For many Brisbane business owners, Google Ads feels like a leaky bucket. You pour budget in, and while some leads come out, a significant portion of your spend simply disappears into the ether of irrelevant search terms. In 2026, the battle isn't just about what you bid on; it's about what you proactively refuse to pay for.
Negative keywords are the primary filter for your ad spend, yet most accounts we audit at Local Marketing Group fall into one of two traps: they are either too passive, relying on Google’s automation, or too restrictive, accidentally choking off high-intent traffic. To maximise your ROI, you need to understand the shift from 'Broad Exclusion' to 'Surgical Precision'.
The Passive Approach: Relying on Google’s Good Intentions
Many SMEs adopt a 'set and forget' mentality. They add a few obvious terms like "free," "jobs," or "cheap" and assume Google’s AI will handle the rest. While Google has improved its ability to understand search intent, its primary goal is to find matches.
In the era of Performance Max and broad match expansion, being passive is expensive. If you aren't taking back control of where your ads appear, you are essentially giving Google a blank cheque to experiment with your budget. The passive approach often results in "near-miss" clicks—searches that look relevant on the surface but have zero conversion intent for your specific service.
The Reactive Approach: The Weekly SQR Grind
This is the most common strategy among diligent account managers. You look at your Search Query Report (SQR) every Tuesday, see a weird search term that cost you $15, and add it as a negative.
The Pros: It’s data-driven and keeps the account clean over time. The Cons: You’ve already paid for the mistake. Reactive management is a strategy of hindsight. While necessary, it shouldn't be your only line of defence. If you are constantly chasing clicks that have already happened, you aren't building a Google Ads lead engine; you’re just cleaning up the mess.
The Proactive Surgical Approach: Predictive Exclusion
This is the gold standard for high-performing Australian campaigns. Instead of waiting for a bad click to happen, we use industry-specific data and semantic grouping to block irrelevant traffic before the first cent is spent.
1. The Competitor Conflict
If you are a boutique law firm in Brisbane CBD, you likely don't want to show up for searches involving "Legal Aid" or "Community Law Centre." These searchers have high intent, but they are looking for a service you don't provide. Proactively excluding these specific categories saves thousands in wasted spend annually.2. The B2B vs. B2C Divide
For Queensland wholesalers, terms like "Kmart," "Bunnings," or "Target" are immediate red flags. If a user includes a retail brand name in their search, they aren't looking for a bulk supplier. Adding these as phrase-match negatives ensures your ads only appear for genuine commercial enquiries.3. Geographic Context
Brisbane businesses often suffer from "location bleed." If you only service the Southside, appearing for searches in "North Lakes" or "Sunshine Coast" is a waste of resources. Beyond just setting your radius, you should proactively exclude specific suburb names outside your service area to prevent Google from getting "creative" with your reach.Why Your Quality Score Depends on It
Negative keywords aren't just about saving money; they are about protecting your account health. When your ads show for irrelevant terms, your Click-Through Rate (CTR) drops. Google interprets a low CTR as a sign that your ad isn't helpful, which lowers your Quality Score. By engineering your ad spend efficiency through aggressive negative lists, you ensure that every impression is a high-probability opportunity, keeping your costs per click lower than the competition.
Actionable Implementation for Your Business
To move toward a surgical strategy today, follow these steps:
1. Audit your 'Zero Conversion' terms: Look at your search terms over the last 90 days. Filter for any term that has had more than 10 clicks but zero conversions. If the intent doesn't perfectly align with your landing page, exclude it. 2. Use Shared Lists: Don't add negatives at the ad group level. Create 'Master Negative Lists' in your Shared Library (e.g., "Competitors," "Employment Seekers," "Retail Brands") so they can be applied across all current and future campaigns instantly. 3. Check your Match Types: Many people add negatives as Broad Match. This is dangerous as it can inadvertently block relevant traffic. Stick to Phrase and Exact match for your negative keywords to maintain precision.
Conclusion
In the competitive Queensland market, the difference between a profitable Google Ads campaign and a financial drain is often found in the keywords you don't target. By moving from a reactive to a proactive surgical approach, you protect your margins and ensure your budget is reserved for the customers who actually matter.
Is your current Google Ads strategy leaking budget on irrelevant clicks? At Local Marketing Group, we specialise in auditing and optimising accounts for Brisbane businesses to ensure every dollar works harder. Contact us today for a comprehensive account review.