Search feeds · also called terms, partner-provided terms parameter
Terms parameter
The terms parameter is an optional field in a Google related search request where the publisher lists its own suggested search terms, separated by commas.
The terms parameter is how a publisher proposes related search terms to Google. It holds a comma-separated list such as "roof repair cost,roofing contractors near me". It is the official mechanism behind what the trade calls forced keywords.
Three points from Google's documentation matter. First, it is a suggestion: Google may or may not use the terms provided, and it validates terms for relevance and engagement. Second, for Related Search on Content it only works with relatedSearchTargeting set to "content". Third, using it brings an obligation to supply referrerAdCreative, the full text of the ad that brought the visitor.
The pairing is deliberate. The terms parameter lets a publisher steer what the visitor searches for, which is the most sensitive lever in arbitrage. Google therefore wants to see what the visitor was told beforehand and applies its partner-provided terms policy: no prohibited content, no targeting of groups by demographic or shared attributes, and no terms designed to generate particular ads or inflate impressions.
A companion setting, maxTermLength, caps the number of characters in a term.
An example
An article on hearing loss sends terms "hearing aid prices,hearing test near me". Google may display both, one, or its own alternatives.
Related terms
Forced keywords
Forced keywords are search terms chosen by the publisher, not typed by the visitor, and passed to the search feed to shape which related searches or ads appear.
referrerAdCreative
referrerAdCreative is a Google AdSense for Search parameter in which a publisher must send the exact wording of the ad that brought a visitor to a related search page.
Related search terms
Related search terms are clickable search suggestions shown on a page, each of which opens a results page of ads for that phrase.
Related Search on Content (RSOC)
Related Search on Content is a Google AdSense for Search feature that shows search suggestions on an article, each leading to an ad-carrying results page on the same site.
Keyword stuffing (keyword forcing)
Keyword stuffing in search arbitrage is pushing high-paying search terms onto a page or visitor even though they have little to do with the content or the upstream ad.
RSOC policies
RSOC policies are Google's rules for the related-search unit on content pages: real standalone content, honest search terms, honest upstream ads and a fully declared ad creative.
Sources: Google Developers: Custom Search Ads reference, Google AdSense Help: Search ads parameter descriptions, Google AdSense Help: AFS Product-Integrated Feature policies