Negative keywords in Google Ads: list by industry + template to block spam clicks and lower CPA

Negative keywords are search terms you exclude from your Google Ads campaigns to prevent your ads from appearing for irrelevant queries. Their technical implementation allows you to filter out low-quality traffic, reduce unnecessary spending on spam clicks, and significantly improve your Cost Per Acquisition (CPA). In this article, you'll find exclusion lists by industry, a template to organize your keywords, and best practices for setting up match types without sacrificing sales volume.

Why negative words matter

In PPC campaigns, every click costs money, and not all clicks are created equal. Negative keywords act as a preventative filter: they prevent ads from showing to search intents that historically convert poorly or not at all. This doesn't guarantee results, but it focuses investment on searches with a higher probability of conversion, always taking into account bids, competition, and historical data. Negative keyword management is both tactically urgent and strategically important: it reduces noise, protects budgets, and improves quality signals that affect bids and ranking.

Frequent and strategic use of negative keywords improves the most common KPIs in Google Ads: CTR, conversion rate, and CPA. In particular, filtering searches with informational or educational intent (for example, free tutorials) avoids impressions that consume budget without moving the user closer to a purchase or lead.

Logic based on search intent

Classifying negative searches by intent is the most practical starting point: identify search patterns that don't fit your funnel. Typical categories include free, jobs, definition, DIY, courses, and templates. Each of these corresponds to a low-transactional intent for most advertisers and should be blocked when it's not part of your offer.

Free samples

Words like “free,” “sample,” “free download,” and “no cost” often indicate an intention to consume information or acquire something for free. Unless you offer a freemium or free demo as an explicit entry point in the sales funnel, add negative keywords that match your exact product terms and use broad modifiers to avoid searches related to downloading or piracy. For example, if you sell management software, negative keywords like “free download,” “crack,” and “serial” are good candidates.

Employment and careers

Searches that include “job,” “vacancy,” “salary,” or “internship” reflect a job search, not a purchase. If your goal is to sell services or products, block job-related terms to prevent clicks from candidates. A clear example is a consulting firm that attracts resumes with generic keywords; a negative keyword list with “vacancy” and “job offer” reduces noise.

Definition, tutorials and DIY

Searches with terms like “what is it,” “definition,” “how does it work,” “tutorial,” and “do it yourself” point to learning. Unless you're selling training or consulting services, these searches tend to convert poorly. For example, a hardware store that doesn't offer courses should block combinations like “how to use a drill” or “drill tutorial.”.

Courses, templates and resources

Searches that include “course,” “free course,” “template,” or “model” are typically geared toward learning or reusable resources, not direct purchases. If you don't sell training, add negative keywords that include these modifiers and match them with your product names to avoid accidental matches.

Wrong brand and compatibility

Another large group of negative keywords comes from compatibility issues or different models: users are looking for accessories or parts for models you don't sell; if your product only works for certain versions, block terms for incompatible models, older versions, and different brands that attract non-convertible traffic.

Incompatible brands and models

A dental clinic that doesn't offer implants of brand X should block searches that include "implant brand X" if those searches bring in users who only want implants or brackets. For e-commerce, add negative results for the exact model and for compatibility ("only for [model]") to prevent impressions intended for purchasing incorrect replacement parts.

Errors due to homonymy

Some keywords share terms with different products or services (homonyms). Identify these terms and create negative keywords with context to clarify the ambiguity. For example, if you sell "legal services" and the term "city" is also the name of a university seeking students, filter searches with "admission," "enrollment," or other modifiers that indicate an educational intent.

Local noise and geographic segmentation

Local noise arises when a campaign has too broad a geographic or linguistic reach. It manifests as clicks from areas with low purchase intent, languages different from the one on your landing page, or B2C segments when your product is B2B. To reduce local noise, incorporate negative clicks for irrelevant regions, languages, and terms that reveal the end user as either B2C or B2B, depending on your target audience.

Zones and districts

If you only serve one city, block searches that include other cities or keywords indicating remote transport if you don't offer shipping. For local services, terms like "cheap in [another city]" or searches by postal codes for unserved areas should be included on negative lists.

Languages and variants

If your campaign is in the Spanish of a specific country, block variations in other languages that attract irrelevant traffic. Also consider idioms that change meaning: the same word can mean different things depending on the region; filter out dialectal combinations that don't align with your offer.

Build the list from data and conversations

A smart list is created from three combined sources: search terms in Google Ads, Search Console, and sales or customer service conversations. Each source provides distinct signals: Google Ads reveals what triggered ads, Search Console shows organic queries indicating browsing intent, and the sales team adds qualitative context about repeated questions or unsuitable leads.

To begin, export your Google Ads search terms and apply filters for low CTR and zero conversions; identify common patterns. Supplement this with Search Console to uncover informational queries that may not be coming through PPC but are still consuming resources in your organic funnel. In sales meetings, ask what types of leads are null (e.g., job applications, clients searching for imports) and add those phrases to the negative list. This human feedback prevents the list from becoming purely technical and helps identify what you're not pursuing without losing valuable leads.

In practice, it's common to extract 200–500 phrases and narrow them down to a prioritized list: first broad negatives based on intent, then based on compatibility, and finally based on local noise. Don't turn every term into a negative: maintain useful volume by avoiding exclusions that reduce valuable traffic.

If you need guidance on word group structure and size, consult resources that explain how to distribute terms by campaign level and keyword. For example, a helpful read on How many keywords to use in Google Ads It helps to understand operational limits and avoid conflicts with your exclusion lists.

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Best practices for negative word lists

Managing negative keywords is an operational process that requires clear rules: use shared lists to avoid duplication, define levels (campaign, group, account), and don't use overly broad negative keywords that cut off valuable traffic. Implement weekly or bi-weekly reviews based on impression volume and change the rules as business needs.

• Shared lists: centralize control and allow for mass changes with traceability.
• Application levels: Use negatives at the account level for global filters (e.g., "employment"), at the campaign level for sector filters, and at the group level for fine exceptions.
• Beware of broad negatives: a poorly worded phrase negative can block lucrative matches. Opt for phrase matches or exact matches when the risk is high.
• Periodic review: establish a weekly or bi-weekly review routine to convert temporary negatives into permanent ones or to remove negatives that no longer apply.

To maintain consistency between quality and CTR, remember that excluding keywords can change the CTR. If you need to optimize your ad performance without losing relevant traffic, there is practical material available on this topic. How to improve CTR in Google Ads which complements negative management and creative work.

Mental template by industry for negative words

Creating a mental template for each industry accelerates implementation. Below are typical exclusion categories for four industries: legal, e-commerce, local services, and B2B. These templates are starting points: refine them with real data before implementing them in production.

Legal

Priority exclusions: job and training searches (“legal internships,” “internships”), informational inquiries without intent to hire (“what is it,” “free contract template”), and searches for services outside the jurisdiction (cities not covered). Practical example: block “free lawsuit template” and “lawyer jobs.” Recommendation: include negative criteria for areas you don't handle (e.g., “family law” if you only practice corporate law).

Ecommerce

Priority exclusions: price comparison sites that don't convert, searches for incompatible models, terms related to resale attempts, or parts ("secondhand," "replica," "part for [model]" if you don't sell that part). Practical example: if you sell iPhone 13 cases, include negative keywords like "iPhone 12" and "iPhone 13 replacement." Recommendation: use group-level listings for products that share keywords but differ in compatibility.

Local services

Priority exclusions: areas outside the service area, job searches and definitions, unsupported languages. Practical example: a locksmith chain with service in City A should block “locksmith City B” and “locksmith job offers.” Recommendation: implement postal code-based blocking in shared lists to maintain centralized control.

B2B

Priority exclusions: B2C terms, DIY queries, free templates, and recruitment questions. Practical example: If you sell ERP software for mid-sized businesses, block "excel inventory template" and "how to take inventory." Recommendation: Filter queries by company size indicators ("staff," "employees") if those queries are not from your target customers.

Technical implementation in Google Ads

On the platform, negative keywords support three match types: broad, phrase, and exact. The best practice is to start with phrase or exact matches to minimize risk. Apply global negatives to prevent general clicks and campaign or group-level negatives for technical exceptions. Maintain a change log and use consistent names in shared lists to facilitate audits.

Don't forget to review search terms every week or two, depending on spending. On high-traffic devices, automate reports that highlight recurring patterns (such as "free" or "jobs") that indicate the need for a new exclusion.

If you manage complementary SEO campaigns, synchronize your criteria with your organic strategy to avoid conflicts. A specialized resource can help you balance both areas; for this, you can consult our service of Google Ads managementAt Agencia Roco, we structure campaigns aimed at maximizing your profitability and budget control.

Schedule your diagnosis today!

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Receive a free consultation to identify opportunities in your positioning, campaigns, and sales funnel. We'll provide you with a prioritized plan to attract leads and convert them into customers.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

A common mistake is using overly broad negative keywords that end up blocking relevant terms. Another error is failing to update the list: markets and language change rapidly, and a current negative keyword may become inappropriate. Avoid lists without context; document why each negative keyword was added and what metric justified it (low CTR, 0 conversions, unsuitable leads).

It is also common to duplicate negatives at different levels without control; this complicates audits and can lead to unintentional substitutions. Use shared lists and name the lists with a prefix that indicates the scope (e.g., “GLOBAL_NEG_”, “ECOM_NEG_”, “LOCAL_NEG_”).

Immediate next steps

Prioritize identifying negative search patterns during the first two weeks post-launch: download search terms, mark the patterns, and apply the ten negative keywords with the highest estimated impact. Monitor CPA and CTR; if CTR increases and CPA decreases, the negative keywords are filtering effectively. Hold bi-weekly meetings between PPC, SEO, and sales teams to refine the list based on qualitative evidence.

Remember that negative keywords are a traffic quality control tool, not a magic bullet: their effectiveness depends on the consistency between searches, landing pages, offers, and sales capacity. Implement changes in small increments and measure before scaling to avoid losing valuable traffic.

Quick checklist to get started

• Export search terms and group by intent.
• Prioritize negatives by estimated impact on impressions and cost.
• Implement it in shared lists with clear levels.
• Review weekly/bi-weekly and document decisions.

Recommended resources and tools

In addition to native Google Ads and Search Console reports, leverage spreadsheets with filters and automation tools to identify recurring keywords. Incorporate the voice of the sales team to capture what we're not addressing: this input reduces purely quantitative biases and enriches the list with operational insights.

Finally, remember that negative keywords affect bidding dynamics and quality: test changes in controlled windows and correlate them with conversion metrics before generalizing. Avoid closing leads without first validating the impact on the funnel.