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Looker Studio REGEXP_CONTAINS() Guide

April 25, 2025

When you need to search for patterns inside your data — not just exact matches — REGEXP_CONTAINS() is one of the most powerful functions you can use inside Looker Studio. 

If you want a guide on how to “exact match” a pattern, check out our guide on REGEXP_MATCH().

In this guide, you’ll learn exactly how REGEXP_CONTAINS() works, how to use it, real-world examples, common mistakes to avoid, and troubleshooting tips. Plus: copy-paste regex templates you can use immediately.

Let’s dive in. 👇

What is REGEXP_CONTAINS()?

REGEXP_CONTAINS() checks whether a piece of text matches a specific pattern.

  • REGEXP = Regular Expression, a method for describing search patterns in text.
  • CONTAINS = Checking if a pattern exists somewhere inside a text value.

Syntax

REGEXP_CONTAINS(X, regular_expression)

Where:

  • X = the text field you want to check.
  • regular_expression = the pattern you are searching for.

Basic Examples

🔹 Check if a product name contains “T-shirt”:

REGEXP_CONTAINS(Product_Name, "T-shirt")

🔹 Check if a campaign name contains “sale” (case-insensitive):

REGEXP_CONTAINS(LOWER(Campaign_Name), "sale")

Tip: Using LOWER() makes your match case-insensitive, perfect for marketing fields.

Real-World Use Cases

  • Group branded vs. non-branded traffic:

REGEXP_CONTAINS(Campaign_Name, "nike|air max|jordan")

  • Filter UTM Campaigns with discount keywords:

REGEXP_CONTAINS(UTM_Campaign, "discount|offer|sale|deal")

  • Highlight messy source/medium values:

REGEXP_CONTAINS(Source_Medium, "email|newsletter|mailchimp")

  • Catch multiple spellings or typos:

REGEXP_CONTAINS(Product_Category, "tshirt|tee shirt|t-shirt")

Pattern recognition inside messy data can seriously clean up your reports!

How to Use REGEXP_CONTAINS() in Looker Studio

  1. Click “Add a Field” in your data source.
  2. Name it (e.g., Branded Campaign).
  3. Enter this formula:


CASE
WHEN REGEXP_CONTAINS(Campaign_Name, "nike|air max|jordan") THEN "Branded"
ELSE "Non-Branded"
END

  1. Save and use your field in tables, charts, or filters!

✅ Congratulations! You’ve just grouped your campaigns automatically based on text patterns.

Pro Tips for Writing REGEX Patterns

  • Use | for OR conditions: Match any one of multiple options.
  • Escape special characters: Parentheses (), periods ., and plus signs + often need escaping.
  • Use .* to match “anything in between”: Example: sale.*2025 matches “sale” followed by “2025” with anything in between.

Common Mistakes (And How to Fix Them)

❌ Case sensitivity: Without LOWER(), “Sale” won’t match “sale”.

REGEXP_CONTAINS(LOWER(Campaign_Name), "sale")

❌ Matching numbers incorrectly: Regex treats numbers like any character. Match a specific number with quotes, e.g., "2025". To match any number, use [0-9]+.

❌ Greedy patterns: If your regex is too broad, you’ll accidentally match extra text. Start simple and test gradually.

Troubleshooting REGEXP_CONTAINS()

  • Check case sensitivity (use LOWER() if needed).
  • Ensure your field is text/string type.
  • Test your regex on regex101.com before pasting into Looker Studio.
  • Simplify your pattern first and build it step-by-step.

Conclusion

REGEXP_CONTAINS() is a simple but powerful way to filter and clean up messy text data in Looker Studio. With a few smart patterns, you can automate tagging, grouping, and cleaning without manual work.

Master a few regex tricks, and you’ll seriously upgrade your reporting skills!

Bonus: Copy-Paste REGEX Patterns

  • Ecommerce discounts:

REGEXP_CONTAINS(UTM_Campaign, "sale|discount|offer|deal")

  • Paid search sources:

REGEXP_CONTAINS(Source, "google|bing|yahoo|duckduckgo")

  • Brand mentions:

REGEXP_CONTAINS(Page_Title, "nike|adidas|puma")