if that service is unavailable. |
| free bike repair quote near me | Keep | None; specifically do not add free as broad | A free quote is part of the assumed offer. A broad free negative would remove it along with other searches containing that word. |
| free bike repair tutorial | Exclude if no tutorial offer | "bike repair tutorial" phrase; repair-service ad group | DIY intent does not match an appointment. This phrase blocks the ordered words while permitting words before or after; confirm it does not exist at a wider scope. |
| bike repair tutorial videos | Exclude if no tutorial offer | Same "bike repair tutorial" phrase; repair-service ad group | The phrase still appears in order with an extra final word. Do not change it to broad tutorial without checking for classes or other useful offers. |
| tutorials for bike repair at home | Exclude this exact tutorial query if no tutorial offer | [tutorials for bike repair at home] exact; repair-service ad group | This reordered form does not contain bike repair tutorial as an ordered phrase. Exact match limits the exclusion to this full query, leaving other repair searches eligible. |
| bike repair jobs near me | Exclude this exact hiring query | [bike repair jobs near me] exact; repair-service ad group | This full-query negative addresses the hiring interpretation while leaving a service query such as book two bike repair jobs eligible. A longer or reordered hiring query remains eligible and needs its own review. |
| jobs for bicycle mechanics | Exclude this exact hiring query | [jobs for bicycle mechanics] exact; repair-service ad group | The exact negative is deliberately limited to this observed form. Do not replace it with broad jobs, which could block searches about booking repair work. |
| bike repair cost | Monitor | None yet | Price research can precede a booking. Check whether the landing page answers the question and whether leads qualify before adding a cost-related negative. |
| cheap bike repair near me | Keep; review lead quality | None | The query still asks for the service. A price-sensitive adjective alone does not establish that the click is unwanted. |
| bike repair parts near me | Monitor | None yet | The person may want a part or a repair. Check calls, lead notes, and the page visited; do not use broad parts before confirming the intent is consistently outside the offer. |
| bike repair classes this weekend | Exclude if no class offer | "bike repair classes" phrase; repair-service ad group | This phrase blocks the ordered plural form with extra words. It does not automatically cover singular class or a reordered query; review those separately if observed. |
Under the stated assumptions, the supported sample candidates are the phrase "bike repair tutorial", the exact query [tutorials for bike repair at home], the phrase "bike repair classes", and the two full-query exact hiring negatives shown above, all at the repair-service ad-group scope. Phrase negatives also block extra words when the ordered phrase remains in the query; a reordered phrase or different variant may remain eligible. The exact negatives block only their full sampled queries, so longer or reordered hiring searches remain eligible and need review if they appear. Do not add these examples automatically. Confirm each term in the account’s Search terms report, check positive-keyword conflicts and existing negatives at every level, and read back the saved scope.
Choose where the negative should apply
Choose scope by asking how widely the exclusion is true. A term that is wrong for one ad group may be right for another campaign; an account-level negative can affect many products and Search/Shopping campaigns at once.
| Scope | Use it when | Before saving |
|---|---|---|
| Ad group | Only one Search ad group should avoid the term. | Check the ad group’s positive keywords and its offer; keep this scope for a single service or product theme. |
| Campaign | Every ad group in one campaign should avoid the term. | Confirm that hiring, brand, or another service ad group in the same campaign does not need the query. |
| Shared negative keyword list | The same themed exclusions are correct for a known set of campaigns. | Read back every campaign attached to the list. A later list edit affects the campaigns that share it. Google’s list guide. |
| Account-level negatives | A term is irrelevant across all eligible Search and Shopping inventory in the account. | This one account-level list applies to relevant Search, Performance Max, App, Shopping, Smart, and Local campaigns’ Search/Shopping inventory. Check cross-campaign positives and offers before saving. Google’s account-level negative guide. |
| Performance Max | A PMax Search/Shopping query should be excluded for that campaign, or an account-level rule applies across eligible Search/Shopping campaigns. | The current PMax-specific guide documents campaign-level negatives and use of an existing list; those negative keywords apply to Search and Shopping inventory only. Hotel Ads campaigns for travel goals are an exception and do not support negative keywords. PMax negative-keyword guide · PMax brand-suitability exceptions. |
Brand exclusions are a separate control for brand-related searches, not a substitute for choosing a negative keyword match type. Google’s current guide says Performance Max brand exclusions apply to Search, Shopping, and YouTube search inventory, with an option to allow Shopping ads for excluded brands. Regular PMax negative keywords apply to Search and Shopping. Hotel Ads campaigns for travel goals are an exception and do not support negative keywords or brand exclusions. Google’s brand-exclusions guide · Google’s PMax negative-keyword guide · Google’s PMax suitability exceptions. For the broader campaign choice, compare AI Max, Performance Max and Search.
Add, apply, and read back a negative safely
- Start with a search term and an offer. Identify its campaign, landing page, and likely intent; check the matched positive keyword when the Keyword field is available for keyword-based Search targeting. Mark it Keep, Exclude, or Monitor. Check lead quality and your normal conversion delay before treating sparse or delayed results as a reason to exclude.
- Choose the narrowest pattern that covers the unwanted family. Use exact for one unwanted full query; phrase for a stable ordered phrase that may have extra words; broad only when any query containing every negative term anywhere in it should remain ineligible, regardless of order or extra words. One word alone need not be unwanted for a multiword broad negative to be appropriate. Compare the result with positive keywords and protected searches; Google warns that overlapping exclusions can stop intended ads from showing. Google’s add guide.
- Choose scope. Use an ad group when only one offer or theme is affected, a campaign when all its ad groups are affected, a shared list for a checked set of campaigns, and account-level negatives only when the exclusion is true across all eligible Search/Shopping inventory.
Add an individual Search negative
From a Search terms report row, open Campaigns → Insights and reports → Search terms, select the query, choose Add as negative keyword, and select the ad group, campaign, or list. Google defaults additions from this route to negative exact in Search campaigns. If the decision is phrase or broad, change the match type before saving and read it back afterward. Google’s Search terms report instructions.
To enter a Search negative manually, open Campaigns → Audiences, keywords, and content → Search keywords → Negative search keywords, select the plus button, and choose Add negative keywords. Select the campaign or ad group, then enter one term per line: plain text for broad, quotation marks for phrase, and square brackets for exact. Save, then check the text, match type, and target row in the Negative keywords table. The labels can vary slightly with account layout. Google’s manual add guide.
Create or apply a shared list
To create a list, open Campaigns → Keywords → Negative keywords, select the plus button, choose a campaign, enter one negative per line, select Save to new or existing list, name the new list, and save. To apply an existing list to one campaign, select the plus button, choose Use negative keyword list, select the list, and save. To apply it to several campaigns, open Tools → Exclusion lists → Negative keyword lists, select the list, choose Apply to campaigns, select only the intended campaigns, and apply. Read back every attached campaign; later edits to a shared list affect the campaigns that use it. Google’s list setup and application steps.
Add an account-level negative
Open Admin → Account settings → Negative keywords, expand the section, select the plus button, enter the terms, and save. Set or verify the match type in the Match type column, then read back the text and type. This single account-level list affects Search and Shopping inventory in eligible Search, Performance Max, App, Shopping, Smart, and Local campaigns, so use it only for an exclusion that is valid across that whole scope. Google’s account-level instructions and scope.
Add a Performance Max campaign negative
Open Campaigns → Keywords → Negative keywords, select the plus button, choose the specific Performance Max campaign, enter terms one per line or select an existing negative keyword list, choose the intended match syntax, and save. Regular PMax negatives apply to Search and Shopping inventory only. Review the list attachment and campaign row afterward. If available, the PMax impact preview can estimate effects for up to 10 terms at a time; it is a prediction, not a measured result. PMax negative-keyword steps · PMax impact preview.
Keep a change record you can reverse
This filled example uses the worksheet’s free bike repair tutorial term. It shows what to record; it does not describe an actual account change.
| Record field | Example entry |
|---|---|
| Original rule state | Before editing, check for this term at account, shared-list, campaign, and ad-group levels. For this illustration, assume no matching rule exists; that is not a live readback. |
| Input and decision | free bike repair tutorial and the related sample bike repair tutorial videos; Exclude because the assumed shop does not offer tutorials. |
| Candidate and match type | "bike repair tutorial" — negative phrase. |
| Target scope | Illustrative campaign Local repair appointments, ad group Repair appointments; no account-level or shared-list attachment. |
| Protected query | free bike repair quote near me should remain eligible because it does not contain the phrase bike repair tutorial. |
| Expected saved-rule readback | The Negative keywords table shows the text bike repair tutorial, Match type Phrase, and the intended repair ad group. Check that no broader account or list rule duplicates it. |
| Rollback | Select that ad-group negative and remove or narrow it. If the rule came from a shared list, remove the list from this campaign; do not delete the shared list used by other campaigns. |
| Next evidence check | Review later Search terms, conversions, and lead-quality evidence after the account’s normal conversion delay. A missing query row alone does not prove the rule blocked it or improved results: report privacy limits visibility, and other auction, targeting, budget, and demand factors affect serving. |
Reusable record: date | source query | Keep/Exclude/Monitor | negative text and match type | campaign/ad group/list/account scope | protected queries | prior rule state | saved-rule readback | rollback action | next evidence review point.
For a campaign change that coincides with time-of-day or weekly patterns, evaluate changes without confusing timing effects. Keep the review tied to the account’s own reporting and conversion delay; do not infer cause or business impact from a before/after comparison alone.
To roll back an individual campaign or ad-group negative, open Campaigns → Keywords → Negative keywords, edit the text or match type with the row’s pencil control and save, or select the row and remove it. For an account-level negative, open Admin → Account settings → Negative keywords, select the term, and remove it. To undo a shared-list rule in one campaign, select the list in that campaign’s Negative keywords tab and choose Edit → Remove; this detaches the list from that campaign without deleting it for other campaigns. Read back the corrected text, match type, and scope after saving. Google’s edit and remove instructions · Google’s account-level controls · Google’s list-detachment instructions.
