Many brands launch Amazon ad campaigns and then let them run untouched for months—or even years. But Amazon’s ad platform evolves fast. New formats, tools, and trends make yesterday’s winning strategy today’s wasted spend. If you haven’t updated your Amazon ads lately, this post is your wake-up call.
Neglecting to update your Amazon ad campaigns can cost you—big time. Here are two major risks of campaign stagnation:
Ads that used to perform might now be overspending without results. Bids may be too high, targeting may be too broad, or competitors may have outbid you. Without optimization, your return on ad spend drops.
Amazon frequently introduces new features and ad placements. If your campaigns aren't utilizing newer options like video ads or Brand Store spotlights, you're missing opportunities to appear where your competitors are. Amazon often favors fresh, optimized campaigns in its ad placements.
Begin by reviewing your current campaigns:
Examine ACoS (Advertising Cost of Sales), CTR (Click-Through Rate), and conversion rates using Amazon’s Campaign Manager.
Pause or adjust ads that aren't meeting performance benchmarks and are wasting money with few clicks or sales.
Check if your current keywords still align with your target audience and product positioning. If they don’t, run automatic campaigns to discover high-converting search terms. Once you've identified what works, switch to manual campaigns to gain greater control and precision in your targeting.
Tip: Set a regular audit schedule—monthly or quarterly—to keep campaigns optimized.
Even if your product hasn’t changed, your customers’ preferences likely have. Refreshing your ad creatives is a powerful way to re-engage shoppers and boost conversions. Here’s how to do it effectively:
Find high-performing, relevant keywords that match current shopper behavior. This ensures your ads remain visible in today’s search results—not yesterday’s.
Update your messaging. Speak your audience’s language and address their needs directly. Highlight new product features or emerging use cases.
Upgrade your imagery to include high-quality, lifestyle-focused shots. These help shoppers visualize the product in their own lives. If you haven’t added videos yet—now’s the time. Amazon shoppers are far more likely to convert when they can see how the product works.
Use Amazon Experiments to test different versions of your titles, images, and A+ content. Data will show you which versions resonate most with your target market—and help you make smarter creative decisions going forward.
Amazon regularly rolls out powerful tools designed to improve campaign performance. If you're not using them, you're leaving results on the table. Here are two features you should be taking advantage of:
Instead of setting a static bid and hoping for the best, let Amazon adjust your bids automatically in real time. If Amazon predicts that a shopper is more likely to purchase, it will raise your bid to increase your chances of winning that ad spot. If the chance of conversion is low, it’ll lower your bid to avoid unnecessary spend.
You don’t need to set these adjustments manually. Simply choose one of three bidding strategies:
- Down Only: Amazon lowers your bid when a conversion is less likely.
- Up & Down: Amazon raises or lowers your bid based on real-time conversion likelihood.
- Fixed Bids: Your bid remains unchanged, regardless of performance signals. “Up and Down” is often the best choice for high-converting products, as it helps you win valuable placements without constant manual adjustments.
Engage users by offering incentives, such as Amazon credits, for interacting with your ads, which can lead to higher engagement rates.
Tip: Regularly check Amazon’s “What’s New” section to stay updated on the latest advertising tools and features.
Your success depends on reaching the right shoppers—not just a lot of them. Refine who sees your ads to improve efficiency by doing the following:
Display your ads on specific product detail pages, including those of competitors or complementary products.
Target entire product categories to reach a broader audience interested in similar products.
Re-engage shoppers who have previously viewed your products but didn't make a purchase.
Utilize Amazon's data to target shoppers based on their browsing and purchasing behavior. Target by interest, like “frequent gift buyers” or “tech enthusiasts.”
Tip: Experiment with both narrow and broad targeting to determine which approach yields better conversions for your products.
You don’t always need to spend more—just spend smarter. The key is making sure your spend is aligned with what’s working. Here’s how:
Allow Amazon to adjust your bids in real-time to increase the chances of conversion.
Not all ad placements are created equal. For example, top-of-search ads usually drive more clicks and conversions than those further down the page or on product detail pages.
With placement adjustments, you can increase your bids for high-value placements (like top-of-search) and decrease bids for lower-impact placements, helping you spend where it counts most.
You can automate some of your budgeting decisions by setting up rules that respond to real-time performance. For instance, you could:
- Increase budget on campaigns with a strong return on ad spend (ROAS).
- Pause or lower spend on campaigns that aren’t hitting your goals.
- Boost daily budget on weekends or holidays when conversions spike.
These rules can be built into Amazon’s ad console or through third-party tools—helping you manage campaigns efficiently without constant manual oversight.
Tip: Revisit your bid and budget settings weekly to reallocate budget from underperforming campaigns to those delivering the best results.
Amazon advertising is not a “set it and forget it” endeavor. It's a dynamic platform where continuous optimization can lead to significant gains. If your campaigns have been inactive for over six months, it's time to refresh, test, and adapt.
- Audit Your Campaigns: Review performance metrics to identify areas for improvement.
- Refresh Content: Update ad creatives to align with current trends and shopper behavior.
- Utilize New Tools: Take advantage of Amazon's latest advertising features to enhance campaign effectiveness.
- Refine Targeting: Focus on reaching the right audience segments to improve conversion rates.
- Spend Smart: Optimize bids and budgets based on performance data to maximize ROI.
By proactively refreshing your Amazon campaigns, you position your brand for sustained success in a competitive marketplace.
