Amazon PPC negation has evolved drastically over time. Relevancy now trumps broad targeting, requiring strategic keyword negation and regular updates to maintain campaign efficiency in a competitive landscape.
Negating Keywords in Amazon PPC: Then vs. Now
In the early days of Amazon PPC, negating keywords wasn’t the hot topic it is today. Honestly, you didn’t need to pay it much attention. Why? Because conversions were easier to come by, even on completely unrelated terms. You could be selling gym accessories, yet somehow convert on kids' search terms. It might sound crazy now, but back then, it made sense—more eyeballs meant more sales, and the algorithms were far more forgiving.
But today, the landscape has changed dramatically. Now, it’s all about relevancy. If your product doesn’t align with the search term, it’s tough to get any organic traction. And Amazon expects us to prove we belong in those search results by showing that our product is a great fit for the terms we're bidding on. Relevancy has become priority number one if you want to rank and scale.
At BTR Media, we’ve navigated this transition closely. There used to be a time when our philosophy leaned toward not negating keywords too quickly—even broad terms like “Baby Gifts” could drive some level of conversions. We approached it by managing bids instead of rushing to negate, letting keywords run on the first page or within product pages to gather more data. But as relevancy has become more critical, our strategies have evolved.
Negating Keywords: Getting the Right Match Type Matters
Here’s a quick refresher: There are two main types of negatives—negative exact match and negative phrase match. This might sound basic, but it’s surprising how often they get confused.
Negative phrase match: If you negate "beand diapers" as a phrase, Amazon will block anything that contains “brand diapers” in the search term, in any order.
Negative exact match: This only blocks the exact term "brand diapers," meaning you could still show up for other variations, but not that specific phrase.
It’s essential to choose wisely, especially in auto campaigns. For instance, you don’t want your branded terms showing up in auto campaigns if you already have a separate branded strategy bucket. Get your structure in place, or you might end up cannibalizing your own campaigns and losing valuable conversions.
Adapting with the Market: The Importance of Regularly Updating Your Negatives
Updating your negative search terms isn’t a “set it and forget it” thing. You don’t need to do it every week, but it’s definitely something that should be monitored regularly. Trends shift, competitors enter the market, and new keywords emerge. Regularly reviewing and optimizing your lists is crucial to keep your campaigns efficient and relevant.
Amazon PPC has evolved into a much more complex and competitive landscape. To stay ahead, it’s all about having a structured approach, adjusting your negatives strategically, and ensuring each part of your campaign is working toward your end goal.