Google Ads just unlocked deeper RSA insights

New Google Ads update: More control over RSA performance starts now

 For years, Responsive Search Ads (RSAs) have functioned like a black box.

Advertisers could upload headlines and descriptions but getting clear insights into what was working and why was nearly impossible.

Now that’s changing, Google is rolling out a feature called Search Term Categories for RSAs and it has the potential to reshape how you build, test, and scale your search campaigns.

Here’s what you need to know:

The Search Term Categories tool automatically organises user queries into intent-based themes.

You’ll now get structured insights across:

• Conversions

• Click-through rate (CTR)

• Search volume

• Impressions

• Month-over-month performance trends

This applies even to search terms that were previously hidden due to privacy thresholds especially valuable for Broad Match campaigns where user intent often matters more than exact match keywords.

This is how it works:

• Google reviews the search terms that triggered your RSAs in the last 56 days

• It organises them into categories and subcategories based on user intent

• Each category includes performance data and associated campaigns

• Low-volume queries are grouped under “Other search terms”

These insights are available in the RSA asset details view, giving you clearer context behind the traffic your ads are attracting.

This is why it matters:

For eCommerce brands running RSA-heavy or Broad Match strategies, this update is significant.

It allows you to:

• Identify high-performing themes and scale them

• Remove or revise low-performing creative based on real data

• Expand keyword coverage in a more targeted, data-backed way

• Align ad messaging more closely with what your audience is actually searching for

• Adjust budget to follow intent-based trends and not just assumptions

If you rely heavily on RSAs and Broad Match targeting, this feature gives you more visibility and control than ever before.

You can stop guessing and start building campaigns that reflect what your audience is actively searching for not just what you think they want.

Cheers, Patrick.

CEO & Founder of Ad Lab.

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