Negative Keywords

Negative keywords are terms you explicitly exclude from paid search targeting to prevent ads from showing on irrelevant queries. They are one of the highest-impact levers for cost control because they reduce wasted clicks and improve traffic intent quality. A strong negative keyword strategy is built from search terms reports, support logs, and intent analysis, then maintained continuously as campaigns scale. Negatives can be applied at account, campaign, or ad-group level, and match type behavior should be reviewed carefully to avoid accidental overblocking. Better query filtering often improves downstream metrics such as conversion rate and ROAS by concentrating spend on qualified demand. Effective teams treat negative management as ongoing hygiene, not a one-time campaign setup task.