100+ Essential Google Ads Negative Keywords: The Ultimate Master List for 2026

Stop wasting your budget on low-intent traffic. Using a comprehensive negative keyword list is the most effective way to ensure your ads only appear to high-quality prospects.

Below is a curated list of essential negative keywords for English-speaking markets, categorized by intent.

1. Legal & Disputes (Avoid Negative Sentiment)

Exclude users who are searching for legal issues or complaints related to the industry.

• Keywords: scam, fraud, lawsuit, legal, court, complaint, rip off, blacklist, dispute.

2. Company Info & Business Lookup

Filter out researchers or people just looking for corporate details rather than services.

• Keywords: company profile, company history, EIN, VAT number, business registration, CEO, owner, founder.

3. Customer Support & Service

Prevent your ads from showing to existing customers who are simply looking for a way to contact your help desk.

• Keywords: customer service number, support phone, help desk, contact us, hotline, login, portal.

4. Free, Cracked & Pirated

If you are running a paid service or product, these keywords are a “must-exclude” to avoid non-paying traffic.

• Keywords: free, crack, keygen, torrent, download, freeware, open source, no cost.

5. Employment & Recruitment

Don’t pay for clicks from job seekers.

• Keywords: careers, jobs, hiring, salary, Indeed, LinkedIn, Glassdoor, internship, resume.

6. Research & Educational Intent

Exclude students or users who are in the “learning phase” and not yet ready to buy.

• Keywords: what is, definition, tutorial, template, example, sample, case study, statistics, white paper.

7. Non-Conversion Local Intent

• Keywords: directions, map, parking, holiday hours, route, bus, metro.

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Pro Tip for Marketers: When applying these to your Google Ads account, we recommend using “Phrase Match” for specific terms (e.g., "free") and “Exact Match” for branded terms you wish to avoid.

Pro-Tip: High-Frequency Keywords to Filter Out Non-Paying Traffic

If your primary goal is lead generation or acquiring paying customers, you should proactively exclude these high-frequency search terms commonly used by “window shoppers” and researchers:

• what is... / definition: Exclude students and academic researchers who are looking for information or homework help rather than a professional solution.
• template / example / sample: Filter out users who are looking for free resources or DIY inspiration instead of a paid service or tool.
• vs / comparison / alternative: These users are often in the early consideration stage. While they drive a high Click-Through Rate (CTR), they typically have a lower immediate conversion rate because they are still comparing options.
• youtube / video / tutorial: Exclude users seeking free visual guides or video instructions rather than making a purchase.

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Category	Recommended Negative Keywords
Legal / Disputes	scam, fraud, lawsuit, legal, court, complaint, rip off, blacklist, dispute
Company Info & Business Lookup	company profile, company history, EIN, VAT number, business registration, CEO, owner, founder
Customer Support / Service	customer service number, support phone, help desk, contact us, hotline, service center
After-sales / Warranty	warranty, repair, fix, replacement, refund, maintenance, inspection
Free / Cracked / Pirated	free, crack, keygen, torrent, download, freeware, open source, no cost, gratis
Employment & Recruitment	careers, jobs, hiring, salary, Indeed, LinkedIn, Glassdoor, internship, resume
Educational Intent	what is, definition, tutorial, template, example, sample, case study, statistics, white paper
Non-conversion Local Intent	directions, map, parking, holiday hours, route, bus, metro, how to get there
System / Login / Backend	login, sign in, account, password, admin, dashboard, client portal, member area
Invalid / Testing	test, testing, demo, trial, free trial, activation code, serial number

For more technical details, you can refer to the Google Ads Official Documentation on how negative keywords work Additionally, using tools like Google Keyword Planner is highly recommended for identifying irrelevant search terms. Once your campaign is live, don’t forget to monitor your traffic quality through GA4 Traffic Source Analysis to ensure your lihi short links are driving high-intent users.

Conclusion: Stop Guessing, Start Optimizing

Refining your Google Ads strategy with a robust negative keyword list is one of the fastest ways to stop budget leaks and improve your marketing ROI. By proactively excluding “junk traffic,” you ensure that every dollar spent is focused on users who actually intend to convert.

However, blocking bad traffic is only half the battle. To truly scale your success, you need to know exactly which campaigns, creatives, and channels are delivering your best customers. That’s where lihi comes in. By pairing your keyword strategy with lihi’s precision tracking and short URL management, you gain the data clarity needed to turn insights into growth.

💡 Take the Next Step: Now that you have the list, do you know the most efficient way to apply it? Check out our Google Ads Negative Keyword List Template & Setup Guide to learn how to use the “Shared Library” feature to save time and manage keywords across multiple campaigns automatically.

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