Running paid advertising on marketplaces like Amazon, Walmart, eBay, and Temu can drive rapid growth, but it can also drain your budget if your campaigns are not monitored carefully. One of the most powerful tools for controlling advertising costs is the Search Term Report. This report reveals exactly what shoppers typed before clicking your ad, helping you identify which keywords generate profitable sales and which ones waste money.
For brands investing in marketplace advertising, Search Term Reports are essential for making informed decisions. Combined with professional ecommerce account management these reports become a strategic asset that helps improve return on ad spend, lower ACoS, and increase profitability.
What Is a Search Term Report?
A Search Term Report is a detailed advertising report that shows the following:
- Actual customer search queries
- Number of clicks
- Impressions
- Ad spend
- Orders and sales
- Conversion rate
- Cost per click (CPC)
- Advertising Cost of Sale (ACoS)
Unlike keyword targeting reports, Search Term Reports show the real phrases customers used. This makes them one of the most valuable resources in marketplace account management services.
Why Search Term Reports Matter
Many sellers waste significant advertising budgets because they never analyze what shoppers are searching for. Without this data, campaigns continue spending money on irrelevant or low-converting terms.
Benefits of analyzing Search Term Reports include:
- Eliminating unprofitable search terms
- Discovering new high-converting keywords
- Reducing wasted spend
- Improving ad relevance
- Increasing conversion rates
- Scaling profitable campaigns
This is a core process used by professional marketplace account services teams to maximize advertising efficiency.
Common Causes of Wasted Ad Spend
Before using Search Term Reports, it is important to understand where wasted spend typically occurs.
Irrelevant Search Queries
Your ads may appear for terms that do not match customer intent.
High Clicks, No Orders
Some keywords attract traffic but fail to convert.
Broad Match Overreach
Broad targeting can trigger ads for loosely related searches.
Rising CPCs
Competitive keywords may become too expensive.
Poor Listing Conversion
Even relevant traffic can underperform if your product listing is weak.
Step 1: Download the Search Term Report
In marketplace advertising dashboards, download the Search Term Report for the last 30 to 60 days.
Recommended metrics to review:
- Spend
- Sales
- Orders
- Clicks
- CTR
- Conversion rate
- ACoS
- CPC
This data gives your ecommerce account management team a clear view of performance.
Step 2: Find High-Spend, Zero-Sales Terms
Filter for search terms that meet these criteria:
- Spend greater than your target CPA
- Orders = 0
These terms are consuming budget without generating revenue.
Example
| Search Term | Spend | Orders | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| wireless earbuds cheap | $65 | 0 | Add as negative keyword |
| gift for dad | $42 | 0 | Pause targeting |
Removing these terms can immediately reduce wasted spend.
Step 3: Identify Low-Converting Keywords
Some keywords generate sales, but profitability is poor.
Review terms with:
- High ACoS
- Low conversion rate
- Rising CPC
Possible actions:
- Reduce bids
- Move to exact match
- Improve product listing
- Pause underperforming terms
Step 4: Add Negative Keywords
Negative keywords prevent ads from appearing for irrelevant searches.
Examples:
- cheap
- free
- replacement
- used
- tutorial
Using negatives is one of the most effective tactics in e-commerce account management services.
Step 5: Promote Winning Search Terms
Search Term Reports also reveal profitable keywords worth scaling.
Look for:
- Strong conversion rate
- Low ACoS
- High order volume
- Consistent sales
Actions to take:
- Add as exact match keywords
- Increase bids strategically
- Create dedicated campaigns
- Optimize listings for those terms
Step 6: Improve Product Listings
If search terms are relevant but conversions remain low, your listing may be the issue.
Optimize:
- Product title
- Bullet points
- Images
- A+ Content
- Reviews
- Pricing
Professional marketplace account management services often combine PPC optimization with listing improvements for better results.
Step 7: Segment Campaigns by Intent
Organize campaigns by keyword performance and customer intent.
Discovery Campaigns
Use broad and phrase match to uncover new opportunities.
Performance Campaigns
Use exact match for proven search terms.
Defensive Campaigns
Protect branded terms.
Product Targeting Campaigns
Target competitor listings and complementary products.
Step 8: Set Clear Decision Rules
Establish thresholds to decide when to pause, lower bids, or scale.
Examples:
- Spend over $25 with no sales → Negative keyword
- ACoS above 50% → Lower bid
- Conversion rate above 15% → Increase budget
- CPC rising 20%+ → Reassess competitiveness
This systematic approach is a hallmark of strong marketplace account services.
Step 9: Review Search Term Reports Weekly
Consistent analysis is essential.
Weekly tasks:
- Add negative keywords
- Identify profitable terms
- Adjust bids
- Reallocate budgets
- Monitor trends
Routine review helps maintain efficient ad performance.
Step 10: Measure the Impact
Track improvements after optimization.
Key metrics:
- Lower ACoS
- Reduced wasted spend
- Higher ROAS
- Increased conversion rate
- Better profit margins
Most advertisers see meaningful gains when Search Term Reports are reviewed regularly.
Real-World Example
A home décor brand was spending $8,000 per month on marketplace advertising.
Before Optimization
- ACoS: 42%
- Wasted Spend: $2,100
- ROAS: 2.4x
After Search Term Optimization
- ACoS: 24%
- Wasted Spend: $450
- ROAS: 4.1x
The improvement came from adding negatives, lowering bids, and scaling profitable search terms.
Best Practices for Search Term Analysis
- Analyze at least every week
- Use 30–60 days of data
- Focus on profitability, not just sales
- Match keyword intent to listing content
- Combine PPC and listing optimization
- Document every major change
How E-Commerce Account Management Services Help
Many brands lack the time to review reports and optimize campaigns consistently. Professional e-commerce account management services provide:
- Search Term Report analysis
- Negative keyword management
- Bid optimization
- Campaign restructuring
- Listing optimization
- Profitability tracking
With experienced marketplace account management services, brands can reduce wasted spend and scale with confidence.
Why Marketplace Account Services Matter
Selling across multiple platforms requires expertise in advertising, listings, inventory, and compliance. Reliable marketplace account services help businesses:
- Launch faster
- Improve visibility
- Increase conversions
- Reduce ad waste
- Grow profitably
Whether you sell on Amazon, Walmart, eBay, or Temu, expert management ensures every advertising dollar works harder.
Final Thoughts
Search Term Reports are one of the most valuable tools for improving advertising efficiency. By identifying wasted spend, adding negative keywords, and scaling high-performing search terms, sellers can significantly improve profitability.
When combined with professional ecommerce account management and marketplace account services, Search Term Reports become a powerful growth lever.
If your campaigns are spending too much and returning too little, the solution may already be in your data. Analyze your Search Term Reports regularly, and let the numbers guide smarter decisions.