How Keywords Are Managed in Google Shopping Ads
If you’re running product listing ads (PLAs) via Google Shopping campaigns, you already know they can be a game-changer for driving traffic and sales. Unlike traditional Google Ads, where you carefully choose keywords, Google Shopping ads operate differently. They rely on your product data feed—things like your product titles, descriptions, and categories—to match with search queries. This means Google is doing a lot of the work for you, but it also means things can get a little messy if you’re not paying attention. That’s where negative keywords come in, and why they are so important for your ad strategy.
What Are Negative Keywords?
Negative keywords are the terms you don’t want your ads to appear for. They help prevent your products from appearing in search results that don’t make sense for what you’re selling. Imagine you’re selling high-end leather handbags. The last thing you want is for your ads to appear when someone searches for “cheap leather handbags” or “leather handbag repair.” These searches are irrelevant and can also waste your ad spend on clicks that are unlikely to convert into sales. By adding “cheap” or “repair” as negative phrase-match keywords, you can avoid showing your ads to people who aren’t looking for what you’re offering.
Why Monitoring Search Terms Matters
With Google Shopping ads, you don’t get to handpick your keywords. Google does that based on your product data feed, which can be both a blessing and a curse. On the upside, it can save you a lot of time. On the downside, sometimes your products might show up for searches that are completely unrelated to what you’re selling or just way too overly broad. This is why it’s a must to keep an eye on the search terms that are triggering your ads.
Let’s say you’re selling running shoes, but your ads are popping up for people searching for “slippers.” This is obviously not a good match and could lead to wasted clicks and wasted ad spend. By regularly reviewing your search terms report in Google Ads (Insights & Reports > Insights > Search Terms), you can spot these mismatches. Once you find irrelevant search terms, you can add them as negative keywords to ensure your ads don’t show up for those queries again. Keep in mind Google treats every keyword with a different search experience; when adding negatives, make sure you add singular and plural versions.
Boosting Your Return on Ad Spend (ROAS)
Let’s talk about one of the most important metrics for any advertiser: Return on Ad Spend, or ROAS. This measures the revenue you earn for every dollar you spend on advertising. Of course, you want this number to be as high as possible. When your ads show up for irrelevant searches, it can seriously drag down your ROAS because you’re paying for clicks that don’t lead to sales.
Using negative keywords helps you filter out the noise, ensuring your ads are shown only to people who are more likely to buy your products. This means your clicks are more likely to convert, which can boost your ROAS. It’s all about making your advertising dollars work harder for you.
How to Optimize Your Google Shopping Ads with Negatives
Optimizing your Google Shopping ads with negative keywords isn’t something you do once and forget about. It’s an ongoing process that involves regular monitoring and tweaking. Here’s a simple approach to keep things running smoothly:
1. Keep an Eye on Search Terms
Make it a habit to regularly check the search terms report in your Google Ads account. This report shows you exactly what searches triggered your ads, and from there, you can identify any irrelevant queries. If you find that your ads are showing up for searches that don’t make sense, add those terms as negative keywords.
2. Use Broad Match Negatives Wisely
Sometimes, you want to cast a wide net with your negatives to catch a variety of irrelevant searches. For example, if you sell high-end products, you might add “cheap” as a broad match negative keyword. This way, your ads won’t show up for any searches that include the word “cheap,” helping you avoid clicks from bargain hunters. However, you don’t want to use too many broad match keywords or you could prevent your ads from showing up for the right keywords. Instead, you may want to use phrase-match negatives.
3. Fine-Tune Your Product Feed
Your product data feed is the backbone of your Google Shopping ads. Make sure your product titles, descriptions, and other attributes are as clear and accurate as possible. The better your product feed, the less likely your ads will show up for irrelevant searches.
You can pull a product feed directly out of your e-commerce site like WooCommerce or Shopify. To make further adjustments to raw feed data, you’ll want to consider a product feed management tool. These tools allow you to modify product data on the fly without having to adjust information from the original source (your website).
4. Test & Adjust
The shopping landscape is always changing, and what works today might not work tomorrow. Stay flexible and be ready to adjust your negative keyword strategy as needed. Testing new negatives and refining your approach based on performance data will help you keep your campaigns running smoothly, and your products converting.
The Bottom Line
In the world of Google Shopping ads, negative keywords are more than just a nice-to-have—they’re a must-have. By keeping an eye on your search terms and adding negatives for irrelevant queries, you can make sure your ads are being shown to the right audience. This not only helps you avoid wasting money on unqualified clicks but also boosts your chances of converting those clicks into sales, improving your overall ROAS.
So, don’t overlook the power of negative keywords. They’re an essential part of optimizing your Google Shopping ads and ensuring that your advertising dollars are spent wisely. Keep refining your strategy, and you’ll see better results over time.
If you need any help managing your Google Shopping campaigns to produce the most revenue at the lowest cost, reach out for a consultation anytime. We’ll review your current Google Ads set up and build the right kind of campaigns for you.
