Are your Amazon PPC campaigns draining your budget on irrelevant clicks? Negative keywords are your secret weapon to block unqualified searches, lower ACoS, and boost profitability.

In this step-by-step guide, you’ll learn:
✅ What negative keywords are & why they matter
✅ How to find & add them to campaigns
✅ Advanced strategies for maximum savings
✅ Common mistakes to avoid

1. What Are Negative Keywords?

Negative keywords prevent your ads from showing for irrelevant or low-converting search terms.

Example:

  • You sell premium wireless earbuds

  • Add “cheap” as a negative keyword to avoid bargain hunters

2. Why Negative Keywords Are Essential

✔ Lower ACoS – Stop wasting money on useless clicks
✔ Improve CTR – Ads only show to relevant shoppers
✔ Boost conversion rates – Target buyers with higher purchase intent

3. How to Find Negative Keywords

Method 1: Amazon Search Term Report

  1. Go to Amazon Advertising Console → Campaigns → Search Term Report

  2. Filter for high spend, low conversion terms

  3. Add irrelevant searches as negatives

Method 2: Competitor & Product Research

  • Use Helium 10, Jungle Scout, or Sonar to find irrelevant keywords

  • Example: If you sell “organic protein powder,” add “vegan” as negative (if not applicable)

Method 3: Common Sense Exclusions

  • Price-related: “cheap,” “discount,” “free”

  • Competitor brands: “Bose” (if you sell Sony headphones)

  • Wrong product type: “wired” (if you sell wireless earbuds)

4. How to Add Negative Keywords

Step 1: Choose Match Type

  • Negative Exact: Blocks only the exact term (e.g., “cheap earbuds”)

  • Negative Phrase: Blocks any phrase containing the term (e.g., “best cheap earbuds”)

Step 2: Apply at Campaign or Ad Group Level

  • Campaign-level negatives: Apply broadly (e.g., “free shipping”)

  • Ad-group-level negatives: More precise exclusions

5. Advanced Negative Keyword Strategies

A. Layered Targeting

  • Use negative keywords + positive keywords for ultra-precise targeting

B. Competitor Defense

  • Add competitor brands as negatives if conversions are low

C. Seasonal Adjustments

  • Remove temporary negatives after holidays (e.g., “Christmas gift” post-December)

6. Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Overusing broad negatives (May block potential buyers)
❌ Ignoring search term reports (Misses new irrelevant terms)
❌ Not testing impact (Always monitor performance after adding negatives)

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