Mastering Amazon advertising: an Amazon Seller Central tutorial

How to setup ads in Amazon Seller Central

1. Log into your Seller Central account.
2. On the Seller Central dashboard, click on the ‘Advertising’ tab. Go to ‘Campaign Manager’.
3. Click on the ‘Create Campaign’ button.
4. Choose the type of campaign (Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, or Display ads).
5. Scroll down to the ‘Settings‘ section. Enter the campaign name (keep it simple so you can easily find it later).
6. Set the start and end date for the ad.
7. Select the ad targeting option (automatic or manual).
8. Select the bid (how much ad budget will be spent per click).
9. Design the ad creative (the headline, ad copy, relevant images, and listing URL)
10. Launch the ad campaign.

A detailed overview of how to create Amazon Ad campaigns

Here’s a closer look at the steps you need to have to create an Amazon Ad campaigns.

1. Create your account on Amazon Seller Central

Before you can start advertising on Amazon, you need to become a registered seller. You can do this by signing up for an Amazon seller account. Follow the registration process, which typically includes providing business information, bank details, and tax information. Then, enroll in the Amazon Brand Registry.

2. Populate your account with product listings

To advertise a product on Amazon, you must have active product listings on the platform. Ensure that your product listings are optimized for the target keyword and also with high-quality images, accurate product descriptions, and competitive pricing. This will increase the chances of your ad-traffic converting into sales.

3. Check product eligibility

Ads can not be created for all products. For instance, at present, you can’t create ads for adult products, used products, or those in closed category. So, check Amazon’s creative acceptance policies for all ad types and formats and determine which products to advertise.

4. Conduct target audience analysis

Before launching advertising campaigns, it’s crucial to define and understand your target audience. This involves researching and identifying the demographics, interests, and buying behaviour of your potential customers on Amazon.

Analyze existing customer demographic and related purchase data. You can use market research tools to gather this information. You can also use Amazon’s insights and planning tool for this purpose. In the case where your business has employed external Amazon seller central management services providers, you can ask them to extend their scope of service and perform this analysis on your behalf.

5. Develop a keyword strategy

Find relevant keywords for your ad campaigns based on the target audience and advertising goals (traffic, visibility, sales, etc.). You can use tools like Helium 10, Google Keyword Planner, and other similar ones. You can also analyze your competitors’ product listings and ads to identify the keywords they are targeting successfully. Start with a list of broad, relevant keywords and prioritize them by reach.

6. Determine ad targeting type

Targeting options vary by the type of ad campaign. For example, for a Sponsored product ad, you can choose between automatic and manual keyword targeting. For Sponsored brands, you can choose between product targeting (i.e., your ad can appear on selected ASINs’ product pages or it can appear on the selected product category). You need to choose the targeting type that fits your goals.

7. Set up a budget for advertising campaigns

Determine how much you’re willing to spend on advertising. Each ad type and ad format on Amazon performs differently, depending on the goal and product they are being used for. So, you need to allocate a budget that aligns with your advertising goals and the competitiveness of your product category and chosen keywords.

Depending on this budget, submit a bid with the amount you will pay every time a user clicks on your ad.

Amazon ad types

Amazon ad formats

8. Build the ad creative

Write the ad copy while targeting the right aspects of your products. For instance, focus on features and utility if your ad intends to create awareness for a new product. Otherwise, focus on the promotional offer if your ads intends to attract sales. Use relevant images (eye-catching, well-edited, highlighting the product) and add the link to the target product page.