How to read the Google Ads search terms report
Updated
What the search terms report is
Your keywords are the words you bid on. Search terms are what people actually typed into Google. They are not the same thing.
When you add a keyword like “roof repair,” your ad can show for many searches. Some will be close, like “roof repair near me.” Others may be further away, like “roof repair course” or “roof repair cost calculator.” The search terms report shows you that real list.
It is one of the most useful reports in Google Ads for a small business. It tells you exactly what you paid for.
Why it matters for your money
Google Ads uses match types to decide which searches fit your keywords. Broad match (the loosest setting) can show your ad for searches that are only related in meaning. That can find new customers. It can also spend money on people who will never buy.
You only see this by looking. If you never open the report, you can’t tell which searches are wasting budget.
Where to find it
- In Google Ads, click the Campaigns icon.
- Open Insights and reports.
- Click Search terms.
(If you can’t find it, search for “search terms” in the Google Ads search bar.)
The report shows search terms for whatever campaigns you have selected. To focus on one campaign, pick it first.
By default, the report may not show which keyword triggered each search. You can add a “Keyword” column. Click the columns icon, choose Attributes, tick Keyword and apply. This helps you see which of your keywords is pulling in the wrong traffic.
What to look for
Set the date range to at least the last 30 days. Then sort by Cost, highest first. Go down the list and ask one question for each term: “Would I want to pay for this person’s click?”
Watch for patterns like these:
- Wrong intent: jobs, training, free, DIY, how to.
- Wrong place: cities or areas you don’t serve.
- Wrong product: things you don’t sell, or a competitor’s product you don’t carry.
- Wrong customer: wholesale or business searches when you sell to homes, or the reverse.
- Spend with no results: terms with real cost and zero conversions. A conversion is a sale, call or form you count as a result.
Also look for good surprises. A search term that converts well and isn’t one of your keywords may be worth adding as its own keyword.
How to add negatives from the report
A negative keyword tells Google not to show your ad for searches containing that word.
- In the search terms report, tick the boxes next to the bad terms.
- Click “Add as negative keyword.”
- Choose the ad group, the campaign, or a negative keyword list.
- Save.
Think about the word, not just the whole search. If “roof repair course” is the problem, the word “course” is often what you want to block. One short negative can stop many similar searches.
Note that negative keywords don’t automatically block plurals or close spellings. If you block “course,” also consider “courses.”
Performance Max search terms
Performance Max is a campaign type that shows ads across Google, including Search. It has its own view of search terms.
Go to the same Search terms report. Then use the drop-down at the top to choose “Search terms and landing pages for Performance Max.” (If you can’t find it, search for “search terms” in the Google Ads search bar.)
To block bad searches in Performance Max, you can use account-level negative keywords or campaign-level negatives. Google’s help also describes a separate “search terms insights” view. It groups searches into themes rather than listing each one, and its numbers can differ slightly from the main report.
When it’s fine
Not every odd search is a problem. Some get a single cheap click and never show up again. Searches with low cost and no pattern are usually not worth chasing.
You also won’t see every search. Google leaves out terms that only a few people searched, to protect privacy. You can’t block what you can’t see, so focus on the terms you can.
A good habit is a quick look every week or two. It takes a few minutes and often pays for itself.
SpendCanary flags search terms with at least $10 of cost and no conversions that clearly don’t match the business you describe.