What are negative keywords?
Negative keywords are words or phrases that stop Google Ads from showing an ad when a search contains them. Google says they "let you exclude search terms from your campaigns and help you focus on only the keywords that matter to your customers."
A moving company bidding on "movers" can match searches it doesn't want to pay for, such as "movers jobs," "moving truck rental," or "moving boxes free." Negative keywords block those.
How do negative keyword match types work?
Negative keywords have three match types, and they behave differently from regular keyword match types:
| Match type | Ad won't show when the search… | Example negative: moving jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Negative broad (default) | "contains all your negative keyword terms, even if the terms are in a different order" | Blocks "jobs moving company" and "moving company jobs" |
| Negative phrase | "contains the exact keyword terms in the same order," with or without other words | Blocks "moving jobs near me," not "jobs moving company" |
| Negative exact | "contains the exact keyword terms, in the same order, without extra words" | Blocks only "moving jobs" |
Two details matter:
- No close variants. Google says "negative keywords won't match to close variants or other expansions." Its example: a negative "flowers" blocks "red flowers" but not "red flower." Add singular, plural, and synonym versions separately.
- Misspellings are covered. "Negative keywords automatically account for casing and misspellings."
How do you find negative keywords?
Use the search terms report. It lists the actual searches that triggered ads, along with the keyword that matched each one. Google says the report "provides insight into the searches that trigger your ads and how those searches are performing."
Steps:
- In Google Ads, open Campaigns, then Insights and reports, then Search terms.
- Sort by cost or clicks and look for searches the business doesn't want.
- Add the unwanted words as negative keywords at the right level.
- Repeat regularly, because new searches keep appearing.
What negative keywords should a moving company consider?
Common categories, depending on the services offered:
- Job seekers: jobs, hiring, careers, salary, driver.
- Do-it-yourself rentals: truck rental, trailer, pod, container (if the business doesn't offer them).
- Supplies only: boxes, tape, bubble wrap (unless the business sells supplies).
- Other meanings of "moving": searches the search terms report shows are about something else entirely.
- Services not offered: international, junk removal, or piano moving, if the company doesn't do them.
Check each word against the business's real services first. A mover that sells boxes or offers containers shouldn't block those terms.
Where can negative keywords be added?
At three levels:
- Ad group or campaign, for exclusions that apply to one service or area.
- Account level, which Google says "will automatically apply to all eligible search and shopping inventory in relevant campaign types."
- Performance Max, where negatives can be added to a campaign or the account. Google notes these "are applicable to Search and Shopping inventory only." See what is Performance Max.
Can you use too many negative keywords?
Yes. Google warns: "If you use too many negative keywords, your ads might reach fewer customers." A broad negative such as "cheap" might block people who want an affordable moving quote. Prefer phrase or exact match when a word is only sometimes unwanted.