How Google Ads’ Account-Level Placement Exclusions Save Creators from Low-Quality Inventory

Stop fighting exclusions campaign-by-campaign: the 2026 fix for creators

Managing placement exclusions across dozens of campaigns is a productivity sink and a brand-safety risk. In early 2026 Google rolled out account-level placement exclusions, and for creators, influencers, and independent publishers this is the guardrail you’ve been waiting for — centralized protection that works across Performance Max, Demand Gen, YouTube, and Display campaigns.

Why this matters now

Automation-first ad formats have accelerated in late 2024–2026. Performance Max and Demand Gen make it easier to scale paid distribution, but they also widen the set of placements that can deliver traffic. That increases the chance your brand or content funds low-quality inventory — ad-heavy aggregator sites, fraudulent SDK apps, or YouTube channels with questionable content. The result: wasted spend, reputation risk, and lower long-term monetization potential.

“Advertisers can now apply one exclusion list at the account level. Exclusions apply across Performance Max, Demand Gen, YouTube, and Display campaigns.” — Search Engine Land, Jan 15, 2026

What account-level placement exclusions change for creators and publishers

Before: You added negative placements campaign-by-campaign. That was manual, error-prone, and incompatible with automation. Now: one list blocks placements account-wide. That shift affects three core creator pain points:

• Brand safety — Consistent blocking of low-quality domains and channels across every campaign.
• Time savings — No need to duplicate exclusions when creating a new campaign or spinning up Performance Max.
• Revenue protection — Less wasted ad spend on placements that drive poor conversion rates or low-quality engagement.

Quick walkthrough: Set up account-level placement exclusions (step-by-step)

The Google Ads UI has been updated in 2026 to surface account-level exclusions. Here’s a step-by-step that works for creators and small publishers who manage advertising without a full agency stack.

Step 1 — Create your master exclusion list

1. Open Google Ads and go to Tools & settings (top-right gear).
2. Navigate to the Shared library or the new Account-level placement exclusions entry under Setup (UI labels vary slightly by account type in 2026).
3. Select Create exclusion list and give it a clear name: e.g., "Creator Master Exclusions — 2026".
4. Paste domains, app IDs, or YouTube channel IDs. You can upload a CSV for bulk entries. Use site domains (example.com), channel IDs (UCxxxxx), or app package names for accuracy.

Step 2 — Apply and confirm

1. Apply the list at the account level — this pushes the exclusions across eligible campaigns: Performance Max, Demand Gen, Display, and YouTube.
2. Confirm via the Where ads showed / Placements report in each campaign type to ensure blocked placements no longer receive spend.

Step 3 — Automate updates

• Use the Google Ads API or Ads Editor to programmatically update the list if you manage multiple accounts.
• Schedule a weekly review: import new low-quality domains or blocked channel IDs pulled from placement reports or third-party brand-safety feeds.

Tip: Keep a version-controlled CSV (on Google Drive or Git) of your master list so you can track changes, revert, or share with collaborators.

Practical strategies creators should pair with account-level exclusions

Account-level exclusions are a powerful control, but they’re most effective as part of a small toolkit. Use these tactics together:

1. Start with a curated starter list

Build a base list that targets the usual suspects: low viewability sites, known aggregator domains, fraudulent app package names, and channels flagged by manual review. You can expand the list with:

• Known ad-farm domains (from your placement reports)
• Channels or apps that repeatedly show poor engagement metrics
• Domains flagged by third-party verifiers (DoubleVerify, IAS, OpenSlate)

2. Combine exclusions with contextual targeting

Privacy regulations and ID loss in 2026 have pushed targeting toward contextual signals. Use contextual segments and topic-level targeting alongside account-level exclusions to keep reach high while removing the worst inventory.

3. Monitor placement performance weekly

Set up a lightweight placement audit: export placement reports weekly and flag placements where CTR is low and bounce or post-click engagement is poor. Add these placements to the master exclusion list after a short rule-based trial (e.g., two weeks under threshold).

4. Use negative performance rules — don’t over-block

Overzealous exclusion can harm reach and increase CPMs. Create performance-based rules. Example: only block placements that produced >$50 spend and a conversion rate <20% of account average. This prevents blocking rare, marginal placements that might convert later.

5. Coordinate with Google Ad Manager if you’re a publisher

If you sell inventory via Google Ad Manager, maintain a parallel blocked ads list and allow-list of trusted buyers. Publishers and creators who run their own sites or channels should ensure their inventory isn’t inadvertently suppressed by advertiser-side blocks when negotiating direct deals.

What to watch for: risks and trade-offs

Account-level exclusions are not a silver bullet. Know the trade-offs:

• Reduced reach: Blocking many placements narrows available auction inventory, which can raise CPMs and reduce scale.
• False positives: Overly broad domain blocks can remove high-performing placements that only occasionally show low-quality content.
• Platform differences: Some campaign types (or legacy formats) may not honor account-level exclusions immediately — always validate with placement reports.

Measurement: the KPIs creators must track

After applying account-level exclusions, watch these metrics to validate impact on brand safety and monetization:

• Spend on blocked placements (should be 0)
• Click-through rate (CTR) and viewable CTR — measure engagement quality
• Conversion rate / sign-ups per click — the most direct monetization signal
• ROAS or cost-per-acquisition (CPA) — net revenue impact
• CPM and reach — watch for unintended spikes in CPM or sharp drop in impressions
• Brand-safety incidents reported via social listening or comments

Example case study — creator-first impact (hypothetical but realistic)

Anna runs a lifestyle channel and sells email-based courses. In late 2025 she used Performance Max and saw a lot of traffic from low-quality aggregator sites and an unknown mobile app network. Her CPA rose 60% and her course sales stalled.

Action taken:

• Deployed an account-level exclusion list with 150 domains and 40 YouTube channel IDs.
• Paired exclusions with contextual targeting and weekly audits.

Result in 30 days:

• Spend on excluded placements dropped to 0%.
• Conversion rate from paid traffic improved 42%.
• CPA fell 28% — Anna could scale spend profitably again.

Key takeaway: a focused exclusion program reduced waste and improved the quality of traffic driving direct monetization.

Advanced tactics for experienced creators and small publisher teams

1. Dynamic exclusion suggestions via automation

In 2026 you can automate candidate exclusions by layering signals: CTR, conversion value, and brand-safety flags from third-party providers. Use Google Ads API or a simple script that outputs candidate placements meeting your exclusion rules — then review weekly before adding them to the master list.

2. Segment exclusions by product or funnel stage

Not all campaigns are equal. For top-of-funnel awareness, you might allow broader inventory while tightening exclusions for purchase-driven campaigns. With account-level lists you can create multiple lists and apply the stricter one to conversions-focused campaigns while leaving a lighter list for awareness efforts.

3. Use placement exclusions as a negotiation tool with direct buyers

If your site or channel is sold direct or programmatically, provide potential advertisers with a transparent list of your blocked placements and brand-safety guarantees. That increases trust and can lead to higher CPM deals for premium inventory.

4. Maintain a "re-review" queue

Some domains improve over time. Keep a re-review calendar (90–180 days) to avoid permanent blocking for sites that clean up their content. This recovers potential scale without losing safety.

Tools and bundles every creator should consider in 2026

Pair the account-level exclusion feature with a small, focused toolset to protect brand and revenue. A practical starter bundle includes:

• Account-level exclusion starter CSV — curated list of common low-quality domains and channel IDs (maintained weekly).
• Placement audit spreadsheet template — imports placement reports and highlights candidates for exclusion based on spend and performance rules.
• Lightweight automation script — uses the Google Ads API to append new exclusions after manual review.
• Brand-safety verifier — subscription to a third-party verification service for periodic scans (DoubleVerify, IAS, or OpenSlate for YouTube).

Creators who combine these items typically reclaim ad efficiency faster and avoid the one-off crisis management that used to eat weeks of time.

Future predictions: where account-level exclusions are headed

Looking to late 2026 and beyond, expect these developments:

• AI-driven exclusion recommendations: Google and third parties will suggest placements based on predicted quality and brand risk.
• Deeper publisher-advertiser transparency: Publishers will get more visibility into why they're being excluded, enabling remediation.
• Integration with contextual signals: Exclusions will be combined with contextual targeting to keep scale without sacrificing safety.
• Standardized exchange signals: More granular inventory tags from exchanges will make exclusion lists more surgical (e.g., exclude specific ad units rather than whole domains).

Final checklist — implement account-level exclusions the smart way

1. Create a named master exclusion list and apply it account-wide.
2. Import an initial curated list and add domain/channel IDs from your placement reports.
3. Track KPIs (CTR, conversion rate, CPA, CPM) weekly and adjust rules after two reporting cycles.
4. Use automation for candidate discovery but always include a human review step.
5. Don't block first — measure, then exclude. Keep a re-review cadence.

Conclusion — protect your brand and revenue without the busywork

Account-level placement exclusions are a practical, 2026-era tool that helps creators and publishers reclaim control in an increasingly automated ad ecosystem. When combined with performance rules, contextual targeting, and lightweight automation, this feature reduces wasted spend, improves monetization, and protects your brand across every eligible campaign type.

Actionable next step: Export your current placement reports now, build a 50–150 domain starter CSV, and deploy it as an account-level exclusion list. Schedule a 30-day audit to measure CPA and conversion-rate changes.

Want a ready-made starter kit? We maintain an updated exclusion CSV, placement-audit template, and a one-click script to apply exclusions via the Google Ads API. Grab the kit, adapt it to your audience, and protect your ad spend — without managing exclusions per campaign.

Call to action

Implement account-level placement exclusions this week and run a 30-day experiment. If you want the curated starter bundle and a step-by-step automation script, visit mighty.top/deals to download the pack and get a streamlined workflow designed for creators and small publisher teams.

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