Managing a Google Ads campaign can feel like conducting an orchestra. Each keyword, ad group, and bid plays a part. But what happens when your keyword list becomes a cacophony of similar terms, near-duplicates, and slight variations? It becomes a maintenance nightmare, making it difficult to analyze performance, optimize effectively, and ultimately, achieve your advertising goals.

Many advertisers hesitate to touch their keyword lists, fearing that any change might disrupt the delicate balance and send performance plummeting. However, strategically reducing redundant keywords can significantly simplify your campaign management without negatively impacting your results. In fact, it can often lead to clearer insights and more focused optimization.

What Exactly Are Redundant Keywords (And Why Should You Care)?

In the context of Google Ads, redundant keywords are those that:

• Compete against each other within the same ad group: You might have multiple keywords that are so similar (e.g., “running shoes for men,” “men’s running shoes,” “[mens running shoes]”) that they trigger ads for the exact same search queries.
• Are covered by broader match types: An exact match keyword like [men's red running shoes] might be redundant if you also have a phrase match "men's red running shoes" or a broad match men's red running shoes in the same ad group that consistently captures the same, relevant traffic.
• Clutter your account: A long list of keywords with minimal or no impressions, often slight variations of better-performing terms, adds complexity without adding value.

The Downsides of Keyword Hoarding:

While it might seem like more keywords mean more chances to be seen, an overly bloated and redundant keyword list can create several problems:

• Diluted Performance Data: When multiple keywords trigger ads for the same search terms, your click and conversion data gets spread thin. This makes it harder to identify which keywords are truly driving results and which are just along for the ride.
• Increased Management Complexity: Sifting through hundreds or thousands of keywords to make bid adjustments, update ad copy, or analyze reports is time-consuming and inefficient. A leaner list is far easier to navigate and manage.
• Potential for Internal Competition (Keyword Cannibalization): While Google’s auction dynamics aim to show the most relevant ad, having overly similar keywords can sometimes lead to your own keywords effectively competing against each other, potentially muddying the waters for Google’s algorithm in selecting the “best” keyword for a given auction.
• Slower Optimization Cycles: The more data points you have to analyze, the longer it takes to make informed decisions. Streamlining your keywords allows for quicker identification of trends and faster implementation of optimizations.

The Path to a Cleaner, Meaner Keyword List (Without Hurting Performance):

The goal isn’t to slash and burn your keyword list indiscriminately. It’s about a thoughtful, data-driven approach to consolidation. Here’s how:

1. Identify True Redundancies:
   • Utilize Google Ads Editor: This tool has a “Find duplicate keywords” feature that can help you identify keywords with the same text and match type within the same ad groups or campaigns.
   • Review Google’s “Remove redundant keywords” recommendations: Found in the “Recommendations” tab, Google will flag keywords it deems redundant. However, critically evaluate these suggestions. Don’t blindly accept them, especially if Google suggests removing well-performing exact or phrase match keywords in favor of broad match without clear evidence it will maintain or improve performance.
   • Analyze Search Terms Reports: This is your goldmine. See which search queries are triggering which keywords. If multiple keywords are consistently being triggered by the exact same high-quality search terms, you may have an opportunity for consolidation.
2. Prioritize Performance Data:
   • Focus on an “anchor” keyword: If you have several similar keywords, identify the one with the best historical performance (highest click-through rate, conversion rate, Quality Score, etc.). This will often be your “anchor” keyword to keep.
   • Pause, don’t delete (initially): Instead of immediately deleting keywords you suspect are redundant, pause them. This allows you to monitor if the remaining “anchor” keyword effectively picks up the slack without any drop in overall impression share or conversions for those specific search terms.
3. Understand Match Type Dynamics:
   • Be cautious with broad match: While Google is increasingly pushing broad match with Smart Bidding, ensure that if you’re removing more specific match types (exact, phrase) in favor of broad, your broad match keywords are tightly themed and your negative keyword list is robust to avoid irrelevant traffic. Sometimes, the control offered by exact and phrase match is worth the extra keywords, especially for critical, high-intent terms.
   • Consolidate within the same ad group: The primary concern with redundancy is within the same ad group. Having the same keyword in different ad groups targeting different themes or landing pages is a structural choice, not necessarily a redundancy issue.
4. Focus on Intent and Ad Relevance:
   • Ensure your remaining keywords in each ad group are tightly themed and directly relate to the ad copy and landing page. A more focused keyword list naturally leads to better ad relevance and Quality Scores.
5. Monitor and Iterate:
   • After making changes, closely monitor your campaign’s performance. Look at impression share, click-through rates, conversion rates, and cost-per-acquisition for the ad groups where you’ve made changes.
   • If you see negative impacts, you can always unpause the keywords you paused. The key is to test and verify.

The Payoff: Effortless Maintenance, Sustained Success

By strategically reducing redundant keywords, you’re not taking a step back; you’re decluttering your path forward. A streamlined keyword list makes your Google Ads campaigns:

• Easier to analyze: Clearer data leads to better insights.
• Faster to optimize: Less noise means quicker identification of what’s working and what’s not.
• More efficient to manage: Save time and effort on routine tasks.

The fear of harming performance is valid, but a careful, data-backed approach to eliminating true keyword redundancy can actually enhance your ability to manage and optimize your campaigns effectively, leading to sustained, if not improved, results. So, take a deep breath, dive into your keyword lists, and start cutting the clutter. Your future self (and your campaign performance) will thank you.