The power of Search Query Reports (SQRs)

If you’re running Google Ads and not checking your Search Query Reports (SRQ’s) chances are you’re leaving money on the table. 

SRQ’s give you a direct line into the preferences, key data points and online behaviour of your most active audiences. It’s a look behind the scenes at what really makes your key demographics click on your ad, or just keep scrolling.

In this guide, we’re breaking down exactly why SRQ’s are such a game-changer, how to create the best version of an SRQ for your campaign, and how to get the best out of these insights.

Let’s cut to the chase.

• What is an SQR?
• Why SQRs matter more than you think
• How to access and read your SQRs in Google Ads
• Using SQRs to identify negative keywords
• Finding hidden keyword opportunities
• Best practices for SQR analysis
• Turning SQR insights into campaign benefits

What is an SQR?

So what exactly is an SQR? And how does it relate to your campaign success?

Differences between search queries and keywords
Keywords are what you target in your campaigns. They’re basically your best guess at what users will search for, based on your research into your niche audience’s preferences. They’re a single word or phrase that you choose to trigger your ad to be shown to a user.

Search queries are the actual terms users type into Google that trigger your ads. The two are connected but not identical. and this gap can hide huge opportunities or problems.

For example: You might use the keyword, garden office, while your customer might use the search query, best garden office in winter.

Why SQRs matter more than you think

Search intent behind clicks
Not all clicks are created equal. SQRs help you understand if users really meant to find your product or service, or just came across it from a related but not entirely relevant search. Remember, sometimes your ads can be shown unintentionally, when users are searching for similar keywords relating to your campaign, but not for the right reason. 

This is where SQR’s really come into their own. They reveal if you are attracting the right audience or paying for unqualified traffic.

Low converting terms
SQRs highlight keywords that eat up your budget without delivering conversions. It’s like a map of your campaign, showing where your budget is being spent without a good return on investment.

Identifying these terms early stops wasted budgets from piling up over time.

High-converting queries can get overlooked
Sometimes users click on search terms that you are not even targeting as keywords. It’s an entire opportunity of relevant clicks that are related to your campaign, product or service, but you’re none the wiser!

SQRs uncover these hidden gems, allowing you to add them directly for better performance and bidding control. You can build out entirely new campaigns based on the information you uncover from the right report.

How to Access and read your SQRs in Google Ads

Step-by-step walkthrough

• Log into Google Ads.

• Choose a campaign or ad group.

• Navigate to "Keywords" then "Search terms."

• Adjust the date range to get a meaningful sample (e.g. last 30 days).

• Use filters to zoom in on important areas (high CPC, low CTR, conversions).

What to look for

• Conversions: Identify which queries are actually driving results.

• High CPC: Find costly queries that may not be converting, or highlight the most important ad spend for your campaign overall.

• Low CTR: Spot where your ads might not be resonating with searchers, or might have poor targeting.

• Irrelevant searches that need to be blocked. TIme to build up those negative keyword lists.

• Surprising keywords that are converting well. Sometimes your most in-tune customers can surprise you.

• Patterns in user behaviour: Small clues like recurring themes, product names, questions that can tell you a lot about your audience preferences.

Using SQRs to identify negative keywords

Spotting patterns in irrelevant traffic
Look for recurring words or phrases that signal a mismatch (e.g. free, jobs, how to when you are selling a product).

Group these irrelevant searches together to create themed negative keyword lists.

Adding negatives at campaign vs ad group level
You’ll need negative keyword lists at two levels, with a good understanding of what motivates each list.

• Campaign-level negatives: Block terms across multiple ad groups to avoid duplicated work.

• Ad group-level negatives: Keep control when you want certain ad groups to still show for specific terms.

Finding hidden keyword opportunities

Long-tail high intent terms
SQRs often surface specific, detailed queries that are closer to what users are looking to spend money on, or find out specific details about. Adding these as keywords can improve your Quality Score and lower CPC.

Converting terms, new ad groups and campaigns based on real user language
Real user’s language in search queries is often different from your initial keyword plan. Take a look through your latest SQR and find search terms that users are favouring.

Group any similar high-performing queries into new ad groups for more tailored ad copy and landing pages. Then build new campaigns based on successful emerging themes (e.g. new products or niche services).

Best practices for SQR analysis

Review periods

• For brand new campaigns: Monitor overall campaign performance daily without SRQ’s to prevent any initial errors. Leave the campaign to run for a couple of weeks before collecting data, ideally a full 30 days if you have flexibility.

• For active campaigns: Check SQRs weekly or bi-weekly once you know roughly what your baseline metrics are for each campaign.

• For stable or low-volume campaigns: A monthly check should be enough.

Prioritising
Here’s a nice order to start your analysis of each SQR.

• Begin with queries that spend the most money.

• Focus next on queries with high click volume but low conversions.

• Do a final sweep for unusual spikes or brand safety issues.

Tracking changes
Keep a running log of negative keywords added and new keywords introduced. Over time, measure how these changes impact your CTR, CPA, and overall conversion rates.

Turning SQR insights into campaign benefits

Collaborating across SEO and content teams using real query data
Share high-performing queries with your SEO team to inform blog topics, FAQ pages, and product descriptions. This rapidly speeds up your overall marketing strategy across SEO and PPC, building more relevant content using real customer language.

Informing audience segmentation and smart bidding
Use search term data to refine audience lists, for example, splitting groups into funnel stages, or returning vs new customers.

Apply smart bidding strategies based on proven converting search terms to boost ROI in each audience segment. This way you’re not just basing your budget distribution on a hunch, but on highly specific data that is nice to each audience segment.

In Conclusion

SQRs are your PPC campaign’s secret weapon, but only if you use them properly. They're ready to highlight problem areas in your existing campaign, and sign-post some untapped opportunities that are specific to your audience.

If you want tighter targeting, smarter bidding and better performance overall without having to guess where the issues lie, SRQ’s should become a daily part of your maintenance and analysis. It’s a speedy way to level up your campaign, without breaking the bank.