# N-Gram Analysis for Search Term Optimization

**Category:** Paid Media · GTM Engineering  
**Channels:** Google Ads Search  
**Complexity:** Medium  
**Time to implement:** 1-2 weeks  
**Strategic goal:** Build a systemized decision engine that steers Search + PMax at the word level and continuously reduces waste

> Break search queries into word patterns to find hidden waste and scale what converts — at the word level, not just the query level.

## Problem

Search term reports in large accounts are unmanageable. Thousands of queries make it impossible to spot patterns manually. One-off negatives don't scale, so waste patterns repeat month after month.

**What breaks:**
- Manual review doesn't scale beyond a few hundred queries.
- High-waste word patterns stay hidden across many terms.
- Negative lists grow reactively, not systematically.
- Valuable word patterns get buried in noise.
- PMax campaigns run with minimal negatives and high waste.

A single word like "free" can drive thousands in waste across hundreds of queries. N-gram analysis surfaces patterns so you act once and fix them everywhere.

## Solution

**Level 1: Quick Wins (Week 1)**
1. Export search terms (last 90 days, Search + PMax).
2. Run 1-gram analysis to identify zero-conversion words.
3. Filter for 0 conversions and >150 clicks.
4. Add top 10 negatives (validated) at account level.
5. Log decisions.

**Level 2: Full System**
- Use 1-, 2-, and 3-grams to aggregate performance at the word/phrase level.
- Apply decision thresholds by clicks, conversions, and CPA.
- Use longer lookback windows with broad + Smart Bidding.
- Run unified Search + PMax n-gram analysis (since March 2025).
- Layer analysis: check 2-grams and 3-grams before excluding 1-grams.

The goal is a continuous decision engine that feeds play_020 and keeps Search + PMax clean without manual overload.

## Tools

- Google Ads Search Terms Report
- Google Ads Scripts
- Adalysis
- Optmyzr
- PEMAVOR
- Karooya

## Expected metrics

- **Wasted spend reduction:** -20-35%
- **Time spent on search term review:** -70-85%
- **Negative keyword coverage:** +200-500%
- **New keyword ideas discovered:** 10-30 per cycle
- **Cost per conversion:** -10-25%

## Team required

- PPC Manager

## Prerequisites

- Sufficient search volume (>1,000 search terms/month).
- Conversion tracking in place.
- Clear CPA/ROAS targets.
- Access to CRM data for down-funnel validation.

## When NOT to use

- Very low-volume accounts (<500 search terms/month).
- Early-stage Smart Bidding (first 2-4 weeks).
- Brand-only campaigns.
- Exact match only campaigns.
- Hyper-narrow B2B niches with tiny volume.
- Severe search term blindness (<10-20% visibility).
- New accounts with <60 days data.

## Implementation checklist

### Week 1: Setup
- Export search terms report (last 90 days, Search + PMax).
- Set up n-gram analysis method (script/tool/manual).
- Define thresholds for clicks and conversions.
- Run first n-gram analysis.
- Create decision log spreadsheet.

### Week 2: Action
- Identify top 10-20 negative candidates.
- Validate each against converting query overlap and CRM outcomes.
- Add negatives at appropriate match type and level.
- Document decisions with rationale.
- Set up automated script for ongoing runs.

### Ongoing
- Weekly/bi-weekly quick review (high spend).
- Monthly deep dive for high-CPA and scale opportunities.
- Quarterly review of negative impact and list hygiene.

## Failure patterns

### Tool mislabels targets
**What happens:** Core target phrases get flagged as negatives.

**Why:** Tools rely on shallow conversion signals.

**Prevention:** Validate against CRM-qualified outcomes before negating.

### Over-pruned negatives
**What happens:** Conversions drop after aggressive exclusions.

**Why:** Exact-match negatives block winning queries.

**Prevention:** Use minimum thresholds and layered 2-gram/3-gram checks.

### Script incompatibility
**What happens:** Old scripts fail in new Ads Scripts experience.

**Why:** Deprecated versions not updated.

**Prevention:** Use updated Nils Rooijmans scripts and test environments.

### Search-term burnout
**What happens:** Manual review consumes 10-15 hours/week.

**Why:** No automation or pattern analysis.

**Prevention:** Automate n-gram extraction and batch triage.

### Negative neglect in PMax
**What happens:** PMax runs with few or zero negatives.

**Why:** Teams ignore PMax search term visibility and limits.

**Prevention:** Run unified Search + PMax n-gram analysis and apply campaign-level negatives.

## Industry benchmarks

- **Wasted spend in unoptimized B2B SaaS accounts:** 57% average, 73% median _(source: Aimers (2025))_
- **Share of budget wasted without negative strategy:** 15-30% of budget _(source: groas (2025); PostAffiliatePro (2025))_
- **Waste reduction from n-gram negatives:** 25-35% immediate reduction _(source: groas (2025))_
- **Manual search term review time:** 10-15 hours/week per manager _(source: Negator (2025))_
- **Time savings with automation:** 2-3 hours/week _(source: Negator (2026))_

## FAQ

**Q: What is n-gram analysis in PPC?**

It groups 1-, 2-, and 3-word sequences across search terms to measure performance at the word level.

**Q: How do I run n-gram analysis?**

Export Search Terms, aggregate performance by 1-3 grams using scripts or tools, then apply thresholds.

**Q: Search vs PMax n-grams?**

PMax terms now appear in Search Terms report; focus on high-impact exclusions and use campaign-level negatives.

**Q: Best tools in 2025-2026?**

Adalysis, Optmyzr, PEMAVOR, and Karooya are common; pair with CRM validation.

**Q: How do I measure success?**

Track waste reduction, CPA improvement, and drop in spend on zero-conversion queries.

**Q: Why isn't my n-gram strategy working?**

Thresholds too low, segment mixing, or tools suggesting core terms as negatives.

**Q: When should I use n-grams vs manual review?**

Once volume exceeds a few hundred queries/week or multi-account scale.

**Q: How do I scale across accounts?**

Standardize thresholds and cadence, centralize lists, and automate reporting.

**Tags:** Search Terms, Negative Keywords, Query Mining, PPC Optimization, Google Ads Scripts, PMax, Smart Bidding

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Source: https://mazorda.com/playbooks/n-gram-analysis-search-term-optimization
Canonical: https://mazorda.com/playbooks/n-gram-analysis-search-term-optimization
Last updated: 2025-11-03

_From Mazorda — B2B GTM engineering. Explore https://mazorda.com/playbooks for the full library._

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