Negative keywords come from paid advertising: words that stop your ad from showing for the wrong searches, such as "free", "jobs" or "diy". They are useful for SEO planning too.
In SEO
- Avoid targeting keywords that bring the wrong visitors. "ro purifier repair course" brings students, not customers.
- Spot intent quickly: "free", "template", "salary" and "meaning" usually signal no buying intent.
- Keep reports clean: remove these from keyword lists before you plan pages.
Build a list
The negative keyword generator gives a ready list of common negatives grouped by type. Add your own from searches that brought visitors who never convert.
Common negative groups
- Free and cheap: "free", "cheap", "discount" (unless you compete on price).
- Jobs: "jobs", "salary", "vacancy", "career".
- Learning: "course", "training", "pdf", "meaning".
- Do it yourself: "diy", "how to make", "homemade".
- Second-hand: "used", "second hand", "classifieds".
Using negatives in content planning
When you cluster keywords, move negative matches to a separate list. Some may still be worth a page, for example a "diy vs professional service" guide can rank for DIY searches and convince readers to call a professional. Decide on purpose rather than by accident.
Review regularly
Look at the searches that bring visitors who never convert. Add the patterns to your negative list for both ads and content planning.
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