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3 Negative Keyword Lists Every Google Ads Account Needs

February 9, 20265 min read

If you're running Google Ads for an e-commerce brand and you don't have robust negative keyword lists, you're probably wasting 15-30% of your ad spend. Here are the three lists every account needs from day one.

List 1: The Universal Blocklist

These are terms that virtually never convert for e-commerce:

  • Job-related:: jobs, careers, hiring, salary, intern, employment
  • Educational:: how to make, DIY, tutorial, course, class, certification
  • Free seekers:: free, cheap, coupon code, discount code, clearance
  • Competitor brand names: (unless you're intentionally running competitor campaigns)
  • Review/comparison:: review, vs, comparison, alternative, reddit

    • This single list typically saves our clients 10-15% of their monthly spend immediately.

    List 2: The Industry-Specific Blocklist

    Every industry has its own set of irrelevant terms. For DTC skincare, that might be "dermatologist," "prescription," or "clinical trial." For supplements, it's "FDA approved," "side effects," or "recall."

    Build this list by:

  • Reviewing your Search Terms report weekly for the first 60 days
  • Identifying patterns of non-converting queries
  • Adding both exact match and phrase match negatives

    • List 3: The Performance Blocklist

    This is the dynamic list that evolves over time. Every week, review search terms that triggered your ads but didn't convert after receiving 50+ clicks. If a search term has spent 3x your target CPA without a conversion, add it to this list.

    Implementation Tips

  • Apply List 1 at the account level (it covers everything)
  • Apply List 2 at the campaign level (different campaigns may have different relevant terms)
  • Apply List 3 at the ad group level for maximum precision
  • Review and update all lists monthly — search behavior changes with seasons and trends

    • The brands that dominate Google Ads aren't just great at finding the right keywords — they're relentless about blocking the wrong ones.

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