Optimising With Negative Keywords & Checking Your Search Terms

I have been managing & optimising Google AdWords campaigns for seven years, in this time, nearly every campaign I optimised had not included negative keywords in their original campaign.

Negative keywords are a necessity for any AdWords campaign.

By including negative keywords in your campaign can generate more highly-targeted impressions and clicks. It can help you reach the most appropriate prospects, reduce your cost-per-click (CPC), and increase your return on investment.

An example of a negative keyword is ‘-hire’, which tells the AdWords system not to show your advert for any search containing the term ‘hire.’

Discovering Potential Negative Keyword in an Existing Campaign

Below is an illustrated guide on how to use your searched terms to discover negative keywords.

Fig 1. Finding the keyword tab in Google AdWords

1. Enter the “Keyword” tab of your campaign.

At the campaign level this is the list of keywords used throughout the campaign. You can also narrow it down to the individual Ad-group you want to optimise or work on.

Fig 2. Listing the current Negative Keywords for the Campaign or Adgroup

2. At the very bottom of the keyword list you will find a link to expand your negative keywords.

These are split in to Ad-group specific and Campaign wide negatives.

Fig 3. Selecting the “See Search Terms” button to explore potential Negative Keywords

3. Underneath your graph you will find a button “See search terms…”

This is a listing of all search terms that have displayed your ad with all the relevant information next to them. Be sure that you have the correct date range selected.

Fig 4. Selecting a discovered Negative Keyword from Search Terms list

4. Choose keywords that are irrelevant and you don’t want to show up for.

By introducing negative keywords, you will increase the overall quality of your campaign. It is good practice monitor the search terms regularly to find any negative keywords you may not have thought of. By monitoring your search terms, you may also find great keywords you may want to add to your campaign.

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5. Add the negative keyword to your campaign by selecting the “Add as a negative keyword” button.

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Fig 6. Modify the Negative Keyword then add to either the Adgroup or Campaign

6. Refine your keywords then save them.

Remember negative keywords work the same as normal keywords with the different match types. Choose if the negative keyword applies just to the Ad-group you are working on, or the Entire campaign.

Article written by Claire Wendell

If you have any questions or want some advice please ask! Let me know your thoughts or questions in the comments below or contact us directly.

Posted on July 7, 2011 by Phillip Wendell