Google Ads reporting that explains search-term waste
Google Ads reporting in NegativeKeywords shows flagged spend, blocked spend, trends and the negative keywords added with reasons. It connects reported query costs to review decisions, so paid search teams can explain both the unresolved waste and the exclusions already applied.
Connect the waste dashboard to the work completed
A total account spend figure cannot explain which searches the team judged irrelevant. A list of negatives cannot show whether those changes addressed the queries that drew attention. Useful waste reporting connects the search, the reason, the recommendation and the resulting action.
NegativeKeywords keeps those elements in the same workflow. The dashboard separates flagged spend from blocked spend and shows the trend over the reporting period. Top junk queries identify where to inspect the underlying evidence, while the change record shows wording, match type and destination for negatives added.
The scope is search-term quality using the data Google provides. Use it alongside revenue, conversion and budget reporting when reviewing overall account performance. The Google Ads tool page explains how daily review produces the evidence behind the dashboard, rather than making reporting a separate spreadsheet exercise.
Keep flagged spend and blocked spend distinct
Flagged spend is reported cost associated with queries identified for irrelevant-intent review. A flagged query may still be awaiting approval, so it does not mean an exclusion is active. Blocked spend connects historical reported cost with queries covered by applied negatives. It is not cash returned from previous clicks.
An applied negative changes future eligibility within its scope. The platform does not provide a direct record of every auction prevented by that rule, so historical covered cost cannot establish exact future savings. Keep that distinction visible in stakeholder reports and budget discussions.
| Report item | What it represents | What to inspect |
|---|---|---|
| Flagged spend | Reported cost attached to flagged queries | Relevance reason and approval status |
| Blocked spend | Reported cost associated with applied coverage | Negative wording, type and scope |
| Trend | Movement across reporting periods | Period length and account changes |
| Top junk queries | Queries prioritized for review | Query evidence and product fit |
| Negatives added | Completed exclusion changes | Reason, destination and audit record |
Avoid counting the same historical query cost repeatedly when several negatives overlap. Read the trend with consistent account coverage and reporting periods before drawing a performance conclusion.
Make top junk queries understandable outside the PPC team
A query's wording is often more useful than a label alone. Dental implants jobs signals recruitment intent in a treatment account. Running shoe repair instructions may describe a task outside a store's offer. The report links a flagged query to a reason that can be checked against what the advertiser sells.
The common intent groups include jobs, free or cheap searches, DIY instructions, education, wrong location, wrong product, secondhand intent and competitor support. Research and review modifiers need context because they can precede a purchase. A reason should explain the business mismatch rather than merely repeat a banned word.
Include enough context for a stakeholder to understand why the chosen exclusion is narrow or broad. The negative keywords examples guide helps explain these decisions, while the negative keyword match types guide shows why different exclusions reach different searches.
Show which negatives were added and why
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Each added negative has an audit log entry and one-click undo. Review its text, match type, destination and reason alongside the original query evidence. A phrase exclusion in one campaign has a different reach from an account-level negative, even if the text is identical.
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The conflict check protects active keywords, products and converting queries in the reviewed data before recommendations are applied. Starter requires approval. Growth and above also support autopilot rules you set, so report readers should distinguish human approvals from changes made under the account's chosen rules.
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Audit retention is 30 days on Starter, 1 year on Growth and 2 years on Agency. Enterprise provides unlimited audit history with export. Match the retention window to your review needs when selecting PPC software pricing, especially when explaining decisions across longer account review cycles.
Send reports on the account's review schedule
Scheduled email reports keep the waste review visible between platform visits. Choose a delivery rhythm that matches the team's recurring account discussion, then check the reporting period and included accounts before delivery. The goal is a readable explanation of what needs attention and what changed.
A scheduled report and an alert serve different purposes. Email and Slack alerts surface new expensive junk queries when attention is needed. A periodic report brings the dashboard trend, top queries and completed exclusions together for a review of the whole period.
Sweep frequency also differs from report delivery. Starter and Growth sweep daily, Agency every 6 hours and Enterprise hourly. A monthly account conversation can therefore use evidence collected through more frequent review. The PPC automation workflow explains how the sweep, decisions and reporting connect.
Keep report evidence connected to the account changes
Export report information when your account review requires a separate file. Preserve the reporting period, account context and metric definitions so a table copied into another document retains its meaning. Explain whether the listed costs are still flagged or associated with exclusions already applied.
Reporting exports serve a different purpose from platform change files. NegativeKeywords also exports Google Ads Editor CSV, Microsoft Advertising Editor CSV and an Amazon bulk sheet for the networks included in the subscription. Preview change files and inspect platform import results before describing an exclusion as completed.
Use a Google Ads negatives coverage audit when a report raises a structural question, such as a recurring query that remains uncovered or a shared list missing from a new campaign. The report shows the symptom; the coverage review identifies the rule or association that needs attention.
Present agency reports under your own brand
Agency and Enterprise include white-label client reports. They let the agency present the query evidence, reasons and exclusions under its own branding while keeping metric definitions intact. The agency remains responsible for account strategy, review decisions and how results are explained to the advertiser.
Use the white-label Google Ads reporting workflow for report branding, PDF and shareable-link delivery, and weekly or monthly client schedules. Starter and Growth include the waste dashboard and alerts, without white-label client reports.
Agency includes 50 ad accounts, up to 500 000 USD in monthly ad spend and 15 seats with roles. Enterprise includes unlimited accounts, covered spend and seats for 999 USD per month, or 499 USD per month billed yearly. The PPC management for agencies page connects reporting to the portfolio review workflow and team controls.
See the reasons behind your reported waste
Paste a CSV or TSV with search term, clicks, cost and conversions into the home demo, describe your offer and select the network. Or choose a ready dataset. The report runs in your browser, is never stored and requires no card. The analysis page shows the first 8 negatives, with the rest unlocked after account creation. Inspect the recommendations before choosing ongoing reporting and daily review.