Are you tired of paying for clicks on irrelevant searches in your Google Ads campaign? Negative keywords may be the solution you've been looking for. In this article, we'll guide you through the process of adding negative keywords to your campaign to save money and improve overall ad performance.
Understanding Negative Keywords
What are Negative Keywords?
Negative keywords are an essential part of any successful PPC campaign. They are a type of keyword that tells search engines not to show your ad to users who search for specific terms. Negative keywords are the opposite of regular keywords, which are the words or phrases that you use to target your ads to specific users. Negative keywords are used to exclude certain search terms from your ad campaign.
For example, if you are selling high-end watches, you might use the keyword "luxury watches" to target users who are interested in buying expensive watches. However, you might also want to exclude certain search terms, such as "cheap watches" or "discount watches," which are not relevant to your product and could attract users who are not interested in your high-end watches.
Why are Negative Keywords Important for Your Campaign?
Negative keywords are important for several reasons. First, they help you avoid wasted ad spend by ensuring that your ads are only shown to users who are interested in your product or service. By excluding irrelevant search terms, you can reduce your cost-per-click (CPC) and improve your overall ad performance.
Second, negative keywords help improve your ad relevance, which can lead to higher Quality Scores and lower CPCs. Quality Score is a metric used by search engines to measure the relevance and quality of your ads. The higher your Quality Score, the more likely your ad is to be shown to users, and the less you will pay per click.
Finally, negative keywords can help you target your ads to specific audiences more effectively. By excluding certain search terms, you can focus your ad campaign on the users who are most likely to be interested in your product or service. This can help you improve your conversion rates and get a better return on your ad spend.
In conclusion, negative keywords are an essential part of any successful PPC campaign. By using them effectively, you can improve your ad performance, reduce your CPCs, and target your ads to the right audience.
Preparing Your Negative Keywords List
Identifying Potential Negative Keywords
To prepare your negative keywords list, consider the common search terms that aren't relevant to your product or service. For example, if you're selling health supplements, you may want to add negative keywords like "recipes" or "diet plans" to avoid appearing on searches that are unrelated to your product. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner and Google Search Console to identify potential negative keywords.
Organizing Your Negative Keywords
Keeping your negative keywords organized can save you time and help you manage your campaigns more effectively. Create separate lists of negative keywords for each campaign or ad group to ensure specific targeting. This makes it easier to add or remove negative keywords as needed, without affecting your entire campaign.
Using Keyword Match Types
Keyword match types specify how closely a user's search query needs to match your keyword to trigger your ad. There are three match types for negative keywords:
- Exact: the search query must match your negative keyword exactly
- Phrase: the search query must contain your negative keyword as a phrase (in order)
- Broad: the search query can include variations of your negative keyword
Using negative keyword match types lets you refine how specific or broad you want your exclusion to be. Keep in mind that when you use a broad match type, Google may exclude searches that you do want to appear for. Use this feature thoughtfully to avoid excluding potential customers.
Adding Negative Keywords to Your Google Ads Campaign
Adding Negative Keywords at the Campaign Level
To add negative keywords to your entire campaign, follow these steps:
- Sign in to your Google Ads account
- Click on the Campaigns tab and select the campaign you want to add negative keywords to
- Click on the Keywords tab and scroll down to the Negative keywords section
- Click on the blue + button to add a new negative keyword
- Enter the negative keyword in the box and select the desired match type
- Click Save
Adding Negative Keywords at the Ad Group Level
If you want to exclude specific search terms from an individual ad group, follow these steps:
- Sign in to your Google Ads account
- Click on the desired campaign and ad group you want to add negative keywords to
- Click on the Keywords tab and scroll down to the Negative keywords section
- Click on the blue + button to add a new negative keyword
- Enter the negative keyword in the box and select the desired match type
- Click Save
Using Negative Keyword Lists
If you have a large list of negative keywords, using negative keyword lists can save you time. To create a negative keyword list:
- Sign in to your Google Ads account
- Click on the Tools & Settings icon and select Negative keyword lists
- Click on the blue + button to create a new negative keyword list
- Enter a name for your list and add the desired negative keywords
- Select the campaigns or ad groups you want the list to apply to
- Click Create
Monitoring and Adjusting Your Negative Keywords
Analyzing Your Campaign Performance
To determine the impact of your negative keywords, monitor your campaign's performance regularly. Look at your click-through rate (CTR), average CPC, and overall cost per conversion to determine if your negative keywords are effective. Compare these metrics to previous periods, such as the past month or quarter, to see if there are any noticeable changes.
Refining Your Negative Keywords List
As you monitor your campaign's performance, you may find that you need to refine your negative keywords list. Review your search term reports and identify any irrelevant or low-performing searches. Add these terms to your negative keywords list to avoid appearing on these searches in the future.
Regularly Reviewing and Updating Your Negative Keywords
Avoid setting and forgetting your negative keywords. As your business evolves and the search landscape changes, be open to adjusting your negative keywords list accordingly. Regularly review and update your negative keywords to make sure you're always targeting the most relevant searches.
Conclusion
Adding negative keywords to your Google Ads campaign is a simple but effective way to reduce wasted spend and improve ad performance. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can easily implement and refine your negative keywords list to target the right audience for your business. Stay vigilant in monitoring and updating your negative keywords, and you'll be on your way to a more successful campaign.
