The search terms report is a Google Ads report that shows the exact words and phrases people typed into Google right before your ad appeared and was clicked, so you can see what you actually paid for versus what you thought you were targeting.
Here’s the simple difference: keywords are what you add to your campaign, search terms are what real people type. The report connects those two, then shows performance by query (clicks, cost, conversions, conversion rate, and more). For Orlando businesses, this is where we spot the hidden waste fast, like a dentist paying for “dental assistant jobs,” a law firm showing for “free legal advice,” or a pest control company getting clicks from “DIY roach spray.”
In day-to-day management, we use the search terms report for two jobs: (1) block bad traffic with negative keywords, and (2) find profitable new keywords and themes to build out. If you want help setting up and managing this the right way, our PPC management work includes a consistent search terms review cadence so your budget stays focused on real buyers.
How we use it in a practical weekly routine
- Pull the report on a clean date range (often last 7 to 30 days), then sort by spend and clicks first.
- Add negatives for mismatches (jobs, careers, training, free, cheap, DIY, definition, symptoms-only research, out-of-area cities you do not serve). This reduces wasted spend and improves lead quality.
- Promote winners into your keyword list when you see a search term converting. That lets you write ads and build landing pages around it instead of hoping Google “figures it out.”
- Tighten match types and ad groups when a term is valid but too broad. For example, split “emergency plumber Orlando” away from “plumber Orlando” so you can control bids, messaging, and call handling.
- Use term language to improve copy (headlines, extensions, and offers) so your ad mirrors how customers talk.
One thing that trips people up: you will not always see every query. Google may group some low volume searches into “other” buckets for privacy, so treat the report as a strong sample, not a complete ledger. That is also why we pair it with conversion tracking and reporting hygiene, like what we cover in our SEO tools guide.
Bonus: the search terms report is also a content goldmine. The same phrases that convert in Ads often turn into high intent service page sections and FAQ topics, especially when you map them to what a customer is trying to solve. If you want a refresher on the language side, our FAQ on what keywords are is a quick read.
If you tell us what you sell and where you serve in Central Florida, we can outline a clean negative keyword starter list and a weekly review pattern that fits your budget and lead goals.
