Amazon Phrase Match Strategy: The Goldilocks Keyword for Scaling PPC Profitably
Discover how to use Amazon Phrase Match as a mid-funnel growth engine. Learn when to use it, how to scale efficiently, and how to avoid costly keyword cannibalization.
Why Phrase Match Is the Keyword Strategy You’re Probably Undervaluing
If Broad Match is too messy and Exact Match is too rigid, Phrase Match hits the sweet spot. That’s why smart brands are turning to it as the “Goldilocks” of Amazon PPC.
In this guide, we break down the Amazon Phrase Match strategy top sellers use to:
- Scale and performance
- Capture mid-funnel traffic
- Lower wasted spend
Fuel data-driven growth
What is Amazon Phrase Match?
Phrase Match targets search terms that contain your keyword phrase in the exact order, but with words added before or after.
For example, if your keyword is "natural face serum", your ad may show for:
- Best natural face serum for dry skin.
- Buy natural face serum online.
But not for.
Serum for natural face glow.
This makes it more targeted than Broad Match, but more flexible than Exact Match, perfect for mid-funnel traffic.
How Phrase Match Powers Mid-Funnel Growth
Amazon buyers at the mid-funnel stage aren’t ready to purchase just yet. They’re searching with intent but still comparing options.
Phrase Match is ideal for this stage because it:
Keeps relevance high without narrowing too much
Captures longer-tail queries that indicate buyer interest
Bridges discovery and conversion
Use Phrase Match to expand reach while keeping your CPC efficient and intent-focused.
Unlocking Data with Search Term Mining
The hidden power of Phrase Match lies in its ability to reveal high-performing search terms.
How to Mine Data:
Use the Search Term Report to identify converting phrases
Isolate top terms into Exact Match campaigns for performance control
Negative out irrelevant queries that waste the budget
Pro Tip: Schedule a weekly review of Phrase Match queries to refine targeting continuously.
A Real Example: Beauty Brand Boosts CTR by 38%
One of our Amazon clients, a skincare brand, used Exact Match exclusively for over a year.
Once we added Phrase Match keywords like "vitamin C serum for face", we saw:
- 38% increase in CTR
- 22% lift in conversion rate
- 17% decrease in ACoS over 30 days
Phrase Match helped them scale without sacrificing ROAS a critical step as their catalog grew.
Avoid Keyword Cannibalization: Phrase vs Exact
Running the same keyword in Phrase and Exact formats across campaigns can lead to budget overlap and bidding inefficiency.
Best Practices:
Use Exact Match for top-performing, proven keywords
Use Phrase Match to discover new long-tail variations
Separate them into different campaigns or ad groups
Don’t let Phrase steal clicks from your Exact Match stars.
How Phrase Match Works with Other Match Types
Phrase Match performs best as part of a holistic keyword strategy, not in isolation.
Combine with:
- Broad Match to test search volume at the top of the funnel
- Auto Campaigns to discover complementary ASINs and new keyword ideas
- Exact Match to double down on precision targeting
Use Phrase Match as your performance multiplier balancing scale and efficiency.
Visual Summary: When to Use Each Match Type:
| Match Type | Purpose | Funnel Stage | Risk | Ideal Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exact Match | Precision targeting | Bottom | Low | High-converting terms |
| Phrase Match | Intent + flexibility | Middle | Medium | Scalable growth |
| Broad Match | Volume discovery | Top | High | Keyword exploration |
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