Google Ads makes it easy to start spending money. It is much less obvious where that money goes. Your keywords tell Google what you want to show up for, but the searches that actually trigger your ads can be very different. That gap is where a lot of small business budgets quietly disappear.
The fix is a habit: reviewing your search terms report and building a solid list of negative keywords. Here is how to do it.
Keywords vs. search terms
A keyword is what you add to your campaign, such as “roof repair.” A search term is what a real person typed, such as “roof repair jobs near me” or “how to repair a roof leak myself.” Depending on your match types, Google may show your ad for many search terms that are only loosely related to your keyword.
Some of those searches are great. Others come from people looking for jobs, free information, a different service or a business in another state. You pay for those clicks too.
How to find your search terms report
In Google Ads, open your campaign, go to Insights and reports, then Search terms. Set the date range to at least the last 30 days. Sort by cost so the most expensive searches are at the top, and add columns for conversions and cost per conversion if they are not already visible.
Note that Google does not show every search term. Low-volume searches are grouped as “other search terms.” You will still see enough to spot clear patterns.
What to look for
Go down the list and ask a simple question about each term: could this person become a paying customer? Common problems include:
- Job seekers: searches including “jobs,” “hiring,” “salary” or “careers.”
- Do-it-yourselfers: “how to,” “DIY,” “tutorial” or “video.”
- Bargain hunters you cannot serve: “free,” “cheap” or “used,” depending on your business.
- Wrong locations: cities or states you do not serve.
- Wrong services: related work you do not offer.
- Competitor names: people looking for a specific other business, who rarely convert.
- Research searches: definitions, school projects or general information.
Adding negative keywords
When you find a bad search term, add the problem word as a negative keyword. You can do this right from the report by checking the box next to the term and choosing “Add as negative keyword.” Pay attention to the level:
- Campaign level blocks the term across one campaign.
- Ad group level blocks it in a single ad group, which is useful for steering searches to the right ad group.
- Negative keyword lists let you build one shared list and apply it to many campaigns at once.
We usually recommend a shared “always exclude” list for terms like jobs, careers, free and DIY, plus campaign-specific negatives for everything else.
Understand negative match types
Negative keywords use match types too, and they behave a little differently from regular keywords:
- Negative broad match blocks searches that contain all of the words, in any order.
- Negative phrase match blocks searches containing the exact phrase in that order.
- Negative exact match blocks only that exact search.
Negative keywords do not automatically include close variants such as plurals or misspellings, so add the variations you see.
Do not overdo it
It is possible to block good traffic. Before adding a negative, think about whether the word ever appears in valuable searches. “Cheap” might be a bad word for a luxury builder and a perfectly good one for a budget-friendly service. When in doubt, use phrase or exact match negatives rather than broad ones.
Also look at the good search terms. If a search is converting well and is not already a keyword, add it as one so you can control its bid and ad copy more directly.
Build a routine
Search term reviews work best as a regular habit:
- New campaigns: check every few days for the first month.
- Established campaigns: review every one to two weeks.
- After changes: look again whenever you add keywords, change match types or switch bidding strategies.
Keep a simple log of what you added and why. It helps when you or someone else revisits the account later.
Pair it with conversion tracking
Search terms are much easier to judge when you know which ones produced calls, form submissions or sales. If conversion tracking is not set up, you are relying on guesswork. Make sure your calls and forms are being tracked before making big decisions about what to cut.
The payoff
Cleaning up search terms will not make headlines, but it is one of the most reliable ways to get more out of a Google Ads budget. Every dollar not spent on an irrelevant click is a dollar that can go toward a search with real intent.
Want a team to manage this for you? Learn more about our pay-per-click advertising services.
Ready to talk it through? If you would like a second set of eyes on your Google Ads account, book a consultation with the Hangout Creative team. We will look at where you are today and suggest practical next steps, with no pressure.
