What is the difference between a keyword and a search term in Amazon PPC?

A keyword is a target the advertiser selects, while a search term is the exact query a shopper types. Keyword harvesting uses actual search term performance to create better-controlled keyword targets.

How many sales should a search term have before harvesting?

Two or three orders from at least 10 to 15 clicks is a practical starting point, but the threshold should reflect your product price, conversion rate, margin, click cost, and target ACoS.

Should I negate a search term after moving it to exact match?

Usually yes. Add it as a negative exact term in the source discovery campaign to reduce overlap while allowing the exact-match campaign to control the query.

What is Amazon PPC keyword harvesting?

Amazon PPC keyword harvesting is the process of identifying shopper search terms that generate useful clicks or sales in discovery campaigns, then adding the strongest terms as controlled targets in manual campaigns. Sellers usually harvest from automatic, broad-match, and phrase-match campaigns into exact-match campaigns, then add negatives to prevent overlap. Discovery campaigns allow Amazon to match ads with a wider range of shopper queries. Automatic targeting uses Amazon's understanding of the listing, while broad and phrase keywords can trigger related or expanded searches. The search term report reveals the exact query the shopper typed, along with the advertising results attributed to it. Suppose a portable charger campaign targets the broad keyword portable power bank. The report may reveal that slim portable charger for travel generated repeated sales at an acceptable ACoS. Harvesting means adding that exact shopper phrase to a manual exact-match campaign, setting a specific bid, and monitoring it separately from the broader discovery traffic. Harvest a search term when it has enough evidence to justify separate control. A practical starting point is at least two or three orders from 10 to 15 clicks at an ACoS close to or below the campaign target. The right threshold depends on product price, conversion rate, click cost, margin, and traffic volume, so use business economics rather than one universal number. A low-volume term may need several weeks to reach a useful sample, while a high-volume term can produce enough evidence in days. Relevance still matters. A query that converts once but describes a feature the product does not have may create returns or unstable performance and should not be promoted automatically. Add the harvested query as an exact-match target in the destination campaign, then add the same wording as a negative exact keyword in the automatic, broad, or phrase source campaign. This query isolation directs future matching towards the campaign where the bid and budget are controlled most precisely. Do not add a negative phrase by default because it may block useful longer searches that contain the harvested words. Continue reviewing the discovery campaign for new variations, and compare the harvested target's conversion and ACoS after it has accumulated a fresh data sample.

Amazon PPC keyword harvesting moves proven shopper search terms into controlled targets. Learn how to harvest winners and block campaign overlap.