Negative keywords & exclusions
ForumScout gives you several layers of noise reduction. Understanding when to use each one helps you keep your feed clean without missing relevant mentions.
Noise reduction layers
| Layer | Scope | Where to set it |
|---|---|---|
| Scout negative keywords | Single scout | Scout settings |
| Global negative keywords | All scouts | Settings |
| Excluded usernames (scout) | Single scout | Scout settings |
| Global excluded usernames | All scouts | Settings |
| AI filter (scout) | Single scout | Scout settings |
| Global AI filter | All scouts without their own | Settings |
Negative keywords
Negative keywords exclude any post that contains the specified term, regardless of whether it matches your main keywords.
Scout-level negative keywords
Set during scout creation or editing. Only affect that specific scout.
Example: Your scout tracks Apple for the tech company. Add negative keywords:
recipe
orchard
fruit
pie
cider
Global negative keywords
Set in Settings > Global Negative Keywords. Apply to every scout on your account.
Use these for terms that are universally irrelevant to your monitoring. For example, if you never want to see job postings:
hiring
job opening
we're looking for
career opportunity
Excluded usernames
Block posts from specific users.
Scout-level excluded usernames
Set per scout. Useful when a specific bot or account keeps triggering matches on one scout but not others.
Global excluded usernames
Set in Settings > Global Username Exclusions. Apply to all scouts. Use these for bots or accounts that are always irrelevant.
AI filters
AI filters are the most flexible noise reduction tool. Instead of matching exact words, they use AI to evaluate whether a post is relevant based on criteria you describe in plain language.
Scout-level AI filter
Each scout can have its own AI filter. Set this during scout creation or in the scout's settings.
Global AI filter
Set in Settings > AI Filter. Applies to all scouts that don't have their own scout-level filter. Scout-level filters always override the global filter.
For details on writing effective filter prompts, see AI filters.
When to use what
| Problem | Solution |
|---|---|
| A specific word keeps appearing in irrelevant posts | Negative keyword |
| A bot or spam account keeps showing up | Excluded username |
| Results are technically on-topic but not the type you want | AI filter |
| A broad issue affects all your scouts | Use the global version |
| An issue is specific to one scout | Use the scout-level version |
How the layers combine
All layers stack. A post must pass every active layer to appear in your feed:
- Post matches your keywords
- Post does not contain any negative keywords (scout-level or global)
- Post is not from an excluded username (scout-level or global)
- Post passes the AI filter (scout-level, or global if no scout-level filter exists)
If a post fails any layer, it's hidden.
Tips
- Start with AI filters, add negative keywords as you go — AI filters handle most noise. Add negative keywords when you notice specific recurring terms the AI doesn't catch.
- Check what's being filtered — Occasionally lower your AI score threshold to see borderline posts. You might find your filter is too aggressive.
- Use global settings for account-wide noise — If you see the same spam account across multiple scouts, add it to global exclusions once rather than per-scout.
- Negative keywords are absolute — If a post contains the word, it's excluded. Be careful with common words that might appear in relevant posts too.