How to Search Negative Keywords for Better PPC Results

Negative keywords are a powerful tool in PPC advertising. They help you exclude irrelevant search queries, ensuring your ads only appear to the right audience. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to search for negative keywords effectively.

What Are Negative Keywords?

Negative keywords are terms you add to your PPC campaigns to prevent your ads from showing for irrelevant searches. For example, if you sell luxury watches, you might add "cheap" as a negative keyword to avoid clicks from bargain hunters.

Why Negative Keywords Matter

Using negative keywords can:

• Reduce wasted ad spend
• Improve click-through rates (CTR)
• Increase conversion rates
• Boost overall campaign ROI

How to Find Negative Keywords

1. Use Google Ads Search Terms Report

Navigate to your Google Ads account, go to the "Keywords" tab, and select "Search terms." Review the queries triggering your ads and identify irrelevant ones to add as negatives.

2. Leverage Google Keyword Planner

Enter your target keywords into the Keyword Planner and look for related terms that don’t align with your offerings. Add these as negatives.

3. Analyze Competitor Keywords

Tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs can reveal competitor keywords. Identify mismatches and exclude them from your campaigns.

4. Brainstorm Irrelevant Terms

Think like your audience. What terms might they use that aren’t relevant to your product? For example, a B2B software company might exclude "free" or "tutorial."

Best Practices for Negative Keywords

• Start broad and refine over time
• Use match types (broad, phrase, exact) strategically
• Regularly update your negative keyword lists
• Segment negatives by campaign or ad group

Conclusion

Mastering negative keywords is essential for PPC success. By regularly auditing and updating your lists, you’ll ensure your ads reach the right audience, maximize ROI, and minimize wasted spend.