Negative Keyword
A keyword that prevents ads from showing when specific search terms are used, important for brand safety and compliance.
What Negative Keyword means
A negative keyword is a targeting filter in search advertising that prevents ads from appearing when specific terms are included in a user's search query. While primarily a performance optimization tool (preventing irrelevant clicks), negative keywords have important compliance applications. They can prevent ads from appearing alongside sensitive search terms, block queries that indicate the user is seeking something the advertiser doesn't offer (reducing misleading impression risk), and avoid association with prohibited content topics. For regulated industries, negative keyword lists should include terms related to unauthorized claims, competitive trademarks, and sensitive contexts. Google Ads supports exact match, phrase match, and broad match negative keywords. Building and maintaining comprehensive negative keyword lists is a compliance best practice for search advertisers, particularly in healthcare, financial services, and legal advertising.
Related terms
Quality Score
Google Ads' 1-10 rating of keyword, ad, and landing page quality that affects ad ranking and cost-per-click.
Brand Safety
Measures taken to ensure ads do not appear alongside harmful, offensive, or inappropriate content that could damage brand reputation.
Contextual Targeting
Targeting ads based on the content of the page or app being viewed, rather than user behavior or profile data.
Ad Auction
The real-time bidding process where platforms determine which ad to show to a specific user based on bid, quality, and relevance.