Negative keywords for SaaS companies
SaaS ads compete with engineering job boards, a constant stream of 'free' and 'open source alternative' searches, and service agencies offering custom development rather than a subscription product. This list filters all three out of a SaaS acquisition campaign.
Why negative keywords matter for SaaS companies
SaaS companies hire aggressively for engineering and customer success roles, and job-title searches frequently share keyword space with buyer-intent searches for the same product category.
Software buyers also search heavily for free and open-source alternatives before considering a paid tool, and many software-adjacent searches are actually looking for a custom development agency or freelancer rather than a self-serve product.
The full list
39 terms. Review each one before adding — remove anything you actually sell.
Jobs and careers
- saas sales jobs
- software engineer jobs
- customer success jobs
- product manager jobs
- saas marketing jobs
- remote tech jobs
- saas startup careers
- developer jobs near me
- support engineer jobs
- sales development rep jobs
DIY and free
- free crm tool
- open source alternative
- free project management tool
- diy automation script
- free saas template
- no code app builder free
- free analytics tool
- build your own app free
- free api documentation tool
- free scheduling tool
Education and training
- how to build a saas
- coding bootcamp
- software engineering degree
- product management course
- saas growth course
- how to learn to code free
Wrong service
- web design agency only
- it support helpdesk
- hosting provider only
- custom software development agency
- app development agency
- data entry services
- call center outsourcing
- graphic design agency
- seo agency only
- social media management agency
- accounting software only
- erp consultant
- freelance developer marketplace
Competitors (add your own)
Add the names of local competitors you don't want to pay for. Review these case by case.
If you offer custom integrations or implementation services, remove 'custom software development agency' and keep that phrasing active where relevant.
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.
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Frequently asked questions
Why exclude 'open source alternative'?
Those searchers are specifically evaluating free, self-hosted options and are unlikely to pay for a subscription soon.
Should hiring campaigns use this list too?
No — apply it only to demand-generation campaigns, since your recruiting ads will want the job-title terms.
Is 'erp consultant' really worth excluding?
Yes, unless your SaaS product is specifically an ERP implementation service — otherwise it signals a different buyer need.
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 SaaS companies — Free-alternative searches, competitor research and job searches are the common leaks.
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.