Google Updates Search Terms Report And Negative Keywords Layout

Google constantly releases updates to their AdWords interface. Sometimes these updates are welcome and sometimes … not so much. Like all human beings are wont to do, we get acclimated to a certain navigational structure where accessing the tools and reports we need become second nature.

Google recently rolled out a change in the way we can accesss the search terms or search query reports in Google AdWords.

Up until now, the search terms report was accessed under the keywords tab by navigating to the details drop down menu

The new interface (currently in the process of being rolled out to all accounts) will remove the search terms report from the details menu and will instead have it accessbile by a handy direct link labeled “search terms”.Included in this change will be the negative keywords access, which will also be available from a button click at the top of the dashboard, instead of having to scroll all the way down to the bottom of the keywords data as we have to do currently.

Search Terms Report For Shopping Campaigns

More importantly, Google has removed the traditional search terms report from PLA (product listing ads) campaigns (also known as Shopping Campaigns), and has relocated the search terms report inside the dimensions tab.

To naviagte to the new search terms repor inside PLA campaigns, click the dimensions tab and then click on View > Search Terms.

This new system allows us to manipulate, filter and analyze the search terms data with more control, and it also makes more sense to include this report here. Since there is no keyword bidding with PLA campaigns, it didn’t make sense to have to navigate to the keywords tab to access the search terms report.

Now, the keywords tab in PLA campaigns is primarily to edit and view your negative keywords and negative keyword lists.