Negative keywords are intended to keep adverts away from searches whose purpose does not fit the offer. Every addition should therefore have an understandable business reason.
A company cleaning commercial kitchens does not want job applications arriving through its customer acquisition campaign. A search for a “kitchen cleaning job” has a different purpose from a search for a cleaning contractor. The mismatch comes from that purpose, rather than simply from a low click-through rate.
Read search queries in context
Start with available search query reports and known limits of the service. Reports do not necessarily expose every individual search. A negative keyword list is therefore not a complete account of everyone who saw an advert.
Alongside a proposed exclusion, record why the enquiry cannot be served. Reasons might include a different service, employment searches or an exclusive interest in doing the work oneself. Distinguish clearly unsuitable needs from uncertain ones. An interest in price does not automatically make someone an unsuitable customer.
Do not blindly import words such as “free” or “instructions” from a generic list. If the business offers a free initial inspection, a blanket exclusion might conflict with its own offer. Someone reading instructions might also decide to hire a contractor afterwards. Context can be more informative than an isolated word.
Check the scope and level of the exclusion
Google's negative keyword documentation explains matching rules specific to negative keywords. They should not simply be assumed to behave like positive keywords. Check the applicable rules before turning one observed query into a broad exclusion.
The account level matters too. A need can be unsuitable for one campaign but relevant elsewhere in the business. A bicycle shop might exclude “hire” from its sales campaign while also advertising rentals separately. An overly broad shared list could interfere with both purposes.
Keep changes traceable
Maintain a short change record with the term, setting level, date and reason. Before saving, check whether an exclusion affects core words used in the offer. For long lists, a second review by someone familiar with the actual service can identify accidental contradictions.
After a change, do not judge it solely by falling click volume. Fewer clicks may reflect the intended removal of unsuitable searches, or an exclusion that went too far. Review the remaining queries, suitable enquiries recorded by the business and spending together. If activity falls unexpectedly, a documented change lets you investigate what may have been blocked rather than rebuilding the whole campaign without a clear connection to the problem.
