Your keywords are what you enter. Your search terms are what people actually typed before they clicked on your ad. The two look alike, but they are rarely the same. The gap can be large, and that is often where wasted budget hides.
The search terms report shows you that gap. It takes little time to read and often delivers quick results. In this article you will read how to open the report, what to look for and what to do with the findings.
The difference between keywords and search terms
A keyword is the word or phrase you set up in Google Ads. By choosing it, you are saying: show my ad for searches that resemble this. A search term is the exact text someone typed into Google.
Why do they differ? The reason is match types. A match type determines how closely a search has to fit your keyword. With a broad match type, Google also shows your ad for searches that only partly resemble it. That gives you reach, but also noise.
You can find the report in Google Ads in the menu on the left, under Keywords and then Search terms. For each search term you see the number of impressions, clicks, costs and conversions. A conversion is a valuable action, such as an enquiry, an order or a phone call.
Please note: Google does not show every search term. Search terms that only a very small number of people type are often hidden for privacy reasons. So you will not see everything. What you do see is usually enough to make good decisions.
Check weekly: start with the highest costs
A good habit is to schedule a fixed time every week. Fifteen minutes is often enough. The report changes constantly, because people keep typing new things.
Open the report, sort by cost and look at the top fifty. That is where the money is. For each line, ask yourself one question: does this search term match what I sell?
You can place every search term in one of three groups:
- Fits well and delivers results: leave it as it is, or get more out of it.
- Fits well, but delivers nothing yet: give it some time and also look at your website and ad.
- Does not fit your offer: exclude it.
Do not look at conversions alone. A search term with many clicks and no results is a signal. But a search term with few clicks may simply not have enough data yet. So do not draw firm conclusions from three clicks.
Excluding what will never become a customer
Some words come back in almost every account and mainly attract people who do not want to buy anything. Think of words such as free, vacancy, make it yourself and second hand. They cost clicks, but rarely produce customers.
For this you use negative keywords. These are words for which your ad is deliberately not shown. Put them on a negative keyword list that you link to several campaigns. That way you do not have to update every campaign separately.
Common words to consider:
- Free, free trial, at no cost
- Vacancy, internship, working at, salary
- Make it yourself, instructions, DIY, how does it work
- Second hand, used, classifieds
- Repair, fault, complaints, if that is not part of your offer
Do take care: every business is different. For one advertiser, second hand is worthless, while for another it is the core of the offer. So do not blindly copy a list from the internet. Look at your own search terms and your own offer.
Mind the match type when excluding
Match types also apply to negative keywords. With a broad match type, you only exclude that one form when the search contains the word. With phrase or exact match, you decide more precisely when the exclusion applies.
For example: you sell new bikes and exclude the word hire. You do not want to accidentally block searches that you do want to reach as well. So test whether your exclusion is not too broad.
A good rule of thumb: first exclude what you are certain about. Do you want to exclude an entire search, but not the individual words? Then use a stricter match type. That way you avoid missing good customers.
Find new opportunities
The report is not only for slowing spend down. It is also a source of new ideas. Do you see search terms that convert well but are not yet a keyword of their own? Then you are leaving opportunities on the table.
Add such search terms as keywords of their own, preferably in a suitable ad group with its own ad. That ad then names exactly what the visitor typed. This makes the ad more relevant. A more relevant ad often scores better on quality, and that often makes the click cheaper.
Here is how to go about it:
- Filter on search terms with conversions.
- Check which ones do not yet have a keyword of their own.
- Group them by topic.
- Add them as keywords, with a match type that suits the goal.
- Write an ad that names the search term literally.
- After a few weeks, check whether the result is better.
This is how your account becomes sharper over time. You pay less for noise and you build on what already works.
What it looks like in practice
Suppose you sell coffee machines for offices. You advertise on the keyword office coffee machine with a broad match type. After a few weeks you open the search terms report and sort by cost.
You see four kinds of search terms. One of them is office coffee machine hire. It produces enquiries. A second is coffee machine repair. It costs many clicks and delivers nothing, because you do not repair other people’s machines. A third is barista vacancy. It has nothing to do with your offer. The fourth is second hand coffee machine. It does not fit your new machines.
You do three things. You exclude repair, vacancy and second hand. You add office coffee machine hire as a keyword of its own. And you write an ad that mentions hire and office. A week later you see that a larger share of your budget goes to searches that fit your offer.
This example is made up, but you will see the pattern in almost every account. The biggest gain often does not come from a new trick. It comes from tidying up what is already running.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I check the search terms report?
In a new account or with a new campaign, weekly is sensible. In a stable account, every two weeks can also work. Check more often when you increase the budget or use a broad match type.
Can I exclude too much?
Yes. If you exclude too broadly, you miss good searches and your reach drops. Exclude what you are certain about and then check that your impressions and conversions do not unexpectedly fall.
Should I add every good search term as a keyword?
Not always. Add a search term when it clearly converts or forms a topic of its own. It then gets its own ad and more control. For search terms with very little data, it is better to wait a little longer.
Free 30 minute introductory meeting
Do you want to know what is in your search terms report? Then schedule a free 30 minute introductory meeting with Adventio Marketing in Amersfoort. Together we will look at your account and show you where your budget is going. You will get concrete tips that you can use straight away, even if you prefer to carry on by yourself afterwards.
Get in touch and pick a time that suits you.
