Google Ads
Use negative keywords with context
Exclusions reduce irrelevant traffic but may also block useful searches. Review meaning before applying broad rules.
Put it into practice
- Inspect available search terms.
- Choose appropriate exclusion scope.
- Revisit lists when services change.
Before acting on account data, confirm that tracking works and that the reporting period allows for your sales cycle. Interface labels and available controls can change, so check current Google Ads documentation when implementing settings. Recommendations here are decision frameworks, not promises of a particular return.
A practical example
Free-download searches differ from comparisons of free and paid training.
What to measure
Review irrelevant spend and qualified volume together.
Generic exclusion lists can quietly remove relevant demand.
Your next step
Choose one action from the checklist and assign a person to complete it. Record the current situation, the change you intend to make and the evidence you will review. Set a review date that gives the change enough time to produce useful observations. Keep what works, adjust what does not and note anything the data cannot yet explain.