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The short answer
Broad match hands Google the decision about what a keyword means. Negative keywords are the only way the account gets to disagree. Oppy flags an account that runs broad match keywords with no negative keywords on its campaigns, ad groups or shared lists, with the broad spend per campaign.
Why it matters
A broad match keyword can match searches that share no word with it, as long as Google judges the meaning close. That is how broad match finds searches nobody thought of. It is also how a plumber's ad ends up on searches for plumbing courses, plumbing jobs and free plumbing advice.
Negative keywords are the brake. With broad match and no negatives, every loose match Google makes is accepted by default, and the only way to find out what was bought is to read the search terms report after the money is gone.
How Oppy decides
The check first makes sure it has actually read the account's negative keywords.
It counts the negatives on campaigns, ad groups, shared lists and Google's account-level negative keywords.
Checks that weigh money or clicks judge what they find on your own account's numbers, not on one figure applied to every account, so what counts as a problem on a small account is not the same on a large one. Checks on settings read how the account is set up.
When there is too little to go on, the check says so instead of guessing. A finding always comes with the rows behind it, so you can read the evidence before you decide.
| This check | |
|---|---|
| Step of the audit | Structure |
| What it reads | Keywords report |
| Needs trustworthy conversions | No. It does not wait for the tracking step. |
| What happens next | Reported in the audit with the rows behind it. The decision stays with you. |
Check it yourself in Google Ads
- In Google Ads, open Campaigns, then Audiences, keywords and content, then Search keywords.
- Filter the keywords by match type: Broad match. Note which campaigns hold them and what they spent.
- Open Negative search keywords on the same page, and Tools, then Shared library, then Exclusion lists, to see any shared negative lists.
- If both are empty, open Insights and reports, then Search terms, and read what the broad keywords actually matched.
What to do about it
Start a negative keyword list from the search terms report: the searches that spent and are plainly not your business. Add the words that are wrong everywhere, such as jobs, free or training, to a shared list attached to every Search campaign.
Then make reading search terms a habit, weekly at first. The free negative keyword list generator gives you a starting list for your industry.
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Other checks in this area
The checks next to this one in Wasted spend, each with its own page.