How do you manage negative keyword conflicts in Google Ads?

Negative keyword conflicts in Google Ads occur when a negative keyword is added at the campaign level and prevents ads from showing for that keyword, but it also unintentionally blocks relevant searches at the ad group level. To manage negative keyword conflicts, follow these steps:

1. Identify conflicts: Regularly review your negative keyword lists to ensure they don't contain any terms that could be relevant to specific ad groups. You can use the "Keywords" tab in Google Ads to see which searches triggered your ads and identify any potential conflicts.

2. Use negative keyword lists: Create negative keyword lists to apply to multiple campaigns or ad groups. This approach can help you maintain consistency and avoid redundancy. To create a negative keyword list, navigate to the "Tools & Settings" menu, select "Negative keyword lists," and follow the prompts.

3. Apply negative keywords at the ad group level: When possible, apply negative keywords at the ad group level instead of the campaign level. This ensures that the negative keyword only impacts the specific ad group and prevents conflicts with other ad groups within the campaign.

4. Use negative keyword exclusions: If you have a negative keyword that is relevant to some ad groups but not others, consider using negative keyword exclusions. This feature allows you to exclude a negative keyword from a specific ad group, ensuring it doesn't interfere with ad targeting for that group.

5. Regularly update negative keywords: Regularly review and update your negative keyword lists based on search term reports, performance data, and industry trends. This will help you maintain a clean and effective negative keyword strategy.

6. Use the Negative Keyword Conflict Report: Google Ads offers a Negative Keyword Conflict Report that can help you identify and resolve conflicts. To access the report, navigate to the "Keywords" tab, click "See search terms," and then select "Negative keyword conflicts" from the dropdown menu.

7. Monitor performance: Keep an eye on your campaign performance after resolving negative keyword conflicts. Make any necessary adjustments to your bidding, ad copy, or landing pages to ensure optimal performance.

8. Leverage automated rules: Consider using automated rules to add negative keywords based on performance data. This can help you maintain a clean negative keyword list without manually reviewing search terms and performance data.

9. Use third-party tools: Various third-party tools can help you manage negative keyword conflicts by automating the process and providing additional insights. Examples include Optmyzr, Adalysis, and WordStream.

10. Stay informed about changes: Google Ads occasionally updates features and policies related to negative keywords. Stay informed about these changes to ensure your negative keyword strategy remains effective and compliant.