How to build a Google Ads negative keyword list

How do you build a Google Ads negative keyword list?

Build your negative keyword list from three sources: universal patterns with no purchase intent, products and brands you do not sell, and terms in the search terms report that spend without selling. Add them with the right match type to shared lists, apply the lists to the relevant campaigns and update them every week from the search terms report.

Negative keywords are the cheapest way to protect a Google Ads budget. Any ecommerce account using broad or phrase match will also reach searches that are unrelated to the product or carry no buying intent. A negative list removes those searches systematically.

How do negative keyword match types work?

Negative keywords match differently from regular keywords. Google's help page defines them as follows:

Negative match type	Notation	When it blocks the ad	Example: negative running shoes
Broad (default)	running shoes	The search contains all the terms, in any order	Blocks "blue running shoes" and "shoes running"
Phrase	"running shoes"	The terms appear in the same order	Blocks "blue running shoes", not "shoes running"
Exact	[running shoes]	The search is exactly those terms, in order, with nothing else	Blocks only "running shoes"

One critical difference: according to Google, negative keywords do not match close variants or other expansions. Singular and plural forms, synonyms and similar phrases that regular keywords pick up automatically are not blocked automatically by negatives. For example, a broad negative on "running shoes" does not block "running shoe". Add important variations separately.

Google also notes an edge case for very long searches: if a search is longer than 16 words and your negative term appears after the 16th word, your ad may still show. In ecommerce this is rare.

What should go on an ecommerce negative keyword list?

1. Universal intent negatives

Almost every ecommerce account has patterns with no purchase intent. An example starter list:

• Free seekers: free, freebie, giveaway
• Used and rental: used, second hand, rental, rent
• Information seekers: how to, what is, DIY, recipe
• Job seekers: jobs, careers, hiring, salary
• Image and file seekers: png, drawing, colouring, template, pdf
• Repair and service: repair, service, spare parts (if you do not sell them)

This list is an example. Check every term against your own business: for a store that sells spare parts, "spare parts" is one of the most valuable keywords, not a negative.

2. Products and brands you do not sell

Showing ads to people searching for product types, sizes, colours or brands that are not in your catalogue is wasted spend. Example: if you only sell women's shoes, add terms such as "men's", "kids" and "baby". If you do not stock certain brands, add those brand names.

3. Negatives from the search terms report

The most valuable part of the list comes from your own data. The search terms report shows the real searches that triggered your ads. Google notes that some low-volume terms are hidden for privacy reasons, but the terms behind most of your spend are usually visible.

How do you set up a negative keyword list step by step?

1. Split lists by theme. Instead of one giant list, create thematic lists such as "Universal intent", "Products we do not sell" and "Competitor brands". It stays clear why each term was added.
2. Pick the right match type. Use broad negatives for clear one-word patterns ("free"), phrase negatives when meaning depends on word order ("second hand") and exact negatives to block one specific search.
3. Apply lists to campaigns. According to Google, a list can be applied to several campaigns at once, and new terms you add to the list flow automatically to every linked campaign.
4. Use negatives to route traffic between campaigns. Add your brand name as a negative in non-brand campaigns so brand traffic flows only through the brand campaign. Use the same logic to route category searches to the right campaign.
5. Update weekly. Sort the search terms report by cost and add irrelevant terms that do not sell.

Limits

Level	Limit	Scope
Shared negative lists	Up to 20 lists per account, up to 5,000 terms per list	Campaigns the list is applied to
Account-level negatives	1,000 terms per account	Search and Shopping inventory across Search, Performance Max, Shopping and more
Campaign-level negatives	Campaign specific	That campaign only

Account-level negatives are ideal for terms you never want to appear for in any campaign (for example inappropriate phrases you do not want associated with your brand). Use shared lists for negatives that vary by campaign.

Can you add negative keywords to Performance Max?

Yes. According to Google's help page, you can add negative keywords and apply negative keyword lists to Performance Max campaigns. These negatives apply only to Search and Shopping inventory; they do not affect ads on YouTube, the Display Network or Discover. Account-level negatives also apply automatically to all Search and Shopping inventory, including Performance Max.

Use negatives in Performance Max with restraint. Narrowing the algorithm's room to learn more than necessary can cost volume. Excluding clearly irrelevant terms and brand searches is usually enough. We cover the product side of Performance Max in our product feed optimisation guide.

Common negative keyword mistakes

• Blocking valuable searches: adding "cheap" as a negative loses sales for a store selling affordable products. Test every negative against your customers' language.
• Using very generic broad negatives: a one-word broad negative like "set" also blocks valuable searches such as "duvet cover set".
• Forgetting variations: negatives do not expand to close variants, so add singular, plural and common spelling variations yourself.
• Building the list once and forgetting it: new products, seasons and trends create new sources of wasted spend.
• Ignoring conflicts: if a negative blocks one of your active keywords, the ad will not show for it. Whenever you add negatives, check them against your active keywords.

You can find the general account setup steps in our Google Ads setup guide for ecommerce. If you would like help finding wasted spend in your current account, you can request a free growth analysis from Performetic via our contact page.

Key takeaways

• Build the list from universal patterns, products you do not sell and the search terms report.
• Broad, phrase and exact negatives behave differently; choose the right one per term.
• Negatives do not expand to close variants; add plurals and variations separately.
• Accounts can have up to 20 lists, 5,000 terms per list and 1,000 account-level negatives.
• Performance Max negatives only affect Search and Shopping inventory.
• Update the list weekly from the search terms report and check for conflicts.