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Negative Keyword System

Objective​

Stop irrelevant queries from consuming budget and distorting bidding signals.

Negative Layers​

  • Account-level: universal exclusions (jobs, free, DIY)
  • Campaign-level: intent-specific exclusions
  • Ad-group-level: prevent overlap and cannibalization

Weekly Search Term Workflow​

  1. Pull search terms by spend and conversions.
  2. Tag terms as keep, test, or exclude.
  3. Add negatives with proper match type.
  4. Document rationale for major exclusions.

Match Type Guidance​

  • Use exact negatives for known bad queries
  • Use phrase negatives for repeated irrelevant themes
  • Avoid overblocking terms that drive assisted conversions

QA Checklist​

  • No duplicate negatives with conflicting logic
  • Shared negative lists are version-controlled
  • Branded and non-branded logic are separated

Next Step​

Return to the module overview and continue with the next lesson in sequence.