Hero Image

Negative Product Targeting on Amazon

A Comprehensive Guide of Amazon Sellers

Posted by Amanda Stein on 2023-07-05 | 2 minute read

In short,

Use negative product targeting to prevent your ads from appearing on product pages that are likely to out-perform yours.

Negative Product Targeting on Amazon

When you use product targeting on Amazon, any searches containing items related to yours will also show your listings. It’s a useful tool for appealing to the customer base of competing or related sellers.


What Is Amazon PPC Product Targeting?

Similarly, negative product targeting is a feature of Amazon that prevents your ads from displaying when the search term matches your negative product selections and negative keywords. By choosing a list of brands and products that you wish to exclude, you can keep your ads relevant to your visiting shoppers, saving money on your advertising cost of sale (ACOS).


What Is Negative Targeting in Amazon?

Negative Product Targeting is a feature in Sponsored Ads. These ads appear on targeted search pages and product detail pages. The feature ensures that only relevant shoppers see your ads.


How to Use Negative Amazon Targeting

You don’t want your ads to display on irrelevant brands.

  1. Prevent advertising on irrelevant searches

For example, let’s say you sell toy trains.

Imagine that there was a clothing brand known as “ToyTrains.” While the keywords match, shoppers looking for the clothing brand will not be interested in your toy train products. Using negative product targeting will prevent you from wasting advertising money on this irrelevant search.

  1. Don’t be associated with the wrong brands

Another reason to use negative product targeting is to disassociate yourself with certain brands.

For instance, you may notice that your ad is displayed on the product pages of lower-quality brands. When your products become associated with certain brands, you may find that your product develops a poor reputation by association.

  1. Make sure your ads aren’t promoting your competitors

You may also wish to find high-performing ASINs and target them manually.

For instance, if a certain product similar to yours has a higher rating and a lower price, there isn’t much point in advertising your product on this other product’s page. By using negative product targeting, you can make sure your ad doesn’t appear on product pages that will likely out-perform yours.

Frequently Asked Questions & Answers

  1. What is one reason to use negative product targeting in advertising?
  2. Answer: One reason to use negative product targeting is to disassociate yourself with certain brands, especially lower-quality ones, to prevent your product from developing a poor reputation by association.

  3. How can negative product targeting help to uphold your product's reputation?
  4. Answer: Negative product targeting can help uphold your product's reputation by preventing your ads from being displayed on the product pages of lower-quality brands.

  5. How does product association influence a product's reputation?
  6. Answer: When your products are displayed alongside certain brands, especially those with a poor reputation, consumers may associate your brand with the same qualities, which can lead to a decline in your product's reputation.

  7. Why might you want to ensure your ads aren't promoting your competitors?
  8. Answer: If your ads are promoting your competitors, you could be inadvertently driving potential customers away from your product and towards your competition.

  9. What are high-performing ASINs?
  10. Answer: High-performing ASINs are those products that are performing well in terms of sales, reviews, and overall performance on eCommerce platforms.

  11. Why might you want to manually target high-performing ASINs?
  12. Answer: Manually targeting high-performing ASINs allows you to place your ads on pages of products that are performing well, potentially drawing in a larger customer base.

  13. What does it mean to 'disassociate' yourself with certain brands?
  14. Answer: 'Disassociating' with certain brands means ensuring your product or brand is not linked or displayed alongside these brands, particularly if they have a negative or lower-quality reputation.

  15. Can negative product targeting help improve your product's sales?
  16. Answer: Yes, by avoiding association with lower-quality brands and not promoting your competitors, negative product targeting can help to improve your product's sales.

  17. How can negative product targeting influence customer perception?
  18. Answer: Negative product targeting can influence customer perception by controlling the context in which your product is displayed. This can help maintain a positive image of your product.

  19. How does negative product targeting work?
  20. Answer: Negative product targeting works by identifying certain products, brands, or ASINs that you don't want your ads to be associated with and then preventing your ads from appearing on these pages.

  21. Is negative product targeting a proactive or reactive strategy?
  22. Answer: Negative product targeting is a proactive strategy as it involves taking steps to prevent potential issues, such as association with lower-quality brands, before they occur.

  23. What type of brands might a company want to disassociate from?
  24. Answer: A company might want to disassociate from brands that are known for low-quality products, poor customer service, or negative reputations.

  25. Can negative product targeting help in brand building?
  26. Answer: Yes, negative product targeting can be an effective tool in brand building by ensuring your product is not associated with undesirable brands.

  27. What is the potential downside of not using negative product targeting?
  28. Answer: Without negative product targeting, your ads may end up on pages of lower-quality brands or competitors, which could harm your product's reputation and sales.

  29. How can negative product targeting prevent your ads from promoting your competitors?
  30. Answer: Negative product targeting can prevent your ads from promoting your competitors by ensuring that your ads do not appear on your competitors' product pages.

  31. Why might it be beneficial to target high-performing ASINs manually?
  32. Answer: Targeting high-performing ASINs manually can be beneficial because it allows you to directly choose successful products that align with your brand and target audience.

  33. What is the role of ASINs in eCommerce advertising?
  34. Answer: ASINs, or Amazon Standard Identification Numbers, are used to identify products on eCommerce platforms. They play a key role in advertising by allowing businesses to target specific products for their ads.

  35. How can manual targeting of high-performing ASINs improve ad performance?
  36. Answer: Manual targeting of high-performing ASINs can improve ad performance by placing your ads on pages that are already attracting a large number of customers.

  37. Can negative product targeting be used on all advertising platforms?
  38. Answer: The availability of negative product targeting depends on the specific features of each advertising platform. However, it is a common feature on many eCommerce ad platforms.

  39. How does negative product targeting contribute to a successful advertising strategy?
  40. Answer: Negative product targeting contributes to a successful advertising strategy by allowing you to control where your ads are placed, preventing association with undesirable brands, and ensuring you are not inadvertently promoting your competitors.