How Did You Manage the Negative Keywords in Your Google Ads Campaign?

Short Answer: When managing negative keywords, company-related keywords were added as exact matches, while general ‘how to’ queries were added as broad match negative keywords.

Full Explanation

Managing negative keywords effectively is crucial for the success of any Google Ads campaign. In this approach, if a keyword related to a company appeared and was irrelevant or unwanted, it was added as an exact match negative keyword. This method ensures that searches matching that exact term are excluded from triggering ads.

On the other hand, for more generic queries, especially those beginning with or including “how to,” these were set as broad match negative keywords. Using broad match for ‘how to’ phrases means that related variations and similar queries that include these words are also excluded, reducing irrelevant traffic that does not convert.

Step-by-Step Breakdown

Identify company-related keywords: Detect keywords directly referencing companies that you want to exclude.
Add as exact match negatives: Enter these specific company keywords in exact match format to ensure that only those precise search queries are blocked.
Identify generic ‘how to’ keywords: Look for general informational queries, especially those starting with or containing “how to.”
Add as broad match negatives: Add these ‘how to’ keywords as broad match negative keywords to exclude a wider range of similar queries.
Monitor and adjust: Continually review search terms and adjust negative keywords as necessary to maintain relevance and avoid wasted ad spend.

Real Examples

If the keyword “XYZ Company” was irrelevant or not part of the campaign goals, “[XYZ Company]” would be added as a negative exact match. This means your ads won’t show for searches specifically targeting that company name.

For the phrase “how to fix a computer,” adding “how to” as a broad match negative keyword would prevent ads from showing for any related searches containing those words, such as “how to clean a computer” or “how to upgrade a computer.” This helps avoid clicks from users seeking informational content rather than making a purchase or inquiry.

Common Mistakes

Not distinguishing between exact and broad matches: Using broad match for company names could exclude too many irrelevant searches, while using exact match for generic ‘how to’ might not exclude enough irrelevant queries.
Failing to update keyword lists: Without regular review, negative keyword lists can become outdated, leading to wasted ad spend.
Overnegative matching: Adding too many negatives without careful consideration can restrict relevant traffic that might convert.

FAQs

Why use exact match for company-related keywords?: Exact match blocks precisely those unwanted company-related searches without impacting closely related but relevant queries.
Why use broad match for ‘how to’ keywords?: Broad match helps to exclude a wider variety of informational queries related to ‘how to,’ which typically don’t convert well in most campaigns.

Key Takeaways

Use exact match negative keywords for specific company-related terms to prevent wasting budget on irrelevant company name searches.
Apply broad match negative keywords for generic ‘how to’ phrases to broadly exclude non-converting informational searches.
Careful management and ongoing refinement of negative keywords improves campaign efficiency and ROI.