How to Use Negative Keyword Match Types in Google Ads

By: Jyll Saskin Gales, Google Ads Coach

Do you use negative keywords in your Google Ads campaigns? You might be surprised to learn that their match types work differently than regular keywords! And choosing the right match type for your negative keywords can significantly impact your ad performance.

Let's discuss negative keyword match types in Google Ads, including:

• Understanding Negative Keywords in Google Ads
• Broad Match Negatives
• Phrase Match Negatives
• Exact Match Negatives
• Choosing the Right Negative Match Type

Understanding Negative Keywords in Google Ads

Negative keywords allow you to prevent your ads from showing on irrelevant searches, ensuring that your budget is spent on reaching the most qualified searchers.

For instance, if you sell high-end running shoes, you might add "cheap" or "discount" as negative keywords to avoid attracting customers looking for budget-friendly options.

Broad Match Negatives: A Wider Net

Broad match negatives prevent your ad from appearing when the user's search contains all the words in your negative keyword, regardless of their order.

Think of it like this: if your negative keyword is leather jacket, your ad won't show for searches like "leather jacket for men" or "jacket in leather." However, it might still show for searches like "leather coat" or "stylish jacket."

Phrase Match Negatives: Targeting Specific Phrases

Phrase match negatives block searches containing the exact phrase in your negative keyword, but additional words may be present before or after.

Using the "leather jacket" negative keyword example, phrase match would exclude searches like "buy leather jacket online" or "best leather jacket brands" but not "jacket in leather" or "jackets for sale."

Exact Match Negatives: The Most Narrow Option

Exact match negatives are the most specific type. They only block searches that perfectly match your negative keyword.

In our ongoing example, the exact match negative [leather jacket] would only block the exact search "leather jacket" and nothing else. It wouldn't even block "leather jackets"!

Selecting the Right Negative Match Type in Google Ads

So, which match type should you choose for your negative keywords? It depends on your goals, the search intent and the level of control you need.

• Broad match can be useful for excluding general terms, but it might unintentionally block some relevant searches.
• Phrase match offers more precision, allowing you to target specific phrases while still allowing for some flexibility.
• Exact match provides the most narrow control, but likely requires thousands of negatives to block out all the traffic you don't want

In many cases, phrase match offers the best balance between coverage and precision, allowing you to effectively refine your targeting without being overly restrictive.

By understanding the nuances of each negative keyword match type, you can optimize your Google Ads campaigns for greater efficiency and ensure that your ads reach the right audience.