How to Find the Search Terms Report
The Search Terms Report shows you exactly what people typed into Google before clicking your ad. If you've never looked at this, you're probably wasting money and don't even know it.
I'm Kelsey with KaeRae Marketing. The Search Terms Report is one of the most important reports in Google Ads — and most people don't even know it exists.
Let me show you where to find it and what to do with it.
Your keywords are what you tell Google you want to show up for. Your search terms are what people actually typed.
These are not the same thing.
If you bid on the keyword 'plumber,' you might show up for 'emergency plumber near me' — great. But you might also show up for 'plumber costume' — not great.
The Search Terms Report shows you every actual search that triggered your ad. This is where you find the gold and the garbage.
Here's where to find it:
Step 1: Log into your Google Ads account.
Step 2: Click on 'Campaigns' in the left menu, then click into the campaign you want to check.
Step 3: Click 'Keywords' in the left menu.
Step 4: At the top, you'll see a tab that says 'Search terms.' Click that.
Now you're looking at every search query that triggered your ads.
Scroll through the list and look for two things:
One — garbage searches. These are searches from people who are never going to hire you. Things like job searches, DIY tutorials, or completely unrelated terms. Every one of these that got a click cost you money.
Two — gold searches. These are high-intent searches you maybe didn't think of. If you see a search that's converting well, consider adding it as its own keyword so you can bid on it directly.
I usually sort by 'Clicks' or 'Cost' to see where my money is actually going.
When you find a garbage search, you have two options:
Option 1: Click the checkbox next to it, then click 'Add as negative keyword.' This blocks that exact search.
Option 2: Identify the root word that's the problem and add it to your negative keyword list.
For example, if you see 'plumber apprenticeship,' 'plumber training,' and 'plumber certification,' just add 'apprenticeship,' 'training,' and 'certification' as negative keywords. That catches them all.
I have a whole video on negative keywords if you need help with that.
When you first launch a campaign, check this report every few days. You'll find a lot of junk early on.
Once your campaign is more mature, check it weekly or at least monthly. There's always new garbage sneaking in.
To find your Search Terms Report:
Go to Campaigns > Keywords > Search Terms. Look for garbage searches that are wasting money. Add them as negative keywords. Check regularly — this isn't a one-time thing.
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