Effective Implementation of 6 Strategies for Negative Keywords in Paid Search
Negative keywords play a crucial role in optimizing Google Ads campaigns. They not only save budget but also improve ad relevance and help sculpt ideal traffic. Without a strong PPC strategy, wasted spend and ineffective placements can occur. In this article, we will explore the importance of negative keywords, six strategies for their implementation, and platform-specific variations.
What are negative keywords and why do they matter?
Negative keywords are terms or phrases that you intentionally exclude from triggering your ads. When a user’s search query contains these negative keywords, your ad won’t be shown. This saves you money and ensures that your budget is allocated efficiently. For example, if you sell equipment to manufacturing facilities and don’t want to sell to residential wood shops, you can add “Garage,” “Wood shop,” and “Basement” as negative keywords.
Negative keywords save advertisers money by reducing the chances of ads showing for irrelevant searches. When ads display for keywords unrelated to your brand, it negatively impacts performance. Search irrelevance can result in a lower click-through rate (CTR) and Quality Score, which can impact ad position and the cost of your clicks. By adding negative keywords, you can reduce these costs and ensure that your budget is spent on more aligned terms.
Negative keywords can also protect your brand. For example, if you sell toys for kids, negative keywords like “cheap,” “dirty,” “dangerous,” or “ripoff” can shield your brand from showing ads that reflect poorly on your brand.
Traffic sculpting is another important aspect of negative keywords. By applying negative keywords at the campaign level, you can maintain alignment with the intended focus of the campaign. For example, in a competitor campaign, advertisers exclude brand keywords to target users searching for other competitor terms. Similarly, when using dynamic search ads (DSA) campaigns to discover new keywords, excluding brand keywords at the campaign level helps maintain the focus on new keyword mining.
Now let’s dive into the six strategies for implementing negative keywords:
Strategy 1: Identify known irrelevant keywords. These could be generic terms or industry-specific jargon that doesn’t pertain to your product offering. For example, if you sell new electronics, you may want to exclude terms like “vintage,” “antique,” or “used.” You should also consider adding your competitors as negative keywords.
Strategy 2: Establish keyword thresholds. Create criteria that signal a keyword’s move to your negative list. This could be keywords that are costing you more than a certain amount without resulting in conversions or those that have accumulated a high number of clicks with no conversions. Fine-tune the thresholds’ timeframe or the thresholds themselves to intensify or soften the approach when adding negatives.
Strategy 3: Ask tertiary questions about the keywords based on secondary metrics. Consider adjusting the match type rather than adding negative keywords for queries with less than optimal secondary metrics. Changing the target keyword to a phrase or exact match can limit the range of matched queries.
Strategy 4: Employ search term reports. Leverage search term reports to identify actual user queries triggering your ads. Look for queries that generate a lot of clicks but don’t lead to conversions or queries that don’t align with your intent or goals. Each search term report can provide potential additions to your negative keyword lists.
Strategy 5: Block out undesirable phrases from the start. Protect your brand’s integrity and ad relevance by blocking terms that could harm your reputation. For example, an educational institution might want to block terms like “fraud,” “cheating,” or “easy A.”
Strategy 6: Add negatives that signal misaligned intent. Certain keywords may indicate intent that does not lead to conversions, such as interrogatives (“when,” “where,” “why,” “what,” and “who”) or information seekers (“news,” “picture,” “image,” and “update”).
When creating negative keyword strategies, consider platform-specific variations. Bing’s algorithm requires a more proactive approach to negative keyword management due to its broader matching and potential for more loose associations in ad-serving. Regular monitoring and frequent updates to your negative keyword list are crucial when working in the Microsoft Advertising platform.
In conclusion, mastering negative keywords is an evolving process that requires a mix of data analysis and strategic creativity. By monitoring search query reports, understanding match types, and applying negative keywords at different levels, you can customize your negative keyword strategy for your account. Remember to regularly update your negative keywords as your campaigns evolve. A strategic approach to negatives acts as a compass, steering accounts away from wasteful spending towards profitability.
