Google Ads Search Terms Report: How to Find and Eliminate Wasted Spend Informe de términos de búsqueda en Google Ads: cómo encontrar y eliminar gasto ineficiente

Search Terms Report vs. Keyword Report: What's the Difference?

Most advertisers confuse these two reports, so let's be precise. The keyword report shows the keywords you are bidding on, the terms you explicitly added to your campaigns. The search terms report shows the actual queries people typed into Google before clicking your ad.

These are almost never the same thing. When you bid on a broad match or phrase match keyword like "running shoes," Google can show your ad for dozens of related (and sometimes very unrelated) queries. The search terms report is where you see exactly what those queries were.

How to Access the Search Terms Report (Step-by-Step)

1. Log in to Google Ads and select your campaign
2. In the left sidebar, click Keywords
3. At the top of the Keywords page, click the Search terms tab
4. Set your date range, use at least the last 30 days for meaningful data, 90 days for established campaigns
5. Add columns: Clicks, Impressions, CTR, Conversions, Cost, Conv. Rate, Cost/Conv., these are the key signals
6. Sort by Cost descending to see where your money is going first

You can also access the report via Reports > Predefined Reports > Basic > Search Terms for a downloadable version with more filtering options.

What to Look for: 4 Categories of Problematic Terms

1. Clearly Irrelevant Terms

These are queries that have nothing to do with what you sell. A plumbing company seeing clicks for "plumbing jobs" or "plumbing apprenticeship", those are job seekers, not customers. Every click there is pure waste.

2. High Spend, Zero Conversions

Filter for terms where cost exceeds your target CPA and conversions are zero. A term that has spent €80 with zero conversions when your target CPA is €40 is almost certainly a negative keyword candidate. The rule: if a term has spent 2x your target CPA with zero conversions, add it as a negative.

3. Misspellings and Navigational Queries

Misspellings of competitor brand names, queries including "reviews," "alternatives," "vs," or "[competitor] promo code" are common waste sources. People searching "[Competitor Name] discount" are looking for your competitor, not you, unless you specifically want to run conquesting campaigns.

4. Informational Queries with No Purchase Intent

Terms like "what is [your product]," "how does [your service] work," or "history of [your industry]" attract researchers, not buyers. They generate clicks, spend budget, and rarely convert on a direct-response campaign.

The Decision Framework: What to Do with Each Term

For every search term you review, apply this three-way decision:

Signal	Action	Why
Relevant, converting, not already a keyword	Add as Keyword	Give it dedicated budget and bid control
Relevant, not converting after 2x CPA spend	Watch / Test	May need landing page or bid adjustment first
Irrelevant to your business entirely	Add as Negative	Stops future spend on this intent
Relevant but very low volume (<5 clicks)	Leave / Monitor	Insufficient data, check again in 30 days
Competitor brand or navigational	Add as Negative	Wrong intent unless running conquesting
Informational, no purchase intent	Add as Negative	Researchers, not buyers

How to Add Negatives Directly from the Report

You can add negative keywords without leaving the search terms report. Check the box next to any search term, then click Add as negative keyword at the top. You'll be prompted to choose the level: ad group, campaign, or negative keyword list.

Which level to use:

• Ad group level, Use when the term is only irrelevant for that specific ad group but might be fine elsewhere
• Campaign level, Use when the term is irrelevant for the entire campaign's intent
• Negative keyword list, Use for terms that should be excluded across all or most campaigns (brand exclusions, competitor names, job-related terms). Lists make management much easier long-term.

Finding New Keyword Opportunities

The search terms report is not just a list of waste, it's also a source of keyword intelligence. Filter for terms with: high CTR (above 5%), at least one conversion, and cost below your target CPA. These are your best performers hiding in the match type umbrella.

When you find a converting search term that is not its own keyword, add it as an exact match keyword with its own bid. This gives you full control over that specific query and lets you allocate budget directly to what is already working.

Recommended Review Frequency

• New campaigns (first 60 days): Weekly. New campaigns generate the most unexpected traffic, catch problems before they compound into significant waste.
• Established campaigns: Every two weeks. Patterns are more stable, but Google's match type expansion means new irrelevant terms appear regularly.
• After any match type change: Immediately and then weekly for 4 weeks. Broadening match types dramatically increases the range of queries triggered.
• After Google Ads updates: Whenever Google expands match type behavior (which happens several times per year), review immediately.