Amazon marketing and keyword research are incredibly important to the continued success of sellers and their online businesses, and failure to utilize these things can have distinctly adverse effects. 

The use of broad keywords, and other kinds, are incredibly important to long term success. But what exactly are broad keywords (see also ‘The 3 Keyword Match Types Of Amazon Advertising‘), and how can they be used to the advantage of the business owner? 

What Are Keywords? 

In terms of online advertising, keywords are words used to target and hone in on specific, potential customers who have the same interests as the products or services you are purveying. 

This is useful for online business owners, as you can generate more sales, and direct customers who would otherwise be on the fence towards making more purchases on items they like. 

Positive keywords are ones that generate the potential for sales, and negative ones are merely there for being specific, and ensuring that the ad reaches the people it needs to reach. 

What Is A ‘Broad’ Keyword? 

A broad keyword refers to keywords that don’t narrow down the topic. This means that, as their name suggests, they only offer a broad, undetailed description, rather than a specific detailing of the product in question.

For example, say you were trying to advertise a computer. The word ‘computer’ would be a broad keyword, as it could be referring to any computer out there. If you wanted to use positive keywords, then you would need to state that the computer in question was made by Apple or Microsoft etc. 

What Is The Purpose Of Broad Keywords? 

The purpose of broad keywords is literally to cast a wider net on prospective customer bases, and are more of a barrage method of sales, rather than the cleaner, sniper-like method that positive and negative keywords encourage (see also ‘What Is An Amazon Negative Keyword? How To Use Them To Your Advantage‘). 

What Benefits Do They Have? 

Of course, despite sounding less important and effective, they do have several benefits to the seller and the reach of their business. 

Increasing Traffic

Firstly, they tend to generally increase traffic to your website. Think of them as the leaping off point – the basic piece of information that connects the customer to your business model. 

Broad keywords are a slight encouragement for people to engage with what you have to offer, and can then encourage sales later on in the process, once the irrelevant customers have been separated out. 

Keyword Discovery

Another great thing about broad keywords is that they can help you discover which keywords are useful and which are not. This is great when you are starting out in business, and can really push you in some interesting – and lucrative – directions. 

This should of course be backed up with regular ad reports, which will detail just which parts of the formula are working in the ways you intended, and which are wasting time, money, and effort. 

Limitations

The word ‘limitations’ might sound like a bad thing, but in some cases – such as in keyword oriented marketing – limitations can be useful, as they can point the (vaguely) correct customers in your direction, without becoming negative keywords that generate no potential sales. 

The important thing with this is to once again run this by your performance reports – knowing which broad keywords are actually sowing the seeds of potential sales, and which ones are simply dying in the marketplace. 

How To Use Them Effectively 

Of course, when it comes to implementing broad keywords into your advertising strategies, there are ways and means to ensure that you get the most from them as possible. 

Quality Vs Quantity

In advertising, quality is usually better than quantity, but that isn’t to say that quantity is without its uses. 

In the case of keyword research, think of quantity as a means of securing more quality – the trick is to use your broad keywords sparingly, using them only when they can open up potential possibilities down the line. 

Use At Beginning

The best time to use broad keywords is at the beginning of your business venture, when you need to feel out your audience and see what keywords actually pay dividends. 

Using broad keywords can introduce you to channels to explore in more detail, eventually opening up potential customer bases and streams of revenue that can be incredibly lucrative to your particular business model. 

When Not To Use Broad Keywords

Of course, there are also disadvantages to using broad keywords. 

Creating A Niche

If the product or service you provide and offer is somewhat niche – or it has a very specific market audience – then broad keywords might not be suited to you. 

For a niche business, you want to employ positive keywords that are going to direct customers to your products, and generate sales therein. 

However, this ultimately depends on the product or service, and if the product has its roots in a general activity or topic, then this could potentially bear fruit – although this is unlikely. 

Wasting Money

Using broad keywords can also potentially be a waste of money, time and effort. This very much depends on the type of business you are running, and the ultimate strategy you seek to employ. 

However, casting a broad net is never the key for long term success, and can lead to losses. 

Final Thoughts

And there we have it, everything you need to know about broad keywords on Amazon, and the ways to use them to your advantage. 

It’s true that keywords of all kinds are advantageous when it comes to online marketing, and can be a godsend for any online business owner. However, there are certain ways and means to make sure they are working for you, not the other way around. 

So if you are looking to improve the conversions of your targeted ads, then why not try some of these methods? Something tells me you won’t be disappointed!