Selling on Amazon is tougher than ever. Wasted ad spend, low conversions, and bidding on the wrong keywords can tank your PPC performance.
The key? Smart keyword research. Targeting the right keywords ensures your ads reach the right audience, not get lost or wasted on irrelevant searches.
This blog will show you how to find high-performing keywords, avoid common pitfalls, and maximize your ROI.
Amazon PPC keyword research is the process of identifying and selecting the best specific keywords to target in paid ads. These are the search terms that potential customers use when searching for products similar to yours.
You can read more about this in our article about Amazon Keyword Research.
Running an Amazon PPC campaign without proper keyword research is like shooting in the dark. You might get some visibility, but you won’t consistently reach the right shoppers. The right keywords ensure that your ads appear for searches that match buyer intent, helping you maximize sales while minimizing wasted ad spend.
Without effective keyword research, sellers risk:
Effective keyword research is the foundation of a profitable Amazon PPC advertising efforts campaign. It’s not just about finding words related to a product—it’s about identifying terms that potential buyers actually use when searching. A well-researched keyword strategy helps improve ad relevance, lower costs, and maximize conversions.
Here’s a step-by-step approach to conducting Amazon PPC keyword research:
Before diving into keywords, ask yourself: What do I want to achieve with my PPC campaigns? Your goals will shape your keyword strategy. For example:
Your goals will determine whether you focus on high-volume keywords for visibility or long-tail keywords for conversions. Knowing your objectives upfront ensures your keyword research is aligned with your overall strategy.
To find the right keywords, you need to understand your product and who’s buying it. Ask yourself:
For example, if you're selling a “wireless gaming headset,” your target audience might search for terms like “gaming headset bundle,” “gaming headset wireless,” or “noise-canceling gaming headset.” Understanding what features matter most to your audience helps you find the right keywords to target.
Amazon’s search bar is a goldmine for keyword ideas. Here’s how to use it-
Additionally, if you’ve already run PPC campaigns, check your Search Term Report in Seller Central. This report shows the actual search terms customers used before clicking on your ads. It’s a great way to identify high-performing keywords and weed out irrelevant ones.
Seed keywords are the foundation of your research. The first step is to identify these broad terms related to your product (e.g., “yoga mat,” “resistance bands”). Once you have these, you can expand your list using tools.
Your competitors are a treasure trove of keyword ideas. Here’s how to analyze them:
For example, if a competitor’s wireless headphones are ranking for “best wireless gaming headset,” that’s a keyword you might want to add to your list.
Now that you have a solid list of seed keywords and competitor insights, it’s time to expand. Look for:
Not all keywords are created equal. To prioritize your list:
Once you’ve done the hard work of finding the right keywords, the next step is to organize them into a well-structured PPC campaign manager. A good structure ensures your ads are relevant, your budget is used efficiently, and your campaigns are easy to manage. Here’s how to do it.
Instead of lumping all your keywords into a single campaign, divide them into thematic groups based on product categories or keyword intent. This segmentation allows for more precise targeting and performance tracking.
For example, if you sell fitness equipment, you can create distinct campaigns for:
Within each campaign, further group keywords into subcategories based on specific features or customer intent. For instance, under Yoga Mats, you might have:
Ad groups are where the magic happens. Here’s how to structure them effectively:
Negative keywords are just as important as the ones you target. They prevent your ads from showing up for irrelevant searches, saving you money and improving your campaign’s efficiency. For example:
PPC campaigns aren’t a “set it and forget it” strategy. To stay competitive, you need to continuously test and refine your keywords. Here’s how:
Set a regular schedule (e.g., weekly or bi-weekly) to review and optimize your campaigns. Consistency is key to long-term success.
Running a successful Amazon PPC campaign isn’t just about setting it up—it’s about continuous monitoring and refinement. Here’s how to keep your keyword strategy in top shape:
Understanding key PPC metrics is essential for optimizing performance:
Use Amazon’s Search Term Report to see which search terms are driving clicks and conversions. This helps you identify hidden gems and weed out underperformers.
Once you’ve identified how your keywords are performing, it’s time to optimize your bids and budgets:
Smart bid management ensures you’re maximizing ROI and focusing your budget on what works.
Match types (Broad, Phrase, Exact) play a huge role in how your ads perform. Here’s how to use them effectively:
Running an Amazon PPC campaign without proper keyword research is like shooting in the dark—there’s no guarantee the ads will reach the right shoppers. Selecting the right keywords is essential to ensure that ads appear for searches that match buyer intent. Without this, sellers risk wasting their budget on irrelevant clicks and missing out on valuable sales.
Amazon PPC isn’t about reaching the most people—it’s about reaching the right people. Effective keyword research ensures that ads appear for shoppers who are actively searching for a product, ultimately increasing conversions and helping to improve market share.
Choosing relevant keywords helps reduce wasted ad spend. By focusing on high-converting terms, advertisers can get more sales at a lower cost, maximizing return on investment (ROI).
Bidding on broad, highly competitive keywords can quickly drain the budget without delivering results. Keyword research helps identify cost-effective, long-tail keywords that attract serious buyers.
PPC success isn’t just about launching ads—it’s about continuous improvement. Research allows advertisers to monitor keyword performance, scale winning keywords, and eliminate underperforming ones.
The right keywords ensure that products appear in relevant search results, boosting visibility and increasing the likelihood of making a sale. Strategic keyword research helps sellers stay ahead of competitors.
Effective keyword research is essential for a successful Amazon PPC campaign, but many sellers make critical mistakes that hurt their ad performance. Here’s how to avoid them:
Many sellers target broad, high-competition keywords, thinking they’ll drive more traffic. However, these keywords often have high CPCs and attract unqualified clicks. Instead, analyze competitor keywords and focus on a mix of high-intent and lower-competition terms to improve ROI.
Without negative keywords, your ads may show for irrelevant searches, wasting ad spend. Regularly review search term reports and add negative keywords to filter out unqualified traffic, improving ad efficiency.
Short, generic keywords get more searches, but long-tail keywords like “best eco-friendly yoga mat for hot yoga” often convert better. Use competitor research, and Amazon’s autocomplete feature to find high-intent long-tail keywords that match buyer searches. Read more on long-tail keywords here.
Adding too many keywords in one campaign can dilute your budget and reduce ad control. Group keywords into structured ad campaigns based on themes and product categories. Monitor performance and adjust bids based on data rather than overloading your campaigns with excessive keywords.
A well-optimized Amazon PPC campaign does more than just drive paid traffic—it directly influences your organic rankings. Amazon’s A9 algorithm prioritizes products with strong sales velocity, high click-through rates (CTR), and solid conversion rates. By strategically selecting and refining your PPC keywords, you can enhance these key performance indicators, ultimately improving your organic search visibility.
For example, if a keyword in your ad campaign generates consistent sales, Amazon recognizes your product’s relevance for that term and may rank it higher in organic search results. This is why aligning your PPC and SEO keyword strategy is crucial for long-term success.
|
Aspect |
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) |
PPC (Pay-Per-Click Advertising) |
|
Purpose |
Driving organic traffic by ranking higher in search engine results. |
Gaining immediate traffic through paid advertisements. |
|
Cost |
Free (except for tools and services), but requires time and effort. |
Paid—cost per click, varies by competition. |
|
Speed of Results |
Takes time (months) to see significant results. |
Immediate traffic once the campaign is live. |
|
Sustainability |
Long-term benefits; traffic continues without ongoing payment. |
Stops as soon as the ad budget runs out. |
|
Click-Through Rate (CTR) |
Typically higher for organic listings over time. |
Often lower than organic, but depends on ad quality. |
|
Conversion Potential |
Can drive high-quality traffic with proper targeting. |
Can generate quick conversions but depends on budget and ad optimization. |
|
Tools Used |
Google Search Console, Ahrefs, SEMrush, Moz. |
Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, Facebook Ads Manager. |
Amazon’s algorithm favors listings that generate strong sales and engagement. If a keyword in your PPC campaign drives consistent purchases, Amazon may boost your organic ranking for that term. This synergy between paid and organic search means that a well-optimized PPC strategy can help your product climb the rankings without relying solely on ads.
By strategically balancing PPC and organic keyword efforts, you can dominate Amazon search results, increase conversions, and maximize sales.
To know more about organic keyword research and maximize your Amazon SEO strategy, check out our in-depth guide: Amazon Keyword Research: 8 Tips You Really Need to Know.
At beBOLD Digital, we take the guesswork out of Amazon PPC. As an Amazon Ads Verified Partner, we develop data-driven strategies to target high-converting keywords, optimize bids, and refine campaigns for better performance.
Our approach goes beyond PPC—we also help with brand protection, creative strategy, and Amazon DSP advertising to support long-term growth. Whether you're launching or scaling, we focus on measurable improvements to maximize your success on Amazon.
Want to improve your PPC strategy? Connect with beBOLD Digital and start seeing results today!
Amazon PPC keyword research is not a one-time task but an ongoing process of refinement and optimization that involves understanding customer search trends. The most successful sellers don’t just find good keywords—they continuously test, analyze, and adapt their strategies to stay ahead of competitors.
The key to long-term success lies in understanding buyer intent, balancing broad and specific keywords, and leveraging negative keywords to eliminate wasted spend. Investing in the right keyword research tools and regularly monitoring campaign performance will help advertisers identify new opportunities and scale efficiently.
Ultimately, a data-driven approach to PPC keyword research ensures that every dollar spent contributes to growth, profitability, and a stronger presence on Amazon.
Start with seed keywords related to the product. Use tools like Amazon PPC keyword research, Search Term Reports, and Helium 10 to find high-performing terms related to product research. Analyze competitor keywords, check search volume, and refine the list based on relevance and competition. Continuously test and optimize keywords to improve your rankings in Amazon’s search results for better results.
SEO focuses on organic search rankings, using long-term keywords for free traffic. PPC targets paid ads, emphasizing high-intent, conversion-driven keywords. SEO takes time to show results, while PPC delivers immediate visibility. PPC allows bid adjustments, while SEO relies on content optimization and backlinks for rankings.
Popular tools include Amazon Auto-Suggest and Google Keyword Planner. These tools help identify high-traffic, relevant keywords and discover popular search terms for your Amazon business, analyze competitors, and optimize campaigns for better performance and lower ad spend.
Negative keywords prevent ads from appearing in irrelevant searches, reducing wasted ad spend. For example, if selling luxury watches, adding "cheap" as a negative keyword ensures ads don’t show for bargain hunters. Using negative keywords improves targeting, increases conversion rates, and lowers Advertising Cost of Sales (ACoS).
Keywords should be reviewed weekly to identify underperforming terms and add negative keywords. Monthly updates help adjust bids and match types, while quarterly deep dives refine strategy based on competitor trends. Regular optimization ensures improved ad performance and cost efficiency.