Negative keywords on Amazon: stop paying for the searches that never buy
Negative keywords on Amazon tell Sponsored Products which shopping searches your ads should not appear for. Used well, they cut spend on clicks that never convert; used too early, they cut off searches that would have. This guide explains negative keywords Amazon style, from the Amazon Ads guide: the two match types, where to add them, and when the data is ready.
Key takeaways
- Negative keywords stop ads showing on shopping queries you choose to exclude, in both automatic and manual Sponsored Products campaigns.
- Amazon offers two negative match types: negative phrase blocks queries containing the phrase, negative exact blocks the exact query.
- You can add negatives for a whole campaign or for a single ad group; campaign level applies to every ad group in it.
- Amazon Ads suggests evaluating a keyword after at least 20 clicks, and letting negatives run two weeks before changing strategy.
- The search term report is where negatives come from: searches with clicks and no sales, and searches that do not fit the product.
What negative keywords on Amazon are
Amazon Ads describes negative keywords as a way to help prevent ads appearing on shopping results pages that do not meet your campaign objectives. Negative targeting excludes the keywords, products or brands you do not want your ads associated with, and Amazon says it can be used in both automatic and manual campaigns.
The payoff is control over spend. Amazon says this extra control can help improve click-through rate, return on ad spend and cost per click, because you stop paying for clicks from shoppers who were never looking for your product. Negative keywords do not find new customers; they stop wasting money on the wrong ones.
- Negative keyword
- Excludes a search termKeyword targeting
- Negative product
- Excludes an ASINProduct targeting
- Campaign level
- All ad groupsBroad exclusion
- Ad group level
- One ad groupPrecise exclusion
Negative phrase vs negative exact
Amazon recommends using phrase or exact match for negative keywords, and defines both. With negative phrase, ads will not show on shopping queries that contain the complete phrase or close variations. With negative exact, ads will not show on shopping queries that contain the exact phrase or close variation. Negative phrase is the wider net; negative exact removes one search and leaves its longer versions alone.
| Negative keyword | Match type | Blocks | Still allows |
|---|---|---|---|
| free | Negative phrase | Any query containing "free" | Queries without the word |
| cotton sheets | Negative phrase | "cotton sheets king", "cheap cotton sheets" | "cotton sheet set" may still show, test it |
| cotton sheets | Negative exact | "cotton sheets" and close variations | "cotton sheets king", "cheap cotton sheets" |
| [competitor brand] | Negative phrase | Queries naming that brand | Generic queries |
The examples are illustrative, built on Amazon's definitions. Close variations are part of both types, so check the search term report after adding a negative to confirm it blocked what you meant. Our guide to Amazon PPC explains the positive match types, broad, phrase and exact, that negatives work against.
Campaign level or ad group level
You can add negative keywords for an entire campaign or for selected ad groups. Amazon's API documentation spells out the difference: campaign level negatives apply to every ad group in the campaign, and ad group level negatives apply only to that ad group.
| Use | Level | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Terms that never fit any product | Campaign | Words like a wrong material or an unrelated use |
| Keeping exact terms out of broad ad groups | Ad group | Each term runs only where you bid on it |
| Moving a winning search to a manual campaign | Ad group or campaign in the auto campaign | The new campaign gets the traffic |
| Blocking a non-compatible product page | Negative product target | Amazon's camera lens example |
Amazon's own example of a negative product target is a camera lens ad appearing next to a camera it does not fit: adding that camera as a negative ASIN stops the ad from showing there. Negatives are not permanent, Amazon notes, so you can always remove them.
Finding negative keywords: Amazon search term reports
Negative keywords come from data, and the data comes from the search term report. Amazon suggests starting with an automatic campaign, letting it run about two weeks, and using its search term report to see which searches and products your ads matched. The same report shows the searches to exclude.
Search terms to consider as negatives
- Irrelevant terms: a different product, material, size or use
- Low-performing terms after at least 20 clicks with no sales
- Shopping terms you do not want your ads to appear against
- Winning terms you have moved into a manual campaign
- Low-performing or non-compatible ASINs, as negative products
Amazon's own list is short: low-performing keywords and shopping terms you do not want your ads to appear against, and for product targeting, low-performing ASINs and ASINs you do not want your ads to show against. Our guide to Amazon CPC covers the cost side of those clicks.
When to add negative keywords
The most common mistake is adding negatives too early. Amazon Ads recommends evaluating a keyword's performance after it has received at least 20 clicks before deciding to add it as a negative target, and letting negative keywords run for two weeks or more before making further changes to your strategy.
Irrelevant terms are the exception: if a search is clearly for a different product, there is no reason to wait for 20 clicks. The judgment call is on relevant searches that have not converted yet. For those, compare the conversion rate with the rest of the campaign, and remember that a search with a high cost per click and occasional sales may still be worth keeping at a lower bid.
| Search term | Clicks | Orders | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clearly a different product | Any | 0 | Negative now |
| Relevant, few clicks | Under 20 | 0 | Wait for data |
| Relevant, enough clicks | 20 or more | 0 | Negative, or lower the bid |
| Relevant, some sales | 20 or more | Some | Keep; move to manual if strong |
How to add negative keywords in Amazon Ads
- Open Campaigns overview in the Amazon Ads console and click the campaign name.
- For campaign level negatives, go to the Negative keywords tab; for one ad group, open the ad group and its Negative targeting tab.
- Choose negative phrase or negative exact, and enter the terms.
- Save, and note the date so you can review results two weeks later.
You can also add negatives when you create a campaign, in the negative keyword targeting and negative product targeting sections of the campaign builder. Amazon's keyword rules apply to negatives too: keywords are not case-sensitive, and a keyword is limited to 10 words and 80 characters.
Negative keywords Amazon advertisers get wrong
Too early
Negating after a handful of clicks cuts off searches that would convert.
Too broad
A negative phrase on a common word can block your best searches.
Wrong level
A campaign negative meant for one ad group silences them all.
Never reviewed
Amazon notes negatives are removable; recheck them as products and seasons change.
Only negatives
Cutting waste without adding winners to manual campaigns shrinks sales.
Ignoring products
Irrelevant ASIN placements need negative product targets too.
Negative keywords are one lever in a wider strategy. Our guides to the Amazon advertising strategy and TACoS cover the rest, and our Amazon PPC management service runs search term reviews as part of weekly optimization.
Negative keywords on Amazon: FAQ
What are negative keywords on Amazon?
Search terms you exclude so your Sponsored Products ads do not show for them, to cut spend that does not meet your goals.
What is the difference between negative phrase and negative exact?
Negative phrase blocks queries containing the complete phrase or close variations; negative exact blocks the exact query or a close variation.
Can I use negative keywords in automatic campaigns?
Yes. Amazon says negative targeting works in both automatic and manual campaigns.
Should I add negatives at campaign or ad group level?
Campaign level applies to every ad group in the campaign; ad group level only to that group. Use campaign level for terms that never fit.
How many clicks before adding a negative keyword?
Amazon Ads suggests evaluating performance after at least 20 clicks, unless the search is clearly irrelevant.
Where do I find negative keywords?
In the search term report: irrelevant searches and relevant ones with enough clicks and no sales.
Can I remove a negative keyword?
Yes. Amazon notes negatives are not permanent; let them run two weeks before changing strategy.
Is there a negative broad match on Amazon?
Amazon's Sponsored Products guide lists negative phrase and negative exact for negative keywords.
Can I exclude competitor products from my ads?
Yes, with negative product targeting, which excludes chosen ASINs from product targeting.
Do negative keywords improve ACoS?
They can, by removing spend that produces no sales. Amazon says negatives can help CTR, ROAS and CPC.
Sources
- A guide to targeting with Sponsored Products, Amazon AdsLast verified September 24, 2026.
- Negative keyword targeting, Amazon Ads API documentationLast verified September 24, 2026.
Get a free search term review
Send a search term report. You get a written list of negatives to add, at which level and match type, and the searches worth moving to manual campaigns.
See the Amazon PPC management service