Google Ads Search Terms Report: How to Find Wasted Spend and Improve Lead Quality
The Google Ads search terms report is one of the most important reports in a PPC account.
It shows what people actually searched before your ads appeared or were clicked.
That matters because the keywords you add to Google Ads are not always the same as the searches people type into Google.
Your keyword might look commercially relevant.
Your search terms may tell a different story.
A campaign can be built around strong-looking keywords, but still spend money on irrelevant searches, weak intent, poor-fit users, job seekers, students, competitors, DIY researchers, freebie hunters, people outside your service area or users looking for something you do not offer.
This is especially important for lead generation campaigns.
A lead form submission is not automatically a good lead. A phone call is not automatically a valuable enquiry. A conversion in Google Ads is not automatically a customer.
If your ads are appearing for the wrong searches, your lead quality can suffer before the user even reaches your landing page.
The search terms report helps you see what your budget is really buying.
It can show whether your campaigns are attracting buyers, researchers, job seekers, students, low-intent users or people who are genuinely looking for a business like yours.
A proper search terms review helps you reduce wasted spend, add negative keywords, refine match types, find new keyword opportunities, improve landing page relevance and understand why your Google Ads leads may be poor quality.
If your Google Ads are spending money but not generating enough useful enquiries, the search terms report is one of the first places to look.
Quick Answer: What Is the Google Ads Search Terms Report?
The Google Ads search terms report shows the real searches people typed into Google before your ads appeared or were clicked.
It is different from your keyword list.
Keywords are the words or phrases you choose to target in Google Ads. Search terms are the actual queries people search.
For example, your keyword might be “Google Ads management”.
But your search terms could include “Google Ads management agency”, “Google Ads management pricing”, “Google Ads management course”, “Google Ads manager jobs”, “how to manage Google Ads yourself” or “Google Ads management tutorial”.
Some of those searches may be commercially useful.
Others may waste budget.
The search terms report helps you understand whether your ads are appearing for searches that match your business goal.
For lead generation, it is one of the clearest ways to find irrelevant searches, add negative keywords and improve lead quality.
If your campaigns are generating clicks or leads but those leads are not turning into sales, appointments, quotes, consultations or customers, the search terms report can show whether the problem starts with the traffic itself.
Why the Search Terms Report Matters
The search terms report matters because it shows the difference between what you think you are targeting and what you are actually paying for.
This is where many Google Ads problems become visible.
A campaign may look acceptable at keyword level. It may have impressions, clicks, conversions and a reasonable cost per conversion. But when you open the search terms report, you may find that some of the budget is going towards searches that are not commercially useful.
That is a serious issue.
Google Ads performance can look better than it really is when weak searches are hidden behind broad keywords, automated bidding and surface-level conversion data.
For example, a business selling PPC management may not want to pay for searches about Google Ads jobs, Google Ads courses or free Google Ads training.
A bathroom company may not want to pay for searches about bathroom jobs, bathroom fitting training, DIY bathroom repair or bathroom design software.
An estate agent may not want tenant searches mixed into a landlord lead campaign.
A solicitor may not want searches for free legal templates if the goal is paid legal enquiries.
A training provider may not want job seeker searches if the campaign is built for employer-funded training.
The words may look relevant.
The intent may be wrong.
That is why the search terms report is not just a technical PPC report.
It is a commercial diagnostic tool.
It helps you understand whether your budget is being spent on searches that could realistically become customers.
Keywords vs Search Terms: What Is the Difference?
Keywords and search terms are often confused, but they are not the same thing.
A keyword is what you add to Google Ads.
A search term is what a person actually searched.
This difference matters because Google Ads uses match types, close variants, automation, landing page signals and contextual signals to decide when your ad may be eligible to show.
If you add a keyword, you are not always telling Google to show only for that exact phrase.
You are giving Google a targeting signal.
Depending on match type and campaign setup, your ad may appear for searches that are broader than you expected.
For example, if you add the keyword “PPC agency”, your ad may appear for searches around PPC services, PPC companies, PPC management, Google Ads agencies, paid media support, PPC jobs, PPC training or PPC courses, depending on match type and account setup.
Some of those searches may be useful.
Others may not be.
The search terms report shows the reality.
It helps you check whether your keyword strategy is bringing in the type of intent you actually want.
A keyword can look strong in the account and still open the door to poor search terms.
That is why keyword performance should never be reviewed without search term analysis.
Search Terms Show Intent
Search terms are valuable because they reveal intent.
Intent is what the user appears to want.
Two searches can contain similar words but have very different commercial value.
For example, “Google Ads agency for lead generation” suggests someone may be looking for paid media support.
“What is Google Ads” suggests someone is learning.
“Google Ads course” suggests someone may want training.
“Google Ads manager jobs” suggests someone is looking for employment.
All four searches are related to Google Ads.
They are not equally valuable for a PPC agency trying to generate client enquiries.
The same principle applies in almost every industry.
“Bathroom company near me” is different from “bathroom fitting jobs”.
“Property valuation estate agent” is different from “property valuation calculator free”.
“Accountant for small business” is different from “accountant salary”.
“Solicitor consultation” is different from “legal letter template”.
“Training course provider for companies” is different from “free online training course”.
The search terms report helps you separate commercial intent from weak or irrelevant intent.
That is where PPC performance improves.
You do not just want searches that are related.
You want searches that are likely to produce useful business outcomes.
How Search Terms Affect Lead Quality
Lead quality often starts before the click.
If your ads are showing for poor search terms, the people arriving on your website may already be a bad fit.
A landing page can help filter some users, but it cannot fully fix poor traffic.
If someone searched for a job, a course, a template, a free tool, a definition or a DIY guide, they may submit a form, but that does not mean they are a good sales opportunity.
This is why Google Ads lead quality problems often begin inside the search terms report.
A campaign may generate leads, but those leads may be irrelevant, uncontactable, low budget, outside your service area, looking for the wrong service or too early in the buying journey.
If Google Ads is optimising towards those conversions, the problem can grow.
The platform may find more users who behave like the people already converting, even if those conversions are not commercially useful.
That is why search terms and lead quality should be reviewed together.
You need to know which search terms produced good leads, not just which terms produced conversions.
The strongest Google Ads accounts connect search term data with sales feedback.
That means checking whether search terms led to qualified enquiries, booked calls, quotes, appointments, consultations, opportunities, sales or customers.
Without that feedback, a campaign can optimise towards volume rather than value.
How to Find the Search Terms Report in Google Ads
The Google Ads interface changes over time, but the search terms report is usually found within the campaign reporting or insights area of your account.
In most accounts, you can review search terms at account, campaign or ad group level.
For practical optimisation, campaign and ad group level reviews are often the most useful because they help you understand which specific parts of the account are attracting good or poor searches.
When reviewing the report, choose a sensible date range.
If you look at too little data, you may overreact to isolated searches.
If you look at too much data, you may include old search behaviour that no longer reflects current campaigns.
For new campaigns, reviewing search terms weekly can be useful because early waste should be caught quickly.
For mature accounts, monthly reviews may be enough for lower-spend campaigns, although higher-spend accounts often need more frequent checks.
The key is consistency.
The search terms report should not be checked once and forgotten.
It should be part of ongoing Google Ads management.
What Columns Should You Review?
The search terms report is more useful when the right columns are visible.
At minimum, you should review search term, keyword, match type, campaign, ad group, impressions, clicks, cost, conversions, cost per conversion and conversion value where relevant.
For lead generation, you should also connect the report with lead quality data where possible.
The keyword column is useful because it shows which keyword matched the search term. This helps you identify keywords that are opening the door to too much irrelevant traffic.
The match type column helps you understand how closely the search term matched the keyword. This can reveal whether broad match, phrase match or exact match is generating the right searches.
Cost is important because it shows where budget has already gone.
Clicks show where volume is coming from.
Conversions show which searches appear to be generating actions.
But conversions need careful interpretation.
A search term with conversions is not automatically good.
If those conversions became poor-quality leads, the search term may still be a problem.
For a stronger review, add offline or CRM feedback where possible.
A search term that generated one expensive but qualified lead may be more valuable than a search term that generated five cheap but useless enquiries.
The report should be used to make commercial decisions, not just platform decisions.
How to Spot Wasted Spend in the Search Terms Report
Wasted spend usually appears when the search term does not match the business goal.
Some wasted searches are obvious.
If a PPC agency sees searches for “Google Ads jobs”, that is not likely to become a client enquiry.
If a bathroom company sees searches for “bathroom fitter training”, that is not a project lead.
If an accountant sees searches for “accountant salary”, that is not a small business accounting enquiry.
If a solicitor sees searches for “free legal template”, that is unlikely to be a paid legal consultation.
Other wasted searches are less obvious.
A search term may be related to your industry, but still too broad or too weak.
For example, a search for “marketing” may be too vague for a paid media agency.
A search for “property” may be too broad for an estate agent valuation campaign.
A search for “insurance” may be too broad for a specialist insurance PPC campaign.
A search for “training” may be too broad for a course provider.
The key is to ask whether the search term suggests realistic commercial intent.
Does the user appear to want a service you offer?
Are they in the right location?
Are they likely to have the right budget?
Are they looking for help now?
Are they likely to become a lead worth following up?
If the answer is no, the search term may be wasting budget.
Common Wasted Search Term Patterns
Many accounts waste money on similar types of searches.
Job-related searches are common. These include jobs, careers, recruitment, salary, apprenticeship, vacancies and hiring terms.
Training and education searches are also common. These include course, training, qualification, certificate, tutorial, lesson, how to learn and free course terms.
Research searches can waste budget when the campaign goal is lead generation. These include what is, meaning, definition, examples, template, PDF, sample, guide and DIY terms.
Free and low-intent searches can also cause problems. These include free, cheap, low cost, template, calculator, download and trial terms, depending on the business.
Support and login searches can be poor-fit if users are trying to access an existing provider or platform rather than become a new customer.
Competitor research searches can be useful in some cases, but they need careful review because they can also attract low-quality traffic.
Location mismatches are another major source of waste. A local business may pay for clicks from users in areas it does not serve.
Service mismatches are also common. A business may appear for related services it does not offer.
Audience mismatches can be harder to spot, but they matter. A B2B company may pay for searches from consumers. A premium service may pay for bargain-focused searches. A specialist provider may pay for generic category searches.
The search terms report helps you find these patterns before they keep draining budget.
How to Use Search Terms for Negative Keywords
The search terms report is one of the best places to find negative keywords.
Negative keywords stop your ads from showing for searches that are irrelevant, low intent or unlikely to become customers.
For lead generation, negative keywords are essential because every wasted click reduces the budget available for better searches.
The process is simple in principle.
Review the search terms report.
Find searches that are not relevant to your business goal.
Add them as negative keywords at the right level.
But the execution needs care.
Some negatives should be added at account level because they are almost always irrelevant. These might include jobs, careers, salary, course, training, template or free, depending on the business.
Some negatives should be added at campaign level because they only apply to a specific campaign.
For example, a landlord campaign may need to exclude tenant searches, while a tenant campaign would not.
A new homes campaign may need to exclude rental searches, while a lettings campaign would not.
A premium service campaign may need to exclude cheap or free intent, while a low-cost offer may not.
Some negatives should be added at ad group level when they help control structure.
The aim is not to block every broad search.
The aim is to protect budget from searches that have little chance of becoming useful enquiries.
Negative keywords should be reviewed carefully because blocking too much can restrict useful volume.
A good negative keyword strategy removes waste without suffocating opportunity.
Negative Keyword Match Types
Negative keywords have match types too, but they do not work exactly like positive keyword match types.
This is important.
A negative broad match keyword can block searches that contain all the negative keyword terms, even if the order is different.
A negative phrase match keyword can block searches that contain the phrase in the same order.
A negative exact match keyword can block a very specific search.
You need to choose the right level of control.
For example, if you add “jobs” as a broad negative, that may block searches containing jobs.
If you add “Google Ads jobs” as a phrase negative, you are being more specific.
If you add [Google Ads jobs] as an exact negative, you are blocking that exact search pattern more narrowly.
The right match type depends on risk.
If a term is always irrelevant, a broader negative may be appropriate.
If a term could be relevant in some contexts but not others, a more controlled negative may be safer.
For example, “training” may be irrelevant for a PPC agency selling management services, but relevant for a training provider.
“Free” may be poor-fit for a premium service, but useful for a lead magnet campaign.
“Near me” may be valuable for local services, but not for national B2B campaigns.
Negative keywords should be applied with commercial judgement.
The goal is not simply to remove words you dislike.
The goal is to stop paying for searches that are unlikely to create value.
Search Terms and Keyword Match Types
Keyword match types influence how broad or controlled your search terms can be.
Broad match gives Google the most flexibility. It can show ads for searches related to your keyword, even when the search does not contain the exact keyword words.
Phrase match gives more control than broad match. It can show ads on searches that include the meaning of the keyword.
Exact match gives the tightest control, although it can still match to searches with the same meaning or intent.
Each match type can work.
Each match type can also waste money if it is used in the wrong context.
Broad match can be useful when the account has strong conversion tracking, good lead quality feedback, enough data and a negative keyword strategy. But if tracking is weak or lead quality is poor, broad match can expose the account to too much low-value traffic.
Phrase match can be a practical middle ground for many lead generation campaigns because it gives more control while still allowing relevant variations.
Exact match can be useful for high-intent terms where you want tighter steering, but it may limit volume if used too narrowly.
The search terms report tells you whether your match type strategy is working.
If broad match is generating relevant searches and quality leads, it may be useful.
If phrase match is still bringing in weak intent, the keyword, negatives or structure may need review.
If exact match is too restrictive, you may need to add new keywords based on proven search terms.
Match types should not be chosen once and forgotten.
They should be reviewed against actual search behaviour.
Search Terms and Broad Match
Broad match can create both opportunity and waste.
It can help Google find related searches you may not have thought to target. That can be useful when the account has enough data and strong conversion signals.
But broad match can also move into searches that are too loose for the business.
For example, a keyword such as “PPC agency” could open the door to related searches around PPC training, PPC jobs, digital marketing courses, marketing salary, advertising examples or other low-intent terms if the account is not managed carefully.
This does not mean broad match is always bad.
It means broad match needs a stronger management framework.
Before using broad match heavily, ask whether conversion tracking is reliable.
Ask whether primary conversions are meaningful.
Ask whether lead quality is being fed back.
Ask whether negative keywords are maintained.
Ask whether budgets are controlled.
Ask whether the landing page matches a wider range of intent.
Ask whether the campaign has enough data for automated bidding to make sensible decisions.
Broad match can work, but it should not be used blindly.
The search terms report is where you check whether broad match is expanding into useful demand or wasting spend.
Search Terms and Phrase Match
Phrase match often gives more control than broad match while still allowing useful variation.
This can make it a practical choice for many lead generation campaigns.
For example, a phrase match keyword such as “PPC audit” may capture searches around PPC audit services, PPC audit agency, Google Ads PPC audit, PPC audit for small business or PPC audit pricing.
Those variations may be useful.
But phrase match can still bring in searches that do not fit.
A campaign may still appear for training, jobs, templates, examples, free tools or related services that are not commercially useful.
That is why phrase match campaigns still need search term reviews.
A common mistake is assuming phrase match is automatically safe.
It is safer than broad in many cases, but it is not set-and-forget.
If phrase match search terms are repeatedly poor, the issue may be the keyword itself, missing negatives, weak ad group structure or unclear campaign segmentation.
Phrase match should be reviewed by the quality of the searches it produces, not by the label alone.
Search Terms and Exact Match
Exact match gives the most control of the main positive keyword match types.
It can be useful when a business wants to focus on high-intent searches with less variation.
For example, a campaign targeting [PPC audit] or [Google Ads agency] may have clearer intent than a broad keyword around marketing.
However, exact match does not mean only one literal search.
Exact match can still match to close variants and searches with the same meaning or intent.
This is why exact match campaigns still need search term reviews.
The report can show whether exact match is behaving as expected, whether close variants are useful and whether new keyword variations should be added.
Exact match can also limit volume.
If a campaign is too narrow, it may miss relevant searches that could generate good leads.
The search terms report can help you decide whether to expand into phrase match, add new exact keywords or build new ad groups around proven search behaviour.
Exact match is useful, but it is not a replacement for ongoing optimisation.
How to Find New Keyword Opportunities
The search terms report is not only useful for finding waste.
It can also help you find new keyword opportunities.
If a search term is relevant, has strong intent and produces useful leads, it may deserve to become its own keyword.
This gives you more control.
You can write more specific ad copy.
You can send users to a more relevant landing page.
You can adjust bids or budgets more carefully.
You can separate high-value intent from broader traffic.
For example, if a PPC agency sees repeated searches for “PPC audit for small business” and those leads are strong, that term could become its own keyword group.
If a bathroom company sees strong searches for “bathroom design and installation near me”, that may deserve a dedicated ad group or landing page.
If an estate agent sees strong searches for “property valuation in [location]”, that can inform valuation campaign structure.
If a training provider sees strong searches around a specific course and location, that can support more focused keyword targeting.
New keywords should not be added just because a term has clicks.
They should be added because the search term shows relevance, intent and commercial potential.
The best search terms are the ones that produce useful enquiries, not just traffic.
Search Terms and Landing Pages
Search terms can reveal whether your landing pages match what people are looking for.
This is often overlooked.
If users are searching for one thing and landing on a generic page, conversion rate may suffer.
For example, someone searching for “Google Ads audit” should not land on a generic digital marketing page if a PPC audit page exists.
Someone searching for “Meta Ads management” should not land on a broad services page if a Meta Ads page exists.
Someone searching for “bathroom renovation quote” should not land on a general homepage.
Someone searching for “landlord property management” should not land on a tenant-focused lettings page.
Search terms show user intent.
Landing pages should respond to that intent.
If you find repeated high-quality search terms in the report, ask whether the landing page is specific enough.
Does the page use similar language?
Does it answer the user’s likely question?
Does it explain the service clearly?
Does it show proof?
Does it make the next step obvious?
Does it qualify the user?
If the answer is no, the campaign may need a better landing page, not just better keywords.
Search term data can improve both PPC and website conversion rate.
Search Terms and Ad Copy
The search terms report can also improve ad copy.
If users repeatedly search for specific problems, locations, services or outcomes, the advert should reflect that language where appropriate.
For example, if users search for “reduce Google Ads cost per lead”, ad copy that mentions reducing wasted spend and improving lead quality may feel more relevant.
If users search for “property valuation estate agent in [location]”, ad copy should speak to local valuation expertise.
If users search for “bathroom fitter near me”, ad copy should make service area and project type clear.
If users search for “PPC audit for small business”, ad copy should explain what the audit reviews and who it helps.
This does not mean stuffing every search term into ad copy.
It means using search term data to understand what users care about.
Better ad copy improves relevance before the click.
It can also help filter poor-fit users.
If your advert clearly says who the service is for, what problem it solves and what action the user should take, the campaign is more likely to attract useful clicks.
Search Terms and Performance Max
Search term analysis is not limited to standard Search campaigns.
Performance Max has also become more transparent through search term and landing page reporting.
This matters because Performance Max can appear across multiple Google surfaces and can be difficult to diagnose if advertisers only look at conversion totals.
Search terms can help you understand which queries are triggering activity and how those terms relate to performance.
For lead generation, this is important because Performance Max can optimise towards the wrong signals if conversion tracking is weak.
If every form submission is treated as equal, the campaign may chase volume rather than quality.
If poor-quality leads are counted as primary conversions, automation may learn from weak data.
Search term reporting can help reveal whether Performance Max is matching to relevant intent or picking up searches that do not align with the business goal.
It can also help identify negative keyword needs, asset opportunities and landing page mismatches.
Performance Max should not be treated as a black box that never needs review.
Automation still needs strong inputs, reliable conversion tracking and commercial feedback.
Search term data is one way to keep automation connected to business reality.
Search Terms and Shopping Campaigns
For ecommerce and Shopping campaigns, search terms can show whether products are appearing for relevant product searches.
This can reveal product feed issues, title problems, irrelevant queries or opportunities to improve product positioning.
For example, a product may show for searches that are too broad, too cheap, too unrelated or misaligned with what the product actually is.
If a premium product appears for bargain searches, conversion rate may suffer.
If a product appears for the wrong use case, clicks may be wasted.
If users search for product variations that the feed does not explain clearly, product titles or descriptions may need work.
Search term analysis can therefore improve both Shopping performance and feed quality.
For ecommerce businesses, the search terms report should be reviewed alongside product performance, conversion rate, revenue, margin and return on ad spend.
A search term that generates clicks but no purchases may be poor-fit.
A search term that generates profitable purchases may deserve more budget, better product titles or dedicated campaign focus.
How Often Should You Review the Search Terms Report?
The right review frequency depends on spend, volume and campaign maturity.
For new campaigns, review search terms regularly.
Weekly reviews are a sensible starting point for active campaigns because early waste often appears quickly.
For higher-spend accounts, search terms may need to be reviewed more often. If a campaign is spending hundreds or thousands of pounds per week, waiting a full month to review searches can allow a lot of waste to build up.
For mature, lower-spend accounts, monthly reviews may be enough, provided performance is stable and lead quality is strong.
But search terms should never be ignored completely.
Search behaviour changes.
Google matching changes.
Competitors change.
Services change.
Budgets change.
Landing pages change.
New irrelevant patterns can appear over time.
The worst approach is to review search terms only after performance drops.
By that point, budget may already have been wasted for weeks or months.
A strong PPC management process includes regular search term reviews, negative keyword updates, keyword expansion, lead quality checks and landing page analysis.
What to Do After Reviewing Search Terms
A search terms review should lead to action.
If a search term is irrelevant, add it as a negative keyword.
If a search term is relevant but too broad, consider tightening match types, improving ad group structure or adding more specific negatives.
If a search term is high intent and producing good leads, consider adding it as a keyword.
If a search term suggests a different user need, consider whether a better landing page is required.
If a search term is generating conversions but poor-quality leads, review the keyword, advert, form, landing page and conversion action.
If a search term has spend but no useful outcome, decide whether it needs more data, a bid adjustment, a negative keyword or a structural change.
If one keyword repeatedly attracts poor searches, review whether that keyword should be paused, changed, moved or restricted.
If broad match is generating too much waste, review conversion tracking, Smart Bidding signals, negatives and match type strategy.
If the campaign is generating relevant searches but no conversions, the issue may sit after the click.
The report should not just be read.
It should shape the account.
Search Terms and PPC Audits
The search terms report should be a core part of any PPC audit.
It is one of the fastest ways to understand whether a Google Ads account is spending money on useful demand or wasting budget on poor intent.
A proper PPC audit should not only review campaign settings and headline performance.
It should review what people actually searched.
This is where many account issues become visible.
The audit may reveal that broad match keywords are too loose.
It may show that phrase match still needs more negatives.
It may show that exact match is too restrictive.
It may show that Performance Max is matching to questionable intent.
It may show that high-cost searches are not producing qualified leads.
It may show that search terms with conversions are not producing sales.
It may show that landing pages do not match the strongest searches.
It may show that negative keyword lists are incomplete.
It may show that the account is optimising towards weak conversion actions.
For lead generation businesses, this is especially important.
If search terms are poor, lead quality will usually suffer.
A PPC audit should identify which searches are wasting budget, which keywords need tightening and which negative keywords should be added before more budget is spent.
How the Search Terms Report Helps Reduce Cost Per Lead
The search terms report can help reduce cost per lead by cutting wasted clicks and moving budget towards stronger intent.
If a campaign is paying for irrelevant searches, the account has less budget available for users who are more likely to convert.
Adding negative keywords can reduce this waste.
Refining keyword match types can improve control.
Building new ad groups around high-intent search terms can improve relevance.
Improving landing pages for proven search intent can increase conversion rate.
Together, these changes can reduce cost per lead.
However, the goal should not only be cheaper leads.
The goal should be better leads at a sustainable cost.
A lower cost per lead is not useful if the leads are weak.
Search term optimisation should therefore focus on cost per qualified lead, not only cost per conversion.
For example, removing job searches, training searches, free searches and irrelevant locations may reduce lead volume, but improve lead quality.
That can be a better commercial outcome.
A cleaner search terms report often means less waste, stronger intent and better use of budget.
Search Terms and Poor-Quality Google Ads Leads
If your Google Ads leads are poor quality, the search terms report should be reviewed early.
Poor lead quality can come from several places, but search intent is one of the most common.
If the user searched for the wrong thing, the lead is unlikely to become valuable.
A campaign may generate forms from people who are technically interested in the category but not a good fit for the business.
For example, a user searching for a free template may submit a form but not want paid help.
A user searching for a course may not want an agency.
A user searching outside the service area may not become a customer.
A user searching for a job may not be a sales lead.
A user searching for a DIY guide may not be ready to buy.
These leads can waste sales time and distort Google Ads optimisation.
The platform may report them as conversions.
The business may see them as poor enquiries.
This is why lead quality feedback is essential.
If the sales team says leads are weak, match those leads back to campaigns, keywords and search terms where possible.
The search terms report can help show whether the issue is traffic quality, not just sales follow-up.
Search Terms and Campaign Structure
Search term data can reveal whether your campaign structure is too broad.
If one ad group contains too many different keyword themes, search terms may become difficult to control.
If one campaign mixes several services, the budget may drift towards the cheapest lead type rather than the most valuable one.
If brand and non-brand searches are mixed together, performance may look better than it really is.
If high-intent and research-intent terms sit in the same campaign, reporting may become unclear.
If different locations are mixed together, you may not see where budget is wasted.
The search terms report helps identify these structural problems.
For example, if one keyword repeatedly triggers several different types of searches, it may need to be split into more focused ad groups.
If a campaign attracts both buyer and job seeker searches, negative keywords may help, but structure may also need review.
If a campaign promotes several services and search terms are scattered, service-specific campaigns may be clearer.
Search terms show how Google is interpreting your account.
If that interpretation does not match your business priorities, the structure may need work.
Search Terms and Budget Decisions
Search term data should influence budget decisions.
A campaign should not receive more budget just because it has conversions.
It should receive more budget because the underlying searches are relevant and the leads or sales are useful.
If a campaign has a low cost per conversion but poor search intent, increasing budget may scale poor leads.
If a campaign has a higher cost per lead but stronger search terms and better sales outcomes, it may deserve more budget.
Budget should move towards searches that show commercial intent and produce useful outcomes.
This is where PPC reporting often needs to become more commercial.
Google Ads may show that one campaign has a lower cost per conversion.
The business may know that another campaign produces better customers.
The search terms report helps explain why.
One campaign may be winning cheap but weak searches.
Another may be paying more for stronger intent.
The right budget decision depends on business value, not only platform efficiency.
Search terms help make that value clearer.
Example: PPC Agency Search Terms
Imagine a PPC agency running Google Ads for its own services.
The target keyword might be “PPC agency”.
Useful search terms might include “PPC agency for lead generation”, “Google Ads agency for small business”, “PPC audit agency”, “paid media agency UK”, “Google Ads management company” and “PPC agency London”.
These searches suggest someone may be looking for paid advertising support.
Weak search terms might include “PPC jobs”, “PPC course”, “PPC meaning”, “PPC examples”, “PPC salary”, “free PPC training” and “how to do PPC yourself”.
These searches may be relevant to PPC, but they are not strong agency enquiries.
If the campaign pays for too many weak searches, cost per lead may rise and lead quality may drop.
The solution may include adding negative keywords, tightening match types, writing clearer ad copy, improving landing pages and separating audit-intent searches from management-intent searches.
The search terms report would show where the money is going.
Without it, the account may appear to be targeting “PPC agency” while actually paying for a much wider range of intent.
Example: Home Improvement Search Terms
A home improvement company may target keywords around bathroom fitting, kitchen installation, roofing, landscaping or renovations.
Useful search terms might include “bathroom fitter near me”, “bathroom installation company”, “kitchen renovation quote”, “roof repair company”, “landscaping company near me” or “driveway installation quote”.
Weak search terms might include “bathroom fitter jobs”, “kitchen design course”, “how to fit a bathroom yourself”, “free garden design software”, “roofing salary” or “DIY driveway ideas”.
Some research searches may be useful for SEO or remarketing, but they may not be worth paying for in a lead generation Search campaign.
The search terms report helps the business decide which searches are likely to become project enquiries.
This is especially important when project value varies.
A full bathroom renovation lead may be valuable.
A small repair enquiry may not be.
A campaign should be structured and optimised around the type of project the business wants.
Example: Professional Services Search Terms
Professional services firms need careful search term management because many searches are informational.
An accountant may want searches such as “accountant for small business”, “tax accountant near me”, “accountancy firm for limited company” or “bookkeeping services for small business”.
But it may not want searches such as “accountant salary”, “how to become an accountant”, “accounting course”, “free invoice template” or “accounting jobs”.
A solicitor may want searches around consultations, legal advice and specific services.
But it may not want free templates, definitions, essay research, law degrees or job searches.
A mortgage broker may want searches around mortgage advice, remortgage broker or first-time buyer mortgage broker.
But it may not want mortgage calculator searches if those users are not ready to speak.
The search terms report helps professional services firms separate commercial searches from research behaviour.
This can improve lead quality and reduce wasted spend.
Example: Property Search Terms
Estate agents, letting agents and property businesses need search term reviews because property searches can mean many different things.
A valuation campaign should focus on seller intent.
Useful searches might include “property valuation estate agent”, “house valuation near me”, “sell my house [location]” or “estate agents for valuation”.
Weak searches might include rental listings, tenant searches, property jobs, property courses, free valuation calculators or locations outside the branch area.
A landlord campaign should focus on landlord services, property management and rental valuation.
It should not accidentally spend most of its budget on tenant searches.
A new homes campaign should focus on relevant development, location and buyer intent.
It should not waste too much budget on unrelated rental or resale searches if the campaign goal is new homes enquiries.
The search terms report helps property advertisers keep each lead type clean.
That is essential because seller leads, landlord leads, tenant enquiries, buyer registrations and new homes leads have different commercial value.
Common Mistakes When Reviewing Search Terms
One common mistake is only looking at search terms with conversions.
This misses searches that have spent money but not converted.
Those terms can reveal wasted budget.
Another mistake is assuming every converting search term is good.
A search term can generate a form submission but still produce a poor-quality lead.
Another mistake is adding negatives too aggressively.
If you block too many related terms without checking context, you may restrict useful traffic.
Another mistake is not adding negatives aggressively enough.
If irrelevant searches keep appearing, the account may waste budget every week.
Another mistake is reviewing search terms without lead quality feedback.
The platform may show conversions, but the business needs to know whether those conversions were useful.
Another mistake is ignoring the keyword column.
If one keyword repeatedly triggers weak searches, the keyword or match type may need review.
Another mistake is treating Performance Max as untouchable.
Even automated campaigns need search term and landing page analysis where available.
Another mistake is checking search terms once and then forgetting.
Search behaviour changes. Campaigns change. Google matching evolves. New waste can appear.
Search term analysis should be routine, not a one-off fix.
How Invaro Media Reviews Search Terms
At Invaro Media, search term analysis is treated as a core part of PPC management and PPC audits.
The aim is not just to tidy up a report.
The aim is to understand whether Google Ads spend is reaching the right people.
For lead generation campaigns, we review whether search terms match the service, location, audience, budget, intent and commercial goal.
We look for irrelevant searches, poor-fit intent, jobs, courses, free searches, research terms, location mismatches, service mismatches and searches that may generate low-quality leads.
We also look for positive opportunities.
If users are searching for specific problems, services, locations or high-intent phrases, those terms can inform new keywords, landing pages, ad copy and campaign structure.
Search terms are also reviewed alongside lead quality.
A campaign is not successful just because it generated conversions.
It needs to generate enquiries that are relevant, contactable and commercially useful.
If a business is spending money on Google Ads but cannot explain why lead quality is poor, the search terms report is one of the first places we would check.
It often shows whether the problem starts before the click.
Useful External Resources
Google’s guide to the search terms report explains how advertisers can review the searches that triggered their ads and how those searches performed:
https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/2472708
Google’s guide to negative keywords explains how advertisers can exclude search terms from campaigns and focus on keywords that matter to customers:
https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/2453972
Google’s guide to keyword matching options explains broad match, phrase match and exact match:
https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/7478529
Google’s Performance Max search terms report guidance explains how advertisers can review search terms, ad formats and landing pages for Performance Max campaigns:
https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/16327396
These resources explain the platform features, but the commercial value comes from how they are used. The important question is not only whether a search term triggered an ad. The important question is whether that search term was likely to become a useful lead or customer.
Related Google Ads and PPC Resources
If you are reviewing the Google Ads search terms report, these related guides can help you improve the wider account.
For negative keyword strategy, read:
https://www.invaromedia.co.uk/resources/how-to-use-negative-keywords-google-ads
For poor-quality Google Ads leads, read:
https://www.invaromedia.co.uk/resources/why-are-my-google-ads-leads-poor-quality
For reducing cost per lead, read:
https://www.invaromedia.co.uk/resources/reduce-cost-per-lead-google-ads
For Google Ads account structure, read:
https://www.invaromedia.co.uk/resources/google-ads-account-structure-lead-generation
For choosing Google Ads keywords, read:
https://www.invaromedia.co.uk/resources/how-to-choose-google-ads-keywords
For the Google Ads audit checklist, read:
https://www.invaromedia.co.uk/resources/google-ads-audit-checklist
For why Google Ads are not converting, read:
https://www.invaromedia.co.uk/resources/why-are-my-google-ads-not-converting
For tracking leads from paid ads, read:
https://www.invaromedia.co.uk/resources/how-to-track-leads-from-paid-ads
For offline conversions, read:
https://www.invaromedia.co.uk/resources/how-to-set-up-offline-conversions-google-ads
For a PPC audit, visit:
https://www.invaromedia.co.uk/ppc-audit
For Google Ads management, visit:
https://www.invaromedia.co.uk/google-ads-management
Final Thoughts
The Google Ads search terms report shows what your budget is really buying.
That makes it one of the most important reports in a PPC account.
Keywords show what you wanted to target.
Search terms show what actually happened.
If your ads are appearing for irrelevant, low-intent or poor-fit searches, your budget may be wasted before the user even reaches your website.
For lead generation campaigns, this can directly affect lead quality.
A campaign can generate conversions but still produce poor enquiries if the underlying searches are weak.
That is why search term reviews should be part of regular PPC management.
They help you add negative keywords, refine match types, improve campaign structure, find new keyword opportunities, improve landing pages and make better budget decisions.
The goal is not simply to get more clicks.
The goal is to spend more of your budget on searches that are likely to become real customers.
If your Google Ads are spending money on irrelevant searches, a PPC audit can show which search terms are wasting budget, which keywords need tightening and which negative keywords should be added before you spend more.
Need Help Finding Wasted Spend in Google Ads?
If your Google Ads are generating clicks or leads but not enough sales, quotes, consultations or customers, the search terms report may reveal why.
Your ads may be showing for irrelevant searches, weak intent, jobs, courses, free resources, DIY queries, locations you do not serve or services you do not offer.
A PPC audit can show where budget is being wasted and what needs to change before you increase spend.
At Invaro Media, we review Google Ads, Meta Ads and Microsoft Advertising campaigns with a focus on wasted spend, lead quality, conversion tracking and commercial outcomes.
Request a PPC audit here:
https://www.invaromedia.co.uk/ppc-audit
If you are ready to improve ongoing Google Ads performance, you can also review our Google Ads management service here:
https://www.invaromedia.co.uk/google-ads-management
FAQs About the Google Ads Search Terms Report
What is the Google Ads search terms report?
The Google Ads search terms report shows the actual searches people typed before your ads appeared or were clicked. It helps advertisers understand what their budget is being spent on and whether campaigns are matching relevant search intent.
What is the difference between keywords and search terms?
Keywords are the words or phrases you add to Google Ads for targeting. Search terms are the actual queries users type into Google. Your keyword might be “PPC agency”, but the search terms could include many different related searches.
Why is the search terms report important?
The search terms report is important because it shows whether your ads are appearing for useful searches or wasting budget on irrelevant traffic. It can help improve lead quality, reduce wasted spend and identify negative keyword opportunities.
How do I find the search terms report in Google Ads?
In Google Ads, the search terms report is usually found inside the campaign reporting, insights or keyword area. You can often review it at account, campaign or ad group level.
How often should I review the search terms report?
New campaigns should usually have search terms reviewed weekly. Higher-spend campaigns may need more frequent checks. Mature lower-spend campaigns may be reviewed monthly, but search term reviews should still happen consistently.
Can the search terms report reduce wasted spend?
Yes. The search terms report helps identify irrelevant or low-intent searches that are spending budget. Adding negative keywords and refining match types can reduce wasted clicks.
Can the search terms report improve lead quality?
Yes. Poor lead quality often starts with poor search intent. If your ads are showing for job searches, free searches, courses, DIY queries or unrelated services, the leads are less likely to become customers.
What are negative keywords?
Negative keywords are words or phrases that stop your ads from showing for certain searches. They help prevent wasted spend on traffic that is unlikely to become a customer.
How do I use the search terms report for negative keywords?
Review the report, find searches that are irrelevant or low intent, and add them as negative keywords at account, campaign or ad group level depending on how broadly they should be blocked.
Should I add every irrelevant search as a negative keyword?
Clearly irrelevant searches should usually be added as negatives. However, related but uncertain terms should be reviewed carefully before blocking because some may still produce useful leads.
What are common negative keywords for lead generation?
Common negative keyword themes include jobs, careers, salary, course, training, free, template, example, PDF, DIY, definition, meaning, login, support and unrelated locations. The right list depends on the business.
How do keyword match types affect search terms?
Broad match, phrase match and exact match affect how closely a user’s search needs to match your keyword. Broader match types can create more reach but may also produce more irrelevant searches if not managed carefully.
Is broad match bad for Google Ads?
Broad match is not automatically bad, but it needs strong conversion tracking, good data, Smart Bidding, negative keywords and lead quality feedback. Without those, it can waste budget.
Is phrase match safer than broad match?
Phrase match usually gives more control than broad match, but it can still match to poor-fit searches. Phrase match campaigns still need regular search term reviews.
Does exact match only show for the exact search?
No. Exact match can still match to close variants and searches with the same meaning or intent. Exact match gives more control, but it still needs monitoring.
Can search terms help find new keyword ideas?
Yes. If a search term is relevant, high intent and producing useful leads or sales, it may be worth adding as its own keyword with more specific ad copy and landing page alignment.
Can search terms help improve landing pages?
Yes. Search terms show what users are actually looking for. If repeated high-intent searches appear, you may need landing pages that match that intent more closely.
Does Performance Max have a search terms report?
Performance Max has search term and landing page reporting that can help advertisers understand search behaviour, ad formats and landing page performance. This can support negative keyword strategy and asset improvements.
Should a PPC audit include search term analysis?
Yes. Search term analysis should be a core part of any PPC audit because it shows whether budget is being spent on relevant searches or wasted on weak intent.
Why are my Google Ads leads poor quality?
Poor-quality Google Ads leads can come from irrelevant search terms, weak keyword targeting, missing negative keywords, poor landing pages, wrong conversion actions, broad match issues or campaigns optimising towards weak leads.
What should I do if my search terms are poor?
If your search terms are poor, review negative keywords, match types, keyword selection, campaign structure, landing pages, conversion tracking and lead quality. You may need to tighten the account before increasing budget.
