Negative Keywords

Paid Media

Also: Negative Match · Exclusion Keywords

What they doBlock ads from irrelevant searches

Match typesBroad, phrase, exact

EffectLowers wasted spend, lifts quality

Applied atCampaign or ad group level

Quick definition

Negative keywords are words or phrases you add to a Google Ads campaign to stop your ads showing on irrelevant searches. If someone searches a term that matches your negative keyword list, your ad is suppressed. They're how you tell Google what you don't want to appear for, not just what you do.

How it varies across Australia

Across Australian paid search accounts we review, wasted spend on irrelevant queries is consistently one of the largest preventable budget losses. The accounts with well-maintained negative keyword lists tend to show meaningfully better conversion rates and lower cost per acquisition across the same spend levels.

See acquisition performance across Australian industries →

The three match types

Broad match negative

Blocks searches containing all the words in your negative keyword, in any order.

Widest block, least precise

Phrase match negative

Blocks searches that contain your negative keyword as a phrase, in that exact word order.

Middle ground

Exact match negative

Blocks searches that match your negative keyword exactly, nothing more and nothing less.

Tightest block, most control

What it actually means

Positive keywords tell Google when to show your ads. Negative keywords tell Google when to stay away. Both lists matter equally, and most accounts treat one as the whole job.

The logic is simple. If you sell new commercial fit-outs, you don't want to pay for someone searching 'DIY office renovation' or 'fit-out jobs Sydney.' Both searches contain words that overlap with your campaign but represent zero commercial intent for you. Without negative keywords, your ad enters the auction for those searches anyway, burns budget, and pushes your cost per acquisition up.

Google Ads applies negative keywords at campaign or ad group level. Campaign-level negatives exclude across every ad group in the campaign. Ad group-level negatives apply to that group only. For most accounts, the highest-value negatives belong at campaign level.

Negative keyword lists are not set-and-forget. The search terms report shows what queries actually triggered your ads. Reviewing it regularly is where the list gets built, and where most of the money is recovered.

A negative keyword list is the difference between a campaign that works hard and one that works hard at the wrong job.

How it shows up

Negative keywords show up in two places. First, the negative keyword list in your campaign or ad group settings. Second, and more usefully, in the search terms report, which shows the actual queries that triggered your ads. The gap between your keyword list and the search terms report tells you where negatives are needed.

A campaign spending a meaningful share of its budget on searches with no conversion history is a clear signal that the negative list is incomplete. The search terms report makes this visible. Without it, the waste is invisible in the headline numbers.

The Australian context

Australian paid search campaigns often inherit irrelevant traffic from UK and US search patterns because Google treats English-language queries similarly across geographies. Location exclusions help with geography, but negative keywords handle the intent problem. Australian-specific terms also matter: brand names, slang and local industry terminology that don't appear in global negative keyword templates need to be added manually for campaigns targeting the Australian market.

Where people get this wrong

Building the negative list once at launch and never revisiting it.Google's match behaviour evolves and new irrelevant queries appear over time. A list that was thorough at launch is incomplete within months.

Adding negatives at the wrong level.A negative added at ad group level only blocks at that group. If the same irrelevant query can trigger other ad groups in the same campaign, you need the negative at campaign level.

Using broad match negatives when phrase or exact is the right tool.A broad match negative for 'free' blocks any query containing the word free in any order. That can suppress legitimate queries you actually want. Match type on negatives needs the same care as on positive keywords.

Common questions

How do I find negative keywords to add?

Start with the search terms report in Google Ads, which shows every query that triggered your ads. Filter for queries with high impressions and zero conversions. Those are your first candidates. Also build a starter list from obvious irrelevant terms before the campaign launches: 'free', 'jobs', 'how to', 'DIY' and similar depending on your industry.

Can negative keywords accidentally block good traffic?

Yes. Overly broad negatives or careless phrase-match negatives can suppress legitimate searches. Before adding a negative keyword, check the search terms report to confirm it only covers queries you don't want. Test exact match first when you're unsure.

Should I use a shared negative keyword list or set it per campaign?

Shared lists save time across multiple campaigns targeting the same audience, and updates propagate automatically. For negatives specific to one product or campaign, set them directly on that campaign. Most accounts benefit from both: a shared list for universal exclusions and campaign-level additions for specifics.

How often should I review the search terms report?

Weekly for active campaigns in the early weeks. Fortnightly once the list is mature. The highest-spend campaigns warrant more frequent checks because the cost of unchecked waste compounds faster.

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About New Rebellion

New Rebellion is a marketing intelligence consultancy. We build tools, score Australian businesses on how their marketing actually performs, and publish Debrief every day. This dictionary is part of how we work in the open.

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