Google Ads guide
Google Ads negative keywords
Negative keywords stop your ads from showing on searches you do not want to pay for. They match more literally than keywords: no close variants, no synonyms. Build them from the search terms report, add each one at the narrowest level that solves the problem, and keep account-level negatives for terms no campaign should ever buy.
Reviewed Oct 3, 2026
Match types
How each negative match type blocks a search
Google's own example: a negative keyword running shoes in each match type.
| Negative keyword | Match type | Blocks | Still shows for |
|---|---|---|---|
| running shoes | Negative broad | blue running shoes, shoes running | running shoe, running |
| "running shoes" | Negative phrase | running shoes, blue running shoes | shoes running, running shoe |
| [running shoes] | Negative exact | running shoes | blue running shoes, running shoe |
Negative keywords do not match close variants: the plural or singular, misspellings and synonyms need their own entry. Source: Google Ads Help, About negative keywords.
01
How negative keywords match
A negative keyword prevents an ad from showing when a search matches it. On Search, negatives come in three match types. Negative broad blocks a search containing every word of the negative, in any order. Negative phrase blocks a search containing the words in the same order. Negative exact blocks only the exact search.
The important difference from regular keywords: Google states that negative keywords do not match close variants or other expansions. Excluding running shoes does not exclude running shoe. Add the singular, the plural and the misspellings you see in reports.
02
Build the list from the search terms report
The search terms report lists the searches that actually triggered your ads, with their clicks, cost and conversions. Review it on a schedule and sort by cost: the expensive irrelevant terms come first.
Classify each bad term before excluding it. A wrong product, a wrong intent such as jobs or tutorials, or a place you do not serve each call for a different negative and a different level. Some low-volume searches are not shown for privacy reasons, so the report is never the complete list.
- Sort by cost, not by impressions
- Exclude the theme, not only the single query
- Prefer phrase or exact for single words that also appear in good searches
03
Choose the level: ad group, campaign, list or account
Add a negative at the narrowest level that solves the problem. An ad-group negative routes a query to a better ad group; a campaign negative keeps a search out of one campaign while another may still buy it.
Negative keyword lists hold themes shared by several campaigns, such as jobs or competitor names, and change everywhere at once. Account-level negatives apply to the Search and Shopping inventory of every eligible campaign, Performance Max included, and suit terms the business never wants to pay for.
04
Negative keywords in Performance Max
Performance Max campaigns accept campaign-level negative keywords, chosen individually or from an existing negative keyword list. Google applies them to Search and Shopping inventory only. To keep Display or video placements away from a topic, Google points to excluded content keywords in the Content Suitability settings instead.
Find the terms in the search terms report, under Insights and reports, by choosing search terms and landing pages for Performance Max. Before excluding a term, Google can estimate the predicted change in conversions or conversion value, ten keywords at a time, for Performance Max campaigns.
To stop Performance Max from buying your own brand searches, brand exclusions are the dedicated control: they cover the brand name, common misspellings and related brands, which a list of negatives would have to spell out one by one.
05
Mistakes that block good traffic
A single-word negative broad keyword is the most common accident: excluding cheap also excludes cheap delivery and not cheap. Read a negative as a search would before saving it.
Account-level negatives for a term that only one campaign should avoid remove it from every campaign at once. Review the account list as carefully as you built it, and check the search terms report after a change to confirm what stopped.
Weekly routine
From search terms to negative keywords
01
Pull the search terms
Open the search terms report, or search terms and landing pages for Performance Max, and sort by cost.
02
Classify each bad term
Wrong product, wrong intent or wrong place. Exclude the theme, not only the single query.
03
Choose level and match type
Use the narrowest level that solves it, and phrase or exact for words that also appear in good searches.
04
Check what stopped
A week later, confirm the term is gone and that no converting search disappeared with it.
Where to add them
Ad group, campaign, list or account
| Level | Reaches | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Ad group | That ad group only | Sending a query to the ad group whose ads fit it better |
| Campaign | That campaign | Searches that are wrong here but right for another campaign |
| Negative keyword list | Every campaign the list is applied to | Themes shared by several campaigns, kept in one place |
| Account level | Search and Shopping inventory in Search, Performance Max, Shopping, App, Smart and Local campaigns | Terms no campaign should ever buy |
| Performance Max campaign | Search and Shopping inventory of that campaign | Irrelevant searches found in its search terms report |
Limits from Google Ads Help: 10,000 negative keywords per campaign, 1,000 at account level, 20 shared lists per account with up to 5,000 keywords each. Display and Video campaigns accept negatives as broad match only.
Starter list
A starter negative keyword list
Copy the themes that do not fit your offer, then extend them from your own search terms.
| Theme | Example negatives | Add it when |
|---|---|---|
| Jobs and careers | jobs, careers, hiring, salary, internship | You sell a product or service, not employment |
| Free and do it yourself | free, diy, template, how to make | You have no free offer or tutorial to show |
| Learning and research | course, tutorial, definition, pdf, wiki | The search is about learning, not buying |
| Second-hand and rental | used, second hand, refurbished, rental | You only sell new |
| Existing customers | login, sign in, customer service, phone number | Support searches should not spend the prospecting budget |
| Brands you do not sell | the names of other brands | You do not deliberately bid on competitor searches |
| Places you do not serve | cities or countries outside your area | Location targeting does not cover what the query asks for |
A starting point, not a list to paste unread. A word such as free also appears in buying searches like free shipping, so check the search terms report before adding a single-word negative.
FAQ
Common questions
What are negative keywords in Google Ads?
Words or phrases that stop your ads from showing on searches containing them. They keep budget away from searches that will not convert, such as jobs, tutorials or products you do not sell.
Do negative keywords match close variants?
No. Google states that negative keywords do not match close variants or other expansions, so add plurals, singulars and misspellings yourself.
Can you add negative keywords to Performance Max?
Yes. Add them at campaign level or apply a negative keyword list; account-level negatives also apply. They affect Search and Shopping inventory only.
How many negative keywords can I add in Google Ads?
Up to 10,000 per campaign, 1,000 at account level, and 20 shared negative keyword lists per account with up to 5,000 keywords each, according to Google Ads Help.
Should I add competitor names as negative keywords?
Only if you do not want to bid on competitor searches. If you do, keep competitor terms in their own campaign and exclude them from the others with a list.