Why it happens
Expecting negatives to catch close variants
Expecting negatives to catch close variants
A positive keyword matches plurals and misspellings. A negative does not. Negative "course" does not block "courses".
Negative exact used where phrase was needed
Negative exact [free software] still lets "free software download" through. Most junk patterns need negative phrase.
Negative broad blocking good searches
A one-word negative broad like "cheap" blocks every search with that word, including ones that convert.
How to fix it, step by step
Pick the match type per pattern
Use negative phrase for a phrase that is always irrelevant ("for free"). Use negative broad for single words that never fit (jobs). Use negative exact for one specific search you want gone and nothing else.
Add the variants yourself
Add plurals, synonyms and common misspellings as separate negatives, because negatives do not expand to them.
Enter them with the right syntax
In Campaigns, then Audiences, keywords and content, then Search keywords, open the Negative search keywords tab. Type words bare for broad, in quotes for phrase, in square brackets for exact.
Check for conflicts
Before saving, compare the negatives with your converting search terms. A negative that blocks a converting term costs you sales without any error message.
Steps checked against Google Ads Help: About negative keywords; Google Ads Help: Add negative keywords to campaigns.
Sprites fixes this
Or let Sprites fix it
Sprites picks the negative and the match type from your real search terms, and flags any negative that would block a keyword you run.
What Sprites does
- Reads the search terms behind your spend, so every negative it proposes comes from a term you paid for.
- Adds negatives at broad, phrase or exact, at campaign level or ad-group level.
- Flags a negative that collides with one of your live keywords on the approval card, before it is written.
- You approve every change before it goes live.
What it doesn't do
- It does not write to shared negative keyword lists or the account-level list.
Questions
Do negative keywords match close variants?
No. Negative keywords do not match close variants or other expansions. Add plurals, synonyms and misspellings as their own negatives.
What is the default negative match type?
Broad. A negative without quotes or brackets blocks any search that contains all its words, in any order.
Which negative match type should I use most?
Negative phrase for most junk patterns, negative broad for single irrelevant words, and negative exact when you want to block one search and leave its longer versions alone.
Can a negative keyword block my own keyword?
Yes. If a negative matches a search your keyword targets, the negative wins and the ad does not show. Google does not warn you in reporting.
Let Sprites fix it
Connect the account. Sprites finds the cause, stages the change and waits for your approval.