Roofing searches are full of clicks that will never turn into a job: people looking for roofing jobs, free roofing calculators, DIY tutorials or roofing supplies. If your Google Ads campaign matches those searches, you pay for them. Negative keywords are the most direct way to stop that, and this guide explains how they work in Google Ads, which mistakes I see most often, and how I would build and maintain a list for a roofing company.
This is a supporting guide for my page on Google Ads for roofers. I am Bharat Rajput, a freelance Google Ads specialist with 6+ years of experience in SEO and Google Ads, working remotely from Bhopal, India. Where a statement is a rule of the platform, I link to Google’s own Help page. Where it is my working method, I say so.
What negative keywords do
According to Google Ads Help, negative keywords let you exclude search terms from your campaigns so you can focus on the keywords that matter to your customers. Google also says that one key to a highly targeted campaign is choosing what not to target.
For Search campaigns, Google suggests looking for search terms that are similar to your keywords but might suit customers searching for something else. Its own example is an optometrist who sells eyeglasses adding “wine glasses” and “drinking glasses” as negatives. A roofing company has the same problem with words like “jobs”, “supplies” or “course”.
The three negative match types
Search campaigns can use broad, phrase or exact match negative keywords. Google points out that these behave differently from the positive versions, and the difference is where most mistakes start.
- Negative broad match is the default. Your ad will not show if the search contains all of your negative keyword terms, in any order. It may still show if the search contains only some of them. So a negative broad keyword “roofing jobs” blocks “jobs roofing” but not “roofing company”.
- Negative phrase match blocks a search that contains your terms in the same order, even if other words come before or after.
- Negative exact match blocks only the search that is exactly your terms with no extra words. Google notes your ad may still show if the search has the same terms plus additional words.
I choose between them by asking how risky the term is. A phrase like “roofing jobs” is safe as a phrase negative. A single word like “free” is more dangerous as a broad negative, because it can also appear in searches you want, such as “free roof inspection” if you actually offer one.
Rules that catch people out
Google’s Help page lists several behaviours that are easy to miss:
- Negative keywords do not match close variants. Google’s example: if you exclude the negative broad match keyword “flowers”, ads will not be eligible for “red flowers”, but can show for “red flower”. So you add singular and plural forms yourself, such as “shingle” and “shingles”.
- Synonyms are not covered, so list them separately.
- Casing and misspellings are handled automatically, so you do not need to add those.
- Accent marks matter: “sidewalk cafe” and “sidewalk café” count as two different negatives. Ampersands count as well, so “socks & shoes” is different from “socks and shoes”.
- Some symbols are ignored or rejected. Periods are ignored, and certain characters such as commas, exclamation marks and brackets cause an error if you try to use them.
- Adding a minus sign in front of a word makes that word ignored for negative matching, so “dark -chocolate” is treated as just “dark”.
- Your ad may still show for a search longer than 16 words if your negative keyword comes after the 16th word.
The practical lesson: type negatives plainly, check the list after saving it, and do not assume Google will guess what you meant.
Do not go overboard
Google also warns to choose negative keywords carefully, because using too many may mean your ads reach fewer customers. This is the mistake I would watch for most in roofing. A long list copied from a generic template can block real enquiries. For example, blocking every search containing “repair” would also block people with a leaking roof who want a repair quote. Each negative should earn its place.
A step-by-step way to build the first list
This is my own method, not a Google rule. The order matters because it keeps the list based on evidence.
- Start from what you do not sell. Write down the work you do not take: perhaps flat commercial roofs, or a roof material you do not install. Those are negatives from day one.
- Add the obvious non-customers. Job seekers (“roofing jobs”, “roofer hiring”, “roofing apprenticeship”) and training searches (“roofing course”) are never customers.
- Run the campaign and read the search terms. Google describes the search terms report as showing the searches that triggered your ads and how they performed. It is the best source of negatives because it is real data, not guesses. Google notes that some low-volume terms are left out of the report for data privacy, so it is a guide and not a complete record.
- Sort the terms into three groups. Clearly wrong (add as a negative), clearly right (keep, maybe give them their own ad group) and unclear (leave alone until there is more data).
- Pick the match type for each negative. Phrase for multi-word terms, exact when you only want to block that precise search, and broad only for words you are sure are always wrong.
- Add singulars, plurals and synonyms. Remember that close variants are not covered.
- Review again. After a few weeks, and then at a steady pace, because new search terms keep appearing.
Account-level and campaign-level lists
Google says an account-level negative keyword list applies automatically to all eligible search and shopping inventory in relevant campaign types. For a roofing company that never wants job seekers, a single account list saves repeating the same words in every campaign. Terms that depend on the campaign, such as one particular service you only run ads for in one area, are better kept at campaign or ad group level.
Example themes for a roofing account
These are example themes to review, not a fixed list, and each should be checked against your search terms report before it is added, because some may be searches you actually want:
- Job seekers: “roofing jobs”, “roofer hiring”, “roofing apprenticeship”.
- Training and DIY: “roofing course”, “how to roof a shed”.
- Materials only: “roofing supplies”, “roofing nails”.
- Work you do not offer: a type of roof or building you do not work on.
Common mistakes
- Adding a negative that also blocks your own service words.
- Forgetting plurals, so the “blocked” term still shows up in the report next week.
- Never looking at the search terms report again after setup.
- Judging a campaign by clicks. Negative keywords cut wasted clicks, but the real check is enquiries and booked jobs.
What negatives will not do
Negative keywords reduce wasted clicks. They do not create leads by themselves, and I do not promise results from them. A roofing campaign still needs a clear landing page, a phone number that gets answered and proper conversion tracking. My roofer Google Ads page explains how I plan those parts, and you can message me on WhatsApp at +91 7987119702 or email [email protected] if you want me to look at an existing account.
Frequently asked questions
Which negative keywords should a roofing company start with?
Start with work you do not offer and clearly irrelevant intent, such as job or training searches. Review actual search terms before adding a copied list, because the same phrase can be useful to one roofer and irrelevant to another.
Do negative keywords automatically cover singulars and plurals?
No. Negative keywords do not expand to close variants. Check singulars, plurals and synonyms separately instead of assuming one entry blocks them all.
Should every roofer block the word free?
Not automatically. If you genuinely offer free inspections or estimates, a blanket exclusion can block enquiries you want. Check the full search and choose a narrow enough negative match type.
Can too many negative keywords reduce genuine enquiries?
Yes. An exclusion can also block useful searches. Keep a change log, review the list against your actual services, and judge results by relevant enquiries and booked jobs rather than fewer clicks alone.