How to analyze an Amazon search term report for better ad performance

Running ads on Amazon is only half the battle—optimizing them is where the real results come from. One of the most powerful tools sellers have is the Amazon search term report. By analyzing this data, you can uncover exactly how customers are finding your products and use those insights to improve performance.

Here’s a practical guide to understanding and analyzing the search term report.

What is the Amazon search term report?

The Amazon search term report shows the actual search queries customers typed in before clicking your ads. It connects the keywords you bid on to the real language customers are using when they shop.

The report typically includes:

• Customer search term
• Keyword match type (broad, phrase, exact)
• Impressions and clicks
• Sales and conversions
• Spend and Advertising Cost of Sales (ACoS)

This makes it one of the most valuable data sets for ad optimization.

Why Amazon search term report analysis matters

Analyzing the report gives you:

• Keyword insights: Find out which terms are driving profitable sales.
• Cost savings: Identify irrelevant or non-converting terms and block them with negative keywords.
• New opportunities: Discover untapped search terms to add to campaigns.
• Better targeting: Understand how customers phrase their searches to refine campaigns.

Without this analysis, you’re likely overspending on clicks that don’t convert.

How to analyze an Amazon search term report

Follow these steps for effective analysis:

1. Filter by conversions – Spot search terms generating sales with strong ACoS and add them as exact match keywords.
2. Identify poor performers – Look for terms with high spend but no sales. Add them as negatives.
3. Track high-volume, low-competition terms – These may represent growth opportunities with less bidding pressure.
4. Group by themes – Organize search terms into categories (e.g., brand terms, competitor terms, generic terms) to shape campaign structure.
5. Compare over time – Revisit reports monthly to catch emerging trends and adjust campaigns.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Ignoring negatives: Not blocking irrelevant search terms drains budget.
• Over-bidding: Paying too much for low-converting terms reduces profitability.
• One-time analysis: Search behavior evolves—continuous review is essential.
• Focusing only on ACoS: Consider lifetime value and profitability, not just short-term metrics.

How Amify helps brands with search term report analysis

At Amify, we help brands go beyond surface-level analysis by:

• Continuously mining reports to refine keyword targeting
• Building robust negative keyword lists to save budget
• Adjusting bidding strategies based on real-time performance
• Aligning search term insights with overall catalog and ad strategy
• Using data to drive both short-term wins and long-term brand growth

Our Amazon experts make sure every ad dollar works harder.

Final thoughts

The Amazon search term report is more than a spreadsheet—it’s a roadmap to smarter advertising. With the right analysis, you can cut wasted spend, uncover new growth opportunities, and run more profitable campaigns.

Don’t just run Amazon ads—optimize them. Partner with Amify to turn search term insights into competitive advantage.