Keyword Mixer: Combine Keyword Lists for Google Ads
Put modifiers, services and locations in up to four lists and get every combination as a ready keyword list. Mark lists as required or optional, mix them in every order, add match types and catch anything over Google’s 80 character or 10 word limit. Free, no signup.
- 100% free
- No signup
- Updated October 2026
Key Takeaways
A keyword mixer combines words from two or more lists into every possible keyword. Three modifiers times three services gives 9 keywords; adding three optional locations adds 27 more, for 36. Each combination can then be output in broad, "phrase" or [exact] match. Google rejects keywords over 80 characters or 10 words, so long combinations need checking.
- The number of combinations from lists in a fixed order is the product of the list sizes: 3 × 3 × 3 = 27.
- Making a list optional adds the combinations without it: 3 × 3 + 3 × 3 × 3 = 36 keywords.
- Mixing every order multiplies each set by its permutations: 2 lists in 2 orders and 3 lists in 6 orders turn 36 into 180.
- A Google Ads keyword can be at most 80 characters and 10 words.
- Each extra match type multiplies the output again, so 36 combinations in phrase and exact give 72 keywords.
How to Use the Keyword Mixer
Fill the lists
Put one term per line in lists A to D, for example modifiers, core services, locations and intent words. Two lists are enough.
Mark required lists
Required lists appear in every keyword. Optional lists are added in some combinations and left out in others.
Set the options
Mix lists in every order, skip combinations that repeat a word, lowercase, and choose the separator: space for keywords, nothing or a hyphen for domain ideas.
Pick match types and export
Tick broad, phrase or exact, check the limit warnings, then copy the list or download a CSV for Google Ads Editor.
How many keywords will a keyword mixer create?
Multiply the list sizes for each set of lists you combine, then add the sets together.
Worked example: List A has 3 modifiers (emergency, 24 hour, same day), list B has 3 services (plumber, plumbing service, plumbing company) and optional list C has 3 locations (near me, in austin, austin tx).
| Set | Calculation | Combinations | Every order on |
|---|---|---|---|
| A + B | 3 × 3 | 9 | 9 × 2 orders = 18 |
| A + B + C | 3 × 3 × 3 | 27 | 27 × 6 orders = 162 |
| Total | 9 + 27 | 36 | 180 |
| In phrase and exact | 36 × 2 | 72 | 360 |
A fourth list of 3 multiplies the largest set by 3 again, and every order across 4 lists means 24 orders per set. That is how a mixer goes from tidy to tens of thousands of keywords, which is why this tool shows the count live and stops at 100,000.
What are Google's keyword length limits?
The Google Ads API reference sets the limit for keyword text at 80 characters and 10 words. Combinations break it more often than single keywords do: "24 hour emergency residential plumbing repair company in round rock texas" is 11 words. The tool counts both for every combination, shows how many go over, and can leave them out so your upload doesn't fail halfway.
Google also rejects symbols such as commas, exclamation marks and parentheses in keywords (Google's keyword tips). Clean the lists first with our keyword match type tool if they came from a spreadsheet.
When should you mix lists in every order?
Turn on every order when people really search both ways. "austin plumber" and "plumber austin" are both common, so mixing A + location in both orders makes sense. For modifiers it rarely does: nobody searches "plumber emergency 24 hour".
Phrase match already respects word order, and exact match can treat reordered words with the same meaning as a close variant (Google's close variants page). So for exact match, every order often adds keywords that compete with each other rather than new reach. Keep it off unless the search terms report shows both orders.
How do you turn mixed keywords into a good campaign?
- Group by theme, not by list: combinations that share a service belong in one ad group so the ad text can match them.
- Skip repeated words: "plumber emergency plumber" wastes a keyword slot; the tool skips these by default.
- Sense-check the output: a mixer is mechanical. Delete combinations no one would type before you upload.
- Add negatives at the same time: mixed lists widen reach, so pair them with a list from our negative keyword generator.
Our keyword research guide covers how to choose the words in each list. If you want a team to build and manage the campaign, see our Google Ads management service.
Which lists should go into a keyword mixer?
Most good Google Ads keyword sets are built from four kinds of word lists. Use one list for each:
| List | What goes in it | Examples for a plumbing company |
|---|---|---|
| Core service (required) | The thing you sell, in the words customers use | plumber, plumbing service, water heater repair |
| Modifier (required or optional) | Urgency, quality or audience words | emergency, 24 hour, same day, residential |
| Location (optional) | Cities, suburbs, near me | near me, in austin, round rock |
| Intent (optional) | Words that signal a buyer | cost, quote, company, hire |
Keep lists short and specific. Five services, four modifiers and five locations already make 20 two-word and 100 three-word combinations. Leave research words such as how to or what is out of the lists entirely; those belong on your negative list.
Can a keyword mixer be used for SEO and domain names?
Yes. Set the separator to nothing to get domain ideas like emergencyplumber or austinplumbing, or to a hyphen for URL slugs. For SEO, mixing services with locations is a fast way to list the pages a local site might need, though each page still needs real, distinct content to rank.
The same trick builds negative keyword lists: mix the words you want to block, such as jobs, salary and course, with your service names, then wrap the output as negative phrase match in the keyword match type tool.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does a keyword mixer do?
It combines terms from two or more lists into every possible keyword, so 3 modifiers and 3 services become 9 keywords without typing each one. It can then add match type syntax to each combination.
What is the difference between required and optional lists?
Required lists appear in every combination. Optional lists are mixed in when present and left out otherwise, so you get both the short and the long versions.
How many keywords can I generate?
The tool builds up to 100,000 combinations and shows the first 2,000 on screen, while copy and CSV include all of them. Above that it asks you to shorten a list.
Why are some combinations left out?
Combinations over Google’s limit of 80 characters or 10 words are left out by default, and so are combinations that repeat a word. Both options can be turned off.
Is a keyword mixer the same as a keyword generator?
A mixer only combines words you give it. A keyword generator or suggestion tool finds new terms people search for, such as Google autocomplete suggestions.
Does the keyword mixer remove duplicates?
Yes. Duplicate terms inside a list are ignored, and identical combinations produced by different list orders are kept only once. Comparison ignores capitals, so Austin Plumber and austin plumber count as the same keyword.
Which separator should I use?
Use a space for Google Ads keywords. Use no separator or a hyphen for domain name ideas and URL slugs; multi-word terms inside a list are joined with the same separator so the result has no stray spaces.
Should I add every combination to my Google Ads account?
No. Upload the combinations people actually search and group them into tight ad groups. Check the search terms report after launch and pause keywords that never get impressions.
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