{"id":24420,"date":"2024-04-25T09:18:00","date_gmt":"2024-04-25T09:18:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/blog\/negative-keywords-in-google-shopping-campaigns\/"},"modified":"2025-11-10T18:27:26","modified_gmt":"2025-11-10T18:27:26","slug":"negative-keywords-in-google-shopping-campaigns","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/sv\/blog\/negative-keywords-in-google-shopping-campaigns\/","title":{"rendered":"The 2025 Guide to Negative Keywords in Google Shopping: Stop Wasted Spend &amp; Boost ROI"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block has-link-color wp-elements-d0049043d5753fd64453b02e4547a1ff\" id=\"rank-math-toc\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><h2>Table of Contents<\/h2><nav><ul><li ><a href=\"#what-are-negative-keywords-in-google-shopping-the-filter-your-campaign-needs\">What Are Negative Keywords in Google Shopping? (The Filter Your Campaign Needs)<\/a><\/li><li ><a href=\"#why-negative-keywords-are-non-negotiable-for-roi\">Why Negative Keywords Are Non-Negotiable for ROI<\/a><\/li><li ><a href=\"#how-to-find-negative-keywords-a-practical-3-step-process\">How to Find Negative Keywords: A Practical 3-Step Process<\/a><ul><li ><a href=\"#step-1-mine-your-search-term-report-the-goldmine\">Step 1: Mine Your Search Term Report (The Goldmine)<\/a><\/li><li ><a href=\"#step-2-analyze-competitor-industry-patterns\">Step 2: Analyze Competitor &amp; Industry Patterns<\/a><\/li><li ><a href=\"#step-3-build-a-universal-negative-list-the-starter-pack\">Step 3: Build a Universal Negative List (The Starter Pack)<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li ><a href=\"#how-to-add-negative-keywords-campaign-vs-ad-group-level\">How to Add Negative Keywords: Campaign vs. Ad Group Level<\/a><ul><\/ul><\/li><li ><a href=\"#should-you-add-misspelled-negative-keywords-the-surprising-answer\">Should You Add Misspelled Negative Keywords? (The Surprising Answer)<\/a><\/li><li ><a href=\"#how-long-until-negative-keywords-work\">How Long Until Negative Keywords Work?<\/a><\/li><li ><a href=\"#troubleshooting-why-your-negative-keywords-arent-working\">Troubleshooting: Why Your Negative Keywords Aren\u2019t Working<\/a><\/li><li ><a href=\"#advanced-strategy-campaign-priorities-negative-keywords\">Advanced Strategy: Campaign Priorities &amp; Negative Keywords<\/a><ul><li ><a href=\"#case-study-stalhastens-ai-driven-negative-keyword-optimization\">Case Study: St\u00e5lh\u00e4sten\u2019s AI-Driven Negative Keyword Optimization<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li ><a href=\"#take-action-your-negative-keyword-checklist\">Take Action: Your Negative Keyword Checklist<\/a><\/li><li ><a href=\"#google-shopping-negative-keywords-frequently-asked-questions-faq\">Google Shopping Negative Keywords: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)<\/a><ul><li ><a href=\"#q-1-what-are-negative-keywords-in-google-shopping\">Q1: What are negative keywords in Google Shopping?<\/a><\/li><li ><a href=\"#q-2-why-are-negative-keywords-important-for-google-shopping\">Q2: Why are negative keywords important for Google Shopping?<\/a><\/li><li ><a href=\"#q-3-how-do-i-find-negative-keywords-for-my-campaigns\">Q3: How do I find negative keywords for my campaigns?<\/a><\/li><li ><a href=\"#q-4-can-i-add-negative-keywords-to-performance-max-campaigns\">Q4: Can I add negative keywords to Performance Max campaigns?<\/a><\/li><li ><a href=\"#q-5-how-long-do-negative-keywords-take-to-work\">Q5: How long do negative keywords take to work?<\/a><\/li><li ><a href=\"#q-6-why-are-my-negative-keywords-not-working\">Q6: Why are my negative keywords not working?<\/a><\/li><li ><a href=\"#q-7-should-i-add-misspelled-words-as-negative-keywords\">Q7: Should I add misspelled words as negative keywords?<\/a><\/li><li ><a href=\"#q-8-how-do-negative-keywords-impact-roas\">Q8: How do negative keywords impact ROAS?<\/a><\/li><li ><a href=\"#q-9-can-i-use-negative-keywords-at-both-campaign-and-ad-group-levels\">Q9: Can I use negative keywords at both campaign and ad group levels?<\/a><\/li><li ><a href=\"#q-10-where-can-i-learn-more-about-google-shopping-optimization\">Q10: Where can I learn more about Google Shopping optimization?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Google Shopping is a lead generation powerhouse, connecting your products to over 1.2 billion ready-to-buy shoppers every month.<\/strong> But what happens when your ads show up for all the <em>wrong<\/em> searches? You burn budget on clicks that will never convert. That\u2019s where a strategic negative keyword strategy comes in\u2014it\u2019s your most powerful filter for profitability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Read the full breakdown<\/strong> to turn your Shopping campaigns from a money pit into a revenue engine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-style-default has-border-color has-secondary-400-border-color has-primary-400-background-color has-background is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"border-width:10px;padding-top:20px;padding-right:50px;padding-bottom:20px;padding-left:50px\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-white-400-color has-text-color\" id=\"enhance-your-ppc-campaigns-with-ai\"><em><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-secondary-600-color\">Enhance <\/mark><\/em>your PPC campaigns with AI <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-fill\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-base-color has-secondary-600-background-color has-text-color has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/sv\/book-a-discovery-call\/?utm_source=google&#038;utm_medium=organic&#038;utm_content=blog-negative-kws-google-shopping&#038;utm_campaign=GLOBAL\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Try Now<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-are-negative-keywords-in-google-shopping-the-filter-your-campaign-needs\">What Are Negative Keywords in Google Shopping? (The Filter Your Campaign Needs)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Unlike the keywords you bid on in Search ads, negative keywords are exclusionary. <strong>Think of them as a blocklist:<\/strong> terms you explicitly tell Google <em>not<\/em> to show your ads for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>Example:<\/strong> You sell premium running shoes. You <em>want<\/em> to show for \u201ccarbon fiber plated running shoes\u201d but you <em>don\u2019t<\/em> want to show for \u201ccheap running shoes\u201d or \u201cused running shoes.\u201d Adding those latter terms as negatives ensures your budget targets the right audience.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-link-color wp-elements-76058d20736d78e8691f45613c8d8a04\">This is the foundation of intent-based targeting. If you&#8217;re still building your initial keyword strategy, our guide on <a href=\"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/sv\/blog\/5-ways-on-how-to-find-google-shopping-keywords\/\">how to find Google Shopping keywords<\/a> is the perfect starting point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"why-negative-keywords-are-non-negotiable-for-roi\">Why Negative Keywords Are Non-Negotiable for ROI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When it comes to<strong> the compounding impact on your account&#8217;s overall health<\/strong>, here\u2019s how negatives work as a force multiplier:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Filter Unwanted Traffic:<\/strong> This is the obvious one. They stop wasted spend on irrelevant clicks.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Skyrocket Ad Relevance:<\/strong> By blocking mismatched searches, your Click-Through Rate (CTR) climbs. Google rewards high CTR with lower costs and better ad placement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Hyper-Optimize Budget Allocation:<\/strong> Every dollar saved on a \u201cfree\u201d seeker is a dollar you can bid more aggressively on a \u201cbuy now\u201d shopper.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Tailor to Commercial Intent:<\/strong> This is the real secret. Negatives let you surgically remove researchers (\u201creview,\u201d \u201chow to\u201d) and bargain hunters (\u201ccheap,\u201d \u201cdiscount\u201d) to focus purely on commercial buyers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The twist?<\/strong> Negatives don\u2019t just save money\u2014they actively make your campaigns more efficient and profitable over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-to-find-negative-keywords-a-practical-3-step-process\">How to Find Negative Keywords: A Practical 3-Step Process<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You can\u2019t just guess. Finding the right negatives requires data. Here\u2019s the actionable workflow we use at BrightBid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"step-1-mine-your-search-term-report-the-goldmine\">Step 1: Mine Your Search Term Report (The Goldmine)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This is your #1 source of truth. Go to your Google Ads account, navigate to your Shopping campaign, and open the \u201cSearch terms\u201d report. <strong>Look for two things:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Irrelevant Queries:<\/strong> Any search that has nothing to do with your product.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Low-Intent Queries:<\/strong> Searches with impressions but no clicks, or clicks with no conversions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Pro Tip:<\/strong> Export this report and sort by cost. A single irrelevant, high-cost search term is a major red flag.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"step-2-analyze-competitor-industry-patterns\">Step 2: Analyze Competitor &amp; Industry Patterns<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>What are your competitors excluding? Tools like Semrush\u2019s Advertising Research or Similarweb can reveal the negative keyword lists competitors might be using in their search campaigns, giving you a head start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"step-3-build-a-universal-negative-list-the-starter-pack\">Step 3: Build a Universal Negative List (The Starter Pack)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>While every business is unique, some negatives are almost universal. Start with these high-level categories:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Intent Filters:<\/strong> <code>free<\/code>, <code>cheap<\/code>, <code>discount<\/code>, <code>sample<\/code><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Research Terms:<\/strong> <code>review<\/code>, <code>best<\/code>, <code>vs<\/code>, <code>compared to<\/code>, <code>how to<\/code><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Non-Commercial:<\/strong> <code>DIY<\/code>, <code>instructions<\/code>, <code>template<\/code>, <code>download<\/code><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Condition:<\/strong> <code>used<\/code>, <code>refurbished<\/code>, <code>broken<\/code>, <code>rental<\/code><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>B2B Terms:<\/strong> <code>wholesale<\/code>, <code>bulk<\/code>, <code>supplier<\/code> (unless you are one!)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-style-default has-border-color has-secondary-400-border-color has-primary-400-background-color has-background is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"border-width:10px;padding-top:20px;padding-right:50px;padding-bottom:20px;padding-left:50px\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-white-400-color has-text-color\" id=\"enhance-your-ppc-campaigns-with-ai-1\"><em><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-secondary-600-color\">Enhance <\/mark><\/em>your PPC campaigns with AI <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-fill\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-base-color has-secondary-600-background-color has-text-color has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/sv\/book-a-discovery-call\/?utm_source=google&#038;utm_medium=organic&#038;utm_content=blog-negative-kws-google-shopping&#038;utm_campaign=GLOBAL\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Try Now<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-to-add-negative-keywords-campaign-vs-ad-group-level\">How to Add Negative Keywords: Campaign vs. Ad Group Level<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This is where most people get stuck. <strong>The key is understanding hierarchy and specificity.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th>Level<\/th><th>Scope<\/th><th>Best For<\/th><th>Example<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Campaign<\/strong><\/td><td>Applies to ALL ad groups in the campaign<\/td><td>Broad, universal exclusions that apply to every product.<\/td><td><code>free<\/code>, <code>used<\/code>, <code>wholesale<\/code><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Ad Group<\/strong><\/td><td>Applies only to one specific ad group<\/td><td>Precise exclusions for a product category.<\/td><td>In a \u201cMen&#8217;s Dress Shoes\u201d ad group, add <code>running<\/code> or <code>athletic<\/code> as a negative.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The actionable takeaway:<\/strong> Start with your universal list at the <strong>campaign level<\/strong>. Then, as you analyze search terms for specific product groups, add more granular negatives at the <strong>ad group level<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"understanding-match-types-for-negatives\">Understanding Match Types for Negatives<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Just like positive keywords, match types control how strict Google is with your exclusions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th>Match Type<\/th><th>What It Blocks<\/th><th>Example<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Exact Match<\/strong> <code>[keyword]<\/code><\/td><td>Only the exact term, in that order.<\/td><td><code>[free shoes]<\/code> blocks \u201cfree shoes\u201d but not \u201cshoes for free\u201d.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Phrase Match<\/strong> <code>\"keyword\"<\/code><\/td><td>The exact phrase and close variations.<\/td><td><code>\"free shoes\"<\/code> blocks \u201cfree shoes\u201d and \u201cred free shoes\u201d.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Broad Match<\/strong> <code>keyword<\/code><\/td><td>The term, its variations, and related meanings. (Use cautiously!)<\/td><td><code>free shoes<\/code> could block \u201cfree running shoes\u201d or even \u201cshoes without laces\u201d.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Our recommendation:<\/strong> Start with <strong>Phrase Match<\/strong> for most negatives. It offers a good balance of control and coverage without being overly restrictive like Exact or overly broad like Broad Match.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"should-you-add-misspelled-negative-keywords-the-surprising-answer\">Should You Add Misspelled Negative Keywords? (The Surprising Answer)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Generally, no.<\/strong> Here\u2019s why most guides get this wrong: Google\u2019s close variant matching for negatives is very effective. Adding <code>runing shoes<\/code> is often redundant because the phrase match negative <code>\"running shoes\"<\/code> will likely catch it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The exception?<\/strong> If there is a very common, specific misspelling of your brand or a core product that keeps popping up in your search terms report. Otherwise, your time is better spent on other optimizations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-long-until-negative-keywords-work\">How Long Until Negative Keywords Work?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The update is <strong>almost instant<\/strong>. Once you hit save, Google begins excluding those terms. However, you might still see them in your <strong>Search Term Report for 24-48 hours<\/strong> due to reporting latency. Don\u2019t panic\u2014this is normal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"troubleshooting-why-your-negative-keywords-arent-working\">Troubleshooting: Why Your Negative Keywords Aren\u2019t Working<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019ve added negatives but still see irrelevant traffic, here\u2019s a diagnostic checklist:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Check Your Match Type:<\/strong> A broad match negative might be too vague. Switch to phrase match for more precision.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Audit Your Product Feed:<\/strong> If your product title says \u201cGreat for DIY projects,\u201d Google might still show it for \u201cDIY\u201d searches, overriding your negative. Your feed data is powerful.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Understand Priority:<\/strong> If the same product is in multiple campaigns with different priorities, Google uses the campaign-level negative keywords from the winning campaign. Ensure your negatives are in the right campaign.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Be Patient:<\/strong> Wait 2-3 days for the system to fully process the changes and for reporting to catch up.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"advanced-strategy-campaign-priorities-negative-keywords\">Advanced Strategy: Campaign Priorities &amp; Negative Keywords<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>This is the pro-level move.<\/strong> You can create a powerful segmentation strategy by using campaign priorities combined with tailored negative keyword lists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s the logic chain:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Duplicate<\/strong> your Shopping campaign three times. Set one to <strong>Low<\/strong>, one to <strong>Medium<\/strong>, and one to <strong>High<\/strong> priority.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Assign Budgets &amp; Bids:<\/strong> Set higher bids for High-priority campaigns targeting top-of-funnel, high-intent queries. Set lower bids for Low-priority campaigns casting a wider net.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Layer Your Negative Keywords:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Low Priority:<\/strong> Minimal negatives. Catch everything, including informational queries.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Medium Priority:<\/strong> Add negatives for irrelevant and super low-intent terms found in the Low-priority campaign\u2019s report.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>High Priority:<\/strong> The most restrictive list. Negative out all research and non-commercial terms to focus purely on buyers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>This system ensures the right products show for the right searches at the right bid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"case-study-stalhastens-ai-driven-negative-keyword-optimization\">Case Study: St\u00e5lh\u00e4sten\u2019s AI-Driven Negative Keyword Optimization<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-link-color wp-elements-3104d7e0ccba6b482a89edcfb9d83f73\"><strong>Challenge:<\/strong>&nbsp;Swedish bicycle brand <a href=\"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/customer-story\/stalhasten\/\">St\u00e5lh\u00e4sten<\/a> had low brand awareness and underperforming Smart Shopping campaigns.<br><strong>Solution:<\/strong>&nbsp;BrightBid\u2019s Bidbrain AI was implemented to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Optimize feed data and refine bidding.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Segment products by likelihood to convert<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Automatically identify and apply negative keywords<\/strong>&nbsp;for irrelevant searches.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>ROAS increased from 473% to 1232% in 12 months<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Conversion value grew 33%<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"take-action-your-negative-keyword-checklist\">Take Action: Your Negative Keyword Checklist<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Don\u2019t let analysis paralysis stop you. Implement this today:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>RUN<\/strong> your Search Terms Report for the last 30 days.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>IDENTIFY<\/strong> 10-20 irrelevant or low-intent search terms.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>CREATE<\/strong> a Shared Negative Keyword List with your universal terms.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>APPLY<\/strong> that list at the campaign level.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>SCHEDULE<\/strong> a monthly reminder to repeat steps 1-2.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Mastering negative keywords is what separates decent Shopping campaigns from truly exceptional, high-ROI ones. It\u2019s not a set-it-and-forget-it task\u2014it\u2019s an ongoing process of refinement that puts you in complete control of who sees your ads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s a clean version with natural blue links (no inline code or styles):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"google-shopping-negative-keywords-frequently-asked-questions-faq\">Google Shopping Negative Keywords: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"q-1-what-are-negative-keywords-in-google-shopping\">Q1: What are negative keywords in Google Shopping?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Negative keywords are terms you add to your Google Shopping campaigns to prevent your ads from showing for irrelevant searches. Unlike regular keywords that help your ads appear, negative keywords act as filters to exclude searches that are unlikely to convert, such as &#8221;free&#8221; or &#8221;used&#8221; queries. This ensures your budget is spent on high-intent shoppers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"q-2-why-are-negative-keywords-important-for-google-shopping\">Q2: Why are negative keywords important for Google Shopping?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Negative keywords are critical for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list has-link-color wp-elements-7573fc21bcbf6e6dc60e81c533e3cbbd\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.brightbid.com\/blog\/google-shopping-ads-best-practices-guide\/\">Reducing wasted spend<\/a> by excluding irrelevant clicks.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.brightbid.com\/blog\/roas-for-google-ads-measuring-regular-and-shopping-campaigns\/\">Improving ad relevance<\/a> and click-through rates (CTR).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Focusing on high-intent shoppers by filtering out terms like &#8221;reviews&#8221; or &#8221;tutorials.&#8221;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>They also help optimize your return on ad spend (ROAS) by ensuring your ads reach users ready to buy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"q-3-how-do-i-find-negative-keywords-for-my-campaigns\">Q3: How do I find negative keywords for my campaigns?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list has-link-color wp-elements-b1ee9ad29f92493f530227dd8316a006\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.brightbid.com\/blog\/top-google-shopping-issues-and-how-to-fix-them\/\">Search Term Report<\/a>: Analyze queries that triggered your ads and add irrelevant terms as negatives.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Competitor Analysis: Use tools like Semrush or Ahrefs to identify competitors&#8217; negative keywords.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Universal Negatives: Start with broad terms like &#8221;free,&#8221; &#8221;cheap,&#8221; or &#8221;DIY&#8221; that often indicate low purchase intent.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"q-4-can-i-add-negative-keywords-to-performance-max-campaigns\">Q4: Can I add negative keywords to Performance Max campaigns?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-link-color wp-elements-05709868a8ace1710d667bcbc0840213\">Yes! Performance Max campaigns support negative keywords to exclude irrelevant searches. Use them to refine targeting and avoid wasted spend. For a detailed guide, see <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brightbid.com\/blog\/10-tips-for-optimizing-google-performance-max-shopping-campaigns\/\">How to Use Exclusions in Performance Max<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"q-5-how-long-do-negative-keywords-take-to-work\">Q5: How long do negative keywords take to work?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Negative keywords take effect almost instantly, but full integration into Google&#8217;s system may take a few hours. Note that the Search Term Report might reflect these changes after 1\u20132 days due to reporting delays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"q-6-why-are-my-negative-keywords-not-working\">Q6: Why are my negative keywords not working?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Common reasons include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Incorrect match types (e.g., broad match allowing variations).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Product feed issues (e.g., titles containing negative terms).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Campaign priority conflicts where higher-priority campaigns override negatives.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-link-color wp-elements-d8b81b3919226d90b76f5e302f190847\">For troubleshooting tips, read <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brightbid.com\/blog\/top-google-shopping-issues-and-how-to-fix-them\/\">Top Google Shopping Issues and How to Fix Them<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"q-7-should-i-add-misspelled-words-as-negative-keywords\">Q7: Should I add misspelled words as negative keywords?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Generally, no. Google&#8217;s close variant matching automatically handles most misspellings. However, add industry-specific or brand-specific misspellings if they frequently appear in your Search Term Report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"q-8-how-do-negative-keywords-impact-roas\">Q8: How do negative keywords impact ROAS?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-link-color wp-elements-08c6a783b01f3fcb90a51d49632f2abf\">By excluding low-intent searches, negative keywords help allocate budget to high-converting queries, directly improving ROAS. For benchmarks and strategies, see <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brightbid.com\/blog\/roas-for-google-ads-measuring-regular-and-shopping-campaigns\/\">A Good ROAS for Google Ads<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"q-9-can-i-use-negative-keywords-at-both-campaign-and-ad-group-levels\">Q9: Can I use negative keywords at both campaign and ad group levels?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Campaign-level negatives apply to all ad groups (e.g., excluding &#8221;wholesale&#8221; globally).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ad-group-level negatives are product-specific (e.g., excluding &#8221;running&#8221; for dress shoes).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"q-10-where-can-i-learn-more-about-google-shopping-optimization\">Q10: Where can I learn more about Google Shopping optimization?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Explore these resources:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list has-link-color wp-elements-ce5f976fc17748c41443492870f60578\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.brightbid.com\/blog\/google-shopping-ads-best-practices-guide\/\">Google Shopping Ads Best Practices Guide (2025)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.brightbid.com\/blog\/5-ways-on-how-to-find-google-shopping-keywords\/\">How to Find Google Shopping Keywords<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/sv\/google-shopping\/\">BrightBid Google Shopping Optimization Toolkit <\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Ready to automate your negative keyword strategy and more? See how our AI-powered platform transforms Google Ads management.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-style-default has-border-color has-secondary-400-border-color has-primary-400-background-color has-background is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"border-width:10px;padding-top:20px;padding-right:50px;padding-bottom:20px;padding-left:50px\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-white-400-color has-text-color\" id=\"enhance-your-ppc-campaigns-with-ai-2\"><em><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-secondary-600-color\">Enhance <\/mark><\/em>your PPC campaigns with AI <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-fill\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-base-color has-secondary-600-background-color has-text-color has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/sv\/book-a-discovery-call\/?utm_source=google&#038;utm_medium=organic&#038;utm_content=blog-negative-kws-google-shopping&#038;utm_campaign=GLOBAL\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Try Now<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Running Google Shopping campaigns can be a great way to reach potential customers. But what happens when your ads show for irrelevant searches? This wastes your budget and frustrates shoppers. That&#8217;s where negative keywords come in.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":21271,"menu_order":0,"template":"","format":"standard","class_list":["post-24420","blog","type-blog","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/sv\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog\/24420","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/sv\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/sv\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/blog"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/sv\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/sv\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog\/24420\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30050,"href":"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/sv\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog\/24420\/revisions\/30050"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/sv\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21271"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/brightbid.com\/sv\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24420"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}