Amazon Search Term Report
Last updated: February 17, 2026
What is the search term report?
The search term report (STR), also called the search query report, is one of the most important reports in Amazon Advertising. It shows you the actual shopper queries your ads were served against – not just the keywords you bid on, but the real Amazon PPC search terms that customers typed.
This report is the foundation for every negative keyword strategy and for discovering new, profitable keywords. Without regular STR analysis, effective campaign optimization is barely possible.
Table of contents
Where to find the report
You can find the Amazon search term report in the Amazon Advertising Console through several access paths.
Access paths
- 1.Advertising Console → Reports → Create: Create a new search term report for a date range
- 2.Campaign → Ad group → Search terms: View the search terms directly inside the campaign view
- 3.Amazon Advertising API: Automated access for tools and dashboards
Important: The report is updated with a delay. Recent search queries often appear in the report only after 24–48 hours.
What the search term report contains
For every search term that generated at least one impression, the report contains detailed performance data.
| Column | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Search Term | The actual customer search |
| Keyword | The bid keyword that triggered the match |
| Match Type | The match type of the triggering keyword |
| Impressions | How often the ad was shown for this search term |
| Clicks | Number of clicks |
| Spend | Advertising cost spent |
| Sales / Orders | Sales generated |
| ACoS | Advertising Cost of Sales for this search term |
How to analyze the report
A structured analysis of the search term report helps you both eliminate waste and discover new opportunities.
1. Identify negative keywords
Look for search terms with high spend but no or few conversions. Filter: Spend > $X and Orders = 0. These terms are candidates for negative keywords.
2. Discover new keywords
Look for search terms with strong performance (low ACoS, several conversions) that don't yet exist as their own keywords. You can add these as exact match into a performance campaign.
3. Check relevance
Verify whether the search terms actually fit your product. Sometimes irrelevant terms match through broad match – they click but will never convert.
Possible optimization actions
- →Add as negative: Exclude irrelevant or unprofitable search terms
- →Add as keyword: Take profitable search terms on as their own keywords
- →Adjust bid: Raise or lower the bid for keywords with many similar search terms
- →Change match type: If broad match has too much spillover, switch to phrase or exact
- →Optimize the listing: If relevant terms aren't converting, the listing may be the cause
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Why are some search terms missing from the report?
Amazon only shows search terms that had a minimum level of activity. Very rare search terms with few impressions are sometimes not listed individually but grouped together under “other”.
How often should I analyze the search term report?
For active campaigns, a weekly analysis is recommended. For campaigns with high spend or during a launch phase, a daily review can also make sense. Established campaigns with a stable ACoS can be analyzed every two weeks.
Is there a search term report for Sponsored Display?
Sponsored Display does not have a classic search term report, because these ads are not primarily based on search queries. Instead, there are reports on audiences and placements.
Related terms
Automate your search term analysis?
With HORAiZON ONE you analyze search terms automatically and get concrete optimization suggestions.
Try it for free now