Negative Keywords: The Easiest Way to Stop Wasting Google Ads Budget

When we audit a new Google Ads account, one of the first places we look is the search terms report. It shows the actual searches that triggered your ads, and it's often eye-opening. Plumbers paying for “plumbing apprenticeships”. Solicitors paying for “free legal advice”. Furniture shops paying for “IKEA opening times”. Every one of those clicks costs money and brings in nothing. Negative keywords are how you stop it.

What is a negative keyword?

A negative keyword tells Google not to show your ad when a search contains a particular word or phrase. If you add “jobs” as a negative keyword, your ads won't appear for “electrician jobs near me”, even if “electrician” is one of your keywords.

Why it matters more than ever

Google has steadily loosened how keywords match to searches. Broad match and automated features now show ads for a much wider range of related searches than they used to. That can find valuable new customers, but it also means more irrelevant traffic slips through unless you actively manage it.

Common negative keywords to consider

Every business is different, but these categories come up in almost every account:

• Job seekers: jobs, careers, vacancies, salary, apprenticeship, training, course.
• Bargain hunters (if you're not the cheap option): free, cheap, second hand, used.
• DIY searchers: how to, DIY, tutorial, YouTube.
• Information only: definition, meaning, what is, history.
• Competitor brands you don't want to target.
• Locations you don't serve.
• Products or services you don't offer.

How to find them

Open the search terms report in Google Ads, set the date range to the last 30 or 90 days and sort by cost. Go through the terms that have spent money without converting and ask: would this person ever become a customer? If not, add the irrelevant word as a negative.

Use the right match type

Negative keywords have their own match types. A broad negative blocks any search containing all the words in any order; a phrase negative blocks searches containing that exact phrase; an exact negative blocks only that precise search. Be careful not to block valuable searches by accident. Adding “repair” as a broad negative to a boiler installer's account, for example, could block some installation searches too.

Build shared lists

Create negative keyword lists at account level for terms that should never trigger any ad, such as jobs and training, and apply them to every campaign. It saves time and keeps new campaigns protected from day one.

Make it a habit

Negative keyword management isn't a one-off job. Review your search terms at least every couple of weeks, especially in newer campaigns. It's one of the simplest, most reliable ways to lower your cost per lead.

At Duncross Media, search term reviews are a routine part of every account we manage. If you suspect your budget is leaking, we'll show you exactly where.