The Google Ads search terms report shows searches that caused an ad to appear and received sufficient activity to be reported. Advertisers use it to understand customer intent, find useful keyword ideas, identify irrelevant traffic, improve ad and landing-page messaging, and add appropriate negative keywords.
For help connecting search intent to campaigns and landing pages, see Trusted Web Creators’ Google and Meta Ads services.
What is the difference between a keyword and a search term?
A keyword is targeting an advertiser adds to an ad group. A search term is the wording a person actually enters. Match types and Google’s matching systems mean the search term can differ from the keyword that made the ad eligible. The report’s Keyword and Match type columns help explain that relationship.
How do I use the search terms report?
Review terms with enough context and performance data. Add relevant, proven phrases as keywords when separate control would help. Add clearly irrelevant searches as negative keywords, but consider wording and match type carefully so valuable variations are not blocked. Use customer language from the report to improve ads, landing pages, FAQs, and content.
Judge terms by business outcomes, not clicks alone. A low-volume phrase may be valuable if it produces qualified customers, while a high-click phrase can waste budget when its intent does not match the offer.
Why are some searches missing from the report?
Google says the report includes terms used by a significant number of people. Some lower-activity queries are omitted to meet privacy standards. Search terms insights can group demand into themes and subthemes, including aggregated lower-volume activity, but its totals and processing can differ from the individual search terms report.
How often should I review search terms?
Review more frequently after a new campaign, match-type change, targeting expansion, or large budget adjustment. Established campaigns may need a regular weekly or monthly rhythm depending on volume. Avoid making sweeping exclusions from a tiny date range without understanding conversion delay, seasonality, and sample size.
Combine this review with conversion quality, location settings, budgets, ads, and landing-page performance. To build a measured campaign, get started with Trusted Web Creators.
Disclaimer: This article is general educational information. Google Ads interfaces, reporting thresholds, and features can change. Costs, traffic, leads, sales, CPA, and return are not guaranteed.