Back to Blog
KDPJuly 5, 2026· 4 min read

Amazon Book Ads: How to Find Keywords That Spend Without Orders

I

InteliAds Team

Amazon KDP PPC

Amazon Book Ads: How to Find Keywords That Spend Without Orders

As a KDP author, managing amazon book ads can be a daunting task, especially when dealing with keywords that spend without generating orders. The primary goal of amazon book ads is to drive sales and increase royalties, but when keywords are not optimized, it can lead to wasted spend and a high ACOS. In this article, we will explore how to identify and fix keywords that spend without orders, and how InteliAds can help you optimize your kdp ads campaigns.

Amazon Book Ads vs Generic Book Promotion

When it comes to promoting books, many authors rely on generic book promotion strategies, such as social media advertising or email marketing. However, amazon book ads require a more targeted approach, focusing on specific keywords and audience interests. By using sponsored products and keyword targeting, authors can increase their book's visibility and drive sales.

One of the key differences between amazon book ads and generic book promotion is the level of granularity and control. With amazon book ads, authors can set specific bid caps and campaign budgets, allowing for more precise control over ad spend. Additionally, amazon book ads provide detailed metrics, such as impressions, clicks, and orders, which can help authors optimize their campaigns.

Search Term Reports: Where Waste Hides

One of the most effective ways to identify keywords that spend without orders is by analyzing search term reports. These reports provide detailed information on the search terms that triggered your ads, including spend, clicks, and orders. By reviewing these reports, authors can identify keywords that are not generating orders and adjust their campaigns accordingly.

For example, let's say you have a keyword that has generated 20 clicks and $18 in spend, but has not generated any orders. This keyword is likely wasting your ad spend, and you may want to consider adding it as a negative keyword or adjusting your bid cap.

Keyword Spend Clicks Orders ACOS Royalties
Example Keyword $18 20 0 100% $0

Zero-Order Keywords: Identification Checklist

To identify keywords that spend without orders, authors can use the following checklist:

  • Review search term reports to identify keywords with high spend and low or no orders
  • Check keyword targeting to ensure that keywords are relevant to your book's content and audience interests
  • Adjust bid caps and campaign budgets to optimize ad spend
  • Add negative keywords to prevent irrelevant searches from triggering your ads

Negatives, Pauses, and Bid Drops

Once you have identified keywords that spend without orders, you can take several steps to optimize your campaigns. Adding negative keywords can help prevent irrelevant searches from triggering your ads, while pausing or dropping bids on underperforming keywords can help reduce waste.

For example, if you have a keyword that is generating a high CPC but not generating orders, you may want to consider dropping your bid or adding a negative keyword to prevent further spend.

Automating Waste Detection with IF/THEN Rules

InteliAds provides a powerful tool for automating waste detection and optimization: hourly IF/THEN rules. These rules allow authors to set specific conditions for their campaigns, such as spend or order thresholds, and take automated actions, such as pausing or dropping bids. By using hourly IF/THEN rules, authors can optimize their campaigns in real-time and reduce waste.

Additionally, InteliAds provides a dry run feature, which allows authors to test and preview their campaigns before launching them. This can help identify potential issues and optimize campaigns before they go live.

Pro tips from the bid desk

Here are some expert tips for optimizing your amazon book ads campaigns:

  • Use placement modifiers to optimize ad placement and reduce waste
  • Monitor ad bleed and adjust campaigns to prevent overspend
  • Use per-book dashboards to track performance and optimize campaigns for each book
  • Take advantage of batch revert to quickly adjust campaigns and reduce waste

FAQ: Amazon Book Ads for KDP Authors

Q: How do I find bad keywords in Amazon book ads? A: You can find bad keywords by reviewing your search term reports and identifying keywords with high spend and low or no orders.

Q: Should I use broad or exact match for KDP? A: It depends on your campaign goals and target audience. Broad match can help you reach a wider audience, while exact match can help you target specific keywords and reduce waste.

Q: Can KDP authors use Amazon Ads? A: Yes, KDP authors can use Amazon Ads to promote their books and increase sales. Amazon Ads provide a powerful tool for authors to reach their target audience and drive sales.

To learn more about optimizing your amazon book ads campaigns, check out more KDP ads guides. Ready to take your campaigns to the next level? Start your free trial today and discover how InteliAds can help you optimize your kdp ads campaigns and increase your royalties. Start free trial and start optimizing your campaigns with hourly IF/THEN rules, dry run preview, and more.

Put these rules to work

Set IF/THEN conditions, run them every hour, and revert any batch when you need to.

Start free trial