PPC or search campaigns are a bit different from the other Google advertising campaigns. Our PPC ads are displayed in front of users only when they search in Google by typing our specified keywords.
So, that’s why it is very easy to understand that to get the expected results in a PPC campaign, our first and main task should be to select the keywords correctly. Only by selecting the right keywords will we be able to reach the most accurate and potential buyers.
However, things are not like that; we always select all the keywords directly and use them in our ad groups. For that, we basically use different ‘match types’ at different times as needed.
So if you want to know more about all these match types, you can read our previous article. Today we will only discuss ‘negative keyword match type.’
What is & why is a negative keyword important?
Negative match keywords will prevent your campaign from appearing on irrelevant search terms by your user.
And this is why using negative matches or negative keywords is very important for your Google Ads campaign. Also, Google ads has given us a facility through which we can easily create a list of many keywords and give it to Google. As a result, Google will not show our ads for those specific words.
For this, we should create a list of negative keywords as much as possible and give it to Google. As a result, we will be able to manage the campaign much more safely from the beginning. Also, if you use a lot of negative keywords in your campaign, then you will get all these benefits:
Ad budget savings: Using a large number of negative keywords will save your advertising budget from being wasted. Because your ad will not be displayed on any irrelevant search terms.
Reduction of irrelevant clicks: Since your ad will not be shown anywhere irrelevant, there will be no possibility of any wrong clicks. This will directly reduce your costs.
CTR improvement: Your click-through rate or CTR will increase by reaching the right people only.
Quality score increase: Your ad’s Quality Score will also improve due to increased CTR and relevance.
Conversion rate: Finally, your conversion rate will be much better than before due to the right traffic.
Understand Negative Match in PPC Campaign
We have already learned how many benefits we can get by using negative keywords.
But it is not like that; you just create a list of some keywords and add them to your ad or campaign. Here, the more important word than just “negative keywords” is “negative match.” In other words, how the keywords you put in the list will work will depend on which ‘match type’ you put them in.
So let’s find out how the three main types of negative match types work.
- Negative Broad Match.
- Negative Phrase Match.
- Negative Exact Match.
We have already discussed this topic in great detail in our previous article, so don’t forget to check it out to know everything more perfectly. Now if I were to briefly explain these three match types to you, it would go something like this:
Negative Exact Match in PPC Campaign
Example keyword type: [Free hosting]
If you look here, there you can see a keyword written inside the third bracket, or square brackets. If this keyword is placed in the negative keyword list, it will act as a ‘negative exact match.’
This means that if someone searches on Google with this exact keyword, then for them our PPC campaign will not be displayed in front of them. This is the simplest explanation of negative exact match.
Negative Phrase Match in PPC Campaign
Example Keyword type: “Free hosting”
Here, you can see the keyword under the quotation marks (” “) is used on both sides of the keyword. So when will you push your keyword in the way of a negative keyword list, then, it acts as a ‘negative phrase match.’
This means that if someone searches on Google with their keyword that contains your created specified keyword in the exact same order, then your ad will not be displayed in front of them.
Even if there are other words before or after these keywords, Google will not show the ad.
Negative Broad Match in PPC Campaign
Example keyword type: Free hosting
Finally, now look at this match type. Here you can see I’ve used a keyword directly without any special characters (such as brackets or quotation marks), for example: free hosting.
When you add a keyword to the negative keyword list like this, it will act as a ‘negative broad match.’ As a result, when someone searches on Google and the words of your keyword are in any order or position within their search terms, Google will not show your ad.
So let’s see how to use or set up these negative keywords.
Set up the negative keyword list
But before adding keywords to your Google Ads negative keyword list, you need to have your entire list ready. However, if you are unable to do this by yourself, then you can use any artificial intelligence or AI to create a negative keyword list related to your business.
Just tell the AI about your goals; it will be able to suggest you a number of perfect keywords. Then you decide which keywords to put under which match type in your negative keyword list.
Now if you want to add all of your selected negative keywords in your PPC campaign, then go to your Google Ads account.
Then from the campaigns section, select one campaign and click on it to enter it.
Now enter in your keywords section.
Here is your place where you can add your negative keyword list.
If you have already created a negative keyword list, then to choose the list, click on the second option; otherwise, select the first one if you are creating one new list for your campaign.
Then from here you can choose which label you want to add your keyword list to. In the campaign label or in the ad group label.
Now here in the box place all of your targeted negative keywords. But yes, before doing it, don’t forget to think about your match type. And here my suggestion is to read our previous article so things will be clearer to you. Then you will be able to choose the match type perfectly. Google Ads Keyword Match Type
Because
If you don’t select the keyword match type correctly, it’s possible that a wrong decision could result in many of your valuable keywords being included in the negative list.
So for this reason, before adding any keywords to the list, think carefully about which keyword match type will bring the best results for your campaign.
Search Terms
You can also add keywords to the negative keyword list directly from Google Ads’ ‘Search Terms’ section.
To make your campaign more effective for your business, check your search terms report regularly and select irrelevant words as negative keywords.
So
In short, you have to understand that the correct use of negative keywords is a very important movement for running a successful Google Ads campaign.
Because it not only reduces your unnecessary costs but also increases the relevance and effectiveness of your ads manifold. So don’t forget to regularly check your Search Terms Report and keep your negative keyword list updated using the correct match type.
By setting up negative keywords correctly, you can ensure that every penny of your advertising is used correctly.
