Sander Digital Marketing
Open the Search Terms report in almost any local service account and you’ll find money spent on “HVAC technician salary,” “how to unclog a drain with baking soda,” “plumbing apprenticeship,” and searches from towns you’ve never driven to. Negative keywords stop that. This post is part of our Google Ads for small businesses guide.
Google’s help on negative keywords covers the mechanics. Below are practical starter lists and a weekly routine.
How negative match types differ
Negative keywords use match types too, but they behave differently from regular keywords (match types):
| Negative type | Blocks | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Negative broad | Searches with all the words, in any order | -salary blocks “hvac tech salary” |
| Negative phrase | Searches with the exact phrase in that order | -"how to" blocks “how to fix a leaky faucet” |
| Negative exact | Only that exact search | -[plumbing supply] |
Negative keywords don’t automatically include close variants, so add plurals and common misspellings when they matter.
Shared starter negatives (most local service businesses)
Put these in a shared negative list and apply it to every campaign, then adjust:
Jobs and training
– jobs, job, hiring, careers, salary, pay, wage, apprenticeship, apprentice, school, training, certification course, license test, resume
DIY and research
– how to, diy, yourself, youtube, video, tutorial, manual, diagram, parts, supply, wholesale, home depot, lowes (only if you don’t want those comparison searches)
Free and cheap (test carefully)
– free (unless you advertise free estimates; then use phrase negatives like “free parts”), used, craigslist
Wrong intent
– reviews of products, recall, lawsuit, complaint, warranty claim (for manufacturer warranties you don’t handle)
Review each one against your services (our Google Ads guide for plumbers has a plumbing-specific starter list). A plumber who sells water heater parts shouldn’t block “parts.”
Trade add-ons
HVAC
- refrigerant license, epa 608 test, hvac school, thermostat manual, window unit, portable ac (if you don’t service them), car ac / auto ac
Plumbing
- plumbing supply, pvc fittings, plumber’s putty, how to snake a drain, drain cleaner (product searches), rv plumbing (if you don’t do it)
Roofing
- roofing shingles price per bundle, roofing materials, metal roofing supply, roofing nailer, rv roof, car roof
Electrical
- electrician school, electrical code book, wiring diagram, extension cord, auto electrician, electrical engineer
Cleaning
- cleaning jobs, cleaning products, carpet cleaner rental, cleaning supplies, maid uniform, cleaning business for sale
Landscaping and lawn care
- lawn mower repair (unless you offer it), landscaping rocks price, mulch near me (if you don’t sell bulk), landscaping jobs, landscape design software
Auto repair
- auto parts, parts store, repair manual, obd2 scanner, car for sale, junkyard
Professional offices
- CPA firms and insurance agencies have their own patterns (exam prep, salary, software tutorials, “free tax filing”). Same process, different words.
Location is a “negative” too
Many wasted clicks aren’t about words at all. They’re about place. Use location targeting to show ads to people in your service area, exclude areas you don’t serve, and add the names of distant cities as negatives when people search “plumber [far-away city].”
Weekly Search Terms routine (20 minutes)
- Open the Search Terms report for the last 7 days.
- Sort by cost.
- Mark clearly irrelevant searches as negatives (at the right level: shared list, campaign, or ad group).
- Spot new good searches to add as keywords.
- Log what you added and why.
- Every month, review the list for anything that might be blocking good traffic.
Structure makes negatives easier
When campaigns are split by service (how to structure Google Ads by service line), you can use negatives to steer traffic: add “replacement” and “install” as negatives in the repair campaign so those searches go to the replacement campaign with the right ad and page. Google’s account structure guidance makes the same point about clean themes.
What NOT to block
- “Near me”: that’s often your best traffic.
- “Cost,” “price,” “how much”: many of these are real buyers comparing quotes. Test before blocking.
- “Emergency” or “24 hour”: only block if you truly don’t offer it.
- Brand names of equipment you service: “Carrier AC repair” or “Rheem water heater” can be great leads.
- “Cheap”: sometimes it’s price-shopping, sometimes it’s just how people talk. Watch the booking rate before deciding.
Tie waste control to cost per lead
Every dollar spent on a job seeker or a DIY search raises your real cost per lead. A tight negative list is often the fastest, cheapest improvement you can make, before touching bids or budgets.
Sample decision log (copy this)
| Date | Search term | Action | Level | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 4 | hvac technician salary | Negative broad “salary” | Shared list | Job seeker |
| Mar 4 | water heater replacement cost | Keep | — | Real buyer comparing quotes |
| Mar 11 | plumber [city 90 miles away] | Negative phrase | Shared list | Outside service area |
| Mar 11 | ac install | Negative phrase in Repair campaign | Campaign | Route to Replacement campaign |
A log means the next person doesn’t undo your work, or wonder why “free” is blocked.
Account-level vs. campaign-level negatives
- Shared list / account level: jobs, DIY, wrong trades, out-of-area towns.
- Campaign level: steering (repair vs. replace, residential vs. commercial).
- Ad group level: fine-tuning within a campaign.
When a negative fights a positive keyword
If a negative blocks one of your keywords, Google will show a warning. Check these after every big negative update. A common one: blocking “free” and accidentally blocking “free estimate” searches you actually want.
