What steps would you take to optimize a query that consistently underperforms in the Search Terms report?

• A. Increase budget across all terms
• B. Pause the campaign
• C. Add negative keywords, adjust match type, create new ad groups around the query, adjust bids, write more relevant ad copy, pause underperforming keywords.
• D. Remove the campaign

Answer: (C)

When a query underperforms in the Search Terms report, the aim is to improve relevance and efficiency by tailoring the account to that specific user intent rather than simply increasing spend. The best approach is to implement targeted refinements that address why that term isn’t converting well. Add negative keywords to filter out searches that are not a good fit, which reduces wasted clicks. Adjust the match type so you control how broadly or narrowly the term triggers your ads, helping you avoid irrelevant impressions. Create a new ad group around the query so you can craft highly relevant keywords and ad copy that match the user intent, which can boost Quality Score and click-through rate. Tweak bids to reflect the term’s performance and value without overpaying for poor terms. Write more relevant ad copy to align with what the user is actually seeking, improving engagement and quality signals. Pause underperforming keywords to stop spending on terms that drag overall performance down while you work on a refined strategy.

Simply increasing budget across all terms won’t fix underlying mismatch between queries and ads and can amplify waste. Pausing the entire campaign or removing it would stop potentially valuable traffic; instead, targeted optimization around the underperforming query yields better efficiency and outcomes.