Question

    Which Negative Keywords Should a Plumber Add First?

    Last updated: November 3, 2026

    Start with the searches you'd never book a job from: DIY and how-to searches, people looking for plumbing jobs, people shopping for parts, and work you don't do. Then check your search terms every week and add anything else that isn't a job. Google says you need to add singular and plural versions yourself, because negative keywords don't cover close variants (Google Ads Help).

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    The four groups to block on day one

    1. DIY and how-to. Words like "how to", "DIY", "yourself" and "video". For example, someone searching "how to unclog a toilet yourself" isn't calling you.
    2. Job hunters. Words like "jobs", "hiring", "salary", "apprentice" and "course". These are people who want to be a plumber, not hire one.
    3. Parts shoppers. Words like "parts", "wholesale" and "supply", if you don't sell parts over the counter.
    4. Work you don't do. If you don't do pool plumbing, septic or irrigation, block those words. Same for any city you don't drive to.

    Add both versions of every word

    Negative keywords don't match close variants, so blocking "job" doesn't block "jobs" (Google Ads Help). Add the singular and the plural. Google says casing and misspellings are handled for you, so you don't need to add those.

    Pick the right match type

    Google has three kinds of negative keywords (Google Ads Help):

    • Broad, the default. Your ad won't show if the search has all the words, in any order.
    • Phrase. Your ad won't show if the search has the words in that exact order, even with other words around them.
    • Exact. Your ad won't show only when the search is exactly that, with no extra words.

    For most of the day-one list, a single word on broad works fine. Use phrase when a word is only bad in a certain combination, for example "water heater parts" when you still want "water heater repair".

    Find the rest in your search terms

    Your search terms report shows the actual searches that triggered your ads (Google Ads Help). Read it every week. Anything that isn't a job you'd take goes on the negative list.

    One warning. Google says too many negative keywords can cut how many customers see your ad (Google Ads Help). Don't block "cheap" or "emergency" just because you don't like the sound of it. Some of those people book.

    Blocking junk is half of it

    The other half is answering and following up with the good calls. A dedicated SDR who follows up with every lead and books the ones who are ready means the clicks you keep actually turn into jobs. That's how we run paid ads.

    Questions you should also be asking

    FAQ

    What negative keywords should a plumber add first?

    DIY and how-to searches, job hunting words like jobs and salary, parts and supply searches if you don't sell parts, and any service or area you don't cover.

    Do negative keywords block plural versions?

    No. Negative keywords don't match close variants, so add the singular and plural versions yourself.

    Do I need to add misspellings?

    No. Google says negative keywords already account for casing and misspellings.

    Can I add too many negative keywords?

    Yes. Google says too many negative keywords can mean your ads reach fewer customers, so only block searches you'd never book.

    Phrase or exact match negative keywords: which should a contractor use?

    Start with broad single words for clear junk like DIY or jobs. Use phrase when only a certain combination is bad.

    What is an account-level negative keyword list and do I need one?

    It's one list that applies across all your search campaigns. If you run more than one campaign, it saves you adding the same words everywhere.

    Want us to go through your search terms with you? Book a call and we'll look at it together.

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