Negative keywords for machine shop Google Ads
Negative keywords in machining campaigns block job seekers, free courses, DIY hobbyists, retail car parts and free downloads that spend budget without RFQs. Review the search terms report weekly at launch and monthly afterward, using phrase match negatives for broad junk like free, course and salary.
Guilherme Rodrigues ItinoseUpdated 2 min read
Key takeaways
- Phrase negatives ("machining course") avoid blocking "CNC machining center" accidentally.
- Job terms (hiring, salary, internship) should be first in any industrial account.
- Consumer replacement parts rarely deserve a click for a job shop.
- Shared negative lists across service campaigns save time.
- Negatives do not fix a weak landing page — they only filter traffic.
In Google Ads for B2B RFQs, half of optimization is not showing to people who will never send a drawing. Negative keywords are the filter. Use this as a starting list for machining and fabrication — then adapt to your search terms report.
Block early
| Category | Examples (phrase match) |
|---|---|
| Jobs | hiring, salary, internship, resume, careers |
| Training | course, class, textbook, free pdf |
| DIY | how to, homemade, hobby, cheap 3d printer |
| Retail parts | amazon, ebay, used, phone repair |
| Pirated software | crack, torrent, free download |
Queries that look relevant but are not
- “CNC machining price” when the intent is comparing training programs.
- Machine model names when the user wants an operator manual.
- “Free CAD project” — hobby, not a buyer.
Flag them in the search terms report and negative the repeating stem.
Monthly routine (15 minutes)
- Open search terms for the last 30 days.
- Sort by cost, filter conversions = 0.
- Add phrase negatives for non-commercial intent.
- Promote good queries you are not bidding on yet.
When paid ads management helps
New accounts often burn budget in the first two weeks on surprise queries. Weekly search term review in month one commonly cuts 20–40 % junk clicks before scaling budget.
Next step
Merge this table into your shared negative list, run another week, and compare cost per lead. If it does not improve, look at landing page and offer — not only negatives.
When to outsource this
- Budget disappears quickly and nobody opens the search terms report
When not to
- You sell training or consumer parts — the filter set changes completely
FAQ
How many negatives at launch?
Start with 30–50 universal terms (free, course, job, pdf, download, diy) and grow from real queries.
Account-level or campaign-level?
Universal junk at account level; specific negatives per campaign (e.g. block "injection molding" in a machining campaign).
Sources
- Google Ads: negative keywords (accessed October 20, 2026)
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