How to Use Negative Keywords in Apple Search Ads (2025 Guide)

Negative keywords are the most underutilized optimization tactic in Apple Search Ads.

Most apps focus on finding better keywords to bid on. But cutting irrelevant keywords saves more budget, faster, with less effort.

A well-managed negative keyword list can reduce wasted spend by 20-40% without sacrificing volume. That's a direct improvement to CPA with no downside.

Here's how to build and maintain a negative keyword strategy that protects your budget.

What Are Negative Keywords?

Negative keywords tell Apple Search Ads which searches you DON'T want your ad to appear for.

When you add a negative keyword, your ad is excluded from auctions for that search term, preventing irrelevant clicks and wasted spend.

Example:

You're running a paid meditation app. Users searching for "free meditation app" will never convert to paid subscribers, but might click your ad.

By adding "free" as a negative keyword, you prevent your ad from showing for any search containing "free," saving budget for more qualified searches.

Why Negative Keywords Matter

Every click you pay for should have a reasonable chance of converting. Negative keywords filter out users who will never install.

Common sources of wasted spend:

1. Intent mismatch: Users searching for "app review" want to read reviews, not download apps.
2. Free vs. paid: Searches containing "free" when your app is paid.
3. Wrong platform: Searches for "Android app" when you're iOS-only.
4. Competitor brands you're not targeting: If you're not actively bidding on competitors, exclude them.
5. Overly broad matches: Your broad match keyword "photo" triggers on "photoshop tutorial," which is irrelevant.

Without negative keywords, broad match and Search Match campaigns bleed budget on irrelevant queries.

When to Add Negative Keywords

Not every low-performing keyword should be a negative. Some terms just need more time to gather data.

Add a negative keyword when:

1. The search term is completely irrelevant to your app's purpose.

   • Example: A fitness app showing for "fitness model agency"

2. The term has 50+ impressions and zero conversions despite reasonable traffic.

   • Example: "Budget app review" gets clicks but no installs.

3. The term explicitly contradicts your app's offering.

   • Example: "Free" or "no credit card" when you require payment.

4. It's a competitor brand you're not targeting.

   • Example: If you're not bidding on "Headspace," add it as a negative to avoid accidental matches.

5. It's generating high spend with terrible CPA (2x+ target) and unlikely to improve.

Don't add a negative if:

• The term has fewer than 50 impressions (not enough data)
• It's related to your app but just underperforming (lower bids instead)
• It's a misspelling of a valid keyword (Apple handles common misspellings automatically)

How to Find Negative Keyword Opportunities

Step 1: Access Search Terms Report

In your Apple Search Ads dashboard:

1. Navigate to Campaigns
2. Select a campaign (start with Discovery or broad match campaigns)
3. Click Search Terms tab

This shows every search query that triggered your ad.

Step 2: Sort by Wasted Spend

Add these columns if not visible:

• Impressions
• Taps
• Installs
• Spend

Sort by Spend (highest to lowest).

Look for terms with:

• High spend
• Zero or very few installs
• Low relevance to your app

Step 3: Filter for Non-Converters

Export the search terms report to a spreadsheet.

Filter for:

• Installs = 0
• Impressions > 50

These are your highest-priority negative keyword candidates.

Step 4: Categorize by Theme

Group irrelevant searches into themes:

• Intent mismatch (review, tutorial, tips)
• Free seekers (free, no cost, trial)
• Wrong platform (Android, PC, web)
• Competitor brands (Calm, Headspace, Robinhood)

This makes it easier to add negative keywords systematically.

How to Add Negative Keywords in Apple Search Ads

Step-by-Step Process:

1. Navigate to Campaign Settings
2. Scroll to Negative Keywords section
3. Click Add Negative Keywords
4. Enter the keyword
5. Choose Match Type (Exact or Broad)
6. Click Save

You can add negative keywords at two levels:

• Campaign level: Applies to all ad groups within the campaign
• Ad group level: Applies only to that specific ad group

Negative Keyword Match Types

Apple Search Ads offers two negative match types:

Negative Exact Match

Your ad won't show for that specific search term.

Example: Negative exact match on "free app"

• Blocked: "free app"
• Still shows: "free meditation app," "best free app"

Use exact match when you want surgical precision—blocking one specific query without affecting variations.

Negative Broad Match

Your ad won't show for any search containing all the words in your negative keyword, in any order.

Example: Negative broad match on "free app"

• Blocked: "free app," "app free download," "best free app for meditation"
• Still shows: "app for meditation" (doesn't contain "free")

Use broad match when you want to exclude an entire category of searches.

Recommended Negative Keyword Strategy by Campaign Type

Different campaign types require different negative keyword approaches.

Brand Campaigns

Goal: Protect your brand, exclude competitor confusion

Negative keywords to add:

• Competitor brand names (unless you're intentionally targeting them)
• "Review," "alternative," "vs" (unless you want comparison traffic)
• Platform-specific terms if you're only on one platform ("Android")

Match type: Mostly exact match

Category Campaigns

Goal: Filter out low-intent and irrelevant searches

Negative keywords to add:

• "Free" (if paid app)
• "Tutorial," "tips," "guide" (informational intent, not download intent)
• "Review," "rating"
• Unrelated variations your broad match keywords trigger

Match type: Mix of exact and broad

Competitor Campaigns

Goal: Avoid spending on searches you're not intentionally targeting

Negative keywords to add:

• Your own brand name (to avoid competing with your brand campaign)
• Non-competitor apps in the same category
• "Promo code," "discount" (deal-seekers, often low LTV)

Match type: Mostly exact

Discovery Campaigns

Goal: Aggressively filter noise, test new terms

Negative keywords to add:

• All keywords from Brand, Category, and Competitor campaigns (as exact match negatives to avoid overlap)
• "Free," "download," "review," "tutorial"
• Any term that appears in search reports with 100+ impressions and zero installs

Match type: Heavy use of broad match to filter entire categories

Advanced Negative Keyword Tactics

1. Layered Negative Keywords Across Campaign Types

To prevent your campaigns from competing with each other, add negative keywords strategically:

In Discovery campaigns, add as exact match negatives:

• All keywords from your Brand campaign
• All keywords from your Category campaign
• All keywords from your Competitor campaign

This forces Discovery to find NEW terms, not re-bid on existing keywords.

In Category campaigns, add as negatives:

• Your brand name (let Brand campaign handle that)

In Competitor campaigns, add as negatives:

• Your brand name
• Your top category keywords (to avoid overlap)

2. Use Negative Keywords to Control Budget Allocation

If a keyword is performing okay but consuming too much budget, don't delete it—move it to a lower-budget campaign and add it as a negative in the high-budget campaign.

Example:

"Meditation app" has decent CPA but is eating 40% of your Category budget.

• Create a new ad group for "meditation app" with a $20/day cap
• Add "meditation app" as exact negative in the main ad group

This preserves the keyword's performance while controlling spend.

3. Seasonal Negative Keywords

Some keywords are only irrelevant during certain times of year.

Example: A tax app might add "2024" as a negative in January 2025 to avoid users searching for last year's version.

Review and adjust negative keywords quarterly to account for seasonal shifts.

4. Negative Keyword Mining from Competitors

Use ASA tools like Sensor Tower or AppTweak to see what keywords competitors are bidding on.

If you notice they're bidding on terms irrelevant to your app, proactively add those as negatives before wasting budget.

Common Negative Keyword Mistakes

1. Being Too Aggressive Too Early

Don't add negatives after just 10-20 impressions. Wait for at least 50-100 to confirm a term truly won't convert.

2. Adding Relevant Keywords as Negatives

"Budget app free trial" might seem like a negative if you don't offer a trial, but users searching this are still interested in budget apps. Consider targeting them with messaging about your paid benefits instead.

3. Not Using Broad Match Negatives

Adding "free" as exact match negative only blocks "free." You also need broad match to block "free app," "app free download," etc.

4. Ignoring Negative Keyword Conflicts

If you add "meditation" as a negative broad match, it will block ALL searches containing "meditation," including your target keyword "meditation timer."

Always review your positive keywords before adding broad match negatives.

5. Setting and Forgetting

Negative keyword management isn't one-and-done. Review search term reports biweekly and add new negatives as your campaigns discover new irrelevant queries.

Negative Keywords Starter List by App Category

Here are common negatives to consider for various app types:

Paid Apps (All Categories)

• free
• no cost
• trial
• crack
• hack
• mod apk

Subscription Apps

• lifetime
• one-time payment
• no subscription

iOS-Only Apps

• Android
• Google Play
• APK
• PC
• Windows

Fitness Apps

• model
• competition
• bodybuilding (if you're focused on general fitness)
• injury (unless your app addresses injuries)

Finance Apps

• scam
• illegal
• tax evasion
• lawsuit

Meditation Apps

• medication (common misspelling, but different intent)
• therapist
• doctor

Productivity Apps

• game
• entertainment
• fun

How to Measure Negative Keyword Impact

Track these metrics before and after implementing negatives:

1. Wasted Spend Percentage

Formula: (Spend on non-converting terms ÷ Total Spend) × 100

Target: Reduce from 20-30% to under 10%

2. Average CPA

Negative keywords should reduce CPA by filtering low-quality traffic.

Target improvement: 10-25% CPA reduction within 30 days

3. Conversion Rate

As you filter irrelevant searches, CVR should improve.

Target improvement: 5-15% CVR increase

4. Impression Volume

Negative keywords will reduce total impressions. That's expected and healthy—you're filtering waste.

Monitor: Ensure installs don't drop proportionally. If impressions drop 30% but installs only drop 10%, your negatives are working.

Negative Keyword Optimization Cadence

Week 1-2: Review search terms daily, add obvious negatives (free, Android, irrelevant terms)

Week 3-4: Review search terms weekly, add terms with 50+ impressions and zero installs

Month 2+: Review search terms biweekly, refine negative list based on performance trends

Quarterly: Audit entire negative keyword list, remove any that might be blocking valid searches

FAQs

What are negative keywords in Apple Search Ads?

Negative keywords are terms you specify to prevent your ads from showing for certain searches. When you add a negative keyword, your ad won't appear when users search for that term, helping you avoid irrelevant clicks and wasted spend.

When should I add negative keywords in ASA?

Add negative keywords when you identify search terms with 50+ impressions and zero conversions, terms irrelevant to your app's purpose, branded terms from competitors you're not targeting, or queries indicating users want something your app doesn't offer (like "free" if you're a paid app).

How do negative keyword match types work in Apple Search Ads?

Negative exact match blocks your ad from showing for that specific search term only. Negative broad match prevents your ad from appearing for any search containing all the words in your negative keyword, in any order.

How many negative keywords should I have?

Most well-optimized ASA accounts have 50-200 negative keywords across all campaigns. Discovery campaigns often have 100+ negatives, while brand campaigns might only have 10-20.

Can negative keywords hurt my performance?

Yes, if used incorrectly. Adding overly broad negatives can block relevant traffic. Always review your positive keywords before adding broad match negatives, and regularly audit your negative list to ensure it's not blocking valid searches.

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Negative keywords are defensive optimization—they don't bring new users, but they protect every dollar you spend by ensuring it goes toward relevant searches. Build your negative keyword list systematically, review search term reports regularly, and treat it as an ongoing process, not a one-time setup. The payoff is a 10-25% CPA improvement without sacrificing install volume.