The playbook
Negative Keywords: Template and Field Guide
This negative keywords template turns a broad task into a record another person can use. It captures search term, reason, negative term, then connects that information to a decision. Copy the table into your working document or system and create a separate record for each item in scope.
Put the task in context
Review the full query before excluding a term. A word such as “free” may appear in both irrelevant searches and a legitimate query about an advertised free consultation. Choose exclusion scope carefully and inspect useful demand that could be blocked.
Copyable worksheet
| Field | Entry instructions |
|---|---|
| search term | Record the search term associated with this campaign or conversion record. Use a stable reference so later updates can be matched. |
| reason | Record the reason associated with this campaign or conversion record. Keep the value specific enough for another owner to interpret. |
| negative term | Record the negative term associated with this campaign or conversion record. Keep the value specific enough for another owner to interpret. |
| scope | Record the scope associated with this campaign or conversion record. Keep the value specific enough for another owner to interpret. |
| Decision field | Entry instructions |
|---|---|
| Observed problem | Describe the actual condition and where it was observed. |
| Recommended action | State the smallest action that resolves the documented problem. |
| Evidence | Link to the record, observation, or test supporting the action. |
| Owner and next review | Name the accountable person and when the decision should be revisited. |
How to complete the worksheet
Begin with search term. Use the same reference throughout the record so notes are not attached to the wrong item. Then review search terms alongside lead quality. This establishes the information required before the worksheet becomes a request for action.
Next, identify patterns that clearly do not match the offer. Use the observed problem and evidence fields to explain why that step is needed. A useful entry describes an actual condition, such as blocking a broad word that also appears in valuable queries, rather than a broad instruction to “improve performance.”
Finally, check exclusion scope and possible useful matches. Put use precise exclusions and review their effect in the action field only when it addresses the observed condition. If the problem is different, change the action. The template is a structure for judgment, not a reason to apply the same fix everywhere.
Illustrative completed decision
| Part | Illustrative entry |
|---|---|
| Problem | Blocking a broad word that also appears in valuable queries |
| Action | Use precise exclusions and review their effect |
| First check | Review search terms alongside lead quality |
| Follow-up check | Check exclusion scope and possible useful matches |
| Outcome to define | irrelevant spend reduced without losing useful demand |
Adapt the fields without losing meaning
You can add fields required by your team, but each should change a decision or preserve necessary context. Keep factual observations separate from recommendations. If reason changes, record the new value and its effective date instead of silently rewriting the context of an earlier decision.
Use the record in a handoff
Ask the receiving owner to explain the next action using only the worksheet. Missing context becomes visible quickly during that exercise. Repair the record before applying the structure to a larger batch. Keep irrelevant spend reduced without losing useful demand connected to the item so the team can later assess whether the action was useful.
Review offer eligibility and fulfillment capacity alongside campaign response. Demand that the business cannot serve is not a useful acquisition result. Update messages and routing when availability or service boundaries change.
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