Search Terms Report
Google AdsDefinition
The search terms report shows the actual search queries that triggered your ads. It reveals what users are really searching for, which may differ significantly from your targeted keywords, especially with broad or phrase match.
The search terms report is the most important optimization tool in Google Ads Search campaigns. It exposes irrelevant queries wasting budget (negative keyword candidates) and high-performing queries to add as exact match keywords.
Since 2020, Google limits search term visibility — you no longer see every query. Despite this, even partial visibility reveals patterns and waste that optimization can fix.
Access the report under Keywords > Search Terms. Filter by impressions, clicks, or conversions. Add irrelevant terms as negative keywords. Promote high-converting terms to exact match. Review weekly for active campaigns.
The search terms report reveals what your ads actually match to. Without regular review, broad and phrase match keywords quietly waste budget on irrelevant searches. It is the primary source for negative keyword discovery and keyword expansion.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Weekly for active campaigns with meaningful spend. Daily during the first 2-4 weeks of new broad match keywords. Monthly minimum for stable campaigns.
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Google hides queries below certain thresholds or for privacy reasons. You may only see 50-80% of actual queries.
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Add irrelevant queries as negatives. Promote high-converting queries to exact match. Identify patterns to inform new ad groups and campaigns.
Not reviewing your search terms regularly?
We analyze search terms reports to eliminate waste and discover new keyword opportunities.