Running a successful pay-per-click (PPC) campaign requires more than just choosing the right keywords. If you’re not filtering out irrelevant searches, you could be wasting money on clicks that don’t convert. This is where negative keywords come in. They help refine your ads, ensuring you reach the right audience while avoiding unnecessary ad spend.
In this blog, we’ll explain what negative keywords are, why they’re important, and how to use them effectively in your Amazon PPC services or any other PPC campaigns.
What are negative keywords?
Negative keywords are search terms that you don’t want your ads to show for. When you add a negative keyword to your campaign, your ad won’t appear when a customer searches for that term. This helps prevent irrelevant traffic and ensures that only qualified buyers see your ad.
For example, if you sell premium leather wallets, you might want to exclude searches like:
- “cheap leather wallets”
- “free wallets”
- “DIY leather wallets”
By filtering out these terms, you avoid paying for clicks from customers who are unlikely to buy your product.
Why are negative keywords important?
Using negative keywords correctly can improve your PPC campaigns in several ways:
- Saves money: You don’t want to waste your budget on irrelevant searches. Negative keywords help ensure you’re only paying for clicks that have a higher chance of conversion.
- Increases conversion rates: By eliminating irrelevant traffic, you improve the quality of your visitors. This leads to higher conversion rates because your ads are shown to people who are interested in your product.
- Improves ad relevance: When your ad appears for the right search queries, it gets a better click-through rate (CTR). A higher CTR improves your ad quality score, which can lower your cost-per-click (CPC) and improve your ad ranking.
- Reduces wasted impressions: Irrelevant impressions hurt your ad performance. By using negative keywords, you ensure that your ad is seen by the right audience, improving overall engagement.
How to find negative keywords
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Use Amazon search term reports
If you’re running an Amazon PPC campaign, check the Search Term Report in Amazon Seller Central. This report shows the exact search terms that triggered your ads. Look for keywords that bring irrelevant traffic and add them to your negative keyword list.
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Perform keyword research
Use tools like:
- Google Keyword Planner
- Amazon’s autocomplete feature
- Third-party PPC tools
These tools help you find irrelevant keywords that might waste your budget.
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Check competitor ads
Look at your competitors’ ads and see what keywords they might be targeting. This can help you identify terms you should avoid in your campaigns.
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Think like a customer
Consider search terms that don’t match your product’s intent. For example, if you sell new watches, you might want to exclude terms like “used watches” or “watch repair services”.
How to use negative keywords effectively
Now that you know why negative keywords are important, let’s go over how to use them properly in your PPC campaigns.
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Add negative keywords at the right level
You can set negative keywords at two levels:
- Campaign level – If a keyword is irrelevant to your entire campaign, add it at the campaign level.
- Ad group level – If a keyword is only irrelevant to a specific ad group, add it at the ad group level.
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Choose the right match type
Negative keywords work differently from regular keywords. Here’s how:
- Negative broad match – Your ad won’t show if all the words in the negative keyword appear in any order. Example: If you add “cheap shoes” as a negative broad match, your ad won’t show for “cheap running shoes” or “shoes cheap”.
- Negative phrase match – Your ad won’t show if the negative keyword appears in the exact order. Example: If you add “cheap shoes”, your ad won’t show for “best cheap shoes”, but it might still show for “shoes for cheap”.
- Negative exact match – Your ad won’t show only if the search matches exactly. Example: If you add “cheap shoes”, your ad will still show for “cheap running shoes” or “affordable shoes”.
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Update your negative keyword list regularly
Negative keywords aren’t a one-time fix. Regularly check your search term reports and adjust your negative keyword list based on new data.
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Use negative keywords with automated campaigns
If you’re running Amazon PPC services or using automatic targeting, negative keywords are even more important. Amazon’s automatic targeting might match your ad with irrelevant search terms, so adding negative keywords helps refine your targeting.
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Group similar negative keywords
Instead of adding negative keywords one by one, group similar terms together. For example:
- Generic searches – “free,” “cheap,” “discount,” “wholesale”
- Irrelevant variations – “used,” “repair,” “DIY,” “replacement”
- Competitor names – If you don’t want to show for competitor brands
- Best practices for using negative keywords
- Be specific – Avoid being too broad, or you might block relevant searches.
- Don’t overuse negative keywords – Too many can limit your reach and reduce traffic.
- Test and refine – Monitor performance and adjust regularly for the best results.
Final thoughts
Negative keywords are an essential part of any PPC strategy. They help you reduce wasted ad spend, improve conversion rates, and make sure your ads are shown to the right audience. Whether you’re running an Amazon PPC campaign or using Google Ads, taking the time to optimize your negative keyword list can make a big difference.
If you’re unsure how to manage your PPC campaigns, consider using Amazon Seller Consulting Services. These services can help you set up effective campaigns, optimize keywords, and maximize your ad spend.
By using negative keywords wisely, you can improve your ad performance, save money, and grow your business faster. Start refining your PPC campaigns today!
