Negative keywords?

[baraqyal]

Is it possible to have a keyword, and use the negative of the specific keyword to block singular usage?

Like this:

widget
-[widget]

So that the ad won't appear with "widget" but will appear with "green widget" or any other set of keywords where there are multiple words?

Thanks for the help.

-- Rob

[martinibuster]

That's a great question!

The answer though, is no. There is no way to do that. You just have to do all the keyword phrases that you want to score for.

Alternately, run a campaign for [widget] to see just how many searches are done for it in a 24 hour period- it maybe maybe maybe may not be as many as you think- despite what the overture and wordtraker tools may tell you.

Welcome to WW!

[baraqyal]

Thanks for the help.

Another question: Why is it that when I search for a keyword and include a negative keyword that my ad still apears? At first I thought it was case-sensitive, but it is definitely not. Do the negative keywords have to appear in some order? Or is there a limit on number of negative keywords?

Or, is it just because it takes time for the system to update?

What I mean is:

widget
-blue

When i search for "blue widget" my ad appears.

Thanks again.

[martinibuster]

It usually takes like two minutes for me.

[David_M]

About two months ago I was able to submit:
widget
-[widget]
Allowing me to target all combinations of widget but not widget by itself.
Then last week, I wanted to check on ctr for [widget] so i removed the -[widget]. When I tried to reinstate it today, at first I recevied an error. I then deleted the old [widget], saved changes, and then added -[widget]. Results are coming up as I expected on google now.

[martinibuster]

You guys are nutz...
:)

Has anybody else tried this, or are these two the only ones pushing Google's envelope?

[webdiversity]

So we have one "no it can't be done" and one that has done it. Interesting.

We've not done it, primarily because targetting of that sort wouldn't make sense. If your selling something I can't see anyone not being interested in the singular but interested in the plural.

If it's a one word product and you want to target everthing just use the broad match so have widget on it's own.

I'd suggest that the person that tried it was having a placebo from the negative keyword, it would have been having no effect on the campaign at all because it's in the wrong syntax, unlike most systems Google will allow the error, but not apply it for you.

[martinibuster]

I'd suggest that the person that tried it was having a placebo from the negative keyword

I double-checked with AdWords customer service, and they agreed that this kind of negative-keywording couldn't be done.

[David_M]

Don't really know what to say. I just double checked my ad, and with the:
widget
-[widget]
setup, it's still not showing up for "widget" searches but appearing for "blue widget".

It's possible it has something to do with my ads being in Japanese, maybe they're using a slightly different ad algorithm?