How do you set negative keywords for the Display Network and YouTube?
Part of Google Ads placements
The short answer
Set negative keywords for the Display Network on the Content page, under Exclusions, for a campaign or ad group, or for the whole account under Content suitability, where Google allows up to 1,000 content keywords. They are exact match only, cover the Display Network, Google video partners and YouTube in-stream, not Shorts, and block any content related to the word.
Key takeaways
- Content keyword exclusions live in two places: the Content page for a campaign or ad group, and the account's Content suitability settings for every eligible campaign.
- Google allows up to 1,000 content keyword exclusions at the account level, and says only that many are considered for Display and Video ads.
- Exclusions are exact match only and must be spelled correctly, yet Google says they block any content related to the word, even in a context you did not intend.
- They cover the Display Network, Google video partners and YouTube in-stream and watch next, but not YouTube Shorts, the Home and Subscriptions feeds, or YouTube Sponsorships.
- Display campaigns moving to Demand Gen need campaign level exclusions copied to the account and ad group exclusions removed first.
How do you exclude content keywords in Google Ads?
Google Ads has three places that look like negative keyword settings, and only two of them affect placements. A term entered in the Search setting will not stop a Display or YouTube placement. Google's negative keyword lists page (opens in a new tab) says plainly that negative keywords work differently for Display and Video campaigns than they do for Search.
| Setting | Where to find it | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Campaign or ad group keyword exclusions | Audiences, keywords, and content, then Content, then Exclusions, with Keywords as the exclusion type (help (opens in a new tab)) | The chosen Display campaign or ad group; ads won't match any excluded content in that ad group |
| Account level excluded content keywords | Tools > Content suitability (help (opens in a new tab)) or Admin > Account settings (help (opens in a new tab)); Google's pages gave both paths when checked in October 2026, so confirm in the account | YouTube, Display Network and Google video partner inventory across the account, up to 1,000 keywords; not YouTube Sponsorships |
| Account level negative keywords for Search | Account settings (help (opens in a new tab)) | Search and Shopping inventory, Google's content suitability page adds that Google Play and Search Partner Network keyword exclusions are also set here; not a placement control |
Adding keyword exclusions to a Display campaign
- Open the Content page. Choose Audiences, keywords, and content, then Content.
- Open Exclusions. Click Exclusions, open the drop down beside it, and pick Keywords as the type of content exclusion.
- Choose the campaign or ad group. Exclusions at the ad group level stay in that ad group; campaign level ones cover every ad group in the campaign.
- Enter each term exactly. Type every spelling and form you need as its own entry, since the match is exact.
- Save, then add account wide terms separately. Terms that must hold across every campaign go into Content suitability, where they apply to the account's YouTube, Display Network and video partner inventory.
What is the limit on account level keyword exclusions?
Google's content suitability page (opens in a new tab) says you can exclude up to 1,000 content keywords at the account level. The negative keyword lists page (opens in a new tab) uses different wording for the same ceiling: for Display and Video ads, a maximum of 1,000 negative keywords at the account level is considered. Search negative keyword lists, applied to campaigns, hold up to 5,000 keywords per list, which is a separate system.
Account level exclusions are also the version that survives the move from Display to Demand Gen. Google's migration page (opens in a new tab) says to transition campaign level exclusions to the account level to enable migration, and to remove any ad group level bid modifiers or exclusions before migrating. Content suitability exclusions are supported only at the account level in the migrated campaign.
Which surfaces do keyword exclusions cover?
Coverage differs by surface. Google's content suitability coverage table, checked on October 21, 2026, gives the picture below for excluded content keywords.
| Surface | Keyword exclusions apply | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube in-stream and watch next | Yes | Not in YouTube Sponsorship campaigns, which bypass account level content suitability exclusions |
| YouTube Shorts | No | Use excluded placements or content themes for Shorts |
| YouTube Home and Subscriptions feeds | No | No content control in Google's table covers these feeds except inventory type |
| Display Network | Yes | Covers Google Display ads and mobile apps |
| Google video partners | Yes | Same exact match rule as other surfaces |
| Discover and Gmail | No | Not covered by keyword exclusions |
Google adds a caveat that applies to every row: content exclusions are done to the best of its ability, and it cannot guarantee that all related content will be excluded. The same page also says content exclusions may provide limited coverage of in-feed ads on YouTube and of YouTube Shorts. A keyword exclusion list is a reducer of risk, not a fence.
Why do keyword exclusions use exact match?
Excluded content keywords only support exact matches, so they have to be spelled correctly.
Exact match here describes how the term is entered, not how narrowly the content is judged. Google gives no broad or phrase options, so the system does not stretch a term to its plural, a misspelling or another spelling. The same page then says excluding a content keyword prevents ads from showing on any content related to that word, even in a different context than intended, and warns that some words have multiple meanings.
Two things follow for the person writing the list. Every form that matters must be entered on its own, including plurals and spelling variants such as American and Canadian forms. And every entry should be read as a subject, not a string: a single word that names a disaster, a crime or an illness takes out the coverage of that subject too, including the reporting a brand may be glad to sit beside.
How do you avoid blocking good news content with exclusions?
News is where a keyword exclusion can cost a brand good inventory, because reporting about a risk uses the risk's own vocabulary. The safeguard is to give each term a job and to use the more precise Google control where one exists. Google's content suitability page (opens in a new tab) offers news specific choices among its excluded content themes: News (recent), News (sensitive), described as news content that people might find sensitive or upsetting, and News (source not featured), for sources not featured on Google News or YouTube News.
| Concern | Keyword exclusion | Other Google control | Tradeoff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upsetting coverage of accidents, crimes or disasters | Blocks all content related to each word, including safety and preparedness stories | Excluded content theme News (sensitive), on YouTube, the Display Network and video partners | The theme removes a whole class of news; the keyword removes a subject across every content type |
| Low quality or unknown news sources | Cannot tell sources apart | News (source not featured) theme, or placement exclusions for named sites | The theme relies on Google News and YouTube News featuring; placement exclusions need upkeep |
| One specific event a brand must avoid for a short time | Precise for that event's own name, if spelled every way it appears | Placement exclusions for sites dominated by the story | A dated keyword must be removed afterward, or it keeps blocking |
| Graphic violence on Display and video partners | Too broad for the purpose | Sensitive content exclusion for tragedy and conflict (not YouTube) | Applies only to the Display Network and Google video partners |
Before a term goes on the exclusion list
- The term names content the brand will not appear beside in any context, not just in the worst one.
- Searching the term turns up the pages it will block, and those pages were read, including news and how to coverage.
- No narrower Google control, such as a content theme or a placement exclusion, does the same job with less collateral.
- Event specific terms carry an end date and an owner who removes them.
- The full list stays well under 1,000 terms, with a reason recorded beside each one.
What does an exclusion review look like on a real brief?
Fictional example
A home and farm property insurer in Kansas
A fictional property insurer serving homes and farms around Wichita and Topeka inherits an account level list of 640 excluded content keywords from an older agency. The new buyer is asked why its Display and YouTube in-stream ads rarely appear on local news sites during storm season.
Reading the list term by term shows the cause. Single words such as tornado, hail and flood sit on the list, and Google blocks content related to each of them, which removes the storm preparedness and claims advice stories the brand wants to sponsor. Other entries are Search terms copied over by mistake.
The buyer removes the weather words and the Search terms, keeps a short set of terms the brand avoids in every context, and adds the News (sensitive) content theme in Content suitability, because the client wants extra caution beside upsetting news. The list drops to 210 terms, each with a reason and an owner.
How does PlacementGraph judge suitability without a keyword list?
For blocking named sites rather than words, see placement exclusions in Google Ads. For targeting with keywords instead of excluding them, see display keywords in Google Ads, and for the cluster overview, the Google Ads placement targeting hub.
Frequently asked questions
Do keyword exclusions replace sensitive content exclusions?
No, they do different jobs. Sensitive content exclusions, such as tragedy and conflict, cover categories of content on the Display Network and Google video partners and do not apply to YouTube ads. Keyword exclusions block content related to named words on YouTube in-stream, the Display Network and video partners. The two can be set together at the account level.
Are account level keyword exclusions the same as a negative keyword list?
Not in practice. A negative keyword list in Google Ads is built for Search and applied to selected campaigns, up to 5,000 keywords per list. Account level excluded content keywords sit under Content suitability and cover YouTube, Display Network and video partner inventory. Check that the terms meant for placements went into Content suitability.
Do I need to enter plurals and spelling variants separately?
Yes. Google says excluded content keywords only support exact matches and must be spelled correctly, so it does not expand a term to other forms. Enter plurals, likely misspellings and both American and Canadian spellings where they differ, and add French or Spanish terms as their own entries if the campaign runs in those languages.
Do keyword exclusions apply to YouTube Sponsorship campaigns?
No. Google's content suitability page says keyword exclusions don't apply to YouTube Sponsorship campaigns, and Sponsorships automatically bypass all account level content suitability exclusions. Sponsorships also run on Moderate inventory even if Limited is selected. Suitability for a Sponsorship has to be agreed in the deal itself.
Sources
- About content suitability (opens in a new tab)Google Ads Help
- About negative keyword lists (opens in a new tab)Google Ads Help
- Set content exclusions for Display campaigns (opens in a new tab)Google Ads Help
- Google Display Ads campaigns have a new home in Demand Gen (opens in a new tab)Google Ads Help
Researched and written by PlacementGraph Research. Read how we research, source and update these pages. Corrections: diana@placementgraph.com.