Was Your Google Ads Budget Spent on “Other Search Terms”?

Find Out If You Qualify For A Legal Claim Over Hidden Charges — Get a Free Consultation Now

What Is “Other Search Terms“?

If you used Google Ads anytime after 2020, there’s a good chance you were charged for clicks on search terms Google never told you about. These charges show up in your account under a vague label called “Other Search Terms.”

Here’s the issue: You picked your keywords. You set your targeting.

But Google charged you for mystery clicks you never approved—and then refused to tell you what those clicks actually were.

This lawsuit aims to hold Google accountable for those hidden charges. Businesses deserve transparency. If Google billed you for charges under the Category ‘Other Search Terms’ you may be eligible to file a legal claim and seek compensation.

How To Check Your Other Search Terms Report

No attorney’s fees or costs unless we recover money for you!

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Do I Qualify?

You don’t need to spend thousands or be part of a big company to be eligible. If any of the following apply to you, you likely qualify to join the legal action:

✅ You used Google Ads (formerly AdWords) anytime in the last 5 years

✅ You were charged for ad clicks labeled “Other Search Terms”

✅ You own or manage a business—or ran Google Ads for a business

✅ You want to take action with no upfront cost or risk

Even if you only spent a few hundred dollars, you may still have a claim. The case is about transparency and fairness—not how big your budget was.

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If you’ve advertised on Google Ads, just let us know. Our friendly, no-pressure staff will follow up — there’s no cost to speak with us, and no obligation to move forward. We understand that contacting a lawyer can feel intimidating, and we truly aim to make the process as simple and straightforward as possible. We’ll handle the work and help you understand your options regarding charges for “Other Search Terms.”

How Does This Work?

If you’re seeing unexplained charges labeled “Other Search Terms” in your Google Ads account, you may be eligible to take legal action — at no cost to you unless we recover money.

Here’s how the process works:

1. Submit Your Info: Use the form or call us. We’ll collect a few basic details to get started.

2. We Review Your Google Ads Report: Our legal team will look at your account data to confirm if your charges fall under “Other Search Terms.”

3. We File the Claim: You Pay Nothing Up Front
If you qualify, we’ll move forward with an individual arbitration case. Google pays most arbitration costs, and you owe nothing unless we recover funds for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is This Case About
This case is focused on how Google has handled a category in its Google Ads reporting called “Other Search Terms.”

In 2020, Google changed the way it reports search terms in Google Ads. Before the change, advertisers could see nearly every keyword or phrase that triggered their ads. That allowed them to track performance, eliminate irrelevant clicks, and manage budgets effectively.

After the change, Google began hiding a large portion of this data, grouping search queries under the vague label “Other Search Terms.” Advertisers were still charged for these clicks, but were not told what the actual search terms were — even in cases where those clicks resulted in conversions. In many accounts, 30% to 50% of total ad spend was placed in this hidden category.

This lawsuit alleges that Google’s practice is unlawful, because:

Advertisers never agreed to pay for undisclosed or unidentified search terms.

The lack of transparency violates basic principles of contract and fair dealing.

Google uses its monopoly power in online search advertising to impose these practices knowing that advertisers have few (if any) alternatives.

The legal claims include breach of contract, breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, unjust enrichment, and violations of California’s consumer protection laws.

Wites & Rogers and co-counsel are currently pursuing individual arbitration claims on behalf of advertisers. Under Google’s terms of service, disputes must be resolved through arbitration. The legal team is filing these cases one by one, and for claims under $300,000, Google typically pays the arbitration fees. This process allows affected advertisers to seek compensation without paying any upfront legal or court costs.

If you’ve used Google Ads in the past 4–5 years and see charges labeled “Other Search Terms” in your reports, you may have paid for advertising you never approved and couldn’t track. This case aims to hold Google accountable and help advertisers recover wasted ad spend.
Can You Explain "Other Search Terms" To Me In Detail So I Can Better Understand?
What Are “Other Search Terms” — And Why It Matters

If you run Google Ads, you probably expect to see exactly what search terms triggered your ads — after all, you’re paying for those clicks. But starting in 2020, Google made a change that quietly redefined how much you’re allowed to see.

Now, a large percentage of your clicks may be grouped under something called “Other Search Terms.” This vague label means Google charged you for ad clicks — but didn’t tell you what search triggered them. You still get billed. You just don’t get to see what caused it.

What Is “Other Search Terms”?

“Other Search Terms” is a catch-all line that appears in your Search Terms report inside Google Ads. It bundles together all the search queries that triggered your ads but that Google has chosen not to show you.

In many cases, advertisers see 30% to 50% of their ad budget falling into this hidden category — especially when using Broad or Phrase Match targeting.

Why Does Google Say They Hide This Data?

Google’s official explanation is user privacy.

They claim that if a search query was too low in volume — not used by a “significant number” of people — showing it could reveal something personal or unique about the user who searched.

Instead of showing you those queries, they group them into “Other Search Terms.”

But here’s the problem: Google has never explained what “significant number” means. There’s no published threshold, and advertisers report that even converting search terms are being hidden. In many cases, there’s nothing private about them at all.

How Does This Hurt You?

This change makes it much harder to run efficient, well-targeted campaigns. Before 2020, you could:

See every search term that triggered your ads

Add irrelevant ones to your negative keywords

Discover profitable new queries to bid on

Now, you’re flying blind. You’re spending money on mystery clicks — and you can’t review them, exclude them, or even know what they were. That’s not just frustrating. It’s expensive.

Many advertisers have lost visibility into tens of thousands of dollars — sometimes millions — in ad spend. And without transparency, they can’t improve their targeting or cut out waste.

What Digital Marketers Are Saying

The digital marketing community has pushed back hard.

Marketers say Google’s justifications don’t hold up. They point out that the search terms report never included personal user data in the first place — just anonymous queries.

Some call it a black box billing system — where advertisers pay for clicks, but can’t see what triggered them. Others see it as a deliberate move to increase Google’s profits by making it harder to eliminate low-quality traffic.

Even high-performing queries that led to real conversions are being hidden.

Why Wites & Rogers Believes It’s Illegal

Wites & Rogers and its co-counsel believe this practice is more than just bad for advertisers — they believe it’s unlawful.

Here’s why:

Advertisers never agreed to be charged for hidden or undisclosed search terms

Google’s terms say you’re bidding on search keywords — not secret ones

Charging for something while refusing to say what it is violates basic principles of contract law and fair dealing

Transparency is essential to performance-based advertising — and Google has taken that away

That’s the heart of this case. If Google billed you for search terms they refused to disclose, you may be entitled to join the legal action and help hold them accountable.
How Do I Find My "Other Search Terms" Report?
Step 1: Log into ads.google.com and sign in to your account.

Step 2: In the top-right corner, click the date selector and choose “All time” or select a custom range covering the last 5 years.

Step 3: In the left-hand menu, click Insights and reports and then Search Terms. With older versions of Google Ads you may need to start with “Keywords”, then select “Search terms.”

Step 4: Scroll down to the bottom of the list. You’ll see a row labeled “Other search terms.”

Step 5: A screenshot showing the “Other search terms” row, your account name, and date range is perfect if you’re submitting info to our legal team.

How to Take a Screenshot of Your “Other Search Terms” Row

On Mac:

Open your Google Ads account and scroll to the “Other search terms” row.

Press Shift + Command (⌘) + 4

Your cursor will turn into a crosshair — click and drag to highlight the part of the screen you want to capture.

The screenshot will automatically save to your desktop.

On Windows:

Open your Google Ads account and scroll to the “Other search terms” row.

Press Windows Key + Shift + S

Your screen will dim — click and drag to highlight the section you want to capture.

The image is copied to your clipboard — open Paint or your email and press Ctrl + V to paste it, then save the file.
Do I have to pay anything to join the case?
What if I only spent a few hundred dollars on Google Ads?
Could Google retaliate if I file a claim?

There’s no evidence of that happening – Google has faced many lawsuits and arbitrations. We’re not aware of any instance where Google penalized a business for participating in a legal claim. In fact, standing up may make them more cautious with your account — not less.
What do you need from me to get started?
Just a few things:

A screenshot from your Google Ads account showing “Other Search Terms” charges

Your business name and Google Ads account ID

Your contact info so we can follow up

We’ll handle everything else.
Why should I act now?

While there’s no official deadline yet, statutes of limitations vary by state, and waiting too long could affect your eligibility to bring a claim.

If you’ve run Google Ads within the last few years and suspect part of your budget went to “Other Search Terms,” now is the right time to have your account reviewed. There’s no cost to submit your information, and acting sooner simply gives the legal team more time to evaluate your potential claim and preserve your rights.

Who Are We?

We are Wites & Rogers, a nationally recognized law firm with over two decades of experience taking on major corporations—and winning. We’ve secured hundreds of millions of dollars for individuals, families, and small businesses through high-stakes lawsuits and landmark class actions.

Our attorneys are seasoned litigators known for their aggressive approach, deep legal knowledge, and commitment to holding companies accountable when they cross the line. When powerful entities put profits over transparency, we step in.

Learn More About Wites & rogers

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Disclaimer: This is attorney advertising. Wites & Rogers, P.A. is a Florida law firm that represents clients throughout the United States. Our lawyers are licensed in Florida, California, Georgia and South Carolina. We co-counsel cases with lawyers throughout the country. No results are guaranteed. Viewing this site or contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Full Legal Disclaimer Here.