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Watch the Video Tutorial:
How to Add Negative Keyword Lists to Performance Max Campaigns in Google Ads
1) Login to Google Ads
2) Navigate to Campaigns
3) Select your Performance Max campaign
4) Open the Audiences, keywords and content drop-down menu
5) Select Keywords
6) Click on the + symbol
7) Select Use negative keyword list
8) Add your negative keyword list and save
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Frequently Asked Questions on Add Negative Keyword Lists to Performance Max Campaigns in Google Ads
Can I add negative keywords to a Performance Max campaign?
Yes — but unlike Search campaigns, Performance Max requires account-level or shared negative keyword lists managed through Google Ads Support or via an MCC-level setup. This prevents your ads from showing on irrelevant or unwanted search queries, improving conversion quality.
How do I add a negative keyword list to a Performance Max campaign?
In your Google Ads account, go to Tools & Settings → Shared Library → Negative Keyword Lists.
Click + New List and name it (e.g., “Performance Max Exclusions”).
Add the irrelevant terms you want to block.
Click Save.
Contact Google Ads Support or your MCC (Manager Account) to apply this list to your Performance Max campaigns, since Google currently restricts direct editing within the campaign UI.
What type of negative keywords should I include for Performance Max?
Focus on excluding:
Irrelevant product or service terms (e.g., “free,” “cheap,” “DIY”).
Competitor brand names, if you don’t want comparative traffic.
Low-intent searches (e.g., “jobs,” “careers,” “how to”).
Geographic terms outside your target market.
These exclusions help your campaign focus only on high-intent, conversion-ready searches.
What are best practices for maintaining negative keyword lists in Performance Max?
Review your Search Terms Insights report regularly for irrelevant queries.
Keep a master exclusion list for account-level use across all campaigns.
Update the list monthly to reflect evolving search trends.
Avoid over-excluding — Performance Max relies on broad signals for optimization, so leave some flexibility.
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