Negative keywords are one of the easiest wins available in Google Ads. Most advertisers set them once and then forget them entirely, which means wasted budget just keeps quietly accumulating. A small, consistent negative keyword strategy tends to improve ROI fast.
Where to add negative keywords
Inside the Google Ads account, go to Campaigns, then Assets, then Keywords, and choose the Negative keywords tab — the blue plus button adds new entries from there. Apply negatives at the campaign level to block a query everywhere, or at the ad group level to block it in just one specific place. Choosing the right scope matters, since a campaign-level negative can quietly cut off traffic in places it wasn’t meant to.
Understanding the three match types
Broad negative blocks a search when all the specified words appear, regardless of order — “cheap shoes” as a broad negative blocks “cheap running shoes,” but not “cheap boots” since the word “boots” doesn’t match. Phrase negative blocks a search when the exact phrase appears in that order — “mini tummy tuck” as a phrase negative blocks “mini tummy tuck cost.” Exact negative blocks only that precise term — [mini tummy tuck] blocks that exact search but not “mini tummy tuck cost.” Phrase negatives tend to work well for cleanup across most accounts; exact negatives are the right tool when just one precise query needs to be blocked.
Plural and misspelling quirks
Negatives don’t automatically block plurals or misspellings — the negative “shoe” won’t block “shoes.” Adding both singular and plural forms, along with common misspellings that are actually driving wasted clicks, makes a negative list meaningfully more robust.
Practical rules of thumb
Phrase negatives handle most cleanup tasks well; exact negatives are for blocking one specific query precisely. Broad negatives are worth using cautiously, since they can accidentally block searches that were actually wanted. Review search term reports regularly to catch new negatives worth adding, and consider negative keyword lists to scale the same exclusions consistently across multiple campaigns.
Keeping this manageable
A running internal list of negatives, exported periodically as a backup, keeps this from becoming chaotic over time. For anyone managing several accounts, automated rules can help apply the same logic at scale rather than doing it manually account by account.
Further reading
Google’s own guide to negative keywords covers the mechanics directly, and WordStream’s negative keyword primer is a useful practical companion.
Related reading on this blog:
Conclusion
Negative keywords are a fast, low-effort win for Google Ads — but they need to be applied thoughtfully across campaigns and ad groups, and revisited regularly as search terms change. That habit protects budget and steadily improves campaign efficiency over time.