Using Positive and Negative Keywords Effectively

Overview

Keywords help shape when and where Sponsored Products are eligible to appear within onsite search environments.

In Zitcha’s framework:

• Negative keywords act as the shield
• Positive keywords act as the spice

Both play an important role, but they serve different strategic purposes. This guide explains how to approach each, and why balance matters.

The Core Principle: Intent First

Before adding any keywords, it is important to remember:

Keywords influence eligibility.
They do not override contextual relevance.

All Sponsored Product placements are still filtered through intent-based ranking logic. This means:

• Keywords expand or restrict opportunity
• Relevance determines final eligibility
• Shopper experience remains protected

With that in mind, keywords should be used to refine intent, not replace it.

Negative Keywords: The Shield

Negative keywords protect campaign efficiency and brand positioning.

They prevent your ads from appearing against search queries that are irrelevant, misaligned, or commercially inefficient.

Why Negative Keywords Matter

Without exclusions, campaigns may:

• Serve against loosely related queries
• Attract low-intent traffic
• Waste budget on mismatched impressions
• Appear in contexts that dilute brand positioning

Negative keywords reduce this risk.

They narrow eligibility to higher-quality environments and protect return on investment.

When to Use Negative Keywords

Use Negative keywords to:

• Exclude unrelated categories
• Avoid incompatible product types
• Remove low-value or low-margin queries
• Protect premium positioning from bargain-related searches
• Prevent conflict with internal merchandising priorities

Example

If promoting a premium office chair, negative keywords might include:

• kids
• gaming
• cheap
• second hand

This shields the campaign from queries that are unlikely to convert or align with brand positioning.

Positive Keywords: The Spice

Positive keywords signal areas of interest where the advertiser wants eligibility.

They expand opportunity within defined themes.

However, positive keywords should enhance intent, not overload it.

Why They Are “The Spice”

Spice enhances flavour. Too much overwhelms the dish.

Similarly:

• A focused positive keyword list sharpens targeting
• An excessive list can dilute performance

Positive keywords work best when they reinforce a clear commercial objective.

When to Use Positive Keywords

Use Positive keywords to:

• Target high-value category terms
• Support product launches
• Defend branded search terms
• Capture competitor interest
• Align with seasonal trends

Example

For a smart desk lamp campaign, positive keywords might include:

• desk lighting
• office lamp
• study lamp
• LED desk light

These reinforce intent themes without overextending beyond logical relevance.

Balancing Shield and Spice

An effective keyword strategy usually prioritises:

1. Clear exclusions first
2. Focused positive expansion second

Why Start With Negative?

Because protecting efficiency often has a greater impact than broadening reach.

A clean eligibility pool:

• Improves impression quality
• Protects pacing
• Strengthens performance data
• Reduces review friction

Once exclusions are defined, positive keywords can be layered strategically.

How Keywords Interact With Intent-Based Ranking

It is important to understand what keywords do and do not do.

Keywords DO:

• Influence eligibility
• Shape inclusion and exclusion logic
• Help retailers and advertisers align targeting expectations

Keywords DO NOT:

• Override contextual relevance safeguards
• Guarantee top placement
• Replace the intent model

Even if a positive keyword is added, the product must still meet contextual and semantic relevance thresholds before serving.

Negative keywords, however, act as hard exclusions.

Retailer Considerations

From a retailer perspective, structured keyword use:

• Supports search integrity
• Maintains contextual alignment
• Reduces irrelevant monetisation
• Simplifies review and approval

Retailers reviewing campaigns should look for:

• Logical alignment between product and keyword themes
• Overly broad positive lists
• Missing exclusions in sensitive categories

A strong keyword strategy benefits both commercial outcomes and shopper experience.

Best Practice Recommendations

1. Keep Lists Focused

Avoid adding every possible variation.
Group keywords around clear intent themes.

2. Use Negatives Proactively

Do not wait for performance issues.
Pre-emptively exclude obvious mismatches.

3. Avoid Over-Specification

Intent-based discovery already captures semantic variations.
You do not need to manually replicate every phrasing.

4. Review and Refine

Keyword strategy should evolve based on:

• Performance data
• Search trends
• Category seasonality
• Retailer feedback

Practical Example: The “Power Cord” Scenario

If promoting a laptop power cord:

Negative keywords (shield):

• extension cable
• HDMI
• phone charger
• adapter bundle

Positive keywords (spice):

• laptop charger
• replacement power cord
• notebook charging cable

This structure narrows irrelevant traffic while reinforcing strong intent signals.

Summary

A well-structured keyword strategy is built on restraint and balance.

• Default to our Intent-Based Discovery wherever possible.
• Use Negative keywords to protect performance.
• Use Positive keywords selectively to guide opportunity.

Together, they shape eligibility within Zitcha’s intent-driven ranking system.

Use the shield when needed.
Add the spice thoughtfully.
Let intent logic do the heavy lifting.