Add to Blocklist
Step-by-step guide to creating blocklist entries — block IPs, domains, placements, and negative keywords.
Click + Add to Blocklist (top-right of the blocklist table) to open the creation form. This guide walks through every field.
Step 1 — Choose the Scope
The scope controls where the block applies.
| Scope | Applies To | Required Fields |
|---|---|---|
| Website | Everything on the selected website | None — default scope |
| Account | A specific Google Ads account | Select an ad account |
| Campaign | A specific campaign only | Select an ad account + campaign |
Website scope is the broadest — it blocks the entity across all campaigns on that site. Use Account or Campaign scope for more targeted control.
Step 2 — Select the Block Type
Choose what kind of entity you want to block:
| Type | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| IP Address | A single IPv4 or IPv6 address | 192.168.1.1 |
| IP Range | A CIDR range covering multiple IPs | 203.0.113.0/24 |
| Domain Placement | A website domain | malicious-site.com |
| App Placement | A mobile app package or ID | com.spam.app |
| Device | A device identifier (IDFA, GAID) | ABC12345-6789-DEFG |
| Negative Keyword | A search term to block (account/campaign scope only) | competitor brand |
IP Address Format
- IPv4: Four octets, each 0–255 (e.g.,
192.168.1.1) - IPv6: Colon-separated hex groups (e.g.,
2001:0db8:85a3::8a2e:0370:7334)
IP Range Format
Use CIDR notation to block an entire range:
Be careful with large ranges — blocking too many IPs can prevent real customers from seeing your ads.
Negative Keyword Match Types
When blocking negative keywords, choose a match type:
| Match Type | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Broad | Blocks searches containing the keyword in any order |
| Phrase | Blocks searches containing the exact phrase |
| Exact | Blocks only the exact search term |
Negative keywords are only available at Account or Campaign scope and are automatically synced to Google Ads.
Step 3 — Enter the Entities
Type or paste the entities you want to block into the text area — one per line. You can add multiple entries at once.
Duplicates are automatically removed.
Step 4 — Set the Duration
Choose how long the block should last:
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Permanent | Block stays active until you manually remove it |
| Expiration date | Block expires on a specific date |
The default expiration is 15 days from the creation date. Toggle Permanent if the block should never expire.
Step 5 — Add a Note (Optional)
Add a reason for the block. This is optional but strongly recommended — it helps your team understand why the entry was added when reviewing the blocklist months later.
Examples:
- "Competitor office IP — confirmed via WHOIS lookup"
- "Data center range generating bot traffic since Jan 2026"
- "Internal QA team — exclude from ad tracking"
Submit
Click Create to save the entry. The block is created with a Pending status while it syncs, then moves to Active.
You can create multiple entries at once by entering multiple entities (one per line). Each entity creates a separate blocklist entry.
Validation Rules
The form will show an error if:
- No entities are provided
- An IP address format is invalid (e.g., octets outside 0–255)
- Account scope is selected but no ad account is chosen
- Negative keyword type is selected without a campaign
What Happens After Creation
- The block is saved with Pending status
- If the scope includes a Google Ads account, the exclusion syncs to Google Ads automatically
- Status updates to Active once synced
- Any future ad impressions matching the blocked entity are excluded immediately