Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising can be an effective way to drive targeted traffic to your website and increase conversions. However, the success of a PPC campaign depends on several factors, including the use of negative keywords. Negative keywords are the search terms that you exclude from your PPC campaign, and they can help improve your campaign’s performance by reducing irrelevant clicks and improving your ad relevance. In this article, we will discuss how to use negative keywords to improve your PPC campaign performance.
Identify irrelevant search terms
The first step in using negative keywords is to identify the irrelevant search terms that are triggering your ads. You can use keyword research tools to identify these terms, or you can analyze your search query report. Look for search terms that are not relevant to your business or products, and that do not align with your campaign goals.
Create a negative keyword list
Once you have identified the irrelevant search terms, create a negative keyword list. This list should include all the search terms that you want to exclude from your campaign. You can create a negative keyword list at the campaign or ad group level, and you can add new negative keywords at any time.
Use broad, phrase, and exact-match negative keywords
Negative keywords can be used in broad, phrase, and exact match formats. Broad match negative keywords exclude search terms that contain any of the words in your negative keyword, regardless of the order. Phrase match negative keywords excludes search terms that contain your negative keyword in the exact order you specified. Exact match negative keywords exclude search terms that match your negative keyword exactly.
Regularly review and update your negative keyword list
To ensure that your negative keyword list remains relevant and effective, it’s important to regularly review and update it. As your campaign evolves and your business changes, you may need to add new negative keywords or remove existing ones. Regularly reviewing your negative keyword list can help you identify new irrelevant search terms and ensure that your campaign is optimized for success.
Monitor your campaign performance
Finally, monitor your campaign performance to determine how your negative keywords are impacting your campaign. Use your campaign analytics to track your click-through rate (CTR), conversion rate, and cost per conversion. By monitoring your campaign performance, you can identify any areas for improvement and adjust your negative keyword list accordingly.
In conclusion, using negative keywords is an essential part of optimizing your PPC campaign. By identifying irrelevant search terms, creating a negative keyword list, using broad, phrase, and exact match negative keywords, regularly reviewing and updating your negative keyword list, and monitoring your campaign performance, you can improve your campaign’s relevance and reduce irrelevant clicks. As a result, you can drive more targeted traffic to your website, increase conversions, and achieve your PPC campaign goals.