A Negative Keyword Review That Protects Good Leads

Start with rejected work

Ask the office which requests it cannot accept: employment, training, equipment purchases, unsupported services, or locations outside its territory. Compare those categories with actual search terms. A word such as commercial or repair is not inherently wasteful. It becomes irrelevant only when it conflicts with the offer. Keep uncertain terms in a review queue with the associated service and outcome.

Choose the narrowest useful scope

Record the proposed text, match type, campaign or group, reason, and owner. Google notes that negative keywords do not match close variants, so inspect the actual spelling and phrasing instead of assuming one entry covers every version. Check existing positive keywords before adding a negative that could prevent an intended service from appearing.

Keep a change record

Save the reviewed term and the business rule that justified the exclusion. After a change, inspect remaining searches and inquiry quality. A drop in clicks alone does not prove an improvement. Revisit exclusions when the company adds a service or changes its coverage; yesterday's rejected work may become tomorrow's priority.

A working decision record

What to check before calling the work complete

1. Use actual query evidence.
2. Check intended positive traffic.
3. Record scope and reason.
4. Retain a reversible change log.

A practical question

Sources and further reading

Platform behavior can change. These primary sources explain the relevant product or search requirements; the working review process above is Modern Apex's practical guidance.

Use this with the rest of your plan