Author Topic: New Amazon Ads Search Term Report Tells the Real Story  (Read 5076 times)

LilyBLily

New Amazon Ads Search Term Report Tells the Real Story
« on: April 21, 2019, 11:10:09 PM »
I just downloaded the new search term report (find it under "Advertising Reports") on my keywords from Amazon/AMS ads and it's stunning. Tells exactly which words potential readers used to find my books.

It's eye-opening about how misdirecting one of my titles is, too. I do not write "domestic discipline spanking" books but clearly there is something about my book that is making the wrong people look at it. Got to change that. grint

I haven't digested everything yet, and so far I've only looked at the past month's data. There's even a column for Total Return on Advertising Spend. At last!  :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:
 
The following users thanked this post: Demon_Lord, Bill Hiatt, Denise, DrewMcGunn, Rosie Scott

notthatamanda

Re: New Amazon Ads Search Term Report Tells the Real Story
« Reply #1 on: April 22, 2019, 10:44:39 AM »
Wow this is great data.  Thank you so much for posting this.  Nothing weird on mine of the domestic spanking variety.   Maybe your title is the same as another book?
 

idontknowyet

Re: New Amazon Ads Search Term Report Tells the Real Story
« Reply #2 on: April 22, 2019, 10:57:56 AM »


It's eye-opening about how misdirecting one of my titles is, too. I do not write "domestic discipline spanking" books but clearly there is something about my book that is making the wrong people look at it. Got to change that. grint

New genre for you? 
 

LilyBLily

Re: New Amazon Ads Search Term Report Tells the Real Story
« Reply #3 on: April 22, 2019, 11:31:28 AM »


It's eye-opening about how misdirecting one of my titles is, too. I do not write "domestic discipline spanking" books but clearly there is something about my book that is making the wrong people look at it. Got to change that. grint

New genre for you?

No, just a purple prose title that--after four years!--I now see is costing me money by attracting the wrong sort of potential audience. Those people click and then read my blurb copy and do not buy.

That's the other part of the data that is fascinating. I suppose the prior iteration of information on these ads had much the same detail, but seeing the actual words people are using to search for a book, who then buy mine or don't buy mine, makes it that much more real.

I've been thinking about changing that purple prose book title, anyway. I've also been thinking about unpublishing it and the whole series, rebranding them all with a new series title and a new cover design, using a new pen name, and doing some selective revising of some of the books, too. The only things stopping me are 1) Chris Fox's advice that some series aren't worth the effort, 2) no time, 3) no budget for a big overhaul, and 4) no idea which cover designer to use.

But I added a batch of negative keywords to my ad, each one copied from the search terms, and that should make my book invisible to the spanking fans.
 
The following users thanked this post: Lu Kudzoza

Alice Sabo

Re: New Amazon Ads Search Term Report Tells the Real Story
« Reply #4 on: April 23, 2019, 03:00:28 AM »
I hadn't used AMS for awhile and it looks like you can only go 90 days back. Bummer.
Fantasy, Post-Apocalyptic, Mystery and Space Opera Genre Hopper
 

Lu Kudzoza

Re: New Amazon Ads Search Term Report Tells the Real Story
« Reply #5 on: April 24, 2019, 02:58:14 AM »
One thing that stood out for me is being able to see what search terms people are entering for the automated SP ads. Interesting to see how many people are searching the book title due to word of mouth or seeing the title somewhere else.
 

JRTomlin

Re: New Amazon Ads Search Term Report Tells the Real Story
« Reply #6 on: May 13, 2019, 03:12:41 PM »
I can't figure out why my very Scottish novel is turning up in a 'Florida Historical Novel' search. At least there was only one click but that is a bit baffling. 'Catholic queen historical novel' also baffles me. 🤔

It is great information though. It confirms that when I added Black Douglas and Robert the Bruce to my search terms, which I just had never thought of people using duh, they were worthwhile additions.
 

Simon Haynes

Re: New Amazon Ads Search Term Report Tells the Real Story
« Reply #7 on: May 13, 2019, 04:48:06 PM »
I have tens of thousands of hits for 'free kindle books' on a book which isn't free. (Well, it was a few months ago, but no longer.)

I just added that to my negative phrases.
 
The following users thanked this post: JRTomlin

Dormouse

Re: New Amazon Ads Search Term Report Tells the Real Story
« Reply #8 on: May 13, 2019, 08:37:04 PM »
I've been thinking about changing that purple prose book title, anyway. I've also been thinking about unpublishing it and the whole series, rebranding them all with a new series title and a new cover design, using a new pen name, and doing some selective revising of some of the books, too. The only things stopping me are 1) Chris Fox's advice that some series aren't worth the effort, 2) no time, 3) no budget for a big overhaul, and 4) no idea which cover designer to use.

But I added a batch of negative keywords to my ad, each one copied from the search terms, and that should make my book invisible to the spanking fans.
A cheaper solution might be to add a bit of spanking and tweak the blurb.
You have readers looking for you, just a question of getting them to spill some money in your direction.
 

LilyBLily

Re: New Amazon Ads Search Term Report Tells the Real Story
« Reply #9 on: May 14, 2019, 05:59:18 AM »
I've been thinking about changing that purple prose book title, anyway. I've also been thinking about unpublishing it and the whole series, rebranding them all with a new series title and a new cover design, using a new pen name, and doing some selective revising of some of the books, too. The only things stopping me are 1) Chris Fox's advice that some series aren't worth the effort, 2) no time, 3) no budget for a big overhaul, and 4) no idea which cover designer to use.

But I added a batch of negative keywords to my ad, each one copied from the search terms, and that should make my book invisible to the spanking fans.
A cheaper solution might be to add a bit of spanking and tweak the blurb.
You have readers looking for you, just a question of getting them to spill some money in your direction.

Eh. So not my thing to write about. Also, it's a first in series and these characters are seen again in the other books, with a very different dynamic having developed. Steamy romance arguably is an easier sell, but I don't write steamy romance.
 

dgcasey

  • Long Novel unlocked
  • ***
  • Posts: 813
  • Thanked: 259 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Take my memories. I hope you got a big appetite.
Re: New Amazon Ads Search Term Report Tells the Real Story
« Reply #10 on: May 14, 2019, 07:23:18 AM »
One thing that stood out for me is being able to see what search terms people are entering for the automated SP ads. Interesting to see how many people are searching the book title due to word of mouth or seeing the title somewhere else.

The one that surprises me is first, last name or last, first name. I see what is shown below on my report.

Keyword                    Impressions   Clicks
augustine donna   11572             1
donna augustine   21                   2

Kind of strange if you ask me. I just assumed it wouldn't matter what order you put the words in, they would show the same results. Obviously not.

And the second one that shows 21 impressions and 2 clicks, shows 1 sale. The other one doesn't show any sales.

« Last Edit: May 14, 2019, 07:26:49 AM by dgcasey »
I will not forget one line of this, not one day. I will always remember when the Doctor was me.
"The Tales of Garlan" title="The Tales of Garlan"
"Into The Wishing Well" title="Into The Wishing Well"
Dave's Amazon Author page | DGlennCasey.com | TheDailyPainter.com
I'm the Doctor by the way, what's your name? Rose. Nice to meet you, Rose. Run for your life!
 

notthatamanda

Re: New Amazon Ads Search Term Report Tells the Real Story
« Reply #11 on: May 14, 2019, 10:31:05 AM »
The one that surprises me is first, last name or last, first name. I see what is shown below on my report.

Keyword                    Impressions   Clicks
augustine donna   11572             1
donna augustine   21                   2


That is nutty.  I assume you put the name in both ways?  I never thought of doing that. 

I once had a sale that was attributed to a keyword didn't have any clicks.  We have to use the data we get but I always give it the side eye when I look at it.
 

JRTomlin

Re: New Amazon Ads Search Term Report Tells the Real Story
« Reply #12 on: May 14, 2019, 11:05:34 AM »
I have been debating putting romance on the negative list and finally did it. And Florida which I would never have even thought of.  :icon_think:

Off topic slightly, any thoughts on dynamic bidding?
 

TimothyEllis

  • Forum Owner
  • Administrator
  • Series unlocked
  • ******
  • Posts: 6725
  • Thanked: 2618 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Earth Galaxy core, 2619
    • The Hunter Imperium Universe
Re: New Amazon Ads Search Term Report Tells the Real Story
« Reply #13 on: May 14, 2019, 02:25:17 PM »
I just had a look finally.

All it did was confirm for me that AMS ads are now totally pointless.
Genres: Space Opera/Fantasy/Cyberpunk, with elements of LitRPG and GameLit, with a touch of the Supernatural. Also Spiritual and Games.



Timothy Ellis Kindle Author page. | Join the Hunter Legacy mailing list | The Hunter Imperium Universe on Facebook. | Forum Promo Page.
 

Carleton Chinner

Re: New Amazon Ads Search Term Report Tells the Real Story
« Reply #14 on: May 14, 2019, 03:06:34 PM »
I finally got around to looking at this and it would be extremely useful, except all my customer search terms are coded as a mystery string. I figured out that most of them are ASINs but have no idea what other codes like "1858755220" mean

Carleton ChinnerElectronic Allegorist
 

notthatamanda

Re: New Amazon Ads Search Term Report Tells the Real Story
« Reply #15 on: May 14, 2019, 08:22:25 PM »
Carleton (Mr. Chinner?) Take that 10 digit number and plop it in amazon.com and hit search.  It will tell you what book it is.

JR - Take a look at this thread.

https://writersanctum.com/index.php?topic=2272.msg41998#msg41998

Tim - You might want to look at that thread too.  There's some interesting insight there. 
 
The following users thanked this post: JRTomlin

JRTomlin

Re: New Amazon Ads Search Term Report Tells the Real Story
« Reply #16 on: May 15, 2019, 02:12:22 AM »
Thanks. That thread assumes that you have keywords that do not get sales, therefore dynamic bidding would not work. If your keywords don't get sales, no bidding scheme is actually going to work though.  :icon_think:

I know my keywords get sales. They are a very well-honed list in spite of the 'Florida' anomaly. That being the case, I wonder if dynamic bidding might be worthwhile - bidding up that is.
 

notthatamanda

Re: New Amazon Ads Search Term Report Tells the Real Story
« Reply #17 on: May 15, 2019, 09:01:32 PM »
When I started from scratch again I chose the dynamic up and down bidding.  I just looked at the five or so campaigns that got clicks, two had higher bids than suggested, but the most was 25 cents more I think.  I changed them to dynamic low only anyway.  I'm guessing that since all the ads defaulted to low, and most people weren't an idiot like me to run out and start messing with them, it will be a while before we see if that actually does anything.

Pity party, skip if you like:  Everything was going great, this is a kick in the teeth.  Way to shoot my confidence to bits right when I finished the latest book last night.  I can't even be excited about it because now I'm convinced I'll never be able to sell it.






« Last Edit: May 15, 2019, 09:06:59 PM by notthatamanda »
 

Shoe

Re: New Amazon Ads Search Term Report Tells the Real Story
« Reply #18 on: May 17, 2019, 07:34:47 AM »
No matter what time-frame I select, my reports will only show sales for a 14-day period. Is there any way to get them to show sales for the entire time-frame selected?
Martin Luther King: "Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity."
 

Shoe

Re: New Amazon Ads Search Term Report Tells the Real Story
« Reply #19 on: May 18, 2019, 09:15:15 AM »
Apparently not...
Martin Luther King: "Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity."
 

JRTomlin

Re: New Amazon Ads Search Term Report Tells the Real Story
« Reply #20 on: May 18, 2019, 10:13:44 AM »
Not that I know of but I can't say I've played with it much.