Google Search Ads Optimisation - Negative Keywords List

Before Google removed modified broad match in 2021, we had control of exactly what search terms would trigger our ads. Now, we have to rely on our negative keywords list to do the heavy lifting. This means spending more time removing irrelevant search terms and adding them to our negative keyword list, as quickly as we possibly can, so we can keep ahead of what their targeting algorithms are doing. 

Watch the video below for a walk through on how to optimise your Google Search Ads using a negative keyword list. This is just one way you should be optimising your campaigns, sign up to our mailing list for more videos like this.

A few key points: 

• PLEASE never use broad match keywords. 

• With Google’s new targeting, be aware that phrase match and even exact match are still going to trigger unrelated keywords. So we need to keep our eyes open. 

Definitions reminder:

Keywords: What we’ve told Google to Target.

Search terms: What people are searching Google for, that are actually triggering our ads. As you’ll see on the video below, there’s plenty of discrepancy so unfortunately we now need to put a lot of focus on keeping the negative keywords list up to date.  Note that the “search terms” list Google shows us is not the full list. This is just what it can track. Which is why you’ll see more clicks on your keywords list compared to your search terms list

If you haven’t already, remember to unlink you old UA and link your new GA4 Account under linked accounts so you can see conversions.