Performance

Search terms report

Also known as: search query report · SQR

Definition

The search terms report lists the actual searches that triggered an advertiser's Google Ads, which often differ from the keywords bid on. It's the main evidence for which negatives to add and which converting queries deserve their own keywords.

It shows only terms that a significant number of people searched. Google omits rare queries for privacy, so the rows never add up to your full spend, and some of the hidden queries are grouped into themes in search terms insights. Read it as a sample large enough to find patterns, not as a complete ledger.

Sort the last 30 days by cost and read the top 50 rows. If you wouldn't take a call from the person who typed a term, add it as a negative. If a term converts, give it an exact or phrase keyword with its own bid and ad. Weekly in the first month, then fortnightly, is a workable rhythm. In a bilingual account, look for wrong-language queries and queries from the wrong city as well as plain irrelevance.

More in Performance

A/B testing

A/B testing compares two versions of one element, such as a headline, an offer or a page, by showing each to a randomly split share of traffic at the same time and measuring which produces more conversions. It needs enough traffic and one change at a time.

Ad fatigue

Ad fatigue is the decline in an ad's performance as the same people see it repeatedly, usually visible as rising frequency and falling click-through rate before cost per result climbs. The remedy is fresh creative or a wider audience, not a bigger budget.

Ad Rank

Ad Rank is the value Google Ads calculates in each auction to decide whether an ad is eligible to show and where it sits against others. It combines the bid with ad and landing page quality, minimum thresholds, competition, search context and the expected impact of assets.