Amazon Sponsored Ads Management | The Top Mistakes You’re Making

Last updated on June 5th, 2023

Written by Himanshi Raj

Amazon PPC is an essential part of making your Amazon business succeed. It is also described as one of the most exciting parts of being a seller. Utilizing Amazon PPC means that you are displaying your product to the world and putting your best foot forward to get buyers’ attention and trust. Even if you have launched campaigns in the past, there is still that exhilarating feeling every time you set a new advertisement.

This is because both the analytical and creative parts of your brain are triggered whenever you launch a campaign. Your analytical part will be tested because of keyword research, competitor analysis, campaign strategies, and data reports. On the other hand, there is a lot of room to be creative because of all the photos, layouts, and tagline ideation you need to do. These activities become even more thrilling when done with a team through the help of an Amazon PPC agency. 

Aside from the positive and fun parts, you should also be prepared for the challenges. To help you, listed here are the top seven mistakes most people commit. Knowing them will help you in case you experience any, or you can be proactive with your steps to avoid committing these blunders. 

Mistake #1: Relying on a single type of Amazon Sponsored Ad

There are four main ads on Amazon, and each of them works best depending on your goals. Sticking to a single Amazon PPC Ad type is a huge mistake especially when the ad does not help you reach your objectives. Below are the types of Amazon PPC Ads and the best time to use them for your reference. 

1. Sponsored Products - As the name suggests, this type of ad fits best if you want to highlight particular products. 
2. Sponsored Brands - This type of ad, on the other hand, is best for creating brand awareness and getting viewers to check your product page. 
3. Sponsored Display - If you want to widen the reach of your advertisements and target audiences outside of Amazon, this is the best Amazon PPC Ad for you. 
4. Stores - Skip the hassle of creating a website outside of Amazon, and use Amazon Stores instead. This will give you a unique URL just like what third-party websites have, but you can create your Amazon Store for free.

Mistake #2: Inability to monitor simultaneous use of all Amazon PPC Ads 

It is not a mistake to use all four types of Amazon PPC at once. Many people even do this as a part of their strategy. The mistake comes when you are not able to monitor each campaign, while still racking up costs. 

In partnering with an Amazon PPC agency, one of the goals they’ll propose is decreasing your Advertising Cost of Sales (ACoS) as the campaign goes by. To do this, simultaneously using all types of ads can be a good start. After a few weeks or months, data will show which among the types of ads are most effective in boosting your conversion rates. With that, you can focus your spending on the most effective ad you have for more efficient budgeting. 

The inability to monitor your ads will hinder you from knowing which ads are the most effective, and which are only costing money without a return in profits. 

Mistake #3: Not looking beyond the Amazon platform

You’ll surprise yourself by researching more about the different tactics Amazon sellers are using to make their brands and products known. Boxing yourself in the advertisement options within Amazon is a flaw you do not want to commit. Your Amazon PPC agency will help you figure out the best strategy for marketing outside of the platform.

Here are some of the other campaigns you can partake in outside of Amazon:

1. Social media marketing - Facebook, Twitter, WeChat, WhatsApp, Tumblr, Instagram, and a hundred other social media platforms are all opportunities to get your products and brand known to 3.6 billion people.
2. Websites and blogs - Amazon offers Stores where you can have a website-like portfolio of your products, but having your own website is still an advantage. Research shows that 88% of buyers research first before they decide on buying anything. Your website can be a good source of information for your products.
3. YouTube vlogs - Partner with YouTube influencers to get your brand featured in one of their contents. Be as creative as you can with how you will incorporate your products into the vlog.
4. Google for Retail - Another wise choice outside Amazon is advertising on Google for Retail. This posts your ads on different Google properties like Gmail, YouTube, Maps, Images, and Shopping.
5. Physical posters and ads - Outside the platform, you can go for traditional posters and print ads.

Creativity is the key, and the sky’s the limit in how you will advertise your products and brand outside of Amazon. The most important thing is to recognize that there are more platforms than just Amazon to market your business on.

Mistake #4: Sticking to a single keyword strategy

There are several tried and tested keyword strategies on Amazon. Hence, limiting yourself to one is not a very wise option. After getting a list of keywords related to your product, the next question would be which among the keywords will you bid for? Here are some strategies to consider:

1. Bid for the highest-ranking keywords - Bidding for the highest-ranking keywords may be one of your primary strategies because you naturally want to include keywords the majority search for in your store. However, this strategy is a double-edged sword. The higher the searches for a certain keyword are, the more sellers will use it, and with more sellers comes tougher competition. To make it to the first pages of the listing will be a struggle, but it is still possible.
2. Use long-tail keywords - Long-tail keywords are more specific searches. For instance, the short, highly searched for keyword “water tumbler” will have long-tail keywords like water tumbler for hiking, water tumbler for working out, spill-proof water tumbler, environment-friendly water tumbler. The more specific a long-tail keyword gets, the longer it becomes. These keywords have lower searches, but there is also lower competition here. Experts suggest that individuals who use long-tail keywords have higher rates of conversion. Lower competition on sellers plus buyers who are more likely to purchase makes the perfect combination for a sale.
3. Optimize backend keywords - Backend keywords are other keywords you know you can rank for but cannot include in your listing content due to the limitation on characters. All these words, even misspelled ones or keywords in another language, are placed in the backend instead.
4. Automatic and Manual Campaigns - In Amazon Sponsored Ads management, you can choose between Automatic and Manual campaigns. The first three fall under the Manual category. For Automatic campaigns, Amazon will generate keywords for you and decide on which keywords will appear on your listing or ads. Strategies include using both at the same time, or using an Automatic campaign first to see which keywords you are ranking for and deciding afterwards on the additional keywords to include for your Manual campaign.
5. Custom Amazon PPC strategy - As the name itself suggests, everything in your campaign will be customized according to your business needs. Though Amazon agencies work with a lot of different businesses, every account is unique. Hence, a custom strategy is almost always the best option.

Amazon PPC management begins with keyword research and strategizing. Lighten the load and ensure that you have the right plans with the help of an Amazon PPC agency. An agency has a team of SEO specialists and Amazon Sponsored Ads management experts who all work together to achieve the desired outcome. 

Mistake #5: Downplaying the importance of creativity and help from an Amazon PPC agency

Amazon has made the creation of different ads doable in a few easy steps, which inspires beginners to start advertising quickly. Getting professional help from an Amazon PPC agency for your Amazon PPC needs may not be on your mind, but this can be a setback in the long term. 

Here are five advantages of delegating your Amazon PPC management needs to an agency:

1. Through Amazon Sponsored Ads management by an agency, you know that the solutions picked for you are right for your business goals.
2. You do not need to worry about keyword strategizing, monitoring, and adjustments. Your Amazon PPC agency will handle it all for you. 
3. Aside from technical issues, the creative needs for your Amazon PPC will be brainstormed and implemented by experts in the field. 
4. There are plenty of other ways to get your brand and products known outside Amazon. Your Amazon PPC agency will give you all the choices you have and define which off-page campaigns are best for you. 
5. Most importantly, you will not venture into the wild world of Amazon on your own. When you have a partner agency, you know that you have a group of Amazon experts to rely on. 

Mistake #6: Not adhering to Amazon Brand Guidelines

Because of the millions of users on the platform, Amazon tries to ensure that everyone follows a common guideline. In Amazon PPC, sellers like you should be wary of the Amazon Brand Guidelines. Not adhering to these rules is a huge mistake as it can cause account suspensions or halt your campaigns. 

Mistake #7: Settling for so-so advertisements

Settling for the bare minimum, or simply abiding by the Amazon Brand Guidelines for your advertisements is another big no-no. When you partner with an Amazon PPC agency, mediocrity goes out the window. A team of experts will ensure that the services you get will only be the best, and the success of your campaigns will be seen through legitimate increased conversion rates. 

Final Thoughts

Amazon Sponsored Ads management is an exciting opportunity for your business, and will trigger both your creative and analytical sides. With the help of an Amazon PPC agency, the experience gets even better as you will see quantifiable results fairly quickly.

Seller Interactive can be your partner Amazon PPC agency. We have a team of experts who will ensure that your ads are engaging enough to get viewers to click, that you are targeting the right audience, and that you efficiently convert your clicks into sales.

Contact us at 1-800-820-3746 to learn all about the services we offer, or visit our website to know more about us.