Why it happens
The list exists but is not attached
The list exists but is not attached
A list blocks nothing until it is added to a campaign. New campaigns, especially ones imported from Google, start with no lists attached.
Variants are not blocked
Microsoft filters only the exact negative you enter. "Free" does not block "freebie", and "job" does not block "jobs". Each variant needs its own entry.
Negatives at the wrong level
Negatives added to one ad group leak through in the next ad group or campaign. Shared lists or the account-level list cover the whole account, the same idea as a Google Ads negative keyword list.
A negative blocks your own keywords
A phrase negative that contains one of your keywords stops it serving. The keyword shows Negative keyword conflict in the Delivery column.
How to fix it, step by step
Create the list
In Microsoft Advertising, select Tools, then Negative keyword lists, then Create negative keyword list. Name it, add one negative per line (up to 5,000 per list), and select Save.
Choose the match type
Use quotation marks for phrase match ("free trial") and brackets for exact match ([free trial]). Do not put a minus sign in front. Microsoft has no broad match negatives.
Attach it to campaigns
Select the list name, then Campaigns in this list, then Add campaigns. Select the plus next to each campaign and save. Or from Campaigns, Keywords, Negative keyword lists, select Add and pick the lists for a campaign.
Add an account-level list for the always-junk terms
Hover over Campaigns and select Settings, then Account level options. Under Negative keywords, add up to 1,000 phrase or exact negatives that apply to Search, Shopping and Performance Max.
Check for conflicts
A day later, select Reporting, then Templates, then Performance, then Negative keyword conflicts. Delete any negative that blocks a keyword you want.
Steps checked against Microsoft Advertising Help: How to add keywords that won't trigger my ads (negative keywords); Microsoft Advertising Help: Learn about using negative keywords to get to the right customers; Microsoft Advertising Help: Understanding negative keyword conflicts and their reports.
Sprites fixes this
Or let Sprites fix it
Sprites finds the searches burning budget and adds them to your shared negative keyword list in one batch.
What Sprites does
- Runs the search query report across the account and surfaces the searches that spent money and never converted.
- Adds the negatives to an existing shared list or straight onto a campaign, as phrase or exact, and you approve every change before it goes live.
- Warns before a single-word negative would block more traffic than you meant, and reports any negative Microsoft rejected.
What it doesn't do
- It does not create a new shared list or attach a list to campaigns. Do that once in Tools, then Sprites keeps it filled.
- It does not remove negatives. Re-opening a search is a decision you make in Microsoft Advertising.
- It does not edit the account-level negative list.
Questions
How many negative keywords can a Microsoft Ads list hold?
Up to 5,000 negatives per shared list, each up to 100 characters. The single account-level list holds up to 1,000.
Does Microsoft Ads have broad match negative keywords?
No. Microsoft negatives are phrase or exact match only. Phrase blocks any search containing the words in order; exact blocks only that search.
Do Microsoft negative keywords block plurals and misspellings?
No. Only the precise negative is filtered. Add plurals, synonyms and common misspellings as separate negatives.
Do my Google negative keyword lists come over when I import?
Campaign-level negatives usually import with the campaigns. Check that shared lists exist in Microsoft and are attached to every imported campaign.
Can I apply one negative list to all my accounts?
No. Microsoft has no way to apply a negative keyword list across accounts at once. Each account needs its own list.
Let Sprites fix it
Connect the account. Sprites finds the cause, stages the change and waits for your approval.