How negative match types work
| Negative match type | Blocks the ad when the search | Example negative |
|---|---|---|
| Broad | Contains all the negative words, in any order | plumber jobs |
| Phrase | Contains the words in the same order | "plumbing school" |
| Exact | Is exactly those words, with nothing added | [plumbing supplies] |
Google notes that negatives do not match close variants or expansions. If you block "job," also block "jobs." Google does handle casing and misspellings for you.
Negatives most local businesses need
- Jobs, careers, hiring, salary, resume
- Free, cheap, DIY, how to, tutorial
- Training, school, course, license exam
- Parts, supplies, wholesale, used
- Brand names of services you do not offer
Where to find them
The search terms report lists the real searches that triggered your ads. Sort by cost, scan for anything that could never become a customer and add it as a negative. Google leaves very low-volume searches out of the report for privacy, so you will not see every search.
Be careful not to over-block
A negative on "cheap" can block "cheap AC repair," which might be a real buyer. Negatives that are too broad cut good traffic along with the bad. Check the effect before adding single words, and keep shared negative lists organized by theme.
Good example. A roofer blocks "roofing jobs," "roofing salary" and "how to fix a roof" in week one. Clicks from job seekers and DIY readers stop.
Bad example. A roofer adds "repair" as a negative while cleaning up DIY searches and blocks its own best keywords.
See more ways to avoid wasted PPC spend. Our Google Ads management maintains shared negative lists for every account.