Let’s be real—Amazon is huge. You probably don’t need me to tell you that most people start shopping there instead of Google. But here’s the kicker: if you’re just throwing your product on Amazon and crossing your fingers, you’re basically invisible. Ads are what get you seen.
Now, before you roll your eyes and think, “Great, another marketing expense,” hear me out. Amazon ads don’t have to be scary or wasteful. Done right, they can be the thing that takes you from page 17 of search results to actually making sales.
So… what even is Amazon advertising?
Think of it like this: you only pay when someone clicks. That’s Amazon PPC in a nutshell (PPC = pay-per-click). The good part? You’re not paying just to sit there. The bad part? Clicks don’t always mean sales, so you’ve gotta play it smart.
I’ve seen sellers treat Amazon PPC like a slot machine—throw money in, hope it pays out. Doesn’t work that way. The smart move is setting up campaigns that actually feed you useful data, not just burn through your budget.
The Types of Amazon Ads You’ll See
Okay, quick rundown (and I’ll keep it short, promise):
- Sponsored Products: the bread and butter. Single product ads that pop up in search results.
- Sponsored Brands: more like a billboard—you can show off your logo and a few products at once.
- Sponsored Display: these stalk people around Amazon (and sometimes off Amazon too). Great for retargeting.
- Video Ads: tiny commercials. If you can make them not boring, they work like a charm.
Campaigns: Auto vs. Manual
Here’s where most beginners get stuck.
- Automatic campaigns: You let Amazon pick keywords for you. Easy. You’ll get clicks. But you’ll also get some weird ones.
- Manual campaigns: You pick your own keywords, match types, and bids. More control, more work.
Pro tip? Start with auto, then steal the good keywords and move them to manual. It’s like training wheels—except Amazon’s the one doing the wobbling.
Bidding Without Losing Your Shirt
Bids are where you tell Amazon how much you’re willing to pay for a click. Three options:
- Dynamic (Down Only): Amazon lowers your bid if the click looks iffy.
- Dynamic (Up & Down): Amazon goes wild, raising or lowering depending on the odds.
- Fixed: What you set is what you pay. No surprises.
If you’re brand new, don’t overthink it—“Down Only” is the safe choice.
The Three Stages of Advertising on Amazon
Here’s how I like to break it down:
- Launch Stage
This is when you’re basically buying visibility. You’re not worried about profit yet—you just want reviews, sales history, momentum. - Growth Stage
Now you start reinvesting what you made. Bring in Sponsored Brands, maybe test out video ads. And yeah, go after your competitors’ keywords. It’s a little cutthroat, but hey—it works. - Profit Stage
By now you’ve got data. You know which keywords are winners. Cut the losers. Raise bids where it counts. Maybe add remarketing so you don’t lose people who almost bought.
A Few Hard Truths
- Bad listings = bad ad performance. If your title and images suck, ads won’t save you.
- You can’t just “set it and forget it.” Amazon PPC needs regular check-ins.
- Seasonal spikes matter. Prime Day, Black Friday—ads get crazy competitive.
Do You Need an Amazon PPC Agency?
Here’s the million-dollar question. Should you DIY or hire someone?
Look, if you’ve got the time and patience, you can absolutely learn this yourself. Tons of sellers do. But if you’re juggling inventory, customer service, and everything else… an Amazon PPC Agency can save your sanity. They’ll handle the messy keyword stuff, bidding wars, and optimizations while you focus on running your business.
Some agencies are overpriced, some are lifesavers. My advice? Test one out if you’re serious about scaling. Worst case, you go back to running ads yourself. Best case, your sales graph finally stops looking like a rollercoaster.
Final Thoughts
Advertising on Amazon isn’t magic—it’s strategy. Get your basics down, don’t freak out if the first week looks rough, and remember this: the goal isn’t just clicks. It’s profitable clicks.
So whether you roll solo or team up with an Amazon PPC Agency, the point is simple—stop hiding on page 17. Start getting in front of the shoppers who are already looking for what you sell.
