Google Ads Search Term Reports: What You Need To Know Now

By: Jyll Saskin Gales, Google Ads Coach

Ever feel like you're throwing darts blindfolded when it comes to your Google Ads search terms? You carefully choose your keywords, set your match types, and then... a whole bunch of garbage shows up that you never intended? Or worse, you see that "Other search terms" is eating up more than half your budget.

Knowing what people actually type into Google to trigger your ads is crucial, but it can be tough to get a clear picture. The good news? Things are changing (for the better!).

In this post, I'll break down the evolution of Google Ads Search Term Reports and how you can leverage the latest updates to optimize your campaigns.

The Rise, Fall, and Rise (Again) of Search Term Data

Remember when you could see pretty much every search term when someone clicked your ads? Then, Google started limiting the data in Search Term Reports, citing privacy concerns. We were left with that frustrating "Other search terms" category, leaving us in the dark about a significant portion of our ad spend. 

 A lot has changed. Google started to re-introduce some of the missing data. First, they allowed us to see search terms that generated impressions but no clicks. This was a game-changer for identifying irrelevant searches and adding negative keywords.

More recently, Google announced that misspellings would be aggregated in Search Term Reports. This means even more visibility into those long-tail, low-volume searches that were previously hidden.

Why This Matters to You (and Your Google Ads Campaigns)

More search term data equals more transparency and better opportunities for optimization. Here's how:

• Waste less money: Identify irrelevant searches that are draining your budget and exclude them with negative keywords.
• Improve your targeting: Uncover new, relevant keywords to add to your campaigns and refine your match types.
• Write better ads: See which search terms are driving impressions but not clicks and adjust your ad copy to be more compelling.
• Get a deeper understanding of your audience: Gain insights into the language your potential customers are using and how they're searching for your products or services.

How to Use the Search Terms Report Like a Pro

Ready to take action? Here's a step-by-step guide to using the Search Terms Report effectively:

1. Access the report: In your Google Ads account, go to "Campaigns," then "Insights and reports," and select "Search terms report."
2. Filter and sort: Use the filters to narrow down the data by campaign or ad group. I like to sort descending by Impressions, so I can see what user queries are triggering my ads the most.
3. Look for irrelevant searches: Pay close attention to search terms that are not relevant to your business. Add these as negative keywords to prevent your ads from showing for those searches.
4. Identify new keyword opportunities: Look for high-performing search terms that you're not currently targeting. Consider adding these to your campaigns to expand your reach through more close variant matching.
5. Analyze search terms with low click-through rates (CTRs): If a search term is getting impressions but few clicks, consider revising your ad copy to make it more relevant and enticing.
6. Regularly review and update: Make reviewing your Search Terms Report a regular part of your Google Ads management routine to ensure your campaigns are always optimized.

Google Ads: Moving Towards More Transparency

While Google has been taking away some control in other areas of the platform, the increased visibility in Search Term Reports is a welcome change. It gives advertisers more transparency and the ability to fine-tune their campaigns for better results.