A negative keyword tells Google Ads not to show your ad for searches containing that term. A furniture store selling sofas can exclude words like “free”, “second hand” or “how to” so the budget goes to people ready to buy or request a quote.
- Match types: broad, phrase and exact negatives work differently, and negatives do not automatically cover synonyms, plurals or misspellings.
- Best source: the search terms report shows the real queries that triggered your ads; move irrelevant ones to your negative list.
- Shared lists: save common exclusions once and apply them to several campaigns.
- Common mistakes: excluding commercial words like “price”, conflicts with your own keywords and treating the list as a one-off task.
Automated campaign types offer more limited controls that change over time, so check the platform’s current rules. Racoun manages negative keywords as a routine part of Google Ads management, takes no media commission and offers a free first consultation.
Talk to Racoun: we are based in Istanbul and work with brands across Türkiye. Message us on WhatsApp or email ekip@racoun.com.
