How to improve the efficiency of the campaign using negative keywords

Optimizing PPC campaigns (click payment), in particular in Google advertisements or other similar platforms, is not only to choose the right keywords or write attractive advertisements. An often neglected but essential element for campaign performance is the effective use of Negative keywords.

This article explores, in a technical and applied manner, because the strategic use of negative keywords can reduce unnecessary costs, improve the CTR (click rate) and considerably increase the conversion rate of advertising campaigns.

1. What are the negative keywords?

Negative keywords (negative keywords) are terms or expressions that you specify for Exclude display your ads when they are looking for users. Unlike traditional keywords, which trigger the display of the advertisement, the negatives are exactly the opposite – they prevent display in unrelevant research.

Simple example:

If you sell luxury shoesYou do not want your ads to be displayed during research such as:

• «Cheap shoes»
• «Used shoes»
• «Children’s sports shoes»

By adding these terms as Negative keywordsYou make sure that your budget is allocated only to relevant research, with high chances of conversion.

2. The advantages of the use of negative keywords

The correct use of negative keywords helps improve the efficiency of campaigns in several ways:

• Middle CPC reduction: By avoiding the display for unrelevant terms, you do not pay for clicks that do not convert.
• CTR growth: Ads are displayed only in relevant contexts, where the user has a real intention to buy.
• Optimization of the quality score: Google Ads rewards relevance; A better CTR and a relevant destination page increase the score and decrease costs.
• More precise segmentation of the public: You only treat those looking for exactly what you offer.

3. Types of correspondence for negative keywords

Google ADS allows you to use more types of correspondence for negative keywords:

a) Exact match (corresponding exactly)

The advertisement is only excluded if The research is identical With the negative keyword.

Example:: -pantofi sport

• Excluded: «Sports shoes»
• Is not excluded: «Women’s sports shoes», «relaxed sports» shoes «

b) Match of the expression (sentences correspondence)

The advertisement is excluded if research Contains the exact sentence of the negative word.

Example:: -"pantofi sport"

• Excluded: «Sports shoes for men», «Sports shoes provisions»
• Is not excluded: «Shoes for athletes»

c) Large match (wide match)

The advertisement is excluded if research Includes all the termsIn any order, possible in other words.

Example:: -pantofi sport

• Excluded: «Children’s sports shoes», «sports shoes used»
• Is not excluded: «Shoes for jogging»

These differences are essential to define an effective negative strategy.

4. Technical implementation strategies

a) Audit of research terms (report of research terms)

Periodically, analyzes Google ADS research terms to identify the unrelevant expressions that have triggered the ad. Add these terms to the list of negative keywords.

b) Creation of shared lists

to use Shared negative keyword lists In Google Ads, to quickly apply the same list of negative terms in several campaigns or advertising groups.

Advantage: Easy scalability and maintenance.

c) Segmentation on the funnel

By segmenting the campaigns according to the funnel stage (information, interest, use negative words for excludes users not in the targeted stage.

Example: In a «conversion» campaign, it excludes terms such as «exam», «opinions», «how it works» – which indicates the research phase.

d) Avoid cannibalization between countryside

If you have brand campaigns, add the brand name as Negative keywords in brand-free countryside To keep control of the type of traffic directed by each campaign.

5. Frequent errors in the use of negative keywords

a) Involuntary negative overlap

The addition of a negative word to the account level or in the countryside can prevent the display of ads where they are actually relevant. That’s why:

• Periodically examine negative lists
• to use Keyword Diagnosis From Google advertisements to verify that negative words block the useful terms

b) Lack of granularity

The application of the same negative keywords to all discernment campaigns can reduce useful coverage. The ideal is to personalize the negatives in terms of the announcements group, depending on the specificity of each.

c) Do not update the lists

Research terms are evolving. What was relevant 6 months ago may not be today. Fits into the optimization process, a monthly review of research terms.

6. Advanced examples of use

a) Campanii DSA (Dynamic search ads)

DSAs have a very wide cover, which means that Without negative keywordsThe budget can be wasted quickly. Add negative words according to the products you do not sell or intentions of information (for example, «tutorial», «what is»).

b) Electronic trade multibrand

For stores that sell more brands, it is important to add competitive and negative brands to the campaigns dedicated to each brand.

c) Exclusion of the intention of employment

For companies that sell products / services, you do not want the advertisement to be displayed during research such as:

• «Jobs at [brand]»»
• «Careers [brand]»»

Includes terms like -job,, -cariere,, -angajare,, -HR And so on in negative lists.

7. Conclusion

Negative keywords are not only a «pleasant to have» in a PPC campaign – they are an essential tool filtering, budget optimization and performance increase.

By constantly identifying the unrelevant terms, using the good types of correspondence and integration of negative lists in the segmentation strategy, you can get much more precise control over the traffic generated by the campaigns and, implicitly, on the results.

Final recommendation: Includes monthly or even weekly research terms of research terms and updates the list of negative keywords. Your campaigns will become cleaner, more effective and, above all, more profitable.