Does broad match work the same on Amazon as on Google Ads?

No. Amazon's broad match is simpler than Google's. Amazon triggers on searches containing any word in your keyword in any order. Google's broad match is more expansive, using intent signals and semantic matching to show ads on searches that may not contain any of your original keywords. The underlying logic differs significantly between the two platforms.

Should I use broad match for every keyword?

No. Broad match is best used selectively for discovery during the early stages of a campaign. Applying broad match to every keyword at full bid typically produces high spend, many irrelevant clicks and poor ACoS. Most of your budget should sit on phrase or exact match keywords once you have search term data to work from.

How is broad match different from an automatic campaign?

An automatic campaign lets Amazon choose which searches to target across four targeting types: close match, loose match, substitutes and complements. Manual broad match gives you more control because you choose the seed keywords. Both are useful for discovery, but manual broad match is more predictable because Amazon must at least match one of your chosen words.

How often should I check the search term report for broad match keywords?

Weekly is the standard recommendation. For new campaigns or high-spend campaigns, checking twice a week helps catch wasted spend faster. The longer irrelevant terms accumulate clicks, the more budget is lost before you add them as negatives.

Can I use broad match and exact match for the same keyword?

Yes, and this is common practice. Running the same keyword on both broad and exact match in separate campaigns lets you capture exact-match traffic efficiently while the broad match version discovers related searches. Use negative exact match in your broad match campaign to prevent it competing with your exact match campaign on the same term.

What are broad match keywords on Amazon ads?

Broad match keywords on Amazon ads show your Sponsored Products ad on any search containing any combination of the words in your keyword, regardless of word order. They provide the widest reach of the three match types and are the best choice for discovering new search terms during the early stages of a campaign. Broad match is one of three keyword match types available in Amazon Sponsored Products campaigns. When you add a keyword on broad match, Amazon will show your ad on searches that contain any of the individual words in your keyword, in any order and potentially with additional words included. If your broad match keyword is 'stainless steel water bottle', your ad could appear for searches like 'steel bottle', 'water bottle stainless', 'best stainless bottle for gym' or 'insulated steel water flask'. Amazon treats each word in the keyword as an independent signal rather than requiring the full phrase. Broad match does not require the words to appear together or in a specific order. Amazon's matching logic looks for searches where the intent is likely related to your keyword, which can include synonyms and related terms depending on category and historical data. This wide net is both the strength and the weakness of broad match. It exposes your ad to the full range of search behaviour around your product category, which surfaces terms you would never think to add manually. It also means your ad can appear on searches with very different intent from your actual product. The search term report in your advertising console shows every actual customer search that triggered your ad and generated a click. Reviewing this regularly is essential for broad match campaigns because it reveals both valuable new keywords to add and irrelevant terms to exclude. Broad match is most valuable at the research stage of a campaign. For new listings or new campaigns, starting with broad match on your core product terms quickly generates data on which search queries shoppers actually use. This data informs your phrase and exact match keyword lists. Many sellers run a dedicated discovery campaign using broad match at a modest bid alongside their main campaigns on phrase and exact match. This keeps research spending contained while the core campaigns operate efficiently on proven terms. Broad match is less appropriate as your primary match type for mature campaigns where keyword efficiency matters. Once you have search term data, most budget should shift towards phrase and exact match where you have more control over which searches trigger your spend. The biggest risk with broad match is accumulating spend on searches that have no chance of converting. Checking your search term report weekly and adding a negative keyword list is the main control mechanism. Negative exact match is the most precise tool: it stops your ad showing for one specific search term without affecting anything else. Negative phrase match blocks any search containing that phrase and is useful when you identify a broader category of irrelevant searches. Setting a lower bid on broad match than on phrase or exact match keywords is also standard practice. Since broad match conversions tend to be less predictable, spending less per click limits the cost of irrelevant traffic while still generating discovery data.

Learn what broad match keywords do in Amazon PPC, when to use them and how to manage wasted spend using negative keywords and search term reports.