What is a negative keyword list?

A negative keyword list is a set of keywords that you specify in digital advertising campaigns (such as Google Ads or Bing Ads) to prevent your ads from showing for certain search queries. These keywords are essentially terms or phrases you don't want to target because they are irrelevant to your business or offer. By adding negative keywords to your campaigns, you can filter out low-quality or irrelevant traffic, improving the overall efficiency and ROI (Return on Investment) of your ads.

For example:

If you sell high-end luxury watches, you might add negative keywords like "cheap," "free," or "discount" to avoid showing your ads to people who are searching for lower-priced options.

If you run a local business, you may add the name of cities or areas where you don't operate as negative keywords to avoid targeting people outside of your service area.

In essence, a negative keyword list helps you ensure your ads are only shown to users who are more likely to be interested in your product or service, reducing wasted spend.