A search terms report is the paid search report that shows the actual queries people typed before clicking your ad, not just the keywords you bid on. In Google Ads and similar platforms, it is one of the fastest ways to improve campaign efficiency because it reveals what is truly matching, where budget is being wasted, and which queries deserve their own keywords, ads, or landing pages.
Why the search terms report matters
The report turns broad campaign data into actionable optimization work. Keywords tell you what you intended to target. Search terms tell you what users actually searched. That gap matters for cost control and conversion quality.
Use the report to:
- Find irrelevant queries and add them as negative keywords
- Identify high-converting terms to promote into exact or phrase match keywords
- Spot new ad copy angles based on real customer language
- Improve landing page alignment for better conversion rates
- Reduce wasted spend from broad or loosely matched traffic
How to use a search terms report in a practical workflow
1. Review by cost, conversions, and CTR
Sort the report by spend first. Expensive irrelevant queries should be blocked quickly. Then review conversions and conversion rate to find terms worth isolating into their own ad groups or campaigns. CTR helps identify messaging mismatches between search intent and ad copy.
2. Add negatives at the right level
If a term is irrelevant across the account, add it as an account-level negative. If it only conflicts with one campaign or ad group, block it there instead. This keeps useful traffic available elsewhere while tightening targeting where needed.
3. Promote winners into tighter structure
When a search term consistently converts, add it as a dedicated keyword with tailored ad copy and a more relevant landing page. This usually improves Quality Score, click-through rate, and cost efficiency.
Example: turning report data into lower CPA
A SaaS company bidding on the keyword “email marketing software” checks its search terms report and finds clicks from “free email templates” and “what is email marketing.” Those queries generate traffic but no demos. The team adds “free,” “templates,” and “what is” as negatives in the demo campaign.
At the same time, the report shows “email marketing software for ecommerce” converting at a strong rate. They add that as a dedicated keyword, write ads focused on ecommerce automation, and send traffic to an ecommerce-specific landing page. The result is less wasted spend and a clearer path to lower cost per acquisition.
What to check every week
- Top-spend search terms with no conversions
- New converting queries not yet added as keywords
- Repeated informational searches entering a commercial campaign
- Brand terms accidentally triggering non-brand campaigns
- Patterns by device, location, and match type
For TLSubmit readers managing growth campaigns, the search terms report is not just a diagnostics screen. It is a weekly optimization tool for tightening targeting, improving message match, and scaling the queries that actually produce revenue.