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Keywords

Why are most of my Google Ads search terms hidden under 'Other search terms'?

By The Tofu team ·

Because Google lists only search terms that "a significant number of people" used, and leaves the rest out of the report to protect user privacy. The rule dates from September 2020 and depends on how often a term is searched across all of Google, so rare, specific searches drop out. Google doesn't publish the threshold or how much is hidden, and no Google report lists those queries one by one. You can still act: search terms insights counts hidden terms in its categories, and negative keywords block matching searches whether or not you see them.

As of October 2026.

What changed

The threshold itself isn't new. What changed is what Google shows around it.

BeforeNow
Which searches the report listsBefore September 1, 2020, low-volume terms were listed tooOnly terms "a significant number of people" used. Terms without "enough query activity" are left out "to keep with our standards on data privacy"
The thresholdNot publishedStill not published. Google's 2021 post says it reports only "terms that have seen sufficient search volume across all Google searches"
Performance MaxSearch terms reporting didn't reach every Performance Max campaignSince August 2025, search terms reporting "for all Performance Max campaigns and through the API," plus campaign-level negative keyword lists. Campaign-level negative keywords arrived earlier in 2025
AI Max trafficBefore AI Max (2025), broad match and Dynamic Search Ads terms, with no AI Max labelAn "AI Max" match type, a "Source" column and a "Search terms and ad combinations" view. Filtering for AI Max "doesn't consider 'Other search terms'"
Search terms insightsTop 1,000 categoriesAll categories and subcategories, for Search, Performance Max and Shopping, across Google Search, the Search Partner Network and Google Maps. Also in the Google Ads API (campaign_search_term_insight)

How much is usually hidden?

Google doesn't say. You can measure your own share by comparing the "Other search terms" row with the total for the same campaigns and dates.

The only recent outside measurement we found is from Doctor Ads (Igor Ivitskiy, fact-checked August 2026, updated September 2026). Across 88 agency-managed accounts, from January 2025 to July 2026, the median account had 44.0% of its clicks in the leftover "other search terms" row of search terms insights. The middle half of accounts ranged from 26.0% to 78.4%. That's the insights report, not the search terms report, and the author says it isn't comparable to studies of hidden terms in the search terms report. So read it as how much traffic even Google's grouped view can't name. The author also notes larger accounts get more of their traffic named, so small advertisers may see more in that row.

Who it affects

  • Every Search, Performance Max and Shopping advertiser. There's no setting that turns it off.
  • B2B accounts with niche, long searches. The threshold is about how many people search a term across Google, so if your buyers type rare, specific queries, expect more of your traffic in "Other search terms."
  • AI Max users. Filtering the search terms report for AI Max can show lower numbers, because the filter skips "Other search terms." Use the Keywords report rows "Total: AI Max expanded matches" and "Total: AI Max landing page matches" instead. Google upgraded Search campaigns that used campaign-level broad match or automatically created assets to AI Max during September 2026, with search term matching on; see what the AI Max upgrade changed.

What to do now

  1. Find where the hidden spend sits. Add the "Keyword" column to the search terms report, then compare each keyword's cost in the Keywords report with the cost of its visible search terms. The gap shows which keywords hide the most.
  2. Open search terms insights. Go to Insights in the Campaigns menu and scroll to the search terms insights card. Google says its categories "take all search terms into account, including those not exposed in the search terms report due to privacy reasons." You get clicks, impressions, CTR, conversions, conversion rate, conversion value and search volume (cost isn't on Google's list). Look for categories with clicks and no conversions, and open them to see subcategories and terms. Labels come from the last 56 days of data.
  3. Block themes, not rows. A negative keyword is checked against the search itself, so a broad match negative like "jobs" or "free" blocks every search that contains it, listed or not. Negatives don't match close variants, so add plurals and synonyms yourself; Google says they do cover casing and some misspellings. When you select Add as negative keyword in the report, Google adds negative exact match by default, which blocks only that one search.
  4. Use an account-level list for themes you never want. It holds up to 1,000 negative keywords and applies to Search and Shopping inventory in Search, Performance Max, App, Shopping, Smart and Local campaigns.
  5. Check AI Max search term matching. It's an ad group setting you can turn off. If AI Max traffic in the Keywords report totals isn't converting, test turning it off in the ad groups that bring it.
  6. Narrow match types where hidden spend doesn't convert. A narrower match type limits which searches your ads can show on, hidden or not; see broad, phrase or exact match for B2B.
  7. Record the keyword behind each lead. Add the {keyword}, {matchtype} and {targetid} ValueTrack parameters to your tracking template and store them with each lead in your CRM. They don't pass the search itself, but they show which keyword, or which AI Max keywordless match ({matchtype} "a"), brought leads that went nowhere.
  8. Bid on qualified leads. Smart Bidding sets a bid in each auction, including searches the report won't show you, so give it CRM outcomes to learn from; see how to send offline conversions to Google Ads.

Be careful with any tool that claims to show the hidden queries. Google documents no report, export or API field that lists them.

Dates to watch

DateWhat happens
September 1, 2020Search terms data from this date on follows Google's privacy thresholds
September 9, 2021Google starts showing more queries that meet its standards, for queries from February 1, 2021
February 1, 2022Older query data that misses the thresholds leaves reporting
May 6, 2025Google announces AI Max for Search, with headlines and URLs added to the search terms report
August 7, 2025Google announces search terms reporting for all Performance Max campaigns and the API, and negative keyword lists for Performance Max
September 1 to 30, 2026Campaigns using campaign-level broad match or automatically created assets are upgraded to AI Max
February 2027Dynamic Search Ads campaigns are upgraded to AI Max
Not announcedThe threshold itself, or any plan to change it

Where Tofu fits

Tofu Ads Agent (our product) builds Google Search campaigns, including keyword research from your site, CRM deals and account history checked against Keyword Planner volumes, themed ad groups, and negative keywords drawn from your search terms. It doesn't show the hidden queries in "Other search terms" either. It doesn't manage AI Max settings. Campaigns are staged in your own account switched off, and its recommendations stay proposals until you approve them. It costs a flat $2,500 a month, with a recommended media budget of at least $3,000 a month.

Sources

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