Keyword and Search Term View Yield Different Metrics

[Scott Vaillancourt]

Hi All,

I'm using the Ads API to pull performance data (e.g., impressions, clicks, cost, etc.). When I retrieve the data using the keyword_view the impressions and cost metrics in particular are greater than what is returned using the search_term_view for the same time period. I've included the query language and a portion of the data in the samples below. Any insights would be appreciated. Thanks.

Scott

Keyword View

    SELECT

        campaign.name,

        ad_group.name,

        ad_group_criterion.keyword.text,

        ad_group_criterion.keyword.match_type,

        metrics.impressions,

        metrics.clicks,

        metrics.cost_micros,

        metrics.conversions,

        metrics.conversions_value,

        ad_group_criterion.quality_info.quality_score,

        ad_group_criterion.quality_info.search_predicted_ctr,

        ad_group_criterion.quality_info.post_click_quality_score,

        ad_group_criterion.quality_info.creative_quality_score

    FROM keyword_view

    WHERE

        segments.date BETWEEN "{:s}" AND "{:s}"'''.format(start, end)

Campaign                Ad Group     Impressions  Clicks   Cost    Conversions

Search - Predictive  Group 1             67                   5      54.15      0.0

Search - Predictive  Group 2           109                   3      47.40      1.0

Search - Predictive  Group 3           159                   7      55.84      4.0

Search - Predictive  Group 4             33                   0       0.00       0.0

Search Term View

        SELECT

            search_term_view.search_term,

            segments.keyword.info.text,

            metrics.impressions,

            metrics.clicks,

            metrics.cost_micros,

            metrics.conversions,

            metrics.conversions_value,

            campaign.name,

            campaign.advertising_channel_type,

            ad_group.name,

            search_term_view.status

        FROM search_term_view

        WHERE

            segments.date BETWEEN "{:s}" AND "{:s}"'''.format(first, last)

Campaign                 Ad Group  Impressions  Clicks   Cost  Conversions 

Search - Predictive  Group 1           19                 2       30.68          0.0    0.0

Search - Predictive  Group 2           40                 1       24.78          0.0    0.0

Search - Predictive  Group 3           75                 6       47.73          2.0  200.0

Search - Predictive  Group 4           11                 0         0.00          0.0    0.0

[Google Ads API Forum Advisor]

Hi,

Thanks for reaching out to us.

Upon checking the GAQL for the search_term_view report, it appears that segments are added in the select query. Note that when any segments are added in the query, then it tells the query to retrieve only the rows of data that have said segment fields and remove any row that is not associated with those segments. That being said, you may try generating API reports without including segment fields.

If there are still discrepancies, please provide us with the complete request and response logs with the request-id for both of said views, so our team can better check.

If you haven't yet, logging can be enabled by navigating to the Client libraries > Your client library (ex. PHP) > Logging documentation, which you can access from this link. You may then send the complete logs via the Reply privately to author option. If this option is not available, you may send the details directly to our googleadsa...@google.com alias instead.

Regards,

Yasar Google Ads API Team

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[Mat]

Hi Scott,

unfortunately, Google does not disclose the search terms for more than half of the the impressions, clicks, cost and conversions (allegedly for privacy reasons).

This is the case both in the Google Ads user interface and in the Google Ads API.

You might get matching total values if you don't segment the report by search_term, which, however, makes little sense.

Regards

Mat

[Scott Vaillancourt]

Hey Mat,

I think you nailed it. If I pull data at the ad group level I can get the metrics to match what was retrieved by keyword. However, when search term is included in the query the numbers are significantly reduced. Thanks.

Scott

[Google Ads API Forum Advisor]

Hi All,

Thank you for posting your comments on this forum post.

@Scott, I understand that you are comparing 2 different report types based on your initial post. However, I would suggest not to compare the values of different report types as data discrepancies might experience because they are accumulated at different level.

As for the part of your reply below, could you provide the complete request and response logs with request ID and request header generated on your end so that I can verify it to the rest of the team? You can provide it via Reply privately to author option. If this option is not available, then send it instead on this email address googleadsa...@google.com.

"If I pull data at the ad group level I can get the metrics to match what was retrieved by keyword. However, when search term is included in the query the numbers are significantly reduced."

Regards,

Ernie John Blanca Tacata Google Ads API Team

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