What Should I Do If Google Picks Up Keywords That Aren’t Relevant?

If Google picks up keywords that aren’t relevant to your ads or content, the best course of action is to review your search terms daily and add those irrelevant keywords as negative keywords to your ad group or campaign. This helps prevent your ads from being shown for unrelated searches.

Full Explanation

When Google identifies keywords that do not match the intent of your ad or website, it can lead to wasted budget and lower engagement. To optimize performance, it’s important to constantly monitor which keywords are triggering your ads. By adding irrelevant keywords to your negative keyword list, you instruct Google not to show your ads for those terms, keeping your campaigns more focused and effective.

Step-by-Step Breakdown

1. Review your search terms report daily to identify keywords that are not related to your products or services.
2. Determine which of these keywords are irrelevant or unhelpful to your campaign goals.
3. Add these irrelevant keywords as negative keywords at the ad group or campaign level.
4. Repeat this process regularly to maintain relevance and maximize campaign efficiency.

Real Examples

While this post does not provide specific examples, the principle remains consistent: any keyword that draws traffic but does not align with your ad’s intent should be excluded through negative keywords. Regularly adding these terms ensures your ad budget is focused on the most relevant audience.

Common Mistakes

• Neglecting to review search terms frequently, which allows irrelevant keywords to continue triggering ads.
• Not adding irrelevant keywords as negatives, resulting in wasted budget and lower ad performance.
• Applying negative keywords too broadly without considering the context, which can unintentionally block useful traffic.

FAQs

Q: How often should I check for irrelevant keywords?
A: It is recommended to review search terms on a daily basis to catch and exclude irrelevant keywords promptly.

Q: Should I add negative keywords at the ad group or campaign level?
A: You can add negative keywords at either the ad group or campaign level depending on how broadly you want to exclude certain terms.

Key Takeaways

• Regularly review your search terms to identify irrelevant keywords.
• Add these irrelevant keywords as negative keywords to focus your ads.
• Apply negative keywords thoughtfully at the ad group or campaign level.
• Consistent monitoring leads to better ad performance and efficient budget use.