Set Up Amazon Ads – A Step by Step Guide for Marketers in 2026
blog » Ads set up » Set Up Amazon Ads – A Step by Step Guide for Marketers in 2026
putta srujan
Amazon Ads reaches millions of high-intent shoppers actively searching products. Setting up Amazon ads requires strategic campaign configuration. Understanding ad types maximizes visibility. Proper targeting drives qualified traffic. This comprehensive guide walks beginners through complete set up Amazon ads.
Amazon PPC campaigns deliver measurable ROI through precise audience targeting. Sponsored Products appear in search results. Sponsored Brands showcase multiple items. Display Ads build awareness. Following these step-by-step instructions enables successful campaign launch.
Flexible budgets: Start campaigns with minimal daily spend
Search intent comparison with high-performing Google search ads reveals key differences—while Google captures informational searches early in buyer journey, Amazon targets transactional queries from ready-to-purchase shoppers with immediate conversion intent.
Amazon Advertising Market Statistics
Amazon advertising services 2024
$56.22B
Total sales (+19.8% from $46.91B in 2023).
Amazon Ads Q3 2025 revenue
$17.7B
Quarterly revenue (+24% YoY growth).
India e-commerce ad revenue FY25
₹15,573cr
Platform ad revenue (+26% YoY increase).
Internet advertising revenue 2024
$259B
Total digital ad spending (overall market size).
Sources: Marketplace Pulse Amazon Advertising Services Sales, Adweek Q3 2025 Earnings Coverage, Economic Times India E-commerce Ad Revenue Report, IAB Internet Advertising Revenue Report.
Prerequisites Before Starting Set Up Amazon Ads
Amazon Ads requires specific account types and product eligibility. Meeting requirements ensures smooth campaign creation. Understanding prerequisites prevents setup delays. Verify these items before beginning.
Required Account Types
Eligible Seller Accounts:
Professional Seller account: $39.99/month subscription required
Vendor Central account: Invitation-only wholesale suppliers
Book vendors: KDP authors can advertise books
Agency accounts: Manage ads for clients (special access)
Product Eligibility Requirements
Product Must Have:
Buy Box eligibility: Competitive pricing, good seller metrics
Active detail page: Listed in Amazon catalog
Available category: Not restricted (no adult, used items)
Good account health: No policy violations, positive rating
Payment Method Setup
Valid credit card: Visa, Mastercard, American Express accepted
Creating your Amazon Advertising account takes minutes. Follow these detailed steps to access Campaign Manager. Proper setup enables campaign creation immediately.
Accessing Campaign Manager
Step-by-Step Access:
1: Log into Seller Central (sellercentral.amazon.com)
2: Navigate to “Advertising” tab in top menu
3: Select “Campaign Manager” from dropdown
4: Accept Amazon Advertising agreement terms
5: Add payment method (credit card information)
Platform navigation similarities with set-up LinkedIn ads reveal common patterns—both platforms require account verification, payment setup, and campaign manager access before creating first campaigns, though Amazon focuses on product catalog integration.
Setting Account Preferences
Initial Configuration:
Time zone: Set to your business location
Currency: Default to marketplace currency (USD for US)
Notification preferences: Choose email alert frequency
User permissions: Add team members if needed
Step 2: Set Up Amazon Ads: Creating Your First Campaign
Campaign creation involves selecting ad type, naming conventions, and structural decisions. Sponsored Products campaigns offer easiest starting point for beginners. Following proper setup sequence ensures successful launch.
Choosing Campaign Type
Sponsored Products Setup:
1: Click “Create campaign” in Campaign Manager
2: Select “Sponsored Products” (recommended for beginners)
3: Choose campaign name (descriptive: “Product-Name-Auto-Jan2026”)
4: Set portfolio (optional grouping for organization)
5: Select start and end dates (or continuous)
Campaign Settings Configuration
Essential Settings:
Daily budget: Set minimum $10/day (start conservatively)
Targeting type: Choose “Automatic” for beginners or “Manual” for control
Bidding strategy: Select “Dynamic bids – down only” (safe start)
Campaign bidding: Set default bid ($0.75-$1.50 typical range)
Adding Products to Campaign
Search products: Enter ASIN, SKU, or product name
Select items: Check boxes for products to advertise
Close match: Amazon matches highly relevant searches
Loose match: Broader related search terms
Substitutes: Shows on competing product pages
Complements: Appears with related products
Audience targeting mechanics similar to set-up Instagram ads where both platforms offer automatic and manual options—Instagram uses demographic/interest targeting while Amazon focuses on shopping behavior and product-level precision.
Manual Keyword Targeting
Keyword Match Types:
Broad match: Variations, synonyms, related searches
Rule-based bidding: Adjust by placement (top of search +50%)
Determining Starting Bids
Amazon suggestions: Review suggested bid range
Profit margins: Calculate break-even ACoS (Advertising Cost of Sales)
Competitive research: Check similar products’ estimated bids
Conservative start: Begin at lower range, increase gradually
Placement modifiers: +100% top of search, +50% product pages
Conversion tracking importance parallels Meta pixel implementation—while Meta Pixel tracks off-Facebook conversions through website pixels, Amazon automatically attributes sales to ad clicks, simplifying ROI measurement through native platform analytics.
Step 5: Campaign Optimization & Monitoring Post Set Up Amazon Ads
Product page optimization: Improve listings for better conversion
Campaign structure refinement: Single keyword ad groups (SKAGs)
Seasonal adjustments: Increase budgets for peak periods
Competitor monitoring: Track rival pricing and positioning
FAQs: Set Up Amazon Ads
Do I need a Professional Seller account for Amazon Ads?
Yes, Sponsored Products and Sponsored Brands require Professional Seller account ($39.99/month). Individual sellers cannot access Amazon advertising, making account upgrade necessary before campaign creation.
Should I start with automatic or manual targeting?
Beginners should start with automatic targeting to gather keyword data, then transition to manual after 2-3 weeks. Automatic campaigns discover relevant search terms you can later refine manually.
What’s a good starting daily budget?
Start with $10-$25 per day per campaign minimum. Run for at least 2 weeks to collect meaningful data before making optimization decisions or scaling budget upward.
How do I calculate my target ACoS?
Target ACoS = Profit margin percentage. If product has 40% margin, target 40% ACoS to break even on ad spend while acquiring customers for future purchases.
How long until I see results from Amazon Ads?
Allow 2-4 weeks for data collection and algorithm learning. Amazon needs impression volume to optimize delivery, and you need conversion data for informed optimization decisions.
