How to Create Negative Keyword Lists in Google Ads

One of the most basic yet impactful optimizations you can do on Google Ads is keyword optimization. In particular, it is important to keep building and maintaining your negative keyword lists to ensure your Google Ads campaigns are always targeting relevant keywords and maximizing the results of your ads. Follow along as we show you a simplified, step-by-step guide on how to create negative keyword lists in Google Ads, along with some tips to find the keywords you need to include on your negative keyword list!

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How to Create Negative Keyword Lists in Google Ads

1. Login to your Google Ads Account

2. Navigate to Tools (Left-hand-side-menu)

3. Open the Shared library dropdown menu

4. Select Exclusion lists

5. Click on the "+" symbol to create a new Negative keyword list

6. Name the Negative keyword list

7. Input all the negative keywords you'd like to exclude with the relevant match types (i.e. Broad, Phrase, Exact). The match types for negative keywords work the same way as a search keyword.

8. Save

How to Apply the Negative keyword list to one or more of your campaigns

Option 1

1. Select your Negative keyword list

2. Scroll down and click on "Apply to campaigns"

3. Select the campaigns you would like to apply your keyword list on

Option 2

1. Navigate to Campaigns (left-hand-side menu)

2. Select the campaign you would like to modify

3. Click on Edit targeting

4. Select Negative keyword lists

5. Choose the Negative keyword list to apply

How to Find Negative Keywords to Include in Your Negative Keyword Lists

1. Navigate to Campaigns (Left-hand-side menu)

2. Open the Insights and Reports dropdown menu

3. Select Search terms > A list of queries that trigger your ads will appear.

4. Filter the keywords that have less than 1 conversion (non-converting keywords)

5. Sort them based on impressions or clicks from highest to lowest

6. Scan the list to find and exclude search terms that you don't want to include in the campaign

7. Select the search term and click "Add as negative keyword"

8. Add a negative keyword to the Ad group / Campaign / Negative keyword list

9. Click "Save"

Frequently Asked Question on Negative Keyword Lists in Google Ads

What is a negative keyword list?

A negative keyword list is a reusable collection of negative keywords that can be applied across multiple campaigns and ad groups. Instead of adding the same negative keywords repeatedly to different campaigns, you can create a list once and apply it wherever needed. This makes campaign management more efficient and helps maintain consistency across your account.

What are the benefits of using negative keyword lists?

• Centralized Negative Keywords Management: Update negative keywords in one place and automatically apply changes across all linked campaigns

• Time Efficiency: Save time by applying pre-built lists to new campaigns instead of adding keywords individually

• Consistency: Maintain uniform negative keyword coverage across multiple campaigns

• Error Prevention: Reduce the risk of missing important negative keywords in some campaigns

• Easy Sharing: Share lists between different accounts in your manager account (MCC)

What are the different match types for negative keywords?

• Negative Broad Match: Blocks ads for searches containing all negative keyword terms in any order

• Negative Phrase Match: Blocks ads for searches containing the exact phrase in the same order

• Negative Exact Match: Blocks ads only for searches matching the exact term precisely

How many negative keywords can I have in a list?

• Each negative keyword list can contain up to 5,000 keywords

• An account can have up to 20 negative keyword lists

• A campaign can use multiple negative keyword lists