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Optimize your Google Ads searches: converting terms and negatives

Updated 2026-07-13

In two lines: Search Terms shows you the real searches people made that triggered your Google Ads. With that list you do two things: add the ones that convert as keywords, and exclude the ones spending without bringing results.

What are search terms?

They're not the same as your keywords. Your keywords are the words you bid on; the search terms are what people actually typed into Google and ended up showing your ad.

That difference is gold for optimizing: there you discover converting searches you didn't have yet, and also irrelevant searches that are costing you money.

How do I add the searches that convert?

  • Go to Paid Media > Search Terms.
  • Open the Unadded converters tab: these are terms that already brought you conversions but that you don't yet have as a keyword.
  • On the one you want to add, use Add and choose the match type (exact, phrase, or broad).

Result: you explicitly capture a search that already proved it works.

How do I stop spending on irrelevant searches?

In the All terms tab, review the ones accumulating cost with no conversions and use Exclude to turn them into a negative keyword. You can exclude them at the ad group level, the campaign level, or in a shared negatives list.

Result: your investment stops going to clicks that don't help you and concentrates on the searches that do.

Make this a habit. Reviewing search terms every one or two weeks is one of the highest-impact, lowest-effort optimizations in Google Ads.

What do I need to use it?

Google Ads connected from Settings > Integrations. Search Terms works only with that platform; if it's not connected, there are no terms to show.

Still have questions?

Ask MIA, the MB Suite AI assistant: open it with the MB AI button (⌘J) in the top bar. MIA knows the section you're in, so you can ask it about what you see on screen — and it can also answer how-to questions about using MB Suite.