Someone searches for “emergency drain repair near me.” Someone else searches for “how to unclog a drain with baking soda.” Both queries could appear in a plumbing company’s Google Ads search terms report, but they tell very different stories about what the person wants.

That difference matters when you’re paying for every click. A campaign can look healthy at the keyword level while individual queries spend money on visitors who aren’t looking to hire anyone.

The search terms report helps you find those mismatches. But the job isn’t simply to add more negative keywords. You also need to know when a query deserves a better landing page, different targeting, or a closer look at conversion tracking.

What A Search Terms Report Really Tells You?

A keyword is what you add to your Google Ads account. A search term is what someone actually searched when your ad became eligible to appear. Google doesn’t always require the wording to match because broad, phrase, and exact match can connect your ads with searches that have related meanings.

Open your search terms report and look at the Search term, Keyword, Match type, Clicks, Cost, Conversions, and Conversion value columns. The Keyword column may need to be added manually. Compare the last 30 days with the previous period, but consider how long customers typically take to convert.

There’s another limitation worth knowing: Google doesn’t reveal every individual search. Some low-volume queries are omitted from the detailed report for privacy reasons. Search terms insights can still show their performance within broader categories.

Treat the report as a useful picture of search demand, not a complete transcript of every query your campaigns received.

Irrelevant Queries That Quietly Drain Budget

A search term doesn’t need to look ridiculous to waste money. Sometimes the wrong traffic is only one word away from the right traffic.

Take a plumbing business advertising emergency repairs. Searches for plumbing apprenticeships, training courses, or DIY instructions might bring clicks, but they are unlikely to generate emergency repair bookings. That is a stronger reason to investigate exclusions than simply seeing a low click-through rate.

Location can create another problem. A company operating in Washington, DC might attract searches mentioning cities it doesn’t serve. Before excluding those locations, check whether the searches represent genuine out-of-area demand and whether your location settings are configured correctly.

Be careful with apparently obvious negative keywords, though. The word “free” isn’t always useless. A customer looking for a free plumbing estimate could be valuable if the business offers one.

Start with queries that are clearly unrelated to the service. For everything else, compare cost, conversions, search intent, and lead quality before deciding what to exclude.

Negative Keywords You Should Add and Maintain

Negative keywords are where small decisions can have a large impact. Block the wrong phrase and you stop paying for irrelevant clicks. Block something too broadly and you may also shut out customers who were ready to buy.

Suppose an emergency plumbing campaign keeps appearing for searches about plumbing courses. Here are three different ways to exclude unwanted traffic:

Negative broad match: plumbing course excludes searches containing both words, regardless of their order.
Negative phrase match: “plumbing course” excludes searches containing those words together in that order.
Negative exact match: [plumbing course] excludes that exact search without additional words.

These match types don’t behave exactly like positive keywords. Negative keywords generally don’t expand to synonyms or singular and plural variations. If you exclude “course,” that doesn’t automatically mean you’ve excluded “courses.”

Where you add an exclusion matters, too. Account-level negatives affect eligible campaigns across the account. Campaign-level negatives are better for exclusions relevant to a particular service or product range. Ad group-level exclusions can help separate closely related offerings.

Before applying a shared negative keyword list, check whether another campaign legitimately needs the same traffic. The objective is to remove searches you don’t want, not reduce reach for the sake of a cleaner report.

Match Type and Close Variant Traps

Exact match isn’t as literal as its name suggests. Google can match an exact keyword with a search that has the same meaning or intent, even when the wording differs.

Phrase match also considers meaning, while broad match reaches a wider range of related searches. This gives Google more flexibility, but it also means advertisers need to check what traffic that flexibility is producing.

Imagine an ad group targeting emergency plumbing services. If its report starts filling with searches about plumbing tutorials, identify the keywords and match types associated with those queries. Don’t immediately switch the entire campaign to exact match.

First, check whether the unwanted traffic comes from a handful of broad keywords, whether the queries show a consistent irrelevant theme, and whether more precise negatives would solve the problem.

One important detail: Changing a positive keyword’s match type does not override its meaning-based matching behavior. Even exact match can extend beyond identical wording. Negative keywords provide an additional way to control unwanted searches, but they need their own review for conflicts and unintended exclusions.

Search Terms That Reveal Landing Page Problems

Not every expensive search term is a targeting mistake. Sometimes the right person reaches the wrong page.

Consider someone searching for “24-hour emergency plumber” and clicking an ad that opens a general plumbing services page. If the visitor cannot find an emergency contact number, availability information, or a direct booking option, the problem may be the landing experience rather than the query.

Check the page on a mobile phone, not just your desktop. Is the phone number clickable? Is the service area clear? Does the page explain what happens after the customer submits a form?

Before blaming the page for poor performance, verify that calls and form submissions are being recorded correctly. Also allow for conversion delays and avoid drawing strong conclusions from just a few clicks.

A dedicated emergency service page might be worth testing against the general page. Measure actual booked jobs or qualified leads where possible, rather than relying only on form submissions.

Duplicate Coverage and Internal Competition

Seeing the same search query in several campaigns doesn’t automatically mean your ads are bidding against themselves. Google has systems for selecting which eligible keyword and ad to use within an account.

The practical concern is where the traffic ends up.

Suppose a business has one campaign for emergency plumbing and another for general maintenance. A search about urgent pipe repair may be matched to different eligible keywords or campaigns over time. That can make performance comparisons harder, particularly when those campaigns use different landing pages, budgets, or conversion goals.

Check the matched keyword, the selected campaign, and the destination page. Then ask whether the query is reaching the part of the account designed to serve it.

In some cases, a more specific keyword or a carefully placed negative keyword can improve traffic routing. In others, there is no need to change anything.

Don’t restructure an account simply because two campaigns have recorded the same search term. Look for an actual business or measurement problem first.

Budget Reallocation Based on Term Value

A search query that converts deserves attention, but that doesn’t automatically justify a new campaign or a larger budget. The first question is whether the performance is repeatable and whether there is additional qualified demand to capture.

Compare cost per qualified lead, conversion value, click volume, and recent performance. Then examine the campaign’s impression-share data before deciding whether the problem is insufficient budget, limited auction competitiveness, or something else.

Use this matrix as a diagnostic guide, not an automatic set of changes. A profitable search term may already receive most of its available traffic, while an underperforming query might need a better page rather than an exclusion. Query-level results tell you what deserves investigation; campaign-level metrics help explain whether more traffic is realistically available.

How to Tell Whether Budget or Ad Rank Is Holding You Back

Increasing a campaign’s budget won’t solve every traffic problem. Before asking for more spend, check two metrics in Google Ads: Search Lost IS (budget) and Search Lost IS (rank).

Search Lost IS (budget) estimates the share of eligible Search impressions missed because the campaign didn’t have enough budget. If this number is high and the campaign is generating profitable results, additional budget may help capture more demand.

Search Lost IS (rank) measures eligible impressions lost because of insufficient Ad Rank. In that situation, investigate ad relevance, landing page experience, bidding, and auction competitiveness before raising the daily budget.

These metrics have reporting limitations. Search Lost IS (budget) is available at the campaign level, not for individual search terms. They should help you interpret overall campaign performance rather than serve as proof that one specific query needs more money.

For example, a campaign might have a reasonable cost per qualified lead but lose considerable impression share because of its budget. That creates a different optimization discussion from a campaign losing impressions primarily because of rank.

What Changes When You’re Using Smart Bidding?

Smart Bidding adds another consideration to search term decisions. With strategies such as Target CPA and Target ROAS, Google adjusts bids using signals available during each auction. The system is not simply bidding the same amount on every search associated with a keyword.

That doesn’t make search term reviews unnecessary. It changes what you should do with the findings.

If a broad keyword produces both profitable and irrelevant searches, review the individual query themes before restricting the keyword. A carefully chosen negative may be appropriate for clearly unwanted traffic, while a new exact-match keyword is worth considering when it supports a distinct ad message or landing page.

Avoid making several major campaign changes at once. Changing conversion goals or bidding targets can affect performance assessment, particularly when recent conversions haven’t all been reported.

For lead generation, the quality of the conversion data matters as much as the bidding strategy. A campaign optimizing toward every form submission may prioritize a different mix of traffic than one using imported qualified leads or booked appointments as its primary conversion goal.

Check which actions Google Ads is optimizing for before deciding that its search matching is the source of the problem.

An Automated Negative Keyword Review Rule

For larger accounts, manually scanning every visible search term can become repetitive. A basic Google Ads Script can identify queries that deserve investigation without automatically adding negative keywords.

Start with a review rule rather than an automatic exclusion rule. For example, if your target cost per acquisition is $75, flag visible search terms that have spent $150 or more over the last 30 days without a reported conversion.

That threshold is an example, not a universal standard. Before taking action, check conversion delays, lead quality, search intent, and whether the term is relevant to another service. One query with no conversions is not necessarily a bad query.

The following read-only Google Ads Script logs search terms that meet the example spending threshold.

function main() {
// Example target CPA in the account currency
const targetCpa = 75;
const reviewLimit = targetCpa * 2;

const query = `
SELECT
campaign.name,
ad_group.name,
search_term_view.search_term,
metrics.cost_micros,
metrics.conversions
FROM search_term_view
WHERE segments.date DURING LAST_30_DAYS
AND metrics.clicks > 0
`;

const rows = AdsApp.search(query);

while (rows.hasNext()) {
const row = rows.next();

const cost =
Number(row.metrics.costMicros) / 1000000;

const conversions =
Number(row.metrics.conversions);

if (cost >= reviewLimit && conversions === 0) {
console.log(
"REVIEW: " +
row.campaign.name + " | " +
row.adGroup.name + " | " +
row.searchTermView.searchTerm + " | " +
"Cost: " + cost.toFixed(2)
);
}
}
}

Run this script in Google Ads Scripts using Preview or Logs to inspect the results. It does not modify campaigns or add exclusions. Review the flagged terms manually and allow enough time for conversions to be reported before deciding what to block.
The example uses Search campaign search term data. It is not a complete Performance Max search term audit. For that campaign type, use its supported search term reporting and search terms insights.

Automatic exclusions should be handled more cautiously than automatic alerts. A query that appears expensive today may still generate a delayed sale or qualified lead. Protecting clearly valuable search traffic matters more than automatically removing every term that crosses a spending threshold.

How Often You Should Review and What to Prioritize?

How often should you open the search terms report? It depends on how quickly your account spends money and how much new query traffic it receives.

For a high-spend account using broad match, checking several times a week may be worthwhile. A smaller, stable campaign might only need a scheduled weekly review. Neither schedule should replace occasional deeper analysis.

Here’s a practical weekly routine.

• Monday: Sort visible queries by cost and check new terms that don’t fit the services being advertised. Review the previous week’s changes before adding more exclusions.
• Midweek: Look at conversion value or qualified lead data for your expensive search terms. Check whether any recent changes have affected traffic quality, and account for conversion delays.
• End of week: Document the negatives added, the reason for each exclusion, and any landing page or keyword changes worth testing next.

Keep a simple change log. If performance drops after a cleanup, you’ll want to know exactly what was blocked and when. Without that record, it’s easy to spend another afternoon trying to work out which well-intended change caused the problem.

How IMILI Corp Helps You Turn Search Terms Into Profit?

A search terms audit can reveal problems that aren’t immediately obvious in campaign-level performance. An expensive query might point to weak targeting, but it can also expose a missing service page, poorly configured conversions, or an offer that doesn’t match what people want.

At IMILI Corp, our PPC reviews look beyond keyword lists. We examine the relationship between search intent, campaign structure, landing pages, and the actions being counted as conversions.

If your Google Ads campaigns are spending consistently without producing enough qualified enquiries or sales, start by reviewing where that traffic actually comes from. Understanding the problem should come before increasing the budget.

Conclusion

The search terms report won’t tell you everything about your Google Ads performance, but it can show where your targeting and customer demand stop lining up.

Start with the queries costing the most. Separate clear mismatches from relevant searches that simply haven’t converted yet. Then look at your landing pages, conversion tracking, bidding strategy, and campaign-level impression-share data before deciding what to change.

The most useful outcome of a search terms review isn’t a longer negative keyword list. It’s a clearer understanding of which searches are worth paying for and what needs to happen after someone clicks your ad.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is The Difference Between Keywords And Search Terms?

Keywords are the targeting inputs advertisers add to Google Ads. Search terms are the queries that triggered their ads. Because Google’s match types can consider related meanings and intent, the two don’t always use identical wording.

Can Adding Too Many Negative Keywords Hurt Performance?

Yes. Broad exclusions and shared negative lists can prevent relevant searches from triggering your ads. Check the match type, campaign scope, and possible keyword conflicts before applying negatives, particularly when the same terms may have value in another campaign.

Why Do Irrelevant Searches Still Trigger My Ads On Exact Match?

Exact match can include searches that Google considers to have the same meaning or intent as your keyword. Review the matched keyword and search term, then consider a specific negative keyword if the search is genuinely irrelevant. Exact match provides more control than broad match, but it doesn’t require identical wording in every case.

Why Are Some Search Terms Missing From My Google Ads Report?

Google does not display every individual search query. Some queries with insufficient activity are omitted for privacy reasons. Search terms insights can help reveal broader themes, although it will not expose every hidden query.

Should I Add Every Search Term With No Conversions as a Negative Keyword?

No. Check search intent, spending, click volume, and conversion delays first. A relevant query might not have enough data for a reliable decision, and some conversions may appear later. Use negative keywords for searches you have good reason to exclude, rather than automatically blocking every term without a recorded conversion.