Search Term Match Analyser

A template for categorizing search queries and identifying wasted spend from poor match types.

For Google Ads managers who suspect broad match and close variants are spending budget on the wrong searches.

How to use it

1. Copy the template sheet. The document links a Google Sheet template; make your own copy.
2. Paste the script into Google Ads. Copy the full script from the document into a new script in your account.
3. Point it at your sheet. Set SPREADSHEET_URL to your copy. Change LOOKBACK_DAYS or campaign exclusions if you need to, then run it.

Worked example: What the report shows

Clicks, impressions and cost split five ways: exact match, phrase match, broad match, close variants and hidden traffic (what Google does not report for privacy). It writes keyword-level, ad group-level and campaign-level tabs, plus a dashboard tab for the overview.

Questions

Can I change the time frame?

Yes, with LOOKBACK_DAYS. The script caps it at 360 days so it does not time out.

Why do the percentages differ from the Google Ads interface?

Google Ads uses its own labels such as "exact match (close variant)", which the API does not expose. The script compares the search-term text with your keyword directly, which is stricter.

What if the script does not run?

Most failures are a wrong spreadsheet URL, missing quotes or missing sheet permissions. Check the script log in Google Ads for the exact error.

Related: Google Ads Match Analyzer · Search Campaign Checklist

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