Did you know Google is hiding between 20% to 80% of your search term data in Google Ads? That’s right, advertisers are missing out on details that could improve ad performance and optimise spending.
According to an analysis by Search Engine Journal, advertisers are losing access to critical search data that could severely affect how campaigns perform.
But the question here is: why is Google doing this, and what can advertisers do to work around it?
Let’s talk about it.
What Are Search Terms, and Why Do They Matter?
In case you need a quick refresher, search terms are the actual words and phrases people type into Google’s search bar. When you advertise on Google, you choose keywords—terms that trigger your ads to show up in searches.
However, there’s a difference between keywords and search terms. Keywords are what you tell Google you want to target, while search terms are what users actually search for when your ad is displayed.
The confusing part? Google isn’t showing advertisers all the search terms that their keywords are generating, and this hidden data is making campaign optimisation so much harder than it needs to be.
Here’s an example:
Let’s say you’re an advertiser selling organic skincare products, and you set your keyword as "organic face cream." This means you want your ad to show up when people search for terms related to organic face creams.
Now, a user might type "best natural cream for dry skin" into Google’s search bar, and your ad could still appear because Google considers this search term close enough to your keyword "organic face cream."
However, Google might not show you this exact search term in your report, making it difficult for you to know what people are actually searching for when your ad appears. Instead, you'll only see the keyword "organic face cream" and miss out on important data that could help improve your targeting or ad copy.
What Search Engine Journal Found
Search Engine Journal analysed several Google Ads accounts, comparing keyword-level data (spend and clicks) with the search terms they actually generated. The results were interesting.
In some cases, Google only showed a small fraction of the search terms connected to a keyword. For example, one keyword had over $2,000 in spend, but only $300 worth of search terms were revealed. That’s a huge chunk of missing data!
This gap wasn’t consistent, though. Some keywords had up to 85% of their search terms hidden, while others had only around 10% missing. So there’s no clear pattern—advertisers could be spending a lot without even knowing where their budget is going.
Phrase Match vs. Exact Match Keywords: What’s the Difference?
The Search Engine Journal analysis also showed an important distinction between phrase and exact match keywords. Exact match keywords had far less hidden data—around 13%, while phrase match keywords had about 50% of their search term data hidden.
Why the difference?
Exact match keywords are more specific and target searches that closely align with the keyword, whereas phrase match is broader and shows ads for a wider range of related searches. Still, even with exact match, Google hides some data by including “close variations.”
The Bigger Picture: Around 40% of Search Data is Hidden
On average, Search Engine Journal found that around 40% of search term clicks and spend are hidden from advertisers. That means nearly half of your search data is invisible, making it harder to see what’s driving your campaign performance.
When Search Engine Journal surveyed other advertisers, they found the range of hidden search terms to be anywhere between 20% and 80%.
The bottom line? It’s pretty common for advertisers to be in the dark about a significant portion of their search data.
Why is Google Hiding This Data?
Google claims it only includes search term data that “has been used by a significant number of people and has triggered impressions and clicks.” But given how much data is missing, this explanation feels incomplete.
Some have speculated that Google’s decision to hide more search data could be a revenue move. The less data advertisers can see, the harder it is for them to optimize campaigns. This may lead to increased ad spend on lower-quality inventory that advertisers aren’t able to filter out.
Google has been moving in this direction for a while now—removing keyword data from Google Analytics and pushing products like Performance Max, which offer even less transparency.
What Can You Do to Optimise Despite This?
So, what can you do to optimise your campaigns despite the lack of visibility? Here are a few strategies:
Switch to Exact Match Keywords: According to Search Engine Journal, using exact match keywords limits the amount of hidden data to under 20%. That means you’ll have more control over your budget and better visibility into what search terms are triggering your ads.
Run Your Own Analysis: If you’re able, analyse your campaigns the way Search Engine Journal did. Compare your keyword-level clicks and spend to the search terms that Google is actually showing you. This can help you understand where your hidden spend is going and adjust according to that.
Test Pausing Keywords with High Hidden Search Terms: Search Engine Journal found that pausing keywords with a high percentage of hidden search terms led to improved performance in some cases. Try running experiments to see how your campaigns perform when you remove keywords with high hidden data.
Run Exact Match-Only Campaigns: Try using exact match keywords exclusively in some campaigns. If your volume doesn’t drop too much, this could give you more control and better understanding of your search terms and spend.
Leverage Negative Keywords: As you use negative keywords, you can prevent your ads from showing up for irrelevant search terms, even if you can't see all the data. Regularly update your negative keyword list to block low-quality searches that waste your budget.
Use Smart Bidding Strategies: Automated bidding strategies like Target CPA or Target ROAS can help improve campaign performance even with limited visibility. These strategies use machine learning to optimize bids based on performance signals that may not be visible to you but still influence Google’s algorithm.
Monitor Close Variants: Google often matches ads to close variants of your keywords, such as misspellings or synonyms. Keeping track of your performance metrics, especially for exact match keywords, will help ensure these variants aren’t eating up your budget.
Utilise Google Ads Scripts: Automating routine tasks with scripts can help you monitor hidden search term data. For instance, scripts can alert you when specific thresholds are met, such as high-spending keywords with low visibility, making it easier to spot areas where adjustments are needed.
Diversify Campaign Types: Beyond search campaigns, consider exploring display, video, or shopping ads. These formats might provide more transparency into audience behaviour and can help you optimise your overall strategy.
Consider Third-Party Tools: Some third-party tools offer more detailed reporting than Google Ads. Using these tools can help you access data that might otherwise remain hidden, giving you a clearer picture of how your ads are performing.
Regularly Review Search Term Reports: Even with limited visibility, make it a habit to review the search term reports Google does provide. Identifying high-performing search terms, no matter how few, can still help adjust your strategy and improve results.
The Future of Search Term Data
It’s not confirmed but Google may continue to hide more search term data in the future. While we can’t stop this trend, advertisers can take steps to optimise their campaigns based on the data they do have.
Using exact match keywords, running in-depth analyses, and experimenting with different approaches can help you regain some control over your campaigns—even with limited visibility.
*Credit to Search Engine Journal for their analysis and findings
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