What is a negative keyword in Google Ads?

A negative keyword tells Google not to show your ad for searches containing that term, even if one of your regular keywords would otherwise match.

How often should I update my negative keyword list?

Checking the search terms report weekly during the first few months of a campaign, then monthly once it stabilizes, catches irrelevant traffic before it accumulates into significant wasted spend.

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Google Ads

Negative keywords in Google Ads, explained

They quietly determine how much of your budget goes to waste. Here's what they are and how to build a list that actually protects spend.

In short

A negative keyword blocks your ad from showing on searches containing that term, even when a regular keyword would otherwise match. Without a growing negative list, budget quietly leaks toward searches like "jobs," "free," "diy," or "reviews" that rarely turn into paying customers.

Where wasted spend usually hides

The search terms report shows the exact words people typed before your ad showed and was clicked, and it's usually full of surprises, job seekers, students researching for school, people looking for free alternatives, or searches for a completely different but similarly worded product. Reviewing this report regularly and adding clear irrelevant terms as negatives is the single highest-leverage habit in account management.

Want your search terms report audited for waste?

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