Negative Keywords: What Are They & How to Use Them

The success or failure of a digital marketing campaign can often come down to the key decisions that you make. Do you spend your budget in the right places? Are your keywords relevant enough?

One crucial element of any effective Google ads strategy is understanding and utilizing negative keywords. But what exactly are they, and how do you use them?

In this blog post, we will explore negative keywords - why they're important, how to identify them for maximum efficacy with minimum time investment, and best practices for incorporating these words into your PPC strategy.

What Are Negative Keywords and Why Are They Important for Online Marketing Campaigns?

Online marketing campaigns are crucial for businesses looking to expand their reach and increase sales. However, simply displaying ads to a large audience is not always effective. That’s where negative keywords come in.

Negative keywords are the opposite of regular keywords and are used to prevent ads from being displayed to irrelevant audiences. For example, if a company is selling high-end jewelry, they may add "cheap" or "discount" as negative keywords to ensure their ads do not appear to individuals searching for lower-priced jewelry.

Negative keywords save businesses money by preventing irrelevant clicks while directing their budget toward more valuable leads. By strategically implementing negative keywords, businesses can better target their audience and improve the effectiveness of their online marketing campaigns.

Image Source: NeilPatel

Types of Negative Keywords

Negative keywords are an essential part of any successful PPC strategy, helping you to avoid irrelevant clicks and wasted ad spend. There are three types of negative keywords: broad match, phrase match, and exact match.

Let's delve deeper into the different types of negative keywords and provide illustrative examples for each -

1. Broad Match Negative Keywords: This is the default setting for negative keywords. For example, if "running shoes" is set as a broad match negative keyword, your ads won’t show up for any search terms containing the word "running shoes". It's important to note that your ads will still showup for search terms containing synonyms, singular or plural forms, misspellings, or other variations of the word "running shoes".

2. Phrase Match Negative Keywords: This is a more targeted option. If you set a phrase to match negative keywords like "running shoes", your ad won't show up when someone searches for that phrase in that order. However, if someone searches for "shoes running", your ad might still show up, because the keywords aren't in the same order.

3. Exact Match Negative Keywords: This is the most restrictive option. If "running shoes" is set as an exact match negative keyword, your ad won't show up only if someone searches for that exact phrase, in that order. Any other variations, even slight ones, will still trigger your ad. For instance, if someone searches for "blue running shoes" your ad might show up because it's not an exact match.

Image Source: LocaliQ

By understanding these different types of negative keywords and using them correctly, you can more effectively manage your ad spend and increase the ROI of your PPC campaigns.

How to Find the Right Negative Keywords for Your Advertising Campaign?

Negative keywords are crucial in any successful advertising campaign. They prevent your ads from popping up on irrelevant search results, wasting your time and money. However, finding the right negative keywords can be daunting, especially if you're not sure where to start. Follow these steps to identify the right negative keywords for your business:

1. Use Google's Keyword Planner

‍This tool gives you keyword ideas and estimates how they may perform. Look for keywords that are irrelevant to your business or ones that are unlikely to convert.

2. Analyze Your Search Term Report

‍The Search Term Report in your Google Ads account shows you the actual terms people used to trigger your ads. This report is a goldmine of potential negative keywords.

3. Consider Searcher Intent

‍Certain keywords may seem relevant, but the searcher's intent might not align with your business. For example, if you’re selling a high-end product, you might want to add “cheap” or “discount” to your negative keyword list.

4. Use Negative Keyword Tools

‍There are several tools available online that can help you generate a list of potential negative keywords related to your business.

5. Monitor Your Campaign

‍Regularly monitor your ad performance. If certain keywords are not converting despite high impressions, consider adding them to your negative keyword list.

Tip: Use DashClicks’ white label reporting platform to monitor and analyse your advertising campaign. 

By following these steps, you can refine your ad targeting, prevent wasted ad spend, and increase the overall ROI of your PPC campaigns. Remember, finding the right negative keywords is an ongoing process that requires regular reviews and adjustments.

Tips for Effective Implementation of Negative Keywords

Once you have a list of keywords, the next step is to implement them so you can see if they are the right choice for your PPC campaigns. Here’s how you can do that:

• ‍Start Early: Don't wait until your PPC campaign is in full swing to implement negative keywords. The earlier you start, the more you can prevent wasted ad spend.‍
• Stay Organized: Keep your negative keywords list organized. It can help prevent mistakes and make it easier to update your list as needed.‍
• Regular Updates: Regularly update your negative keyword list as you identify new irrelevant search terms. It will help keep your PPC campaigns efficient and effective.‍
• Leverage Analytics: Use analytics to understand which search terms are leading to conversions and which aren't. It can help you identify potential negative keywords.‍
• Consider Match Types: Remember to consider the different match types (broad, phrase, and exact match) when adding negative keywords. The match type can influence the effectiveness of your negative keywords.‍
• Don’t Overdo It: While it's important to identify as many negative keywords as possible, be careful not to overdo it. Adding too many can limit your ad exposure and prevent your ad from appearing in relevant searches.‍
• Collaborate: Don't work alone in identifying negative keywords. Collaborate with other teams in your organization to gain different perspectives. What may seem irrelevant to you might be relevant to someone else.‍
• Use Tools: There are several tools available that can help you identify potential negative keywords. Use these tools to ease the process and make your campaigns more effective.

Remember, implementing negative keywords is an ongoing task that requires regular monitoring and updating. But, with the right strategy in place, it can help improve the efficiency and ROI of your PPC campaigns.

Strategies to Measure the Impact of Negative Keywords

Negative keywords are crucial for any successful pay-per-click (PPC) advertising campaign and increase revenue. They help ensure that your ads are being shown to the right audience while saving you money by avoiding irrelevant clicks. But how can you measure the impact of your negative keywords? Here’s what you can do:

1. Pre and Post-Analysis

‍Compare your campaign's performance before and after implementing your negative keywords. Look for changes in key metrics like click-through rates (CTR) and conversion rates.

Further Reading: Knowing the Exact Metrics For Your Google Ads Campaigns

2. Review Search Term Reports

‍Regularly review your search term reports to track the phrases users are typing to find your ads. If you see fewer irrelevant terms after implementing your negative keywords, that's a clear sign of their positive impact.

3. Monitor Cost Per Conversion

‍A decrease in cost per conversion can indicate that your negative keywords are working to remove irrelevant clicks and wasted spend.

4. Track Quality Score

‍Your Quality Score in Google Ads considers the relevance of your ads, click-through rate and landing page to a searcher's query. If your Quality Score improves after implementing negative keywords, it means you're successfully eliminating irrelevant traffic.

Image Source: Instapage

Further Reading: How to Improve Your Google Ads Quality Score Quickly

5. Use Google Analytics

‍Google Analytics can provide insights into how users interact with your website after clicking on your ads. You can set up goals to track conversions and then compare goal completion rates before and after implementing negative keywords.

6. Impression Share

‍This metric shows the percentage of impressions your ads received compared to the total number of impressions your ads could get. If your impression share increases after implementing negative keywords, it's a good sign that you're more effectively targeting your audience.

Remember, measuring the impact of your negative keywords is an ongoing process, and it requires consistent monitoring and fine-tuning for optimal results. It's not a set-it-and-forget-it task. Always monitor your campaign metrics and be ready to adjust your negative keywords list as needed. 

DashClicks, with its white label Google Ads services, can play a significant role in enhancing your PPC campaigns. It offers comprehensive services that include everything from ppc keyword research and ad creation to campaign management and performance tracking. 

The experts at DashClicks understand the critical role of negative keywords in a successful PPC campaign. They have extensive experience in identifying and implementing negative keywords, which can reduce wasted ad spend and increase campaign efficiency. 

DashClicks not only assists you in creating and optimizing your negative keywords list but also continuously monitors your campaigns, making necessary adjustments based on performance data. This ongoing attention to detail results in highly targeted ads that drive more relevant traffic to your website. 

Wrapping It Up!

The strategic implementation of negative keywords in your PPC campaigns is a powerful way to reduce wasted ad spend, improve the relevance of your ads, and boost overall ROI. The process of identifying, implementing, and measuring the impact of negative keywords is continuous and requires a keen eye for detail, analysis, and regular adjustments. 

By taking the time to understand your audience, analyze your search term reports, and closely monitor your campaign's performance, you can create a negative keyword strategy that significantly enhances your PPC campaign efficacy. Always remember, the ultimate goal of using negative keywords is to ensure your ads reach the right audience, garnering more relevant clicks and leading to higher conversion rates.