Keywords, match types and search terms: what you bought vs what people typed
See the real searches behind your clicks, understand the report's limits, and review irrelevant searches before drafting negatives.
5 min read · Reviewed · AdvisorPPC editorial team
Read as MarkdownSeparate the target from the search
A keyword is a targeting input you add to an ad group. A search term is what someone entered when searching. Put both columns beside each other in your review. Ask whether the person's likely intent matches the service you sell. This keeps the discussion grounded in the query rather than the keyword label. A keyword that sounds useful is a reason to investigate, not enough evidence by itself to call all its traffic relevant.
Understand how matching stretches
Broad, phrase and exact match give Google different scope to connect a keyword to a search. Exact match can include searches with the same meaning or intent; it does not mean only an identical string of characters. Phrase match also considers meaning, while broad match reaches related searches. Read the matching guidance before assuming a surprising query is a reporting error. For a review, write down the intended customer need and compare it with the searches you can see.
Use the report and acknowledge the gap
The search terms report connects reported queries to performance. It omits some queries with insufficient activity for privacy reasons, so it is not a complete transcript of every search. Note that limit when presenting findings to a client. Choose a consistent reporting period, then compare visible queries on intent, cost and results. Avoid promising that the visible rows account for every click or that a missing row proves a search never occurred.
Draft negatives carefully
Negative keywords exclude matching searches. Their matching rules differ from positive keywords, so read the negative match type before preparing an exclusion. A phrase that describes an unwanted job seeker may be a useful candidate; a word shared by unwanted and valuable queries needs more care. Keep a proposed exclusion list and a separate list of searches to retain. Review the context with the business owner before approving any account change.
Turn observations into a reviewable decision
Use the report as the starting point for a small review table: the search, why it may be irrelevant, the proposed negative and its scope. Label uncertain searches for further review rather than automatically excluding everything with no conversion. This is an editorial workflow you can adapt to your business. The aim is to explain each proposal clearly enough that another person can understand what it might block before anything changes in the account.
Sources: Google Ads Help: About the search terms report; Google Ads Help: About negative keywords
Worked example
Example account: emergency plumber on broad match also reaches plumber salary and plumbing course. The company sells emergency callouts, rather than jobs or training. Review those themes as possible exclusions, while keeping queries that show a customer seeking a repair price. Ask for the last 30 days of visible searches grouped by theme. Write a short reason beside each proposed negative and check its match type. The date window is an example choice, and the invented searches do not establish a savings forecast.
Try it in your account
Connect your account first. Review the answer before deciding what to change.
Show my search terms from the last 30 days that cost money and never converted, grouped by theme. Flag irrelevant intent and uncertain cases separately. Read only; do not add negatives.
Before you move on
- Compare the keyword with the actual search term.
- Explain privacy gaps and review the match type of every proposed negative.
Terms to know
- Search term
- The words a person used to search.
- Match type
- A rule controlling how a keyword can match a search.
- Negative keyword
- A targeting exclusion for matching searches.