Understanding Negative Keyword Match Types and How to Use Them

What are negative keyword match types?

Negative keywords tell Google Ads (and other platforms) not to show your ads when a user’s search includes certain terms. You can apply three match types:

• Broad negative – blocks any query that contains the term in any order or with close variants.
• Phrase negative – blocks queries that contain the exact phrase, but allows additional words before or after.
• Exact negative – blocks only the exact search term you specify.

Step‑by‑step process to implement them

1. Identify irrelevant traffic. Review search‑term reports and note queries that generate clicks but no conversions.
2. Select the appropriate match type. Use broad negatives for generic, low‑intent terms, phrase negatives for specific unwanted phrases, and exact negatives for single words that are always irrelevant.
3. Add the negatives. In Google Ads, go to the campaign or ad group, click “Keywords,” then “Negative keywords,” and paste your list with the chosen match type.
4. Monitor performance. After a week, re‑check the search‑term report to ensure you haven’t unintentionally blocked valuable traffic.

Common mistake to avoid

Applying a broad negative too early can filter out long‑tail queries that might convert. Start with phrase or exact negatives, then expand to broad only after confirming the term is consistently low‑performing.

How to verify the next step

Compare the click‑through rate (CTR) and conversion rate before and after adding negatives. A rise in conversion rate with stable spend indicates you’ve trimmed wasteful clicks.