Managing wasted ad spend is essential for running a successful PPC campaign. One of the best ways to reduce wasted spend is by implementing a strong negative keyword strategy. By blocking irrelevant searches, you ensure your ads reach the right audience, maximize your return on investment (ROI), and improve campaign performance.

Here’s how to implement negative keywords effectively in your PPC campaigns:

1. Prepare Negative Keywords Before Launch
You don’t have to wait for your campaign to collect click data before adding negative keywords. You can start adding them before launching your ads. Most industries have common irrelevant keywords that can be blocked early in the process.
To find these negative keywords, use the same method as regular keyword research but focus on terms you want to exclude instead of target. Some common tools for keyword research include:

• Keyword planners
• Search engines and AI platforms like ChatGPT
• Third-party keyword research tools

2. Block Negative Keywords Strategically with N-Gram Analysis
N-gram analysis helps identify and block single words that make multiple search terms irrelevant. This method saves you time by allowing you to block a single word rather than blocking each term individually.

For example, if you have a business in Houston, you can block the word “Dallas.” Since your services are limited to Houston, blocking all searches containing “Dallas” can save time and keep your ads from showing to the wrong audience.

Similarly, if you’re running an ad campaign for a home AC repair service, you may want to block “car” as a negative keyword to avoid showing ads for irrelevant search terms.

3. Use Multiple-Word Negative Keywords
You can also block multiple-word negative keywords, such as brand names. If your services don’t relate to certain brands, blocking those names ensures that your ads won’t show for those irrelevant searches.

For example, blocking terms like “Home Depot” or “Old Navy” can prevent your ads from showing to people looking for products or services from those brands. When using multiple-word negative keywords, be sure to put them in quotes to treat them as a negative phrase match.

It’s best to avoid broad match types for multiple-word keywords, as they tend to be less effective. While Google Ads has improved its ability to match negative keywords, including misspellings, it’s important to monitor this feature closely.

4. Use Concise One- or Two-Word Negative Keywords
To streamline your strategy, focus on concise one- or two-word negative keywords that cover a broader theme. This helps reduce the need for adding similar terms repeatedly. For example, if you want to block a wide category of irrelevant searches, use exact match negative keywords when necessary.

5. Special Consideration for Exact Match Negative Keywords
If a one- to three-word negative keyword might block searches you actually want to show up for, consider using exact match negative keywords instead. For example, if you want to target “home depot alternatives,” you shouldn’t block “home depot” as a negative keyword. Instead, add a series of exact match negative keywords to avoid blocking relevant searches.

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