How One Small Google Ads Change Can Keep Tire-Kickers Away And Improve Lead Quality

Yogev Lifchin

Jun 5 • Tips & Strategies

If you've researched Google Ads before, you've probably heard about negative keywords.

A lot of contractors who choose the Google Ads route will probably have these things in mind (if any):

Finding good keywords
Writing ad copy
Building landing pages
Bidding strategies

But one of the biggest factors behind profitable Google Ads campaigns is actually filtering OUT the wrong traffic.

This is where negative keywords become extremely important.

Negative keywords basically tell Google:

"Do NOT show my ads for these searches."

And in contractor marketing, this matters A LOT.

Because Google can sometimes match your ads to searches that sound related on the surface, but are actually completely irrelevant to your business.

For example, if you're targeting:

Roof repair
HVAC installation
Kitchen remodeling

Google may still show your ads for searches like:

Roof repair DIY
HVAC technician jobs
Kitchen remodel ideas
Free roofing materials
How to install flooring yourself

And every irrelevant click costs money.

This becomes even more aggressive when using features like Broad Match keywords and Automated Keyword Expansion.

Without proper negative keywords, campaigns can slowly drift away from actual buyers and start attracting completely different audiences.

Another thing people don't realize is that bad traffic can hurt campaign performance beyond just wasted spend.

The wrong kind of searches can negatively impact your CTR, which in turn can lead to higher CPCs, which affects your cost per lead and... you get the picture.

That's why checking your Search Terms Report regularly is extremely important, at least on a weekly basis.

This report shows the ACTUAL searches people typed before clicking on your ads.

And this is where you start discovering whether irrelevant searches triggered your ads.

In many cases, building strong negative keyword lists is a MUST if you want your Google Ads campaigns to generate profitable jobs instead of bleeding budget.

Because sometimes the issue isn't:

"Not enough traffic."

...it's:

"Too much of the wrong traffic."

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How One Small Google Ads Change Can Keep Tire-Kickers Away And Improve Lead Quality