Turn a Search Terms Report Into a Negative Keyword List in Seconds
Drop in your Google Ads search terms report and this free search terms n-gram analyzer breaks every search into one-word, two-word and three-word groups. It adds up clicks, cost and conversions for each group, shows the wasted spend on words that never convert, builds a negative keyword list in broad, phrase or exact match, and highlights the winning phrases worth their own keywords.
Search TermsFree N-gram Tool
OfficialStape PartnerDownload the search terms report from Google Ads as CSV, then drop it here. Use 30 to 90 days of data.
No file loaded yet. The example is a made-up plumbing account, so you can see how the report looks.
Matched automatically. Change one if it is wrong, for example in a report that is not in English.
Your file is read and analysed in your browser. It is not uploaded to any server. Nothing from your file is sent unless you choose to email yourself the Excel report.
Get the Excel report with every word group in your inbox. Only the Excel file is sent, never your original export.
An n-gram report is only as good as the conversion data behind it. I audit and fix Google Ads conversion tracking, enhanced conversions and offline imports, so you cut the right words.
One report, read at the level of words instead of whole searches.
Every one-word, two-word and three-word group in your search terms, with how many searches contain it.
Impressions, clicks, cost, conversions and value added up across every search term that contains the group.
The cost of search terms and word groups that had clicks and no conversions.
Word groups with zero conversions and enough spend to act on, ranked by cost.
The list formatted as broad, "phrase" or [exact] match, ready to paste into Google Ads.
Word groups that convert at a cost well below your average or your target.
List your brand and product words so they are never suggested as negatives.
Every word group, the negative list and the winners in separate sheets.
Three steps. The file is processed on your own device.
In Google Ads open Insights and reports, then Search terms. Pick 30 to 90 days, add the Conversions column and download as CSV.
The tool skips Google’s title rows and total rows, finds the columns and counts every word group.
Check the negative keyword candidates, untick anything you want to keep, then copy or download the list.
A search terms report can hold thousands of different searches, and most have only one or two clicks. No single search has enough data to judge. An n-gram analysis solves that by splitting each search into words and short phrases, then adding the numbers together. “free plumbing advice”, “free plumbing course” and “free quote template” each look harmless. Together they show that the word free cost money and never converted.
An n-gram is simply a group of n words in a row. A 1-gram is one word, a 2-gram is two words next to each other and a 3-gram is three.
Each candidate also shows expected conversions: how many conversions that number of clicks would normally bring at your average conversion rate. Three expected conversions and none delivered is strong evidence. Half an expected conversion is weak evidence.
The tool adds up the cost of every search term that had no conversions in the file. Some of that is unavoidable, because many searches have one click and no chance to prove themselves. The useful part is the spend that sits behind a repeated word, which is what the negative keyword list targets.
How each format in the downloaded list behaves. Negative keywords do not match close variants, so add plurals and misspellings separately.
| Match type | Written as | Blocks a search when | Example: blocks | Does not block |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Negative broad | free course | It contains all the words, in any order | free plumbing course online | free plumbing advice |
| Negative phrase | "free course" | It contains the exact words in the same order | best free course online | free plumbing course |
| Negative exact | [free course] | It is exactly these words and nothing else | free course | free course online |
| Single word, broad or phrase | free | It contains the word anywhere | free plumber quote | freelance plumber |
See in plain numbers which words eat your budget.
Build a negative keyword list in minutes, not hours of scrolling.
Add a clear wasted-spend sheet to an account audit.
Show a new client quick savings on day one.
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Read All ReviewsYes. It runs in your browser with no login. Your file is not uploaded. Only if you ask for the report by email is the Excel file sent to your inbox.
A group of words in a row taken from a search term. The search “emergency plumber near me” contains the 1-grams emergency, plumber, near and me, the 2-grams “emergency plumber”, “plumber near” and “near me”, and two 3-grams.
In Google Ads go to Insights and reports, then Search terms. Choose a date range of 30 to 90 days, make sure the Conversions column is shown, then use Download and pick .csv or Excel .csv.
CSV and TSV files, including Google’s “Excel .csv” export, which is tab-separated UTF-16. It skips the title rows at the top and the Total rows at the bottom. If you have an .xlsx file, save it as CSV first.
Yes, if the export has columns for the search term, clicks and spend. Columns are matched automatically and you can change them by hand.
Several languages are recognised. If a column is not found, choose it under “Columns in your file” and run the analysis again.
No. Treat the list as candidates. Zero conversions over a short period can be chance, and only you know whether a word matters to your business. Untick anything you want to keep.
Phrase match is a safe default: it blocks searches that contain the words in that order. Broad blocks the words in any order. Exact blocks only that one search. Negative keywords do not match plurals or misspellings automatically.
Your spend without conversions is spread over many different words, and none of them passes the cost threshold. Lower the minimum cost in the settings, or use a longer date range.
I am MD Niamul, a conversion tracking and web analytics specialist and an official Stape partner. I audit Google Ads conversion tracking, set up enhanced conversions and offline conversion imports, and make sure the numbers you optimise on are real.
