Med spa searches are a minefield for advertisers. "Botox" is searched by patients, by nurses looking for training, by people wanting to buy it wholesale, and by students writing essays. If you launch a campaign without negative keywords, you pay for all of them. This guide gives you a starting list to paste into any med spa campaign, explains which searches are worth paying for, and shows how to keep the list growing.
How negatives work, briefly
A negative keyword tells Google never to show your ad for searches containing that word or phrase. Add them at the campaign level (they apply to every ad group) and review the search terms report weekly to find new ones. Phrase-match negatives (in quotes) are the usual choice: "jobs" blocks any search containing the word jobs.
The starter list
Paste these as phrase-match negatives into every med spa search campaign. Remove any that apply to a service you actually sell.
Jobs and careers
jobs, job, careers, career, hiring, salary, resume, internship, intern, apprenticeship, employment, "work from home"
Training and education
training, course, courses, certification, certified, certificate, school, class, classes, CEU, "how to become", "how to do", tutorial, academy, curriculum, degree
Wholesale, supply and DIY
wholesale, supplier, suppliers, "buy online", "for sale", kit, "at home", "do it yourself", DIY, machine, device, equipment, "used", "rental", lease
Free, cheap and bargain
free, cheap, cheapest, "groupon", coupon, discount code, "near me free", giveaway
Research and information only
"side effects", "lawsuit", reviews of (use judgement), wiki, "what is", definition, history, statistics, "vs" (judgement; block if you only sell one of the compared treatments), reddit, forum, "before and after" (judgement: strong buyer intent for some clinics; test it)
Wrong business type
dermatologist (if you don't have one), "plastic surgeon", "plastic surgery", hospital, pharmacy, "day spa", massage, nail, "hair salon", barber, tattoo, "tattoo removal" (unless you offer it)
Services you don't offer
Add your own: for example liposuction, breast, "weight loss" (unless you do), "hair transplant", veneers, "laser eye".
Locations you don't serve
Nearby cities outside your radius, and other states that share your city's name.
The searches that ARE worth paying for
Don't over-block. These are the searches that become consults:
- Treatment + near me: "botox near me", "lip filler near me", "laser hair removal near me".
- Treatment + cost/price: "botox cost [city]", "how much is lip filler". Buyers compare on price; give them a range and a reason to consult.
- Treatment + city/neighbourhood: "med spa scottsdale", "microneedling miami beach".
- Problem-led searches: "forehead lines treatment", "melasma treatment", "double chin treatment" (if you offer the relevant service).
- Brand names of treatments you offer: Botox, Dysport, Juvederm, Morpheus8, CoolSculpting, Hydrafacial.
- "Med spa" + offer words: "med spa specials", "med spa membership", "botox specials [city]". These are price-sensitive but high-intent.
Reading the search terms report
Every week, open Search terms, sort by cost, and ask of each row: would this person book a consult? Three buckets:
- Add as negative: anyone clearly not a patient.
- Add as keyword: a search that converted or clearly could, which you weren't targeting on purpose.
- Leave alone: patient searches that are just phrased oddly.
In the first month expect to add 20–40 negatives. After that it slows down. If you're on a tight budget, do this twice a week; a single bad keyword can eat a day's spend.
Two mistakes to avoid
- Blocking "cost" and "price." Those are buyers. Block "free" and "cheap" instead.
- Cutting evenings and weekends from the ad schedule to save money. That's when clients search. The better fix is to make sure the calls those clicks produce get answered, which is what an after-hours receptionist is for.
Hear what your patients would hear
ClinicEcho's AI receptionist is answering a demo med spa right now. Call it, ask about an appointment, try to book. Then request a free audit and we'll call your own clinic after hours and show you what happens.
Frequently asked questions
Should I block 'cost' and 'price' searches?
No. "Botox cost" is a buyer comparing spas, which is exactly who you want. Send them to a page that gives a range and a reason to consult. Block "free" and "cheap," not "cost."
What match type should negatives be?
Start with phrase-match negatives for words (so "jobs" blocks any search containing it). Use exact-match negatives for specific competitor or product searches you want to exclude precisely. Broad-match negatives are rarely needed.
How often should I add negatives?
Weekly for the first month, then every two weeks. Google's search terms report will keep surprising you.
Do negatives work on Performance Max?
Only at the account level, and with limits. If you're running PMax for a med spa, account-level negatives are the main control you have, which is one reason many spas stick to Search campaigns.