Negative keyword match types

What are match keyword match types?

Keyword match types are parameterized keywords that instruct search engines how closely the user’s queries need to match your keywords to trigger your ads. For example, if you only sell brand-new clothes, it may be worth putting in negative keywords such as “used” or “second hand.” We currently have three options of negative keywords: broad, phrase, and exact. Let’s learn more about each one below and how to use each to improve your search ads account performance.

Negative broad match keywords

The negative broad match is the simplest and probably the most used across search ad accounts. Negative broad match keywords can help prevent your search ads from showing for queries containing a specific keyword. For example, if your garage fixes only cars, you can add “motorcycle” or “bike” to avoid wasting money on users looking for a place to fix their motorcycles.

Negative phrase match keywords

Negative phrase match can help you prevent your ads from showing specific terms in a specific order. For example, in the same previous case, if your repair shop doesn’t fix electric vehicles, you can add “electric vehicle” or “electric car.” This way, you can still show your ads to users looking for a garage to fix their cars, but not to those looking for electric car repairs.

Negative exact match keywords

The exact negative match keywords are the most restrictive but not the least valuable. To use the same example from the garage, you can say “fix battery” or “fix car battery” if your garage doesn’t fix batteries but only changes them.

In this case, you should be careful when adding your negative keywords because even if the user typed a certain query, they probably meant something with a broader meaning. In the battery example, the term “fix” could refer to solving a problem, not necessarily fixing it. In other words, we want his battery issue fixed, even if that means a battery change.

Comparison of the different match types

With all that being said, let’s do a recap on when you should use each negative keyword match type:

Use a negative broad match when you want to block a wide range of irrelevant searches containing a specific word, giving you broad control over what doesn’t trigger your ads. Use negative phrase match when you need more precision, blocking only specific phrases while still allowing related terms that may be relevant. Finally, use a negative exact match for the most control, only blocking ads from showing for an exact keyword or search term, allowing flexibility with other variations of that term.

Conclusion

Negative keywords are a powerful tool in PPC campaigns, helping you avoid irrelevant traffic and optimize your budget. Understanding how to use broad, phrase, and exact match types lets you control who sees your ads, ensuring your campaigns remain targeted and efficient.