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How to use negative keywords to refine ad performance

Joelle

Client Success Manager at Amersify

Introduction

Every Amazon advertiser has felt the pain of wasted spend — paying for clicks that never convert.

That’s where negative keywords come in.

Negative keywords tell Amazon where not to show your ads. Used correctly, they’re one of the fastest ways to improve campaign efficiency, lower ACOS, and focus your budget on profitable traffic.

In this article, we’ll explain how negative keywords work, the different match types, and how to build a strong negative keyword strategy that keeps your campaigns lean and effective.

1. What Are Negative Keywords?

Negative keywords prevent your ad from appearing when a shopper’s search term includes those blocked words or phrases.

For example, if you sell premium organic dog food, you might add the word “cheap” as a negative keyword to stop showing ads to shoppers looking for low-cost alternatives.

Tip: Negative keywords are not about limiting reach — they’re about improving relevance and spend efficiency.

2. Where You Can Use Negative Keywords

You can add negative keywords in both Sponsored Products and Sponsored Brands campaigns.

Ad Type	Supports Negative Keywords?	Where to Add Them
Sponsored Products	Yes	Ad Group and Campaign Level
Sponsored Brands	Yes	Campaign Level only
Sponsored Display	No	Use audience exclusions instead

2025 Note: Amazon has introduced Brand Management Negatives in some accounts, allowing brands to exclude irrelevant terms across multiple Sponsored Brands campaigns at once, reducing repetitive setup.

3. Negative Keyword Match Types

Amazon supports two negative keyword match types:

Match Type	How It Works	Example
Negative Phrase	Blocks searches containing your exact phrase in order	“cheap dog food” blocks “cheap dog food 10kg”
Negative Exact	Blocks searches that match your exact term only	“cheap dog food” blocks only that phrase

Tip: Use phrase match for broader control, and exact match when you’re confident the term never converts.

4. How to Add Negative Keywords (Step-by-Step)

For Sponsored Products:

Go to Advertising → Campaign Manager → Sponsored Products.
Select your campaign and open the relevant Ad Group.
Click Negative Keywords.
Add your list manually or upload via bulk file.
Choose Negative Phrase or Negative Exact.
Click Save.

For Sponsored Brands:

Navigate to Campaign Manager → Sponsored Brands.
Open your campaign.
Scroll to Negative Keywords.
Add words or phrases you want to exclude.
Click Save.

Pro Tip: Use bulk operations to manage large lists efficiently across campaigns. Bulk editing through spreadsheets or API is ideal for accounts managing hundreds of ASINs.

5. How to Build a Negative Keyword Strategy

Step 1: Audit Your Search Term Reports

Go to Advertising → Reports → Search Term Report.

Sort by spend and conversion rate.

Identify terms with high spend and zero sales — these are perfect negative keyword candidates.

Step 2: Segment by Intent

Group terms by why they’re irrelevant:

Price intent: cheap, budget, discount, free.
Product mismatch: wrong size, colour, or category.
Competitor brand names: only exclude if conversion rate remains zero over time.

Step 3: Apply & Review Weekly

Apply negatives gradually, review results, and adjust as needed.

Overblocking too early can choke reach, especially during new launches.

2025 Note: Use the Search Term Impression Share report (new in 2025) to identify irrelevant terms that generate impressions but not clicks. These data points expose hidden inefficiencies and help you refine negatives faster.

6. Common Mistakes to Avoid

Avoid adding too many negatives too early — this restricts Amazon’s algorithmic learning period.

Avoid neglecting phrase variations — Amazon does not automatically block plural or near-match forms.

Avoid forgetting campaign-level exclusions — essential when testing different ad groups.

Avoid overusing competitor names — repetitive brand blocking can trigger ad suppression or disapproval.

Tip: Check Amazon’s Advertising Policies before adding competitor brand names. In certain cases, adding competitor or trademarked brand terms may violate targeting rules, causing ads to be rejected.

7. Advanced Negative Keyword Techniques

Cross-Negative Strategy:

Prevent overlap between automatic and manual campaigns by adding manual campaign keywords as negatives in your automatic campaign. This isolates traffic and improves data clarity.

Seasonal Negatives:

Exclude out-of-season phrases such as “Christmas” or “Easter” to maintain relevance in off-peak periods.

Product Segmentation:

Use negatives to block unrelated categories when promoting brand-level or multi-product ads. For example, exclude “cat food” when advertising dog supplies.

Performance-Based Negatives:

Regularly add search terms that generate clicks but consistently fall below acceptable profit thresholds.

Pro Insight:

Combine your negatives with Brand Analytics and Search Query Performance data to find search terms that deliver impressions without corresponding sales or clicks.

Dynamic Negatives via API (2025 Update):

New API integrations and software tools now allow advertisers to automate negative keyword additions based on conversion thresholds. This automation ensures performance-based exclusions are applied in real-time, reducing wasted ad spend.

Monitoring Tip:

Use Amazon Marketing Stream data for hourly monitoring of poor-performing queries. Spotting spend spikes early helps prevent budget drains before they impact ACOS.

FAQs

Can I add negative keywords at the portfolio level?

Not yet — negatives apply at the campaign or ad group level only.

How often should I update my negatives?

At least monthly for most accounts, or weekly for high-spend campaigns. Use automation if possible for continuous refinement.

Will negatives affect organic ranking?

No, negative keywords only filter paid ad visibility. Organic SEO remains unaffected.

Can I use competitor brand names as negatives?

Yes, but with caution. Always evaluate intent terms to avoid excluding relevant searches like “running shoes” when blocking “Nike running shoes.”

Summary

Negative keywords are one of the most effective optimisation tools in Amazon advertising. Used properly, they cut wasted clicks, sharpen targeting, and redirect spend toward profitable traffic.

In 2025, new tools such as Brand Management Negatives, Search Term Impression Share, and Dynamic API automation make it easier than ever to maintain efficiency at scale.

Successful advertisers don’t just find new keywords — they constantly refine and eliminate the unproductive ones.

At Amersify, we help brands design structured advertising systems that combine discovery with precision — ensuring every click contributes to measurable growth.