The Next Era of Keyword Intelligence for Amazon Sellers
For years, Amazon sellers have relied on Search Term Reports to see which keywords drove clicks and conversions.
Helpful as they were, those reports only offered part of the story.
Now, with Amazon’s Search Query Performance (SQP) report inside Brand Analytics, sellers get access to a much deeper level of insight, not just what shoppers searched for, but how they interacted with your brand at every stage of their journey.
If you’ve ever asked:
“Which search queries actually lead to conversions for my ASINs?”
“Why am I losing clicks even though I rank on page one?”
“How can I identify keywords that are profitable beyond impressions?”
Then it’s time to master Amazon Search Query Performance.
What Is Search Query Performance on Amazon?
The Search Query Performance (SQP) report is a Brand Analytics tool that gives query-level visibility into how customers discover, engage with, and purchase from your brand.
Each search query associated with your ASINs is tracked across the entire funnel:
Impressions: How often your listings appeared for that query.
Clicks: How many shoppers clicked your listing.
Add-to-Carts: How often those clicks are translated into cart actions.
Purchases: Final conversions attributed to that query.
Simply put, SQP reveals the intent-to-conversion journey for every search term, showing not only what customers searched for, but why they took action (or didn’t).
Why Search Query Performance Matters More Than Ever
Competition on Amazon has never been fiercer. Understanding why customers click (or skip) your listings is now just as critical as ranking well.
With SQP, you can:
Spot missed opportunities: Identify high-search-volume keywords where your click share is low.
Discover emerging trends: Detect rising queries before competitors target them.
Measure brand share: Compare your impression, click, and purchase share against competing brands.
Refine listings: Align titles, bullet points, and main images with high-intent search behavior.
Improve ad efficiency: Shift spend to queries that convert, not just generate traffic.
By acting on SQP data, sellers reduce ACOS, improve visibility, and build a keyword strategy grounded in buyer intent, not guesswork.
How to Access and Interpret the Amazon SQP Report
Step 1: Access the Report
Log in to your Seller Central account.
Navigate to Brand Analytics → Search Query Performance.
Choose your view:
Brand-Level View: Aggregated insights across all ASINs.
ASIN-Level View: Deep-dive performance per product.
(Note: SQP is only available for brand-registered sellers.)
Step 2: Understand Key Metrics
These five metrics map your customer journey, from awareness to conversion, for every keyword.
Step 3: Identify Patterns
If your impression share is high but click share is low, your image, title, or price may not be competitive.
If click share is strong but purchase share drops, your PDP content or reviews may need improvement.
This visibility helps pinpoint exactly where customers drop off, at impression, click, or purchase stage.
How to Use Search Query Performance Data for Optimization
Strengthen Keyword Targeting
Use SQP data to refine Amazon PPC campaigns and organic ranking:
Add high-volume, low-click-share queries into Sponsored Product targeting.
Reduce bids for queries that generate traffic but no conversions.
Identify new “intent keywords” like “best collagen supplement” vs. “collagen powder” to align with real customer phrasing
Result: You allocate spend where conversion probability is highest.
Optimize Product Listings
Turn SQP insights into listing improvements:
Update images and A+ visuals for queries with strong impressions but poor clicks.
Align titles and bullets with the top 10 performing queries in your SQP.
Add underutilized search phrases in backend keywords for indexing gains.
Think of SQP as a real-time content feedback loop that connects keyword behavior directly to listing performance.
Improve Ad Efficiency and Reduce ACOS
SQP helps eliminate wasted ad spend by filtering out poor-performing queries.
Stop bidding on terms with high impressions but no conversions.
Boost bids for queries driving high purchase share.
Layer SQP data into your Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, and Sponsored Display campaigns.
Platforms like Hector simplify this process, syncing SQP insights into automation rules for real-time bid adjustments and ad optimization.
Benchmark Brand Share Against Competitors
SQP’s Market Share metrics help you gauge your competitive standing.
A low click or purchase share against similar brands may indicate price gaps or weaker reviews.
A rising share signals strong organic ranking and ad efficiency.
This makes SQP a powerful tool for both competitive intelligence and growth forecasting.
Expert Tips to Maximize Amazon SQP Insights
Track Trends Weekly
Amazon search intent changes fast. Monitor your SQP weekly to catch trending terms early, and adjust PPC targeting before your competitors do.
Combine SQP with AMC for Full-Funnel Visibility
Pair SQP’s query insights with Amazon Marketing Cloud (AMC) data to track what happens after a search, such as retargeting, repeat purchases, and cross-category conversions.
Use SQP for Seasonal Campaign Planning
Compare SQP before and after major events (Prime Day, Black Friday, Cyber Monday) to uncover seasonal keyword swings and optimize early.
Segment by Product Type
Review SQP by ASIN or product line. A query that converts well for one ASIN may underperform for another due to variations in price, reviews, or features.
The Future of Amazon Search Query Performance
As Amazon continues to expand visibility through Brand Analytics, SQP is becoming a cornerstone for data-driven growth.
Expect deeper integrations in 2025 and beyond, including:
SQP + DSP data pipelines to bridge search and display attribution.
AI-powered bid optimizations that respond dynamically to search intent.
Integrated dashboards (like Hector) that unify SQP, ACOS, and audience insights in one view.
Early adopters of SQP intelligence are already outperforming competitors by acting on customer intent in near real-time, not just analyzing it post-campaign.
Conclusion
Amazon’s Search Query Performance report redefines how sellers understand shopper intent.
It connects search behavior with actual conversions, enabling smarter keyword targeting, efficient bidding, and more relevant listings.
By integrating SQP data with automated platforms like Hector, you move from reactive optimization to predictive growth, turning visibility into sustained, measurable profitability.