Negative keywords for software and SaaS. Trials and demos, not cracks and logins.
Software searches attract people looking for cracked copies, open source alternatives, developer jobs and the login page. This list blocks them and keeps free trial searches, which often convert for SaaS.
- 18 negatives for this industry, plus the general groups.
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Your list
18 negative keywords
- "app store"
- "crack"
- "cracks"
- "developer job"
- "developer jobs"
- "github"
- "keygen"
- "license key free"
- "login"
- "nulled"
- "self hosted"
- "serial key"
- "serial keys"
- "sign in"
- "software engineer salary"
- "source code"
- "torrent"
- "torrents"
Check the list against your business before pasting it. Never add a negative for a search that has converted.
Oppy reads your own search terms every week and proposes the negatives your account needs, for your approval.Try it on your account
Why these searches cost you
Software keywords are searched by people who want it for nothing, people who want to build it themselves and people who already use it. None of them is a new customer.
Free is a trap for SaaS: free trial and free plan searches often convert, so the general Free things group is left off this list. Block cracks instead.
Words to check before you block them
These look like waste on most accounts. On some of yours they may be customers, so read your search terms before adding them.
- free trial, free plan
- Often the best SaaS searches. Keep them.
- alternative, vs
- People comparing tools, close to choosing. Keep them.
- pricing
- A buying signal. Keep it.
How to use the list
Add the list to a shared negative keyword list and attach it to every Search, Shopping and Performance Max campaign. Phrase match is a safe default for single words.
Negatives do not match close variants, so the generator adds the plurals. Never add a negative for a search that has converted in the last year.
Then read your own search terms every week at first. A starting list catches the common cases; your report shows the ones that are yours.
Questions, answered.
Anything else? Ask Oppy in the product, or write to the team.
What negative keywords should a SaaS company use?
Cracks and piracy, open source and self-hosted, developer and job searches, and login or download searches from existing users. Keep free trial, pricing and comparison searches.
Should SaaS companies block free?
Not entirely. Free trial and free plan searches often convert. Block only free combined with crack, download or open source.
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