Wasted ad spend is the silent killer of PPC profitability. Up to 40% of average Google Ads budgets are spent on completely irrelevant search queries (like “free”, “jobs”, “DIY”, or “reviews”). Building an aggressive negative keyword list is the fastest way to stop budget bleed instantly.
At Grothify, deploying custom negative keyword lists on Day 1 is how we immediately lower Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) for our clients. In this guide, we share our proven negative keyword framework and master lists for 2026.
Stop Wasting Budget on Irrelevant Clicks
We’ll audit your search terms report and deploy 500+ negative keywords to cut wasted spend.
Negative Keyword Match Types Explained
| Match Type | Syntax Example | What It Blocks |
|---|---|---|
| Negative Exact Match | -[free seo audit] |
Blocks queries matching that exact phrase in exact order only |
| Negative Phrase Match | -"free" |
Blocks any search query containing the word “free” in that sequence |
| Negative Broad Match | -free |
Blocks any query containing the term regardless of word order |
Master Universal Negative Keyword List (Add to All Account Lists)
Copy and paste these standard universal negative keywords to prevent common non-commercial traffic:
1. Job & Employment Intent Negatives
job, jobs, career, careers, salary, resume, hiring, recruitment, vacancy, intern, internship, glassdoor, salary, interview questions
2. Free & Low-Cost Intent Negatives
free, cheap, crack, torrent, open source, hack, free download, cheap price, cheapest, DIY, sample, template free
3. Academic & Educational Intent Negatives
course free, pdf, ppt, definition, meaning, research paper, Wikipedia, thesis, books, study material, case study free
Pair negative keywords with our Quality Score optimization tactics to dramatically improve click-through rates (CTR).
How to Audit Search Terms Report Weekly
- In Google Ads, navigate to **Campaigns → Insights & Reports → Search Terms**.
- Filter by impressions and cost to see actual queries triggering your ads.
- Select irrelevant queries and click **Add as Negative Keyword**.
- Add high-performing negatives to **Account-Level Negative Keyword Lists** for global application.
Scale PPC Profits with Grothify
Our Google Ads team manages negative keyword lists, negative placement audits & Smart Bidding daily.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do negative keywords work on Performance Max (PMax) campaigns?
You can apply negative keyword lists to Performance Max campaigns at the **Account Level** or submit custom negative keyword lists through Google Support for individual PMax campaigns.
Written by Mohammed Ouzair, PPC Lead & Founder at Grothify. Part of our Google Ads services. Follow on Instagram and LinkedIn.
