Negative keywords for plumbers
Plumbing searches often come from homeowners trying to fix the problem themselves or people looking for plumbing jobs. This list keeps those searches out of your campaigns.
Why negative keywords matter for plumbers
Terms like "leaky faucet" or "clogged drain" attract a large share of DIYers searching for step-by-step fixes, along with people researching plumbing apprenticeships or trade school programs. These searchers aren't calling a plumber, so showing ads to them wastes budget.
Because plumbing leads are often time-sensitive and valuable, protecting your spend from these low-intent searches means more budget available for real same-day and emergency service calls.
The full list
53 terms. Review each one before adding — remove anything you actually sell.
Jobs and careers
- jobs
- careers
- hiring
- salary
- how to become a
- job openings
- employment
- resume
- internship
- apprenticeship
- plumber apprentice jobs
- plumbing jobs near me
- plumber salary
- union plumber hiring
DIY and free
- diy
- free
- how to do it yourself
- at home remedy
- cheap
- homemade
- without calling
- myself
- tutorial
- free consultation
- how to unclog a drain yourself
- diy pipe repair
- fix leaky faucet myself
- snake a drain diy
Education and training
- school
- certification
- training course
- license requirements
- degree
- classes
- textbook
- study guide
- plumbing trade school
- plumbing license requirements
- plumbing certification course
- plumbing apprenticeship program
Wrong service
- plumbing parts store
- plumbing supply catalog
- faucet replacement parts
- pipe fittings wholesale
- plumbing diagram
- septic tank design plans
- pool plumbing only
- irrigation system only
- well pump parts
- plumbing code requirements
- home inspection report
- plumbing tools for sale
- water heater manual pdf
Competitors (add your own)
Add the names of local competitors you don't want to pay for. Review these case by case.
If you also sell plumbing parts or fixtures retail, remove "plumbing supply catalog" so you don't block potential parts customers.
How to add these in Google Ads
- Sign in to Google Ads and open the campaign you want to protect.
- Go to Keywords, then Negative keywords, and click the blue plus button.
- Choose whether to add them to this campaign, an ad group, or a negative keyword list you can share across campaigns.
- Paste the terms, one per line. Remove any you actually want to show for first.
- Click Save. Check the search terms report again after a week or two to see what's still getting through.
Find the searches wasting your budget — free audit
You approve your plan. Claritad builds your account, ads and tracking, then optimizes within agreed limits. No contract, cancel anytime. You pay Google directly for clicks.
$299$49/month launch offer
Launch offer: $49/month (regularly $299/month). Locked in for as long as you stay. Ends Dec 31, 2026.
58 days :11 hours :18 minutes
Ends Dec 31, 2026 at 11:59 PM Eastern
No contract, cancel anytime. You pay Google directly for clicks.
The plan preview is free, no card needed. Managed has a flat monthly fee; cancel anytime.
Frequently asked questions
Will this block emergency plumbing searches?
No, urgent terms like "emergency plumber" aren't filtered since those searchers typically need immediate service.
Is this list good for a one-person plumbing business?
Yes, it's especially useful for smaller budgets where every irrelevant click matters more.
Should I add appliance brand names?
Only if you don't repair those specific brands; otherwise leave them out.
Related guides and tools
- Negative keyword list generator — A ready-to-copy negative keyword list for your industry.
- How to add negative keywords in Google Ads — Step-by-step: how to add negative keywords in Google Ads at the ad group, campaign or list level, and how to avoid blocking good traffic by mistake.
- Which Google Ads search terms are wasting your money — How to find the search terms wasting your Google Ads budget, group them into patterns, and exclude them with negative keywords without blocking real customers..
- Google Ads audit for plumbing businesses — DIY, parts and career searches are the biggest leaks for plumbers.
Sources
Last updated · Written by the Claritad team (Kyle Edward Gilligan LLC). Claritad is independent software and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Google.