Create and apply negative keyword lists to campaigns

Negative keyword lists can help you manage negative keywords across campaigns more efficiently. 

This is an instructional article that shows you how to create and apply negative keyword lists to campaigns. If you’d like more background, you may want to begin by learning more About negative keyword lists.

Note: The instructions below are part of the new design for the Google Ads user experience. To use the previous design, click the 'Appearance' icon and select Use previous design. If you're using the previous version of Google Ads, review the Quick reference map or use the search bar in the top navigation panel of Google Ads to find the page you’re searching for.

Create a negative keyword list

1. In your Google Ads account, click the Campaigns icon .
2. Click the Audiences, keywords and content drop-down in the section menu.
3. Click Negative search keywords at the top.
4. Click the plus button .
5. Click Select a campaign, then select the campaign that you want to add the negative keyword list to.
6. Enter or paste one negative keyword per line in the text field.
7. Select the tickbox next to Save to new or existing list, and enter a name for your negative keyword list.
8. Click Save.

Apply negative keyword lists to campaigns

After creating your negative keyword lists, you can apply them to one or more campaigns.

Note: To apply negative keyword lists to App campaigns, contact your Google representative.

Apply negative keyword lists to multiple campaigns from the negative keyword library

1. In your Google Ads account, click the Tools icon .
2. Click the Shared library drop-down in the section menu.
3. Click Exclusion lists.
4. Click the Negative keywords lists tab.
5. Tick the box next to the negative keyword lists that you want to apply to campaigns.
6. Click Apply to campaigns.
7. Select the campaigns that you'd like to apply the negative keyword lists to.
8. Click Apply.

Apply negative keyword lists to a single campaign

1. In your Google Ads account, click the Campaigns icon .
2. Click the Audiences, keywords and content drop-down in the section menu, then click Search keywords.
3. Click Negative keywords along the top.
4. Click the plus button .
5. Select Use negative keyword list.
6. Tick the box next to the negative keyword lists that you want to apply to this campaign.
7. Click Save.

Apply negative keyword lists to multiple campaigns from the Campaigns page

1. In your Google Ads account, click the Campaigns icon .
2. Click the Campaigns drop-down in the section menu, then click Campaigns.
3. Tick the box next to the campaigns that you want to apply your negative keyword lists to.
4. Click Edit, and select Edit targeting.
5. To add negative keyword lists, select Add negative keyword lists.
   1. Tick the box next to the lists that you want to add to these campaigns.
   2. Click Apply.
6. To remove negative keyword lists, select Remove negative keyword lists.
   1. Tick the box next to the lists that you want to remove from these campaigns.
7. Click Apply.

 

Related links

• About negative keyword lists
• Edit or permanently remove negative keyword lists
• Remove negative keyword lists from campaigns