Last updated on January 31st, 2026 at 12:29 am
TLDR: Negative keywords in Google Ads stop your ads from showing up for searches that waste your budget. This guide walks you through exactly how to set them up, where to find them, and how to use them properly so you can reduce ad spend and stop paying for clicks that were never going to convert.
Every time someone clicks your ad, you pay for it. That’s the deal with Google Ads. But what happens when the wrong people click? You still pay.
And that’s the problem.
If you’re running ads for ‘Canberra plumber’, you probably don’t want to show up when someone searches ‘plumber jobs Canberra’ or ‘free plumbing advice’. Those clicks cost you money, but they’re never going to turn into customers.
Negative keywords in Google Ads fix this. They tell Google, ‘don’t show my ad when someone includes these words in their search’.
Simple concept. Massive impact on your budget.
According to Google’s own documentation, negative keywords help you exclude search terms that aren’t a good match for your product or service. This is one of the most effective ways to reduce ad spend without sacrificing results. In fact, it’s one of the most common Google Ads mistakes we see businesses make when they ignore this feature entirely.
Where to find negative keywords in Google Ads
Alright, let’s get into the practical stuff. Here’s how to find and add negative keywords to your next Google Ads campaign.
Step 1: Log in to your Google Ads account
Head to ads.google.com and sign in. If you’ve got multiple accounts, make sure you’re in the right one. Sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how often people add negative keywords in Google Ads to the wrong account and wonder why nothing changed.
Step 2: Navigate to the Keywords section
On the left-hand menu, click ‘Keywords’. You’ll see a few options here. The one you want is ‘Negative keywords’.
If you’re using the new Google Ads interface (and most people are by now), it should be pretty straightforward. If you’re still on an older version, you might need to click ‘Search keywords’ first, then find the negative keywords tab.
Step 3: Choose your level
This is where people often get confused.
You can add negative keywords in Google Ads at three levels: ad group level (only affects that specific ad group), campaign level (affects all ad groups within that campaign), or account level using negative keyword lists (affects your entire account).
For most businesses, campaign level is the sweet spot. It gives you control without making you add the same negative keywords fifteen times over.
Step 4: Add your negative keywords
Click the blue plus button. Type in the words you want to exclude. Hit save.
Done.
Well, almost. There’s a bit more nuance to it.
Understanding match types for negative keywords
This is where things get a bit technical, but stick with me. It matters if you want to properly optimise Google Ads budget.
Negative keywords in Google Ads use match types, just like regular keywords. But they work slightly differently.
Broad match negative means if you add ‘free’ as a broad match negative, your ad won’t show for any search that contains the word ‘free’. Doesn’t matter where it appears in the search or what other words are around it.
Phrase match negative uses quotation marks around your negative keyword, like ‘free quote’. Your ad won’t show when someone searches for that exact phrase in that exact order. But it might still show if the words are separated or in a different order.
Exact match negative uses square brackets, like [free plumbing quote]. Your ad won’t show only when someone searches for that exact term, nothing more, nothing less.
The kicker? Negative keywords don’t account for close variants the way regular keywords do. So if you add ‘plumber’ as a negative, ‘plumbers’ might still trigger your ad. You’ll need to add both versions manually.
Google explains the differences in their match types guide, and it’s worth a read if you want to get granular.
How to find negative keywords you actually need
Setting up the system is one thing. Knowing what to block unwanted clicks is another.
Check your Search Terms Report
This is your goldmine. Go to ‘Insights and reports’, then ‘Search terms’. You’ll see the actual searches that triggered your ads.
Some of them will make you wince. ‘DIY plumbing tips’. ‘Plumbing courses near me’. ‘How to fix a tap yourself’.
None of those people want to hire you. Add them to your negative list to block unwanted clicks that drain your budget.
Think like your non-customer
Who don’t you want clicking your ads? Job seekers? Students doing research? Bargain hunters looking for freebies?
Write down the words those people would use. Then block them.
Common negative keywords for service businesses include: free, cheap, DIY, jobs, careers, how to, training, course, and salary. Your list will depend on your industry, but that’s a solid starting point. If you’re comparing SEO vs Google Ads as marketing channels, negative keywords become even more critical since you’re paying for every click.
Use Google’s Keyword Planner
You can also use Google’s Keyword Planner to research related terms. Sometimes it’ll surface search queries you hadn’t considered, and you can decide whether to target them or block them.
Creating a negative keyword list to reduce ad spend
If you’re running multiple campaigns, you don’t want to add the same negative keywords in Google Ads over and over. That’s tedious and error-prone.
Instead, create a negative keyword list.
Go to ‘Tools and settings’ (the spanner icon), then under ‘Shared library’, click ‘Negative keyword lists’. Create a new list. Give it a sensible name like ‘Job seekers’ or ‘Freebie hunters’. Add your keywords. Then apply that list to whichever campaigns need it.
Now, when you add a new negative keyword to the list, it automatically applies across all linked campaigns. Much cleaner. This approach helps you optimise Google Ads budget systematically across your entire account.
Common mistakes to avoid
Negative keywords are powerful, but only if you use them right. Avoid these common slip-ups.
Being too aggressive
If you add too many negative keywords or use broad match when you should use exact match, you might accidentally block legitimate customers. Keep an eye on your impressions and make sure you’re not cutting off good traffic.
Forgetting to review regularly
Your Search Terms Report changes over time. New weird searches pop up. Check it monthly, at a minimum. This regular review is part of setting up Google Ads properly from the start.
Ignoring negative keywords entirely
This one’s the biggest mistake. Plenty of businesses set up Google Ads, let it run, and never look at what searches are actually triggering their ads. That’s how you burn through budget without knowing why.
The bottom line on negative keywords in Google Ads
Negative keywords in Google Ads aren’t glamorous. Nobody’s winning marketing awards for a well-maintained exclusion list. But they’re one of the most effective ways to reduce ad spend on wasted clicks.
Set them up at campaign level. Use match types intentionally. Review your Search Terms Report regularly. Build shared lists if you’re running multiple campaigns.
Do this consistently, and you’ll spend less on clicks that don’t convert and more on the ones that do. Combined with the right bidding strategy, negative keywords become even more powerful at optimising your Google Ads budget.
Frequently asked questions about negative keywords
Only if you go overboard. Adding too many broad match negatives can accidentally block good traffic, so start conservatively and review your data regularly before expanding your list.
There’s no magic number. Some accounts have a dozen, others have hundreds depending on your industry and how many irrelevant searches you’re attracting.
Not directly, but they help indirectly by filtering out irrelevant clicks, which can improve your click-through rate and positively impact Quality Score over time.
Yes, but they work differently. On Display, negative keywords help exclude placements on sites related to those terms rather than blocking specific search queries.
Usually within a few hours. Google needs a bit of time to process changes, but you should see the effect fairly quickly in your search terms report.
Yes, unfortunately. Negative keywords don’t automatically include close variants, so ‘plumber’ and ‘plumbers’ need to be added as separate entries to properly block unwanted clicks.
Yep. You can either use negative keyword lists (which apply across campaigns) or manually copy and paste keywords between campaigns in the Google Ads interface.
Negative keywords block specific search terms or topics, while excluded placements block specific websites or apps where your Display or Video ads might appear.
Need help optimising your Google Ads campaigns?
Setting up negative keywords in Google Ads is just one piece of running profitable campaigns. The real challenge is building a complete Google Ads strategy that actually drives leads while keeping your cost per acquisition under control.
At Otto Media, we help Canberra businesses run Google Ads campaigns that deliver results. That includes negative keyword audits, campaign structure, ad copywriting, and the ongoing optimisation work that keeps your budget focused on clicks that convert.
Want to chat about your Google Ads setup and whether you’re wasting budget on irrelevant clicks? Let’s have a chat.
