· 1 min read · Bookwell
The ten-minute check that shows where your ad budget goes
Your search terms report lists what people actually typed before they clicked your ad. Here is how to read it and what to cut.
Most contractors have never opened their search terms report. It is the single most useful screen in Google Ads, because it shows the exact words a person typed before clicking your ad and costing you money.
Where to find it
In Google Ads, open Campaigns, then Insights and reports, then Search terms. Set the date range to the last 30 days and sort by cost, highest first.
What you are looking for
Read the top 50 rows and sort each one into a pile:
- Jobs you want. "ac repair near me", "water heater replacement cost", "garage door spring broken".
- Jobs you do not do. Commercial work if you are residential, brands you do not service, towns you do not drive to.
- People who will never hire you. Job seekers, DIY questions, parts lookups, school programs.
If the third pile is more than a tenth of your spend, the account needs work.
What to do about it
- Add every bad term as a negative keyword so it cannot trigger your ads again.
- Look for patterns. If you see three different "how to" searches, add "how to" as a negative phrase.
- Check your location settings. "Presence or interest" lets people outside your area see your ads. Switch it to "Presence" only.
How often
Weekly for a new account, every two weeks once it settles. This is the first thing we do in an audit and the thing we keep doing every week after.