Okay, so Google’s Performance Max (PMax) ads got a big upgrade! Let say, you’re throwing a party, and you want to make sure only your friends come, not random people. That’s what negative keywords do for your ads.
Why the Old Limit Was a Problem
Before, Google only let you tell it 100 “Negative” Keywords. That’s like only being able to tell the bouncer 100 names of people you don’t want at your party. For many businesses, that’s just not enough.
Think about it:
- If you sell shoes, you don’t want your ads showing up for “free shoe pictures” or “shoe repair.”
- If you sell wedding dresses, you don’t want ads for “Halloween costumes.”
With only 100 “Negative” Keywords, you couldn’t block all the unwanted searches. It was like trying to keep a huge crowd out with a tiny list.
Why Google Changed It
Google uses AI (artificial intelligence) to show your ads to the right people. They thought too many “Negative” Keywords would confuse the AI. They also thought most people didn’t need more than 100.
But, people using the Google ads were saying, “Hey, this isn’t working for us!” They needed more control. So, Google listened and increased the limit to 10,000 words.
What This Means for You
Now, you have a lot more room to tell Google what searches you don’t want your ads to show up for. It’s like having a much bigger list for the bouncer.
How to Use This New Power Wisely
- Don’t go crazy: Just because you can add 10,000 words doesn’t mean you should. Only add words that really waste your money.
- Think about the types of “Negative” Keywords:
- Broad: If you say “free shoes,” your ad won’t show if someone searches “free running shoes” or “shoes that are free.”
- Phrase: If you say “cheap knockoffs,” your ad won’t show if someone searches that exact phrase.
- Exact: If you say “used red car,” your ad only won’t show for that exact search.
- Keep an eye on things: Check your ad results. Make sure your “Negative” Keywords are helping, not hurting.
- Check often: Look at your “Negative” Keywords words regularly. You might find new words to add or old ones to remove.
- Use other tools: Google gives you other ways to block ads, like telling it to not show ads for certain brands.
The Big Idea
This change is good. It gives you more control. But remember, more control means more responsibility. Use your “Negative” Keywords words carefully, and you’ll get better results from your ads.
Resources: Google
