{"id":701045,"date":"2025-11-28T09:40:19","date_gmt":"2025-11-28T06:40:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/google-ads-search-terms-report-5-tips-for-better-results-2\/"},"modified":"2025-11-28T09:40:19","modified_gmt":"2025-11-28T06:40:19","slug":"google-ads-search-terms-report-5-tips-for-better-results-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/google-ads-search-terms-report-5-tips-for-better-results-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Google Ads search terms report: 5 tips for better results"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_84 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a295a8ed2b81\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a295a8ed2b81\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/google-ads-search-terms-report-5-tips-for-better-results-2\/#Mastering_the_search_term_report_can_dramatically_improve_targeting_cut_wasted_spend_and_reveal_what_real_customers_are_searching_for\" >Mastering the search term report can dramatically improve targeting, cut wasted spend, and reveal what real customers are searching for.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/google-ads-search-terms-report-5-tips-for-better-results-2\/#Keywords_vs_Search_Terms_A_quick_refresh\" >Keywords vs. Search Terms: A quick refresh<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/google-ads-search-terms-report-5-tips-for-better-results-2\/#Which_campaign_types_have_a_search_terms_report\" >Which campaign types have a search terms report?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/google-ads-search-terms-report-5-tips-for-better-results-2\/#Tip_1_Your_search_terms_have_match_types_too\" >Tip 1: Your search terms have match types, too<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/google-ads-search-terms-report-5-tips-for-better-results-2\/#Tip_2_The_search_terms_report_isnt_just_for_adding_negatives\" >Tip 2: The search terms report isn\u2019t just for adding negatives<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/google-ads-search-terms-report-5-tips-for-better-results-2\/#Tip_3_Customize_your_search_terms_report_for_DSA_or_AI_Max\" >Tip 3: Customize your search terms report for DSA or AI Max<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/google-ads-search-terms-report-5-tips-for-better-results-2\/#Tip_4_Dont_ignore_the_%E2%80%9COther_Search_Terms%E2%80%9D\" >Tip 4: Don\u2019t ignore the \u201cOther Search Terms\u201d<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/google-ads-search-terms-report-5-tips-for-better-results-2\/#Tip_5_Analyze_your_search_terms_alongside_their_respective_keywords\" >Tip 5: Analyze your search terms alongside their respective keywords<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/google-ads-search-terms-report-5-tips-for-better-results-2\/#Get_more_from_your_Google_Ads_campaigns\" >Get more from your Google Ads campaigns<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"subhead\" itemprop=\"alternativeHeadline\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Mastering_the_search_term_report_can_dramatically_improve_targeting_cut_wasted_spend_and_reveal_what_real_customers_are_searching_for\"><\/span>Mastering the search term report can dramatically improve targeting, cut wasted spend, and reveal what real customers are searching for.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<div class=\"bialty-container\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-9-16 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"rll-youtube-player\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/tGIzmrMCerY\" data-id=\"tGIzmrMCerY\" data-query=\"feature=oembed\" data-alt=\"5 Tips for your Google Ads Search Terms Report #googleads #thegooglepro\"><\/div>\n<p><noscript><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"5 Tips for your Google Ads Search Terms Report #googleads #thegooglepro\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/tGIzmrMCerY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/noscript>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>You might think you\u2019ve mastered the Google Ads search terms report, but this essential optimization tool is still widely misunderstood \u2013\u00a0and often misused. <\/p>\n<p>Here are five tips to help you get more from your campaigns by using the search terms report the right way.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"keywords-vs-search-terms-a-quick-refresh\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Keywords_vs_Search_Terms_A_quick_refresh\"><\/span>Keywords vs. Search Terms: A quick refresh<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>When discussing keywords and search terms, it\u2019s easy to confuse the terminology. Here\u2019s a simple breakdown:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Keyword:<\/strong> The term you add to a Search campaign \u2013\u00a0along with a match type \u2013\u00a0to tell Google which kinds of searches you want your ads to <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>ear for.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Search term:<\/strong> The actual phrase a real person typed into Google that triggered your ad.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Your ad can serve on a user query, creating a search term in your account, because it matched to your:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Manually entered <strong>keywords<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Keywordless targeting<\/strong> using systems like Shopping Ads, Dynamic Search Ads (DSA), AI Max, or Performance Max.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"which-campaign-types-have-a-search-terms-report\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Which_campaign_types_have_a_search_terms_report\"><\/span>Which campaign types have a search terms report?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The search terms report isn\u2019t limited to Search campaigns. It\u2019s fully rolled out to all three campaign types that use search queries:<\/p>\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Search Campaigns<\/strong> (keyword-based or keywordless via AI Max)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Shopping Campaigns<\/strong> (keywordless)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Performance Max <\/strong>(keywordless)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Plus, all three of these campaign types also allow you to add negative keywords, either via keyword lists or at the campaign or ad group level.<\/p>\n<p>No matter which campaign type you\u2019re running, the search terms report is still your best window into user intent and how your ads show up for real searches.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"tip-1-your-search-terms-have-match-types-too\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tip_1_Your_search_terms_have_match_types_too\"><\/span>Tip 1: Your search terms have match types, too<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>It\u2019s true! Every search term has a match type, and search term match types are <strong>not<\/strong> the same as your keyword match types.<\/p>\n<p>Think of it like this: <\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Your keyword\u2019s match type is the <strong>rule<\/strong> you set for Google. <\/li>\n<li>The search term\u2019s match type is Google\u2019s <strong>judgment<\/strong> on how closely the user\u2019s query follows that rule.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For example, you could have a broad match keyword set up, but the resulting search term that triggered your ad might be categorized as an \u201cexact match close variant.\u201d This would tell you that Google thinks that a specific user search is an exact match to your keyword, even if your keyword is not an \u201cexact match keyword.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>When I audit accounts, I export the search terms report and create a pivot table by search term match type. This makes it easy to see how match <strong>types<\/strong> performed, which helps me decide where to make adjustments.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"tip-2-the-search-terms-report-isnt-just-for-adding-negatives\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tip_2_The_search_terms_report_isnt_just_for_adding_negatives\"><\/span>Tip 2: The search terms report isn\u2019t just for adding negatives<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>One big mistake people make when reviewing the search terms report is adding too many negative keywords.<\/p>\n<p>Yes, adding irrelevant queries as negatives is essential for campaign performance. But if you need to add 10% or more of your search terms as negatives, that\u2019s a red flag.<\/p>\n<p>Before you play \u201cwhack-a-mole\u201d with negatives, step back and look at your actual targeting. <\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Are your keywords too broad?<\/li>\n<li>Should you narrow your match type? <\/li>\n<li>Do you need to turn AI Max off? <\/li>\n<li>Do you need to adjust your product feed to elicit better matches? <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>By refining your targeting, you\u2019ll reduce the irrelevant traffic coming in and dramatically reduce the number of negatives you need to add later.<\/p>\n<p>Remember that negative keywords also have match types, and they operate differently from your \u201cpositive\u201d keywords. Be precise with your negative matching to avoid creating conflicting negatives!<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"tip-3-customize-your-search-terms-report-for-dsa-or-ai-max\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tip_3_Customize_your_search_terms_report_for_DSA_or_AI_Max\"><\/span>Tip 3: Customize your search terms report for DSA or AI Max<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>If you use keywordless Search campaign features, you\u2019ll need to adjust your view to see the full picture.<\/p>\n<p>Near the top right of the search terms report, look for the dropdown menu that says <em>Search terms<\/em>. When you click it, you can select specific views for your automated campaigns:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>DSA View:<\/strong> Shows the landing pages tied to each search term, helping you see how DSA pairs queries with different pages on your site.<\/li>\n<li><strong>AI Max View:<\/strong> Shows the landing pages and the RSA headlines used for each search term. This makes it easier to judge whether features like final URL expansion or text asset customization are actually helping you attract and convert traffic.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"tip-4-dont-ignore-the-other-search-terms\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tip_4_Dont_ignore_the_%E2%80%9COther_Search_Terms%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>Tip 4: Don\u2019t ignore the \u201cOther Search Terms\u201d<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>If you scroll to the bottom of your search terms report, you\u2019ll see a row labeled <em>Total: Other search terms<\/em>. These are queries Google won\u2019t show you, often for privacy reasons (e.g., they didn\u2019t generate enough volume).<\/p>\n<p>You can still see the performance data overall for these hidden terms, so don\u2019t ignore them! I recommend comparing the performance of your <strong>visible<\/strong> vs. <strong>non-visible<\/strong> search terms.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>If your \u201cother search terms\u201d are performing <strong>better<\/strong> than your visible ones, you might consider broadening your targeting, perhaps by using more broad match keywords or AI Max, or being less restrictive with your audiences.<\/li>\n<li>If your \u201cother search terms\u201d are spending a significant portion of your budget and performing <strong>worse<\/strong> than your visible ones, you might consider narrowing your targeting, perhaps by switching to exact match keywords or using a more restrictive bid strategy like Target CPA or Target ROAS<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"tip-5-analyze-your-search-terms-alongside-their-respective-keywords\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tip_5_Analyze_your_search_terms_alongside_their_respective_keywords\"><\/span>Tip 5: Analyze your search terms alongside their respective keywords<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>This is a simple but powerful tip. When you\u2019re in the search terms report, add the <em>Keyword<\/em> column. It shows you exactly which keyword triggered each search term, which is crucial for smart optimization.<\/p>\n<p>For example, if one keyword is generating a lot of irrelevant search terms, you can often pause or remove that keyword instead of piling on negatives. And if a strong search term is matching to multiple keywords, you might promote it to its own keyword.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"get-more-from-your-google-ads-campaigns\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Get_more_from_your_Google_Ads_campaigns\"><\/span>Get more from your Google Ads campaigns<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The search terms report is your clearest view into what real users are thinking and typing. Hopefully, these tips help you go beyond basic negative keyword cleanup and start using the data to make sharper decisions for your Google Ads campaigns.<\/p>\n<p><em>This article is part of our ongoing Search Engine Land <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/watch-movies-tv-seriess\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"8\" title=\"Watch Movies &amp; TV Series\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">series<\/a>, Everything you need to know about Google Ads in less than 3 minutes. In each edition, Jyll highlights a different Google Ads feature, and what you need to know to get the best results from it \u2013 all in a quick 3-minute read.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMN63nwsw68G3Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" >Technology<\/a><\/span> category.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/google-ads-search-terms-report-tips-465174\" target=\"_blank\" >Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Mastering the search term report can dramatically improve targeting, cut wasted spend, and reveal what real customers are searching for. You might think you\u2019ve mastered the Google Ads search terms report, but this essential optimization tool is still widely misunderstood \u2013\u00a0and often misused. Here are five tips to help you get more from your campaigns&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":701046,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2025\/11\/Week-35-landscape-cover-1.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-701045","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/701045","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=701045"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/701045\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/701046"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=701045"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=701045"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=701045"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}