Marketers · problem and fix
Google Ads search terms report hidden queries: find wasted spend on Mac in 2026
The Google Ads search terms report shows the queries that triggered your ads. Some queries never appear there, because Google leaves out low-volume searches for privacy reasons. This page shows where that spend hides and how to find it on your Mac.
The short answer
- The search terms report only lists queries with enough activity. Rare queries are left out, so some spend never shows up by name.
- Search terms insights puts leftover spend into 'other search terms' or 'uncategorized search terms'. That bucket needs its own review.
- Negatives added from the report default to exact match. Switch to phrase match when a whole theme is off target.
- Performance Max has its own report. Its Search and Shopping exclusions use negative keywords at the account or campaign level.
What finding wasted spend in hidden search queries costs you
Spend you cannot name
Money in the 'other' bucket is spend you cannot name by query. Google says it groups terms that were not searched by a significant number of people. One advertiser saw 80% of ad spend and 90% of conversions in that bucket, in an all exact match campaign. That is one account, not a study, but it shows how much can hide there.
Hours of manual review
DoubleVerify's 2026 survey of 2,020 decision-makers in 25 countries found respondents averaged 9h58m a week on manual optimization. That covers bids, budgets, and more, not search terms alone. Search term review is one slice of that time, and the slices add up across a team.
Your own hourly value
The BLS median pay for advertising and promotions managers was $133,660 in May 2025 data. Multiply your weekly review hours by the weeks you work in a year, then by your hourly rate. That result is your own estimate, not a sourced figure. Use it to decide how much a better routine is worth.
The close variant premium
The Adpulse study, quoted by PPC Hero, analysed more than 4 million clicks. Close-variant clicks cost almost double the average CPC of true-match clicks. Close-variant CPA was roughly double true match, and ROAS was roughly half. If hidden queries come from loose matching, the cost goes beyond bad clicks.
A clean report can hide the problem
A short, tidy report can hide the problem. Low-volume queries drop out, and the rows that remain look reasonable. An account can look well run while its spend sits in terms nobody reads. That makes this waste harder to see than a bad invoice.
Why it happens
Privacy thresholds hide low-volume queries
Google leaves out search terms that do not have enough query activity. The reason is data privacy. Those rows never reach the report, so you cannot see them to add a negative. A campaign with many rare queries can show a short, clean list while most of its spend sits outside view.
Insights groups what the report cannot name
Search terms insights sorts terms into themes. Lower spend and unidentifiable terms land in 'other search terms' or 'uncategorized search terms'. Google says the groupings take all search terms into account. You still read themes there, not one row per query, so you need both views.
Negatives default to exact match
Google says negative keywords added to a Search campaign from the report default to exact match. An exact negative blocks one string. Word order, extra words, and small spelling changes can slip past it. Many people add one exact negative per bad query, then wonder why waste returns in new forms.
Match types let Google find variants
Broad and close variant matching lets your ads show for queries you did not pick. The Adpulse study quoted by PPC Hero found close-variant CPA roughly double true match, with ROAS roughly half. Loose matching does not always mean waste, but it spreads waste across many rows that are hard to review one by one.
Performance Max uses other levels and reports
Performance Max has its own search terms report. Search and Shopping exclusions use negative keywords at the account or campaign level. Display and Video use excluded content keywords in Content Suitability. People who expect the same controls as a Search campaign often look in the wrong place.
Different processing creates small gaps
Google notes that performance data is processed differently between the report and Search terms insights. That causes minor differences. Totals will not match exactly, so do not chase a small gap. Chase the big ones, where the money is.
How to fix it
These work with or without any app.
Download the report and sort by cost
Open the search terms report for the Search campaign you want to review. Download the file, then open it in Google Sheets. Sort by the cost column, largest first, so the expensive rows sit at the top. Use ⌘F in Sheets to find a term across the sheet. If you need a CSV copy, use File > Download > Comma-separated values (.csv, current sheet).
Mark each row relevant, irrelevant, or unclear
Add a column beside the rows and mark each one. Relevant rows stay. Irrelevant rows become negative candidates. Unclear rows wait for a second look. Keep the reason short, such as off topic or job seekers. Your future self will read these notes.
Add negatives in small batches with the right match type
The report does not let you add negatives directly, so add them in the negative keyword list. Use exact match for a single odd query. Use phrase match when the whole theme is off target. Save broad negatives for last, and check what they block before you save.
Read Search terms insights for the other bucket
Open Search terms insights for the same campaign, or for the account. Read the themes first. Then look at the 'other search terms' and 'uncategorized search terms' lines. A big bucket is a reason to study themes, not a reason to panic. Compare the bucket with conversions before you act on it.
Clean up Performance Max at account or campaign level
Open the Performance Max search terms report. Add Search and Shopping exclusions as negative keywords at the account or campaign level, as the help page describes. Handle Display and Video exclusions through excluded content keywords in Content Suitability. Recheck the report after your next review.
Use Google Ads Editor for bulk changes on Mac
If you manage many campaigns, Google Ads Editor on a Mac can handle bulk negatives. You need macOS 12 or later for Editor 2.9 and up. Editor 2.10 lets you exclude irrelevant search terms at the Performance Max campaign level. Keep a copy of the list before any large change.
Compare close variants against true match
Pull cost per conversion for close-variant matches and for true-match keywords over the same dates. If close variants cost far more, tighten the match type or add negatives for their common patterns. The Adpulse study points that way, but test on your own account before you change much.
Keep a log of every negative you add
Write the date, the term, the match type, the campaign, and a short reason for each negative. The log lets you undo a bad block and explain changes to a teammate. It also shows which changes moved conversions and which did nothing.
Check Microsoft Advertising separately if you run it
Microsoft's API docs say its search query performance report includes only terms with a significant number of clicks in the last 30 days. Run that report for your Microsoft campaigns on its own schedule. Do not assume the Google findings carry over to it.
What the search terms report actually shows
The search terms report lists the words people typed before your ad showed or got a click. Google's help page says it shows search terms that a significant number of people used and that resulted in your ad being shown. Those rows are the closest you get to the real query text.
The Keyword column does not show by default. Turn it on when you want to see which keyword matched a query. Google says so on the same help page. Without that column, you can read a query and only guess which bid triggered it.
Treat the report as a sample, not a full ledger. Google filters out some terms to meet data privacy standards. Your total spend can be higher than the rows you can see add up to. That gap is the subject of this page.
80%
Ad spend one advertiser saw in 'other' search terms, in an all exact match campaign. One account, not a study.
Google Ads Liaison Explains 'Other' Search Terms Issue, Search Engine Journal9h58m
Average weekly time marketers spent on manual optimization in 2026. This covers all tasks, not search terms alone.
Marketers still spend 10 hours a week on manual optimization, DV finds, PPC Land$133,660
BLS median pay for advertising and promotions managers, based on May 2025 data.
Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers, BLS Occupational Outlook HandbookWhy some queries never appear in the report
Google's help page says some search terms without enough query activity are omitted from the report. The reason is privacy. Google does not want to show a query that a single person typed. You cannot see those rows, so you cannot add them as negatives by name.
Two other limits matter. Google says store visits and store sales conversions are not compatible with the report. If you track those conversions, check them in another view. The report will not give you the full story for them.
The other bucket in Search terms insights
Search terms insights is a separate view that groups terms into themes. Google says you can use it at the account level or the individual campaign level. Terms with lower spend, or with no identifiable category, go into 'other search terms'. Terms that cannot be identified at all are labeled 'Uncategorized search terms'.
Google's Ads Liaison, Ginny Marvin, has explained that queries which do not meet privacy thresholds are aggregated into the 'other' line. Marvin recommends using Search terms insights to see the query themes. That is useful advice, but it does not show each query by name.
Here is the catch. 'Other' is not the same as wasted. An advertiser in a Search Engine Journal report saw 80% of ad spend and 90% of conversions in that bucket. The campaign was all exact match. That is one account, so do not read it as a rule. It does show the bucket can hold money that works.
A worked example you can run this week
Start with the rows at the top of the report. Sort by cost, largest first, and read the first rows you see. Spend often clusters in a short list of rows, so that is where a review pays off first.
For each row, ask three questions. Did this person want what I sell? Would I pay for this click? Did the click lead to a lead, a sale, or a call I can use? Mark each row relevant, irrelevant, or unclear. Irrelevant rows are your negative candidates.
Unclear rows need a second look. A query that names a competitor, or a job title, can be good or bad depending on your offer. Write a one-line reason next to each decision. You will forget why you blocked something by next month.
The mistake that keeps waste alive
People see one ugly query and add it as an exact negative. That blocks one exact string. The variants keep coming through, so the waste returns in a new form. Look for the pattern, such as a word, a brand name, or a theme, and add the pattern instead.
The reverse mistake happens too. Someone adds a broad negative for one bad term, and it blocks good queries as well. Check the match type before you save. Then watch the report for a week to see what changed.
Add negatives from the report without the usual traps
You cannot add keywords or negative keywords directly from the report. Google's help page says so. Note the terms you want to block, then add them as negative keywords in the campaign or account list. Negatives added from the report default to exact match.
Exact match blocks only that exact query. Phrase match blocks the words in order, so it catches more variants. Broad match is the widest option. Google says negative keywords can be exact, phrase, or broad. Pick the match type that fits the size of the off-target theme.
| Symptom | Google's tool for it | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| A named query with no sale | Search terms report, then a negative keyword | Negatives from the report default to exact match |
| Terms in 'other search terms' | Search terms insights, account or campaign view | Groups show themes, not every query |
| Performance Max search waste | Performance Max search terms report, negatives at account or campaign level | The help page does not mention ad group level |
| Display or Video waste in Performance Max | Excluded content keywords in Content Suitability | This is separate from negative keywords |
Performance Max search terms work differently
Performance Max has its own search terms report. Google's help page says Search and Shopping exclusions use negative keywords at the account or campaign level. Display and Video exclusions go through excluded content keywords in Content Suitability. Those are separate settings, so check both.
The page does not mention ad group level for these exclusions. If you look for an ad group option, you may waste time. Start at the account or campaign level, as the help page describes. Then recheck the report after your next review.
Use Google Ads Editor on your Mac for bulk changes
If you manage many campaigns, bulk edits in the browser get slow. Google Ads Editor is a desktop app for larger changes. On a Mac, it needs macOS 12 or later, starting with Editor 2.9. Check your version with Apple menu > About This Mac.
Editor 2.10 lets you exclude irrelevant search terms at the Performance Max campaign level. It also highlights incremental Search Themes in the Status column. The help page calls 2.10 the 2025 release, so confirm you have the current version. Read the release notes before a big upload.
Edge cases that catch careful people
- Low-volume campaigns may look cleaner than they are. More of their queries fall below the privacy threshold, so fewer rows appear.
- Microsoft Advertising reports differ. Microsoft's API docs say its search query performance report includes only terms with a significant number of clicks in the last 30 days.
- Match type changes the mix. The Adpulse study, quoted by PPC Hero, found close-variant clicks cost almost double the average CPC of true-match clicks.
- Store conversions do not fit the report. Google says store visits and store sales conversions are not compatible with it.
- Small gaps are normal. Search terms insights and the report process performance data differently, so totals can differ slightly.
What the research does not prove
The independent evidence here is thin. Google's help pages explain how the report works. They do not measure how much waste any account has. Most of the evidence that negatives cut waste comes from vendor case studies without control groups.
I did not find survey data on grades, burnout, or error rates caused by search query waste. Treat any promised saving with care, including the figures in this page. Test your own change. Keep the old list for comparison, and watch conversions for a few weeks.
A routine you can keep
A weekly pass suits most small accounts. Pull the report, sort by cost, mark rows, add a batch of negatives, and log what you changed. Larger accounts may need a shorter check each day for the first few weeks.
Keep notes next to the report. A short log with the date, term, match type, and reason lets you undo a bad block. It also helps the next person who opens the account.
How Lazur fits into this work, and what it does not do
Lazur is a voice assistant for the Mac. It lives in the notch. Hold ⌥⌘ to ask about anything on screen, and Lazur answers out loud. Ask where something is, and Lazur draws a circle and a label around it on your screen.
Lazur does not click buttons, edit files, or operate Google Ads or Google Sheets for you. When you ask how to do something, it guides you one click at a time and waits for each click. Lazur is not a plugin or add-in for any app, and it has no partnerships with any app maker.
Privacy works like this. Lazur listens and looks at the screen only while you hold the shortcut. Audio and the screenshot go to AI providers to answer and are not stored. Content is never used to train AI models.
Faster with Lazur
Where Lazur helps with finding wasted spend in hidden search queries
Hold ⌥ ⌘ and say what you want. Lazur sees your Google Sheets window. Lazur draws a circle and a label around the button or menu you need.
- 1
Hold ⌥⌘ and talk
- 2
Lazur draws a circle and a label around the button or menu you need.
- 3
You stay in Google Sheets. Nothing to copy into a chat window.
More things to say in Google Sheets
- “Where is the search terms report in this campaign?”
- “Explain what 'other search terms' means in this report.”
- “Walk me through adding a negative keyword, one click at a time.”
- “Point at the match type column for this row.”
- “Type a note that these terms are off topic.”
- “Draft a short note to my team about this week's negatives.”
Free for 3 days, then $18/month. Download for Mac
You say“Where is the search terms report in this account?”
Lazur · points at itLazur circles the report on screen and labels it, so you can find it without hunting.
What marketers say to Lazur for this
Each one is a single hold of ⌥ ⌘.
“Where is the search terms report in this campaign?”
Lazur circles the report on screen and labels it, so you spend less time hunting through menus.
Points at it
“Explain what 'other search terms' means in this report.”
Lazur explains the bucket out loud, using the text on your screen, so you know what to check next.
Explains what's on screen
“Walk me through adding a negative keyword, one click at a time.”
Lazur guides you one click at a time and waits for each click. You make each change yourself.
Walks you through it
“Point at the match type column for this row.”
Lazur points at the column and reads the match type out loud, so you can check it before you save.
Points at it
“Type a note that these terms are off topic.”
Dictation types your note at the cursor in any app. Hold fn to dictate, so the log stays current.
Types what you say
“Draft a short note to my team about this week's negatives.”
Lazur drafts the message text. You read it, edit it, and send it yourself.
Drafts it
A plan you can start this week
- Monday
Pull and sort the report
Download the search terms report for your Search campaigns. Open it in Google Sheets, add cost and conversion columns if they are missing, and sort by cost from largest to smallest.
- Tuesday
Sort rows into three piles
Mark each row as relevant, irrelevant, or unclear. Write a short reason beside each decision. Keep the unclear rows for a second look rather than guessing at them.
- Wednesday
Add negatives in a batch
Add irrelevant terms to the negative keyword list. Use exact match for a single odd query, and phrase match when a whole theme is off target. Check each match type before saving.
- Thursday
Check the other bucket
Open Search terms insights for the same campaign. Read the themes, then the 'other search terms' line. Note how large that line is before you decide anything about it.
- Friday
Check Performance Max exclusions
If you run Performance Max, review its search terms report. Add Search and Shopping exclusions as negatives at the account or campaign level. Check Display and Video exclusions in Content Suitability.
- Weekly
Log and compare
Write down what you blocked and the date. Next week, check whether those terms still appear in the report and whether conversions moved in the campaign.
- Monthly
Review match types
Compare close-variant cost per conversion with true match over the same dates. If close variants cost much more, tighten the match types and keep watching the report.
Questions people ask
Why doesn't my Google Ads search terms report show every query?
Google's help page says some search terms without enough query activity are left out to meet data privacy standards. Those queries are often rare. Check Search terms insights for the themes, but expect groupings rather than a row for every term.
Is the 'other search terms' line wasted spend?
Not by default. Google says these are terms that were not searched by a significant number of people. One advertiser saw most of its spend there in an all exact match campaign. Check what converts before you call it waste.
Can I add negative keywords straight from the search terms report?
No. Google's help page says you cannot add keywords or negative keywords directly from the report. Note the terms, then add them in the negative keyword list. Negatives added from the report default to exact match.
What is the difference between exact, phrase, and broad negatives?
Exact match blocks only the exact query. Phrase match blocks the words in order, so it catches more variants. Broad match is the widest option. Google says negatives can be any of the three, so pick based on how wide the off-target theme is.
Does Performance Max have the same report?
It has its own search terms report. Google's help page says Search and Shopping exclusions use negative keywords at the account or campaign level. Display and Video exclusions use excluded content keywords in Content Suitability.
Can I run Google Ads Editor on a Mac?
Yes, if your Mac runs macOS 12 or later. Google says the Mac version requires macOS 12 or later, starting with Editor 2.9. Check your macOS version under Apple menu > About This Mac.
Does Lazur change my Google Ads account for me?
No. Lazur does not click buttons or operate other apps for you. It points, explains, guides you one click at a time, answers out loud, and drafts text. You make every change yourself.
Should I paste search terms data into Lazur or any AI tool?
Follow your employer's rules on customer and campaign data first. Lazur listens and looks at the screen only while you hold the shortcut. Audio and the screenshot go to AI providers to answer and are not stored.
Do I need Lazur to follow this routine?
No. Lazur is optional. The steps work in the Google Ads interface and in Google Sheets without it. Lazur can point at columns and explain terms while you work.
Sources
- About the search terms report, Google Ads Help · Google · checked 2026-11-08
- Get negative keyword ideas using the search terms report, Google Ads Help · Google · checked 2026-11-08
- About search terms insights, Google Ads Help · Google · checked 2026-11-08
- About the search terms report in Performance Max, Google Ads Help · Google · checked 2026-11-08
- Google Ads Editor version 2.10, Google Ads Editor Help · Google · checked 2026-11-08
- Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers, Occupational Outlook Handbook · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · checked 2026-11-08
- Google Ads Liaison Explains 'Other' Search Terms Issue, Search Engine Journal · Search Engine Journal · checked 2026-11-08
- Marketers still spend 10 hours a week on manual optimization, DV finds, PPC Land · PPC Land · checked 2026-11-08
- How to safely use Broad Match keywords, PPC Hero · PPC Hero · checked 2026-11-08
- SearchQueryPerformanceReportRequest Data Object, Microsoft Advertising API · Microsoft Learn · checked 2026-11-08
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