Amazon PPC Negative Keywords: Are You Making These Mistakes?

Your Amazon ad campaigns are bleeding money. You’re targeting the right keywords, but your ACOS is still sky-high. The problem? You’re probably doing negative keywords wrong.

This is a common issue for Amazon sellers, especially those who are new to PPC or haven’t updated their negative keyword strategy in a while. The reality is, negative keywords are just as important as your positive keywords, and neglecting them can be a costly mistake.

In this article, we’ll uncover the most common negative keyword mistakes Amazon sellers make and show you exactly how to fix them. Let’s dive in.

Why Negative Keywords Are Essential for Amazon PPC Success

Most sellers focus solely on adding positive keywords to their campaigns, but that’s only half the battle. Negative keywords prevent your ads from showing to irrelevant searches, saving you money and improving your ACOS. Think of it as fine-tuning your targeting to attract only the most qualified customers.

Here’s why negative keywords are so important:

• Reduce wasted ad spend: By excluding irrelevant searches, you’re only paying for clicks that have a real chance of converting.
• Improve ACOS: Higher conversion rates and lower ad spend translate to a lower, more profitable ACOS.
• Increase relevance: Showing your ads to the right customers improves your overall campaign performance and helps you rank higher in search results.

Mistake #1: Not Using Enough Negative Keywords

One of the biggest mistakes sellers make is simply not using enough negative keywords. They might add a few obvious ones, but they’re missing out on a ton of opportunities to refine their targeting.

The reality is, you need to be proactive about identifying and adding negative keywords regularly. This isn’t a “set it and forget it” strategy.

Here’s how to fix it:

1. Analyze your search term reports: Look for search terms that are generating clicks but not conversions.
2. Identify irrelevant keywords: Ask yourself: “Is this search term actually relevant to my product?”
3. Add negative keywords: Add the irrelevant terms as negative keywords in your campaigns.

Example: Let’s say you’re selling protein powder. You might be targeting the keyword “protein powder,” but you’re also showing up for searches like “protein powder sample” or “protein powder for weight gain.” If you don’t offer samples or your product isn’t specifically for weight gain, you should add “sample” and “weight gain” as negative keywords.

Mistake #2: Using the Wrong Match Types for Negative Keywords

Just like positive keywords, negative keywords have match types: broad, phrase, and exact. Using the wrong match type can limit your effectiveness or even block relevant searches.

Here’s a breakdown of the negative keyword match types:

• Negative Broad Match: Prevents your ad from showing if all the words in your negative keyword phrase are present in the search query, in any order.
• Negative Phrase Match: Prevents your ad from showing if the exact phrase is present in the search query, in the same order.
• Negative Exact Match: Prevents your ad from showing only when the search query exactly matches your negative keyword.

Here’s what’s happening: Most sellers don’t realize that negative broad match can be too restrictive, blocking relevant searches.

Example: Imagine you’re selling “blue running shoes” and you add “blue shoes” as a negative broad match keyword. This would block searches for “blue running shoes,” which is exactly what you want to target.

Here’s how to fix it: Use negative phrase match for most negative keywords. This gives you a good balance between blocking irrelevant searches and allowing relevant ones. Only use negative broad match when you’re absolutely sure that any search containing those words is irrelevant. Negative exact match is useful for very specific terms that you know you don’t want to target.

Mistake #3: Not Organizing Negative Keywords into Lists

As your Amazon PPC campaigns grow, your negative keyword list can become overwhelming. Not organizing them into lists makes it difficult to manage and update them effectively.

Here’s why organization matters:

• Easier to manage: Quickly find and update negative keywords.
• Improved efficiency: Apply negative keyword lists to multiple campaigns.
• Better insights: Identify patterns and trends in your negative keyword data.

Here’s how to fix it: Create organized negative keyword lists based on product category, campaign type, or other relevant criteria.

Example: If you sell multiple types of shoes, you might create separate negative keyword lists for “running shoes,” “dress shoes,” and “casual shoes.” This makes it easy to apply relevant negative keywords to each campaign.

Mistake #4: Neglecting Long-Tail Negative Keywords

Most sellers focus on broad, generic negative keywords and miss out on the power of long-tail negative keywords. These are longer, more specific phrases that can help you fine-tune your targeting even further.

Here’s why that matters: Long-tail negative keywords can prevent your ads from showing to very specific, irrelevant searches.

Example: Let’s say you’re selling a premium coffee maker. You might add “cheap” as a negative keyword, but you’re still showing up for searches like “cheap coffee maker under $20.” Adding “coffee maker under” and “$20” as negative keywords can help you block these irrelevant searches.

Here’s how to fix it: Pay close attention to your search term reports and look for long-tail phrases that are generating clicks but not conversions.

Mistake #5: Not Regularly Reviewing and Updating Negative Keywords

Amazon PPC is constantly evolving. Search trends change, new products are launched, and your own product listings may be updated. That means your negative keyword strategy needs to be updated regularly too.

Here’s the problem: Many sellers set up their negative keywords and then forget about them. This can lead to wasted ad spend and missed opportunities.

Here’s how to fix it: Set aside time each week (or at least every other week) to review your search term reports and update your negative keyword lists.

• Add new negative keywords: Identify and add any new irrelevant search terms.
• Remove outdated negative keywords: Review existing negative keywords and remove any that are no longer relevant.
• Adjust match types: Fine-tune your match types based on your campaign performance.

Here’s a real example: Scott H., an AdLabs customer, said, “TACOS is down significantly while sales are now happening across our entire catalog.” Consistent negative keyword management is one reason AdLabs helps sellers achieve these results. [Trustpilot Review #1]

Level Up Your Amazon PPC with Negative Keywords

Mastering negative keywords is essential for Amazon PPC success. By avoiding these common mistakes, you can reduce wasted ad spend, improve your ACOS, and drive more profitable sales. Don’t underestimate the power of negative keywords—they can be the key to unlocking your campaign’s full potential.

Ready to simplify your Amazon PPC management? AdLabs can help you calculate optimal bids efficiently and negative keyword process, saving you time and improving your results.

This article is based on Episode 84 of That Amazon Ads Podcast. Subscribe for weekly Amazon PPC strategies.