Free Google Ads search terms report analyzer

Frequently asked questions

What does this search terms report analyzer show?

Three things a search terms report doesn’t tell you on its own: how much of your Search spend Google leaves out of it, which converting searches still lack an exact-match keyword, and which searches two or more ad groups serve. The converting searches carry the Opportunity Scan’s own Act and Investigate verdicts.

Why doesn’t my search terms report show all my search terms?

Google leaves out searches that too few people made, for privacy, and counts their cost only in the report’s Other search terms total. You still pay for those clicks. The X-Ray compares the rows you downloaded with Google’s own Total: Search row to show what share of your Search spend the report leaves out.

How do I download the search terms report from Google Ads?

In Google Ads, go to Campaigns › Insights and reports › Search terms, once called the search query report. Pick any range from 14 days to a year, leave the table unsegmented and use Download › .csv; Excel .csv and .tsv work too. The default columns work as they are, and adding Keyword and Conv. value makes the results more precise. Add the Ad group report for the same dates to compare each search with its own campaign and ad group.

Which search terms should I add as keywords?

Start with Act: converting searches with no exact-match keyword that clear every threshold the Opportunity Scan uses for its own recommendations. Investigate searches look promising but need a check first, usually because they have few conversions. The X-Ray shows the evidence; it never changes your account.

What does it mean when one search shows in several ad groups?

Your keywords let more than one ad group serve the same search. The X-Ray lists those searches and flags the ones worth a routing review, where performance differs enough between the ad groups. It never recommends a negative keyword or calls that spend wasted.

What happens to my data?

Your browser reads the file. Campaign names, ad group names and keyword text never leave it: the analysis receives only search terms, their numbers and anonymous campaign and ad group keys. Search terms are analyzed in memory and discarded, and nothing is stored.

Do I need to sign in or connect Google Ads?

No. The X-Ray works from your export, with no sign-in and no access to your Google Ads account, and you can see a sample X-Ray first. Results are never hidden; an email is asked for only when you download your X-Ray as CSV.

What is an Ownership Gap?

The Opportunity Scan’s measure of a converting search’s spend that no exact keyword owns yet. It is shown for each search on its own and never added up across searches.

Why is a converting search missing from the list without an exact keyword?

Downloads do not show keyword match types, so the X-Ray reads them from how each search matched. A phrase or broad keyword whose text equals the search term counts as exact, so that search is not listed.

How is the X-Ray different from the free Opportunity Scan?

The X-Ray reads single search terms from one export, so it sees only the spend the report shows. The free Opportunity Scan connects to your account: it groups searches into themes, decides which ad group should own each one, checks budgets and performance gaps with campaign data that includes the hidden spend, covers every campaign type and ranks the next moves.