A Practical Negative Keywords Playbook for Amazon Sellers
Who This Is For
Sellers running Sponsored Products campaigns
Anyone struggling with wasted ad spend, high ACoS, or bloated search term reports
Sellers who want a repeatable, weekly process (not one-time cleanup)
This framework works whether you manage ads manually or use software.
Why Search Term Cleanup Matters
Most Amazon PPC waste comes from irrelevant or underperforming search terms, not bad products or bids.
Common symptoms:
High spend, low sales
Strong CTR but poor conversion
Auto campaigns “leaking” budget
Manual campaigns competing with each other
Search Term Cleanup is the process of systematically deciding:
Which search terms to block
Which to keep
Which to promote into better campaigns
The Core Principle
Every search term should have a job.
If it’s not profitable, relevant, or being tested intentionally — it should be excluded.
The Search Term Cleanup Framework (4 Steps)
Step 1: Pull the Right Data
Use a Search Term Report covering:
Last 14–30 days
Minimum 20–30 clicks (or your own threshold)
Key columns to review:
Search Term
Clicks
Spend
Sales
Orders
Conversion Rate
ACoS
⚠️ Avoid reacting to low-data terms. Cleanup is about patterns, not noise.
Step 2: Categorize Every Search Term
Place each term into one of four buckets:
1️⃣ Performers (Keep / Scale)
Generating sales
Acceptable or strong ACoS
High relevance to the product
Action:
Keep running
Consider isolating into exact match campaigns
2️⃣ Wasted Spend (Negative Immediately)
High spend, zero sales
Clearly irrelevant or misleading intent
Examples:
Wrong product type
Wrong audience (kids vs adults)
Wrong use case
Action:
Add as negative exact or negative phrase
3️⃣ Poor Converters (Investigate)
Some sales, but:
Very high ACoS
Low conversion rate
Misaligned intent
Ask:
Is this a listing issue or intent issue?
Would this ever be profitable?
Action options:
Negative phrase (to block variations)
Lower bids instead of negating
Leave temporarily if testing
4️⃣ Harvest Opportunities (Promote)
Good CTR
Conversions happening
Buried inside auto or broad campaigns
Action:
Move into manual exact or phrase campaigns
Add as negative exact in the source campaign to avoid duplication
Step 3: Choose the Right Negative Type
Choosing the wrong negative match type is one of the most common mistakes.
Negative Exact
Blocks only that exact query
Best for:
Isolated poor performers
Search term harvesting cleanup
Example:
Negative Exact: running shoes women
Negative Phrase
Blocks the phrase and close variations
Best for:
Broad irrelevant intent
Category mismatches
Example:
Negative Phrase: free, used, kids
Negative ASIN
Blocks product-level targeting
Best for:
Irrelevant competitor ASINs
Low-converting placements
Step 4: Prevent Future Waste (Structure Rules)
Cleanup isn’t just removal — it’s prevention.
Apply These Rules:
Auto campaigns → discovery only
Winning terms → move to manual exact
Add harvested terms as negatives in source campaigns
Avoid overlapping match types across campaigns
📌 Goal: One search term = one best home
Recommended Cleanup Schedule
Seller Stage | Cleanup Frequency |
New Seller | Every 7 days |
Growing Brand | Every 7–14 days |
Mature Account | Every 14–30 days |
Consistency matters more than aggressiveness.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Negating too early (low data)
❌ Using only negative phrase
❌ Cleaning without harvesting winners
❌ Ignoring listing relevance issues
❌ Letting multiple campaigns compete for the same term
Quick Decision Cheat Sheet
Spend > threshold, 0 sales → Negative Exact
Irrelevant intent → Negative Phrase
Good sales in auto → Promote + Negative Exact in auto
High ACoS but relevant → Bid down before negating
Toolkit Add-Ons (Optional)
This article pairs well with:
Final Takeaway
Search Term Cleanup is not about cutting — it’s about clarity.
When done correctly, it:
Lowers wasted spend
Improves TACoS
Makes scaling easier
Gives you control over intent
If you run ads on Amazon, this framework should be part of your weekly or bi-weekly routine.