How to Conduct Keyword Research for Amazon PPC: A Step-by-Step Guide
Keyword research is one of the most critical factors for a successful Amazon PPC (Pay-Per-Click) campaign. Choosing the right keywords ensures that your ads appear in front of high-intent shoppers, improving visibility, increasing conversions, and optimizing your advertising budget. This guide will walk you through the entire process of finding, analyzing, and selecting the best keywords for your Amazon PPC campaigns.
Step 1: Identify Seed Keywords
Before diving into keyword research tools, start with seed keywords—these are basic terms directly related to your product.
How to Find Seed Keywords:
1.Think Like a Customer
•Ask yourself: “If I were shopping for this product, what would I type into Amazon’s search bar?”
•Example: If you sell a yoga mat, potential keywords include:
•“Yoga mat for beginners”
•“Eco-friendly yoga mat”
•“Non-slip yoga mat”
2.Use Amazon Auto-Suggest
•Type your product name in Amazon’s search bar, and look at the suggested search terms.
•These suggestions come directly from real shopper searches.
•Example: Typing “protein powder” might reveal:
•“Protein powder for weight loss”
•“Protein powder for women”
•“Vegan protein powder”
3.Analyze Competitor Listings
•Look at high-ranking competitor products and analyze their:
•Titles
•Bullet points
•Descriptions
•These sections often contain high-performing keywords that you should consider using.
4.Explore Google Trends & Keyword Planner
•Even though Google search behavior differs from Amazon, Google Trends and Google Keyword Planner can provide insights into high-volume search terms that also work on Amazon.
Step 2: Use Keyword Research Tools
To ensure data-driven decisions, use Amazon PPC keyword research tools to analyze search volume, competition, and relevancy.
Best Keyword Research Tools for Amazon PPC
1.Amazon Search Term Report (For Existing Sellers)
•If you’ve already been selling on Amazon, use this free tool in Seller Central to find real keywords customers used to find your product.
•Access it via Seller Central → Advertising → Campaign Manager → Search Term Report.
2.Helium 10 (Cerebro & Magnet)
•Cerebro: Allows you to enter a competitor’s ASIN and see what keywords they rank for.
•Magnet: Helps you find high-volume keywords related to your product.
3.Jungle Scout
•Provides keyword search volume, difficulty score, and relevancy.
•Ideal for sellers who want historical keyword data.
4.MerchantWords
•Analyzes Amazon search data to uncover trending keywords.
•Useful for finding seasonal and niche-specific keywords.
5.Ubersuggest & SEMrush
•More Google-focused but can help identify related terms that potential buyers use.
Step 3: Organize Keywords by Match Type
Amazon allows you to target keywords in three different ways when setting up a manual PPC campaign:
Keyword Match Types & Their Purpose
1.Broad Match
•Ads show for related searches, synonyms, and variations.
•Pros: Maximum reach, captures long-tail searches.
•Cons: Can bring in irrelevant clicks, requiring negative keywords to filter out bad traffic.
•Example:
•Target keyword: “running shoes”
•Ads may show for: “best running sneakers for men”
2.Phrase Match
•Ads show when the search includes the exact keyword phrase in the same order.
•Pros: More targeted than broad match, but still flexible.
•Cons: May not cover all possible variations.
•Example:
•Target keyword: “running shoes”
•Ads may show for: “black running shoes for women”
3.Exact Match
•Ads only appear when the exact keyword is searched.
•Pros: Highest relevancy, reduces wasted ad spend.
•Cons:Limited reach, may miss valuable long-tail variations.
•Example:
•Target keyword: “running shoes”
•Ads show only for: “running shoes”
✔ Strategy Tip:
•Start with broad match to discover new keyword variations.
•Refine with phrase and exact match to increase conversions.
Step 4: Monitor & Optimize Keyword Performance
Once your PPC campaign is live, regularly analyze and optimize your keywords to maximize results.
Key Metrics to Track
1.Click-Through Rate (CTR) – Measures ad relevance.
•Goal:Above 0.3%
•Fix: If low, improve ad copy or keyword selection.
2.Conversion Rate (CVR) – Measures how many clicks result in a sale.
•Goal:Above 10%
•Fix: If low, optimize product listing and price.
3.Advertising Cost of Sales (ACOS) – Measures ad profitability.
•Goal:Below 30%
•Fix: Remove high-spending, low-converting keywords.
4.Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) – Revenue generated per ad dollar spent.
•Goal:3x or higher
•Fix: Increase bids on high-converting keywords.
Step 5: Use Negative Keywords to Reduce Wasted Ad Spend
Negative keywords prevent ads from showing for irrelevant searches, saving your budget for high-converting terms.
✔ Types of Negative Keywords:
•Negative Exact → Blocks ads from showing for a specific term.
•Negative Phrase → Blocks ads from showing for a phrase variation.
✔ Examples:
•Selling luxury leather wallets? Add negative keywords like:
•“cheap wallets”
•“plastic wallets”
•“free wallets”
Final Tips for Amazon PPC Keyword Research
✔ Start with automatic targeting, then move to manual campaigns for better control.
✔ Test different match types to find the most profitable keywords.
✔ Update keyword lists regularly based on performance reports.
✔ Use negative keywords to eliminate wasteful ad spend.
✔ Continuously monitor ACOS & CTR to improve efficiency and profitability.
By implementing a data-driven keyword strategy, you can increase ad visibility, drive more sales, and maximize ROI for your Amazon PPC campaigns.