Negative keyword list guide (lead gen Search)

Why negatives matter for lead gen

Lead gen accounts leak budget through a small set of intent mismatches: jobs, free research, DIY education, or unrelated industries. Negative keywords are the fastest way to stop that leakage—faster than restructuring campaigns or tweaking bids. If you only do one thing to improve lead quality this week, it’s a negative clean‑up pass.

Quick start checklist

1. Export the last 30–90 days of search terms.
2. Highlight junk intent themes (jobs, free, course, template).
3. Decide match types (phrase for themes, exact for one‑offs).
4. Add negatives to a shared list and apply to campaigns.
5. Log the changes in your Waste Report.

Negative keyword match types (simple rules)

Over‑blocking is the most common mistake. Use phrase negatives for themes and exact negatives for one‑off queries. Broad negatives can be too aggressive unless you’re certain.

Step 1: collect the right search terms

Pull terms by campaign and date range. For lead gen, 30–90 days is usually enough to see repeat waste themes without overfitting.

• Export terms with clicks, cost, and conversions.
• Filter out terms with high‑quality conversions.
• Keep a copy of the raw export for your Waste Report.

Step 2: identify intent leakage themes

You’re looking for clusters that signal the wrong audience. Common lead‑gen waste themes include education, career seekers, and bargain hunters. Tag themes before you add any negatives so you don’t block real buyers.

• Jobs/careers: “salary”, “jobs”, “degree”.
• Free/DIY: “free”, “template”, “how to”.
• Irrelevant industries: “insurance” vs “loan” mismatches.
• Competitor confusion: brand names you don’t serve.

Step 3: build the negative list

Use the generator to create candidates, then review them manually. Always protect your brand, core services, and legitimate high‑intent phrases.

• Add brand and core intent terms to a “protected” list.
• Use phrase negatives for obvious junk themes.
• Use exact negatives for one‑off low‑quality terms.

The goal is a short, defensible list, not a massive list that risks blocking real buyers.

Step 4: apply at the right level

If the junk applies across the account, add negatives to a shared list and apply the list to all relevant campaigns. If it’s just one campaign, keep it local.

• Shared list = global control (faster).
• Campaign/ad group = surgical control.
• Document every change in your Waste Report.

Protect high‑intent terms before you block

In lead gen, the most common mistake is accidentally blocking real buyers because a negative was too broad. Build a “protected terms” list first (brand, core services, pricing, location qualifiers).

• Protect brand names, service categories, and product terms.
• Protect “hire” or “near me” style intent if it’s high quality.
• When in doubt, use exact negatives instead of phrase.

If a term appears in both the protected list and your junk list, do not auto‑block it. Review the actual search terms first.

Negative list structure (so it scales)

A messy list becomes unmaintainable. Keep your negatives structured by theme and purpose. A simple structure usually works:

• Shared list: global junk themes (jobs, free, template).
• Campaign list: offer‑specific terms to exclude.
• Ad group list: ultra‑specific exclusions for tight groups.

Document which list each negative belongs to in your Waste Report so you can undo or review changes later.

Brand vs non‑brand impact

Negative keywords can unintentionally block brand traffic if you apply them globally. If you run brand and non‑brand campaigns together, isolate broad negatives to the non‑brand campaigns.

• Keep brand campaigns clean of aggressive negatives.
• Use campaign‑level negatives for non‑brand only.
• Test impact before rolling changes across the account.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Adding broad negatives that block core intent.
• Negating competitor terms without checking for high‑intent cases.
• Making changes without logging them (no rollback path).
• Judging success by clicks instead of qualified leads.
• Ignoring seasonality (short windows can mislead).

Tie negatives to lead quality data

Negative keywords should be driven by lead quality, not just CTR. If a keyword generates leads but the CRM says they’re junk, it belongs on the negative list. If a term generates fewer leads but higher close rates, protect it.

• Label leads by quality tier (A/B/C) and review weekly.
• Trace junk leads back to their search terms.
• Use that feedback loop to refine your negatives.

Examples: safe vs risky negatives

Always validate the actual search terms before blocking risky tokens. Lead gen buyers often use “cheap” or “near me” while still converting.

When not to add negatives

Don’t add a negative just because a term looks irrelevant on the surface. Check conversion quality first. If the term consistently converts into qualified leads, protect it—even if it sounds generic.

• High‑intent terms with strong close rates.
• Brand queries that drive assisted conversions.
• Generic terms that still lead to qualified calls.

How this fits the Waste Report

The Waste Report is where you document each negative decision: the waste theme, the evidence, and the exact negative added. That audit trail prevents future teams from undoing the work or re‑introducing waste.

If you can’t explain why a negative exists in one sentence, it probably doesn’t belong on the list.

Step 5: monitor impact and lead quality

Negative keywords are powerful. Monitor lead quality for at least a week after major changes. If volume drops but quality improves, that’s often a win in lead gen.

• Track cost per qualified lead, not just cost per lead.
• Review missed impression share for unintended blocking.
• Iterate weekly until waste stabilizes.

Decision table

Weekly maintenance routine

1. Review new search terms (last 7–14 days).
2. Tag recurring junk themes.
3. Add a small batch of negatives (5–15 max).
4. Log changes in the Waste Report.
5. Check lead quality and conversion rate trend.