Review Google Ads search terms

1. Read the report in context

Choose a useful date range and note the campaign, advert group, search term, cost and recorded conversions. Google may not show every query in the report. Use its current search terms guidance for the latest account navigation and definitions.

Group terms into three working buckets: clearly relevant to the service and area; unclear and worth checking against lead quality; and clearly irrelevant. A broad query can still have value, so look at the landing page and resulting enquiry before excluding it.

2. Choose negative keywords carefully

Negative broad, phrase and exact matches behave differently. For example, an exact negative for [boiler repair jobs] excludes that search but not every longer search containing it. A negative for “repair” could block useful repair enquiries. Check the actual match type and where the exclusion applies before saving. Negative keywords do not automatically cover all close variants. See Google’s negative keyword rules.

For an irrelevant search, consider a negative keyword only after checking how it will affect other useful searches. Google’s negative keyword guide explains how to find candidates. For a useful term, check whether the advert and landing page answer the same need; you may improve the wording or add an appropriate keyword instead.

Illustrative example: a paid advert for emergency boiler repair might show for a search about a free DIY repair guide. If the business offers only paid repairs and that search repeatedly produces no relevant enquiries, it may be a candidate for a carefully scoped exclusion. Do not add a broad negative without checking its effect.

3. Check what changed

Record the search, reason, edit date and expected outcome. After enough data has accumulated, compare relevant enquiries and cost before and after. If useful enquiries fall, revisit the exclusion or the landing page. Avoid making several changes at once that obscure the result.

Review prompt: Which terms describe a service we actually sell? Which brought qualified calls or forms? Which are irrelevant, and what is the smallest change that addresses them?