Negative keywords explained
A negative keyword tells Google Ads not to show your ad on searches that contain it, so you stop paying for clicks from people who want something you don't sell. Negatives match differently from normal keywords: they don't cover close variants, so plurals and synonyms have to be added one by one.
What negative keywords do
Every keyword you bid on can match searches you never meant to pay for. Negative keywords fix that by excluding search terms from a campaign. Google's example is an optometrist who sells eyeglasses and adds "wine glasses" and "drinking glasses" as negatives.[1]
The benefit is budget. Every click from someone who wants something else is money that could have gone to a buyer. Google puts it as part of choosing what not to target.[1]
How the three negative match types work
Negative keywords default to broad match, and each type behaves differently from its normal keyword counterpart.[1] Google's examples use the negative "running shoes":
| Search | Negative broad running shoes | Negative phrase "running shoes" | Negative exact [running shoes] |
|---|---|---|---|
| running shoes | Blocked | Blocked | Blocked |
| blue running shoes | Blocked | Blocked | Can show |
| shoes running | Blocked | Can show | Can show |
| running shoe | Can show | Can show | Can show |
| blue tennis shoes | Can show | Can show | Can show |
- Negative broad blocks a search that contains all the negative's words, in any order. If only some of the words appear, the ad can still show.
- Negative phrase blocks a search that contains the words in the same order, even with extra words around them.
- Negative exact blocks only that exact search, with no extra words.[1]
The close variant trap
Normal keywords stretch to cover close variants. Negatives don't. Google says negatives handle casing and misspellings, but you must add synonyms and singular or plural forms yourself. Its example: a negative "flowers" blocks "red flowers" but not "red flower".[1]
Two smaller rules from the same page. Long searches: if a search is longer than 16 words and your negative comes after the 16th word, the ad can still show. Symbols: ampersands, accents and asterisks are read as written, so "socks & shoes" and "socks and shoes" are different negatives.[1]
Where to add them
- Campaign or ad group level, for terms that are wrong for one campaign but fine for another.
- Negative keyword lists, shared across campaigns, for terms that are always wrong, such as "jobs" or "free" for many businesses.
- Account level, one list that applies to eligible Search and Shopping inventory across campaign types.[1] Performance Max search themes respect account-level negatives too.[2]
On Display and video, negatives work as topic exclusions, so an ad may stay off pages strongly about the excluded topic even if the exact words aren't there. Google considers at most 1,000 negatives at the account level for those ads.[1]
A starter list, and how to grow it
Most service and retail accounts end up excluding some of these themes. Check each against your business before adding it:
- Job seekers: jobs, careers, salary, hiring, internship
- Do-it-yourself: how to, DIY, tutorial, diagram, manual
- Research only: definition, meaning, wikipedia, reddit
- Price shoppers you don't serve: free, cheap, used (only if you never offer these)
- Wrong place: city or region names outside your service area
Then grow the list from real data:
- Open the search terms report for the last 30 days.
- Sort by cost. Look at terms that spent money with no conversions.
- Add the word that makes each one wrong as a negative, at the narrowest level that fixes it.
- Repeat weekly at first, then monthly.
Don't overdo it. Google warns that too many negatives can shrink your reach.[1] Its troubleshooting guide for low traffic lists negatives that block relevant searches as one of the causes to check.[3]
RunAds builds a negative keyword list for each campaign before launch, and you approve the campaign before it goes live. Signing up is free. Credit packs start at $25, and Google ad spend uses 5 credits per $1.
Credit packs from $25, 5 credits per $1 of ad spend. No contracts.
Common questions
What is the difference between a keyword and a negative keyword?
A keyword tells Google which searches can show your ad. A negative keyword tells it which searches must not. An optometrist might add 'wine glasses' and 'drinking glasses' as negatives so 'glasses' ads only reach people looking for eyewear.
Do negative keywords block plurals and misspellings?
Google says negatives account for casing and misspellings, but not synonyms or singular and plural forms. A negative 'flowers' blocks 'red flowers' but not 'red flower', so add both.
Can you add too many negative keywords?
Yes. Google warns that too many negatives can mean your ads reach fewer customers. Add negatives from real search terms you have seen, and check that a new negative doesn't block searches that convert.
Do negative keywords work in Performance Max?
Performance Max respects account-level negative keywords, and search themes also respect them. Account-level negatives apply to eligible Search and Shopping inventory across campaign types.
What does negative exact match block?
Only searches with exactly those words in that order and nothing else. A negative [running shoes] blocks the search 'running shoes' but still allows 'blue running shoes'.
Sources
- About negative keywords, Google Ads Help. Checked Nov 6, 2026.Negative keywords don't match close variants, so synonyms and singular or plural forms have to be added separately. Casing and misspellings are covered automatically.
- Unlock new relevant traffic on Performance Max with search themes, Google Ads Help. Checked Nov 9, 2026.Up to 25 search themes per asset group. Search themes have the same priority as phrase and broad match keywords; identical exact match keywords stay ahead of them.
- How to fix Google Ads campaigns not running or low traffic, Google Ads Help. Checked Nov 9, 2026.Ad review takes 1 to 2 days; check the common reasons if there are no impressions after 3 business days. Budget guideline: at least 10x expected CPC or 2 to 3x target CPA. Raise a limited Target CPA by 10 to 20%.
Every outside number on this page links to its source above, with the date we checked it.
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