"Negative keywords" is one of those terms that gets used two different ways, and that's why it confuses people. Here's the short answer.
Negative keywords are search terms you deliberately don't want to show up for. In paid search (Google Ads and Microsoft Ads), they're a real setting: you add words like "free," "jobs" or "DIY," and your ads stop showing on searches that contain them. In SEO there's no negative keyword setting. Google decides which searches your pages appear for. In SEO, negative keywords are a planning list: the searches you choose not to target in your titles, headings and content, because those visitors would never buy from you.
Both uses have the same goal: fewer wrong visitors, more of the right ones. Below is how each one works and how to find yours.
Negative keywords in Google Ads vs. SEO
- Google Ads: You add negative keywords to a campaign or ad group, and ads won't show on searches containing them. This directly saves money, because you stop paying for clicks that were never going to turn into customers.
- SEO: You can't block a search term. What you can do is decide which terms each page is built for, and leave the wrong ones out of your titles, headings, meta descriptions and copy. That keeps a page focused, so Google understands who it's for and the people who click are more likely to stick around.
Don't confuse either one with "negative SEO." Negative SEO is when someone tries to hurt a competitor's rankings, for example with spammy links. It has nothing to do with negative keywords.
Why negative keywords matter for SEO
Ranking for the wrong searches doesn't help you. A page that pulls in visitors who want something else gets impressions and maybe a few clicks, but no calls or sales. Thinking in negative keywords helps you:
- Keep each page focused. One clear topic and audience per page is easier for Google to understand and easier for visitors to act on.
- Stop chasing traffic that won't convert. A local service business usually doesn't need to rank for "free," "jobs," "salary," "course" or "template" searches.
- Write better titles and descriptions. When you know who you're not for, your search snippet can speak more directly to who you are for, and that tends to earn more of the right clicks.
- Keep your own pages from competing with each other. Deciding which page owns which search, and leaving that term off the others, helps avoid two of your pages splitting the same ranking.
How to find negative keywords for SEO
- Open Google Search Console. Go to the Performance report and look at the Queries tab. Sort by impressions and look for searches your pages show up for that don't match what you sell.
- Look for intent words. Common mismatches are "free," "jobs," "careers," "salary," "DIY," "how to become," "course," "cheap" (if you're a premium brand), and locations you don't serve.
- Check your Google Ads search terms report. If you run ads, this report shows the exact searches people typed before clicking. The ones that wasted money are usually the same ones your SEO pages shouldn't chase.
- Search your main terms yourself. Look at what Google shows. If the results are job listings, free tools or how-to guides, the people searching that term want something different from a service provider.
- Write the list down. Keep one shared list for your website and your ads so your team (or your agency) works from the same rules.
How to use negative keywords on your website
- Leave the excluded terms out of page titles, H1s and meta descriptions.
- Write copy that names who the page is for, such as "for Tomball homeowners" or "for small business owners," so it doesn't drift toward a different audience.
- If you really want to rank for a different audience, give them their own page instead of stretching one page to cover both.
- Recheck Search Console every month or two. New mismatched searches show up over time, especially after you publish new content.
How to use negative keywords in Google Ads
In Google Ads you can add negative keywords at the campaign level, the ad group level, or as a shared list across campaigns. They come in three match types:
- Negative broad match: blocks searches that contain all of your negative words, in any order.
- Negative phrase match: blocks searches that contain the exact phrase, in that order.
- Negative exact match: blocks only that exact search.
Be careful not to block too much. A negative keyword that's too broad can stop your ads from showing on searches you actually want. Review the search terms report regularly and add negatives a few at a time. If you'd rather have someone manage this, see how we run Google Ads for Tomball businesses.
A simple example
Say you're a Tomball landscaping company. You want "landscaping company Tomball" and "landscape design near me." You probably don't want "landscaping jobs Tomball," "free landscape design app" or "DIY landscaping ideas." In Google Ads, you'd add "jobs," "free," "app" and "DIY" as negative keywords. On your website, you'd keep those words out of your service page titles and copy, and write the page for homeowners who want to hire someone.
Common mistakes
- Thinking you can block searches in SEO the way you can in ads. You can't, so focus on what each page targets instead.
- Adding one-word negatives in Google Ads that block good searches too.
- Setting a list once and never looking at it again.
- Mixing up negative keywords and negative SEO.
For more SEO basics, see 7 common SEO mistakes small business owners make and our SEO glossary.
Negative keywords FAQ
What are negative keywords in SEO?
In SEO, negative keywords are the searches you choose not to target, because the people typing them won't become customers. SEO has no setting to block a search term, so you use the list to keep those words out of your titles, headings and content.
Can you add negative keywords to SEO?
Not directly. Google decides which searches your pages show up for. You can only shape that by being clear about what each page is for and who it's for.
How do I find negative keywords?
Start with the Queries report in Google Search Console and, if you run ads, the search terms report in Google Ads. Look for searches that don't match what you sell, such as "free," "jobs," "DIY" or areas you don't serve.
What is the difference between negative keywords and negative SEO?
Negative keywords are search terms you exclude from your ads or don't target on your site. Negative SEO is an attempt to hurt someone else's rankings, for example with spammy links. They're unrelated.
Do negative keywords save money?
In Google Ads, yes. They stop your ads from showing, and getting clicked, on searches that won't turn into customers. In SEO they don't save ad spend, but they keep your time and content focused on searches that can bring in business.
Want help sorting out which searches your business should go after? Learn about our SEO services or talk with our team.