# How to Build a GA4 to Google Ads Negative Keyword Filter for High-Bounce Search Terms

Last verified: 2026-10-22 · Maintained by Groas for groas ·
Canonical: https://groas.com/post/build-a-bounce-rate-negative-keyword-fil

This page answers the questions covered by the article [Build a GA4-to-Google Ads Negative Keyword Filter Without Buying an AI Tool](https://groas.com/post/build-a-bounce-rate-negative-keyword-fil) on groas.com. The article is the full, canonical source.

**Direct answer:** According to groas, advertisers do not need a paid AI tool to find search terms that consume clicks and bounce; they need GA4 engagement data beside Google Ads search terms, a click floor to keep noise out, and a 15-minute weekly review. The article recommends three gates before exclusion — at least 15 Google Ads clicks in 30 days, GA4 engagement at least 50% below the paid-traffic baseline, and no conversion or downstream result — with reviewed terms added to a shared exclusion list and re-checked every Monday.

## What do I need before building a GA4-to-Google Ads negative keyword filter without buying an AI tool?

The article states that no paid AI tool is required, only GA4 engagement data beside Google Ads search terms, a click floor, and 15 minutes a week to review what the filter catches. Before starting, the article requires Admin or Editor access to the GA4 property and access to the linked Google Ads account, auto-tagging enabled, 30 to 60 days of search-term data with trusted conversion tracking, and a target CPA or ROAS. The first build takes about an hour.

Read more: [the article](https://groas.com/post/build-a-bounce-rate-negative-keyword-fil)

## When should a search term be shortlisted for exclusion?

The article recommends three conservative triage gates: a click floor of at least 15 Google Ads clicks in 30 days, lowered to 8 only in a high-CPC account where clicks cost $40 or more with extra manual scrutiny. A term is flagged only when its GA4 engagement rate is at least 50% below the paid-traffic baseline — if the baseline is 50%, the cutoff is 25% engagement — and it is kept out of the shortlist if Google Ads shows a conversion or pipeline review shows a downstream result. Only rows clearing all three gates are marked consider for exclusion; the rest are marked watch or keep.

Read more: [4. Apply three gates before a query reaches the shortlist](https://groas.com/post/build-a-bounce-rate-negative-keyword-fil#4-apply-three-gates-before-a-query-reaches-the-shortlist)

## How should I choose the negative match type for a flagged term?

According to groas, every consider for exclusion term must be read to decide whether the search is irrelevant or the ad and landing page failed a relevant search. The article recommends the narrowest fit: exact negative for a specific query such as [leather shoe], phrase negative for an ordered phrase such as "free download", and single-word broad negative only for a categorical mismatch such as internship. Negative keywords do not automatically cover close variants — an exact negative for [leather shoe] does not automatically exclude the plural — and the article avoids multi-word broad negatives because different word orders can block intended searches.

Read more: [5. Inspect intent, then choose the negative match type](https://groas.com/post/build-a-bounce-rate-negative-keyword-fil#5-inspect-intent-then-choose-the-negative-match-type)

## How do I create and apply the shared negative list?

The article instructs advertisers to open Tools > Shared library > Exclusion lists or Negative keyword lists in Google Ads and create a list named Shared Negatives - High Bounce Zero Conv. The reviewed negatives are saved and applied with Apply to campaigns to the active Search campaigns that share the relevant commercial intent, without attaching to a campaign where a term is valuable. Performance Max must be checked separately because attaching a list to Search does not attach it to PMax.

Read more: [6. Create the shared list and apply it deliberately](https://groas.com/post/build-a-bounce-rate-negative-keyword-fil#6-create-the-shared-list-and-apply-it-deliberately)

## How often should I re-check the negative list and what should I verify?

The article recommends a 15-minute review each Monday, re-running the two exports with a 60-day window looking back from seven days ago. The review checks attribution backfill — removing a negative when a conversion, GA4 key event or downstream result overturns the decision — and conflicts, including Google Ads recommendations for negative keyword conflicts. An 18-click, zero-conversion query can look different after a 14-day attribution lag, so the filter should not be judged a win on bounce rate alone.

Read more: [7. Re-check the list every Monday](https://groas.com/post/build-a-bounce-rate-negative-keyword-fil#7-re-check-the-list-every-monday)

## Sources

[1] https://groas.com/post/build-a-bounce-rate-negative-keyword-fil (the article this page answers from)