How do I use negative keywords at the campaign level?

Short Answer: At the campaign level, negative keywords help you exclude specific cities or regions where you don’t want your ads to appear. For instance, if your campaign targets Anaheim, you can add other cities as negative keywords to prevent your ads from showing in those areas.

Full Explanation

Using negative keywords at the campaign level allows you to control where your ads do not appear by specifying locations you want to exclude. This is particularly useful if your campaign focuses on promoting your services or products in a specific city or region. By listing unwanted cities or regions as negative keywords, you ensure that your ads are only triggered by searches related to your target location, which helps improve relevancy and avoids spending budget on unrelated areas.

Step-by-Step Breakdown

1. Identify the main city or region your campaign is targeting, such as Anaheim.
2. Make a list of other cities or regions you want to exclude from your campaign’s reach.
3. In your campaign settings, navigate to the negative keywords section at the campaign level.
4. Add the cities or regions you want to exclude as negative keywords.
5. Save the settings. This ensures that your ads will not show up for searches related to those excluded locations.

Real Examples

For example, when running a campaign focused on Anaheim, you might add neighboring cities as negative keywords. This way, if people search for services or products in those other cities, your ads won’t be displayed, keeping your campaign focused and efficient.

Common Mistakes

• Not adding negative keywords at the campaign level, which can lead to ads showing up in unwanted cities.
• Forgetting to review and update negative keywords regularly as your campaign or targeting changes.
• Using negative keywords at the wrong level, such as the ad group instead of the campaign, which might not cover all your targeting needs.

FAQs

Can I add multiple negative keywords at the campaign level?

Yes, you can add multiple cities or regions to exclude them from your campaign’s target areas.

Will negative keywords at the campaign level affect all ads within that campaign?

Yes, negative keywords set at the campaign level apply to all ads in that campaign.

Can I still target the main city if I add other cities as negative keywords?

Yes, negative keywords only exclude unwanted locations; your main target city remains included.

Key Takeaways

• Negative keywords at the campaign level help restrict ad appearances in unwanted locations.
• This approach focuses your campaign on the desired city or region, improving relevancy.
• Regularly managing and updating negative keywords ensures better targeting over time.