Practical guide
Negative keyword list: examples and a review worksheet
A useful negative keyword list reflects what your business does not sell. Start with observed search terms, identify the mismatch, then choose the narrowest exclusion that solves it. The examples below are review candidates, not an import-ready universal blocklist.
By Adlane · Updated
Decide what makes a query irrelevant
An irrelevant query asks for something you cannot or do not intend to provide. That is different from a relevant query that has not converted yet. Keep these decisions separate: one is about product fit; the other needs enough mature performance data.
Review queries alongside the landing page and the actual offer. Words such as “free”, “jobs” and “template” can represent valuable traffic for the right business. Never add them account-wide solely because they appear on someone else’s list.
Examples with the exception beside the rule
These fictional cases illustrate the decision process. Replace them with your own observed terms and verify the search campaign’s current matching behaviour.
| Business | Observed search | Possible decision | Check first |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paid bookkeeping service | bookkeeping jobs | Review a jobs exclusion | Do you also advertise recruitment? |
| SaaS without a free plan | free invoice spreadsheet | Review the exact unwanted query | Could a free trial or migration guide satisfy it? |
| Local appliance repair | washing machine repair manual | Review manual-related intent | Do you sell manuals or DIY support? |
| B2B custom software team | software engineer salary | Review hiring-related intent | Does the campaign include careers content? |
| Online course provider | marketing jobs | Keep for investigation | Learners may be seeking a career change |
Choose scope and match type deliberately
A campaign-specific mismatch does not necessarily belong in an account-wide list. Review which campaigns share a list before applying it. Negative match types behave differently from positive keywords, and exclusions can prevent otherwise relevant ads from showing.
For Search campaigns, a negative exact match is a narrow option for the specified query without additional words. Broader exclusions require more checking. Google documents separate behaviour and limitations; read the current guidance before uploading a list.
Copy this worksheet into your review document
Search term: [the query shown in your report]. Campaign: [name]. Period and timezone: [complete dates]. Offer: [what the page sells]. Mismatch: [why the query cannot be served]. Proposed negative and match type: [candidate]. Scope: [campaign or shared list]. Valuable queries at risk: [examples]. Reviewer and follow-up date: [owner/date].
Illustrative decision: “bookkeeping jobs” is outside a service campaign’s offer. First confirm the business has no recruitment objective in that campaign. Record a narrowly scoped proposal and review the result after a complete reporting period. Do not claim savings before observing them.
Review the proposal before applying it
In Adlane, ask about search terms for a selected business and period. Keep the supporting rows beside the proposed exclusion. Approval is a separate step: the AI conversation does not silently apply changes.
Revisit the list when your offer changes. A new free plan, training product or recruitment campaign can make an old exclusion inappropriate. Keep a removal log as carefully as an addition log.