# Clean up search terms and build a negative keyword list

A review of your paid search terms report with negatives to add, keywords to promote, and wasted spend to cut.

- Topic: Marketing & Brand
- Framework: Few-Shot
- Level: Standard
- Tags: Analyze, Research, Fill-in Template
- Source: https://www.thinkwithprompt.com/prompts/clean-up-search-terms-and-build-a-negative-keyword-list

## Prompt

```text
Help me review my paid search terms report.

**Business and what we sell:** [PRODUCTS/SERVICES, and what we don't offer]
**Locations served:** [AREAS]
**Search terms report:** [PASTE: search term, matched keyword, match type, clicks, cost, conversions, conversion value]
**Target CPA or ROAS:** [NUMBER]
**Current negative lists:** [PASTE or "none"]

Do this:
1. Group terms by intent: buying, researching, wrong product, job seekers, free/DIY, competitor brand, support or existing customers, irrelevant locations.
2. Flag wasted spend: terms with cost above [e.g. 2x target CPA] and no conversions, and irrelevant terms at any cost.
3. Recommend negatives with the right match type and level (campaign vs. account list), and warn when a negative would block good traffic (e.g. "cheap" blocking "cheap [our product]").
4. Find converting terms not yet added as keywords and suggest match type and ad group.
5. Spot themes that need their own ad group or landing page.

Return:
- Table 1: Negative keyword | Match type | Level | Reason | Spend saved.
- Table 2: New keyword | Match type | Ad group | Evidence.
- Total wasted spend identified, calculated only from my data.
- A monthly routine to keep the list clean in 20 minutes.
```

## What to fill in

- PRODUCTS/SERVICES, and what we don't offer
- AREAS
- NUMBER
- PASTE or "none"
- e.g. 2x target CPA
- our product

Free to copy and use. From ThinkWithPrompt (https://www.thinkwithprompt.com/), a library of 2,663 curated AI prompts.