Amazon Negative Keywords: How to Use Them Properly

Negative keywords prevent your ads from showing on irrelevant search terms, stopping you from paying for clicks that will never convert. You should add them weekly from your Search Term Report. Use negative exact for specific terms and negative phrase only for clearly irrelevant categories. Most accounts I audit have 50–200 fewer negative keywords than they should.

Article summary

The longer answer

Short answer: Negative keywords prevent your ads from showing on irrelevant search terms, stopping you from paying for clicks that will never convert. You should add them weekly from your Search Term Report. Use negative exact for specific terms and negative phrase only for clearly irrelevant categories. Most accounts I audit have 50–200 fewer negative keywords than they should.

What most people get wrong about this

Every time someone types a search term on Amazon and your ad shows up, you might pay for that click. If the search term is irrelevant — someone searching "magnesium oil" when you sell capsules — that click is pure waste.

What I would actually recommend

Negative exact match: Blocks only the specific phrase. Adding "magnesium oil" as negative exact means your ad won't show for that exact search. It will still show for "magnesium oil spray" or "best magnesium oil." Use this for specific terms you've confirmed don't convert.

About the author

Negative phrase match: Blocks any search containing that phrase. Adding "liquid" as negative phrase blocks "liquid magnesium," "magnesium liquid supplement," and any other search containing "liquid." Use this sparingly and only for clearly irrelevant product types — it's easy to accidentally block good terms.