What's the Difference Between Search Terms and Keywords? A Clear Breakdown for PPC Advertisers

If you've ever stared at your Google Ads dashboard wondering why your ads are showing up for searches you never intended to target, you're not alone. The confusion usually boils down to one fundamental misunderstanding: the difference between keywords and search terms.

TL;DR: Keywords are the terms you add to your ad groups and bid on—they're your targeting choices. Search terms are the actual queries real people type into Google that trigger your ads to show. Understanding this distinction is critical because it's the gap between what you think you're targeting and what you're actually paying for.

This might sound like semantics, but in most accounts I audit, advertisers are bleeding budget because they don't regularly check what search terms are actually triggering their ads. You might bid on "running shoes" but end up paying for clicks from people searching "how to repair running shoes" or "running shoes cartoon drawing." That's not a match type problem—that's a knowledge gap about how keywords and search terms work together.

The Quick Answer: Keywords vs. Search Terms in Plain English

Let's cut through the jargon with a simple analogy. Think of keywords as your fishing net and search terms as the actual fish you catch.

When you add a keyword to your Google Ads campaign, you're essentially telling Google: "Show my ad when someone searches for something related to this term." That keyword is your targeting instruction, your bid, your strategic choice. It lives in your ad group, you assign it a match type, and you decide how much you're willing to pay for clicks it generates.

Search terms, on the other hand, are the real-world queries that actual users type into Google's search box. These are unfiltered, unpredictable, and often surprising. Someone might search "best waterproof trail running shoes for wide feet," and if you're bidding on the keyword "running shoes" with broad match, your ad could show up.

Here's what usually happens: You carefully select 50 keywords for your campaign based on research and strategy. But those 50 keywords might match hundreds or even thousands of different search terms depending on your match type settings. Each search term represents a real person with a real intent—and not all of those intents align with what you're actually selling.

The mistake most advertisers make is assuming their keyword list perfectly reflects what they're targeting. In reality, your keywords are just the starting point. The search terms are where the rubber meets the road, where your budget gets spent, and where your conversions happen or don't happen.

This distinction matters because you can't optimize what you can't see. If you're only looking at keyword performance in your campaigns, you're missing the full picture. You need to dig into the Search Terms Report to understand what is a search term actually triggering your ads and whether those triggers are helping or hurting your account performance.

How Match Types Connect Keywords to Search Terms

Match types are the bridge between your keywords and the search terms that trigger your ads. They determine how loosely or tightly Google interprets your targeting instructions.

Broad Match: This is the widest net you can cast. When you add a keyword in broad match, Google uses its machine learning algorithms to show your ads for searches it deems relevant—even if the actual search term doesn't contain your keyword at all. If you're bidding on "running shoes," you might match search terms like "best sneakers for jogging," "athletic footwear reviews," or even "marathon training gear."

What usually happens here is advertisers get surprised by how broad "broad" really is. Google's algorithms have gotten smarter over the years, but they're optimizing for clicks and conversions based on signals across the entire auction ecosystem—not necessarily your specific business goals. In accounts I manage, broad match often pulls in adjacent categories or related-but-different product types that sound relevant to Google but aren't what the advertiser wants to sell.

Phrase Match: This match type requires your keyword concept to appear in the search term, but allows for additional words before or after. The key word here is "concept"—Google doesn't require exact word-for-word matching anymore. If your keyword is "running shoes," phrase match might trigger for "best running shoes for women" or "buy running shoes online," but it could also match "shoes for running marathons" because the intent is preserved.

Phrase match used to be more predictable before Google deprecated modified broad match in 2021 and folded that behavior into phrase match. Now phrase match has expanded to include some of the flexibility that modified broad used to provide, which means the gap between your keyword and actual search terms can be wider than you expect. Understanding how match types affect search term targeting is essential for controlling your ad spend.

Exact Match: Even exact match isn't truly exact anymore. Google allows close variants, which include misspellings, singular/plural forms, abbreviations, and searches with the same intent. Your exact match keyword [running shoes] might trigger for "running shoe," "shoes for running," or "runningshoes" (no space). It won't match "best running shoes" or "cheap running shoes" because those add modifying words that change the search intent.

The practical reality is that match types control how much interpretation Google applies to your keywords. Broad match gives Google maximum flexibility to find "relevant" searchers. Exact match keeps things tighter but still allows variation. And phrase match sits somewhere in the middle, trying to balance reach with relevance. For a deeper dive, check out how phrase match and exact match differ in Google Ads.

Understanding this relationship is crucial because it explains why you might see search terms in your report that look nothing like your keywords—especially if you're using broad match. It's not a bug, it's how the system is designed to work.

Where to Find Your Search Terms Report in Google Ads

The Search Terms Report is where you see the actual queries that triggered your ads. It's one of the most important reports in Google Ads, yet many advertisers rarely check it.

Here's how to navigate there in the current Google Ads interface: Click on "Insights and reports" in the left-hand menu, then select "Search terms" from the dropdown. You'll see a table showing all the search terms that triggered your ads, along with performance metrics for each one. For a complete walkthrough, see our guide on the Google Ads Search Terms Report.

The key columns to pay attention to are Search term (the actual query), Match type (which match type triggered the ad), Clicks, Conversions, Cost, and Conversion value. These columns tell you what people searched, how they found you, and whether those searches were profitable.

One critical thing to understand: Google doesn't show you every search term. For privacy reasons, they suppress search terms that don't meet certain volume thresholds. You'll often see a category called "Other search terms" that aggregates all the queries Google won't show you individually. This can be frustrating because you're essentially flying blind on a portion of your traffic.

In most accounts I audit, the "Other search terms" category represents anywhere from 10% to 40% of total clicks, depending on campaign structure and match type usage. There's not much you can do about this limitation except understand that your Search Terms Report is showing you a sample, not the complete picture.

When you're reviewing the report, you can filter by campaign, ad group, or date range to narrow down what you're analyzing. You can also add columns for metrics like Cost per conversion or Conversion rate to help identify which search terms are performing well and which ones are wasting budget.

The interface also lets you take action directly from the report. You can select search terms and add them as keywords to your ad groups, or add them as negative keywords to prevent future matches. This is where the real optimization work happens—turning insights into action.

Using Search Term Data to Improve Your Keyword Strategy

The Search Terms Report isn't just a diagnostic tool—it's your roadmap for ongoing campaign optimization. Here's how to actually use the data to improve performance.

Finding High-Converting Search Terms to Add as Keywords: Look for search terms that are driving conversions at a good cost but aren't already in your keyword list. These are gold because they represent proven intent. When you find them, add them as keywords with a tighter match type (usually phrase or exact) so you can bid on them more aggressively and control the messaging more precisely.

For example, if you're bidding on "running shoes" in broad match and you notice the search term "trail running shoes for women" is converting well, add that as a phrase match keyword in a dedicated ad group. This gives you more control over bids and lets you write ad copy specifically for that audience. Learning how to pick the best keywords for Google Ads starts with this kind of data-driven analysis.

Identifying Irrelevant Search Terms to Block: This is where most budget waste lives. Scan through your search terms for queries that are clearly irrelevant to what you're selling. Common examples include informational searches ("how to clean running shoes"), job searches ("running shoes sales associate"), or adjacent products you don't sell ("running shoe storage rack").

Add these as negative keywords at the campaign or account level to prevent future matches. In most accounts, a solid negative keyword list can reduce wasted spend by preventing hundreds of irrelevant clicks per month. The key is building this list proactively, not reactively—check your Search Terms Report regularly and add negatives before they drain too much budget. Our guide on the best way to add negative keywords in Google Ads covers this process in detail.

Spotting Patterns That Reveal New Opportunities: Sometimes you'll notice clusters of search terms that suggest a new ad group or even a new campaign. If you're selling running shoes and you keep seeing search terms related to "marathon training shoes," "ultra running shoes," and "long distance running footwear," that's a signal that you could create a dedicated campaign targeting serious distance runners.

These patterns also reveal how your audience actually talks about your products. You might be using industry jargon in your keywords while your customers are using everyday language. The search terms show you the real vocabulary people use, which should inform your keyword selection and ad copy.

What usually happens here is advertisers discover product categories or use cases they hadn't considered. The search terms are essentially free market research—they tell you what people want and how they're looking for it. This is also where long tail keyword research becomes invaluable for capturing specific buyer intent.

Common Mistakes When Managing Keywords and Search Terms

Ignoring the Search Terms Report Entirely: This is the biggest mistake. If you're not checking your search terms regularly, you're flying blind. You have no idea what's actually triggering your ads, which means you can't optimize for relevance or block waste. I've seen accounts where 30-40% of spend was going to completely irrelevant searches simply because no one had looked at the Search Terms Report in months.

The mistake most agencies make is setting up campaigns and then just monitoring high-level metrics like CTR and conversion rate. Those metrics can look fine even while you're hemorrhaging budget on junk traffic, because a few good search terms can mask a lot of bad ones. Proper Google Ads search terms analysis is essential for uncovering these hidden problems.

Adding Every Search Term as a Keyword Without Strategy: Some advertisers swing the opposite direction and add every converting search term as a new keyword. This creates bloated ad groups with hundreds of keywords, many of which overlap or conflict with each other. It also makes ongoing management a nightmare.

The better approach is to be selective. Add search terms as keywords when they represent significant volume or when you want more control over bidding and messaging. But don't add every single variation—that's what phrase and exact match are for. Understanding the best way to structure campaigns and ad groups helps you organize these decisions effectively.

Not Building Negative Keyword Lists: Negative keywords are just as important as positive keywords, but they're often treated as an afterthought. Without a robust negative keyword list, you'll keep matching the same irrelevant searches over and over, wasting budget on clicks that will never convert.

Create negative keyword lists at the account level for universal exclusions (like "free," "job," "DIY," "how to," etc.) and campaign-specific lists for category exclusions. Update these lists every time you review your Search Terms Report. Understanding the difference between campaign-level and ad group-level negatives helps you apply them strategically.

Not Understanding Match Type Behavior: Many advertisers still think exact match means exact, or they don't realize how much broad match has expanded. This leads to surprise when they see their ads showing for searches that don't look anything like their keywords. Understanding how match types actually work in 2026—with all the AI and close variant expansion Google has built in—is essential for setting realistic expectations.

Putting It All Together: A Practical Workflow

Here's the workflow I use in accounts I actively manage, and it's something you can implement regardless of your account size or complexity.

Weekly or Bi-Weekly Review Cadence: Set a recurring calendar reminder to review your Search Terms Report. For most accounts, weekly is ideal during the first few months of a campaign, then you can shift to bi-weekly once things stabilize. High-spend accounts should check more frequently.

Decision Framework for Each Search Term: When you're reviewing search terms, you're making one of three decisions for each one: add it as a keyword for more control, add it as a negative to block it, or leave it alone because it's already being handled appropriately by your existing keywords.

Ask yourself: Did this search term convert? Is it relevant to what I'm selling? Is it already covered by my keyword list? If it's converting and not covered, add it as a keyword. If it's irrelevant or low-quality, add it as a negative. If it's already handled well by an existing keyword, move on. For a systematic approach, explore our Google Ads search term report optimization guide.

Compounding Optimization Over Time: This ongoing process is where the real ROAS improvement happens. Each week you're refining your targeting, blocking waste, and capturing new opportunities. Over months, this compounds into significantly better performance because you're constantly tightening the connection between what you're bidding on and what's actually triggering your ads.

In most accounts, the first few Search Terms Report reviews uncover the most dramatic waste and opportunity. But even after that initial cleanup, ongoing reviews continue to find incremental improvements that add up over time.

Your Next Steps: From Understanding to Action

Mastering the keyword vs. search term distinction is foundational PPC knowledge. It's the difference between thinking you're targeting "running shoes" and actually knowing you're paying for clicks from people searching "cartoon running shoes clipart." One is strategic intent, the other is budget reality.

The real optimization work happens in the Search Terms Report. It's not a set-and-forget process—it's an ongoing discipline of reviewing what's actually triggering your ads, blocking the waste, and capturing the opportunities. Every week you skip this review is a week you're potentially paying for irrelevant clicks or missing high-converting search terms you should be bidding on directly.

The good news is that once you build this habit, it becomes second nature. You start to recognize patterns faster, your negative keyword lists get more comprehensive, and your keyword strategy becomes more precise. The compounding effect of regular Search Terms Report analysis is one of the most reliable ways to improve Google Ads performance over time.

If you're managing multiple accounts or dealing with high search term volume, the manual process of reviewing, sorting, and taking action on search terms can become time-consuming. That's where tools that integrate directly into your workflow can make a real difference—not by automating decisions, but by speeding up the mechanical parts of the process so you can focus on strategy.

Optimize Google Ads Campaigns 10X Faster. Without Leaving Your Account. Keywordme lets you remove junk search terms, build high-intent keyword lists, and apply match types instantly—right inside Google Ads. No spreadsheets, no switching tabs, just quick, seamless optimization. Start your free 7-day trial (then just $12/month) and take your Google Ads game to the next level.