Negative Keywords: The Fastest Way to Stop Wasting Google Ads Budget

# Negative Keywords: The Fastest Way to Stop Wasting Google Ads Budget

Your Google Ads account is probably bleeding money right now. Not because your ads are bad or your offer is weak, but because you're paying for clicks from people who'll never become customers.

This happens to nearly every small business we work with at BrightClick. You set up a campaign, launch it, and feel good about the clicks coming in. But then you look at your bank balance and realise you've spent £400 this month and got exactly zero jobs from it.

The culprit? You're showing your ads to the wrong people. And the fastest way to fix it is using negative keywords.

What Are Negative Keywords, Actually?

A negative keyword is simple: it's a word or phrase that tells Google *not* to show your ad.

Let's say you're a plumber in Manchester. You bid on the keyword "emergency plumber Manchester" because you want those urgent midnight calls—they pay well and you've got the capacity.

But Google also shows your ad when someone searches "emergency plumber Manchester *training course*" or "how to be an emergency plumber Manchester" or "emergency plumber Manchester *salary*".

None of those people need a plumber. They're searching for something completely different. You pay for the click. They bounce. You've wasted 30p (or £1.50, depending on your industry).

Negative keywords stop that waste. You add "training" as a negative keyword, and your ad stops showing for searches that include that word.

Simple. Effective. Most small businesses don't use them.

Why Don't Most Small Businesses Use Negative Keywords?

Three reasons:

1. No one told them. If you're new to Google Ads, nobody sits you down and explains this. The interface buries negative keywords in a menu most people never find.

2. It takes time to discover them. You can't just guess negative keywords—not properly. You have to dig through your search terms report (which we'll get to in a moment), spot the patterns, and add them manually. That's boring work, so it doesn't happen.

3. They underestimate the impact. Wasting a tenner here and there doesn't *feel* like a crisis when you're running a small business. But over three months? That's £90 of budget that could've gone toward ads that actually work.

The honest truth is: Google doesn't push you toward negative keywords because Google makes money when you spend money. Even if some of that spend is wasted.

How to Find Wasted Spend in Your Search Terms Report

This is where you take action.

Log into your Google Ads account. Go to Keywords > Search Terms. You'll see every single search someone typed in before clicking your ad.

Scroll through that list. You're looking for searches that have nothing to do with what you offer.

Real-world example: You're a local electrician in Leeds. You bid on "electrician Leeds" because that's your bread and butter. But in your search terms report you see:

• "electrician Leeds *training*"
• "electrician Leeds *jobs*"
• "electrician Leeds *apprenticeship*"
• "electrician Leeds *course*"

None of those people need your services. They're either students, job seekers, or trainers. You paid for all of them.

Here's what you do:

1. Export your search terms report (there's a download button) 2. Open it in a spreadsheet and sort by number of impressions or cost 3. Read through the top searches and flag anything irrelevant 4. Look for patterns. Are people searching for jobs? Training? Cheap/free alternatives? Competitor names? 5. Add those words as negative keywords in your campaign settings

After you add negatives, Google stops showing your ad for those searches. Your budget suddenly works harder.

What Kind of Negative Keywords Should You Add?

Most small businesses have blind spots in the same places. Here's what to watch for:

Job seekers and career-hunters

If you're an accountant, plumber, builder, or recruiter, you'll get tonnes of searches from people looking to *work* in your industry, not hire you.

Negative keywords to add: jobs, vacancies, recruitment, apprenticeship, training, career, salary, wage

"How to" and DIY searchers

People searching "how to fix a leaky tap" or "how to claim back VAT" aren't hiring you. They want to do it themselves.

Negative keywords to add: how to, DIY, tutorial, guide, free, yourself

Bargain hunters looking for cheap or free

Sometimes people add "cheap" or "free" to searches. They're probably not your ideal customer.

Negative keywords to add: cheap, free, budget, discount (unless you actually compete on price)

Competitor names

If you bid on a competitor's name—which can work if you position yourself as an alternative—you'll also get people searching reviews or jobs at that competitor.

Example: You're a graphic designer bidding on "Canva" to catch people who want an alternative. But some searchers are looking for "Canva jobs" or "Canva review." Not relevant.

Negative keywords to add: jobs, reviews, careers, pricing, cost (anything that suggests they're researching the competitor, not looking for an alternative)

Starter Negative Keyword Lists by Industry

Plumbers, Electricians, Builders, Tradespeople

jobs, apprenticeship, training, course, how to, DIY, cheap, free, salary, vacancies, recruitment, learn, study

Accountants, Bookkeepers, Tax Advisors

jobs, course, training, qualification, cheap, free, how to, learn, salary, apprenticeship, recruitment

Local Services (hairdressers, salons, therapists)

jobs, training, course, how to, DIY, cheap, free, learn, career, apprenticeship, recruitment

Solicitors, Legal Services

jobs, training, qualification, course, cheap, free, salary, how to, apprenticeship, recruitment, law school

Dentists, Opticians, Health Services

jobs, training, apprenticeship, course, free, NHS (if you're private), salary, how to, learn, recruitment

Note: These are starter lists. Your actual wasted searches might be different. Always check your own search terms report first.

How Often Should You Review This?

At least once a month. Every time you review your Google Ads account, spend 15 minutes looking at your search terms report. You'll spot new patterns and catch wasted spend early.

Once you've built a solid negative keyword list, Google gets better at showing your ads only to people who actually want what you're selling. Your cost per click goes down. Your conversion rate goes up. Your budget works harder.

It's not flashy. It won't double your sales overnight. But it's one of the fastest ROI wins in Google Ads for small businesses.

What Now?

Log into your Google Ads account right now. Go to Keywords > Search Terms. Spend 10 minutes reading through what people actually searched for before clicking your ad.

Write down three searches that had nothing to do with what you offer.

Add the keywords from those searches as negatives.

If you've got multiple campaigns or a larger budget and this feels overwhelming, that's something we help businesses with at BrightClick—but honestly, even 15 minutes of work here will save you money this month.

Don't wait for the perfect moment to do this. Do it today.