The search terms report is the list of the actual words and phrases people typed into Google (or Bing) that triggered your ads, and we use it to stop wasted clicks and discover new money-making keywords.
This report matters because you do not buy “keywords,” you buy real searches. Even if you bid on the right keywords, Google can match your ads to close variations, misspellings, and broader intent, especially with phrase and broad match. The search terms report shows you what your ads really showed for, plus performance signals like clicks and conversions, so you can decide what to keep, what to block, and what to expand.
How we use the search terms report in real campaigns
In practical terms, we review the report and take four core actions:
- Add negative keywords to block searches that will not turn into leads (example: “free,” “DIY,” “jobs,” “salary,” “training,” “reviews,” “cheap,” “used,” “near me” searches outside your service area).
- Promote winners by adding high-intent search terms as their own keywords (often in exact or phrase match) so you can bid, write ads, and route traffic around what is already converting.
- Fix intent mismatches by tightening match types, splitting ad groups, or changing the landing page when the search term is valid but your ad or page does not answer it.
- Protect lead quality by filtering out junk terms that create spam calls or form fills, which is common in competitive Orlando categories like legal, dental, HVAC, and pest control.
Where to find it and what to look at first
In Google Ads, you can usually find Search terms under Campaigns, then Insights and reports, then Search terms (the exact menu labels can shift, but the feature name stays the same). We start by sorting by conversions (or qualified leads if you pass offline lead status back into Google Ads), then we scan high-click terms with zero results, and finally we look for patterns in wording, like “emergency,” “same day,” “price,” “near [city],” and competitor brand names.
Tips that save budget fast for local Orlando and Central Florida businesses
If you serve a defined area, location intent is one of the quickest wins. We often add negatives for cities, counties, or neighborhoods you do not serve, and we watch for “tourist” queries that waste spend if you are a local service business. For example, a Winter Park clinic might block searches that mention areas far outside your drive-time, while a contractor in East Orlando might block “Miami” and “Tampa” terms that sneak in through broad matching.
If you want help turning this report into cleaner traffic and lower cost per lead, our PPC management service includes a recurring search term review cadence with ongoing negative keyword work and keyword expansion. If you are also judging performance week to week, our guidance on PPC KPIs pairs well with search terms because it keeps the report focused on business outcomes, not clicks for the sake of clicks.
