You set up Google Ads for your business, the clicks start coming in, and the phone stays quiet. Then you open the search terms report and see people searching for “plumber jobs”, “how to fix a leaky faucet” and “roofing apprenticeship”. You paid for every one of those clicks.
A good negative keywords list for service business campaigns stops that waste. Below you’ll find a starter list you can copy, industry examples and the terms you should think twice about before blocking.
Quick answer: A negative keywords list for service business ads blocks searches from people who won’t hire you: job seekers, DIY learners, students, people looking for free help and anyone outside your service area. Start with the universal terms below, add terms for your industry, then review your search terms report every week.
How Negative Keywords Work
A negative keyword tells Google not to show your ad when a search contains that term. If you add “jobs”, your ad for “roof repair” won’t show for “roof repair jobs”.
There’s one detail most guides skip. According to Google Ads Help, negative keywords don’t match close variants or other expansions. So blocking “job” does not block “jobs”. Add plurals, synonyms and other word forms yourself.
Negatives come in three match types:
| Match type | How to add it | What it blocks |
|---|---|---|
| Broad (default) | jobs | Any search containing all the words, in any order |
| Phrase | “how to” | Searches with those words in that exact order |
| Exact | [roof] | Only that exact search, with no extra words |
For most service businesses, I use broad match for single words like “jobs” and phrase match for multi-word ideas like “how to”.
The Universal Negative Keywords List for Service Business Campaigns
These terms waste money for almost every plumber, cleaner, roofer, dentist or consultant. Review each group, remove anything that fits your business, then add the rest.
Job Seekers
- jobs, job, careers, career
- hiring, vacancy, vacancies
- salary, salaries, wage, pay rate
- apprenticeship, internship, resume, CV
- recruitment, employment, indeed
DIY and Learning
- how to, DIY, do it yourself
- tutorial, video, youtube
- course, courses, training, certification
- school, college, degree, class
- guide, tips, ideas, meaning, definition
Free and Low-Value Intent
- free (unless you offer a free quote or estimate)
- used, second hand, secondhand
- rent, rental (unless you rent equipment)
- sample, template, example
Research and Information
- wiki, wikipedia, reddit, forum
- statistics, history, pictures, images
- license requirements, association
Products and Parts
- parts, supplies, wholesale
- amazon, ebay, walmart
- tools, kit, equipment for sale
Industry Examples
Your industry has its own waste. Here are starting points for the service businesses I work with most:
| Industry | Example negatives |
|---|---|
| Roofing | shingles for sale, roofing nails, roof rack, roofing calculator |
| Commercial cleaning | cleaning products, cleaning supplies, cleaning lady jobs |
| Moving companies | moving boxes, truck rental, moving checklist |
| Dental | dental school, dental assistant, dental insurance jobs |
| Security companies | security guard jobs, security license, home security camera |
| Financial advisory | financial advisor salary, financial advisor course |
Also block services you don’t offer. A residential cleaner might add “commercial” and “industrial”, while a roofer who only does repairs might add “solar”.
Terms You Should Not Block Without Thinking
This is where many copied lists hurt small businesses. Some words look cheap but come from real buyers.
| Term | Block it? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| cheap, affordable | Usually keep | Price-conscious buyers still hire. Test before you block. |
| cost, price, quote | Keep | These people are close to buying. |
| free estimate, free quote | Keep if you offer one | It’s a strong buying signal. |
| near me | Keep | Local intent, often from mobile users ready to call. |
| emergency, 24 hour | Keep if you offer it, block if not | High intent, but only useful if you can answer the phone. |
| reviews, best | Keep | People comparing providers before they hire. |
If you’re not sure, leave the term active for two to four weeks, then check conversions in the search terms report. The best negative keywords list for service business accounts comes from your own data, not a list from the internet.
How to Add and Maintain Your List
- In Google Ads, open Tools, then Shared library, then Exclusion lists.
- Create a list for each group, such as “Jobs” and “DIY”, so you can apply them to many campaigns at once.
- Paste one keyword per line, using quotes for phrase match and brackets for exact match.
- Apply the lists to every Search campaign.
- Check the search terms report every week for the first month, then every two weeks.
Google allows up to 20 shared negative keyword lists per account and 5,000 keywords per list, according to its negative keyword lists guide. Performance Max campaigns now accept up to 10,000 campaign-level negative keywords too, so apply your list there as well.
Negatives only fix half the problem, though. If the right people click but don’t call, your landing page may be the issue. A focused landing page often does more for cost per lead than any keyword change.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many negative keywords should a service business have?
There’s no ideal number. Start with the universal and industry terms in this guide, then grow the list as you review your search terms. The quality of the list matters more than its size. A short list built from your own search terms report usually beats a huge list copied from someone else.
Should I use a pre-made negative keywords list?
Use one as a starting point, not as a final list. Pre-made lists often block good terms like “cheap”, “near me” or “free estimate”, which can be valuable for local services. Read every term, remove anything that could stop a real customer and add terms from your own search data.
How often should I check my search terms report?
Check it weekly for the first month of a new campaign, because that’s when most waste appears. After that, every two weeks is usually enough for small budgets. Increase the frequency again when you add new keywords, change match types or launch in a new area.
Can negative keywords block good traffic?
Yes. A broad negative like “free” also blocks “free estimate roof repair”, which may be your best search. Before adding a negative, search your keyword list and recent search terms for it. If it appears in converting searches, use a more specific phrase or exact match negative instead.
Do negative keywords work in Performance Max campaigns?
Yes. Performance Max campaigns now accept campaign-level negative keywords, up to 10,000 per campaign, and they apply to Search and Shopping inventory. Add your job seeker, DIY and product terms there too, because Performance Max can show ads for broad searches you didn’t choose.
Final Thoughts
A negative keywords list for service business campaigns is one of the quickest ways to stop wasting ad spend. Start with the universal groups, add your industry terms, protect buyer terms like “cost” and “near me”, and let your search terms report guide every change.
If your ads get clicks but no calls, my Google Ads management service includes weekly search term reviews and landing page checks. You can also send me a message and I’ll take a look at your account.
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