Google has increased the negative keyword limit for Performance Max (PMax) campaigns from 100 to 10,000. This change aligns PMax with Search campaigns and gives advertisers more control over their targeting.
Negative keywords help prevent ads from appearing for irrelevant searches, improving campaign efficiency. With this higher limit, advertisers can refine targeting more effectively and reduce wasted ad spend.
Best practices for using negative keywords
- Use them carefully: Adding too many could limit valuable conversions.
Understand match types: Negative keywords work differently from regular keywords.
Monitor performance: Regularly check reports to see if exclusions are improving results.
Other tools for ad control
Advertisers can also use:
Brand exclusions to block ads from appearing on competitor brand searches.
Account-level negative keywords for broader control across campaigns.
Keyword prioritization to influence which keywords take priority.
Upcoming updates
Ginny Marvin, Google’s Ads Liaison, has announced plans to support negative keyword lists in PMax later this year, making it easier to manage exclusions across campaigns.
This update is rolling out now and should be available to all PMax advertisers in the coming weeks.
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