GLOSSARY
Search Marketing FAQ
Concise answers to the most common questions relevant to SEO, GEO, CRO, and PPC. Filter by discipline, platform, and topic. Cortex references its corpus of platform-published best practices to draft each answer, with citations linking back to the source documents.
Showing 1177-1200 of 1947 questions
How do I create a Sponsored Products campaign?PPCAmazon AdsAmazonBid Strategies+
Login to Seller Central > Advertising > Campaign Manager > Create Campaign > Sponsored Products. Choose Automatic or Manual targeting. Set daily budget ($10-50 minimum), bidding strategy (Dynamic - down only is safest start), campaign duration, and ad group with target ASINs. Add keywords (manual) or let Amazon target automatically. Campaign goes live within minutes.
in Amazon Sponsored Products
When should I use automatic campaigns?PPCAmazon AdsAmazon+
Use auto for new accounts, new ASINs, or unfamiliar keyword territory. Amazon's algorithm targets relevant search terms based on product title, description, and category. Auto campaigns mine real shopper queries you can later promote as manual exact-match keywords. Run auto for 2-4 weeks to harvest data, then transition winners to manual.
in Amazon Sponsored Products
When should I switch from auto to manual campaigns?PPCAmazon AdsAmazon+
Switch once you have 2-4 weeks of auto-campaign data and have identified 10-30 high-converting search terms. Migrate winners to manual exact-match keywords with optimized bids. Keep the auto campaign running at lower budget to continue harvesting new terms. The auto-then-manual flow is the standard Amazon Ads operating pattern.
in Amazon Sponsored Products
What targeting options are available in manual Sponsored Products campaigns?PPCAmazon AdsAmazon+
Two targeting modes. Keyword targeting (exact, phrase, broad match keywords with individual bids). Product targeting (target specific ASINs, brands, or categories - including competitor ASINs to show your ad on their product pages). Both modes can run in the same campaign. Most accounts mix keyword and product targeting in separate ad groups.
in Amazon Sponsored Products
What's the difference between keyword targeting and product targeting?PPCAmazon AdsAmazon+
Keyword targeting shows your ad when shoppers search for matching terms. Product targeting shows your ad on specific ASIN product detail pages or within product categories. Keyword targeting is intent-driven (shopper actively searching). Product targeting is competitive (your ad shown to people shopping competitors). Most accounts run both for full funnel coverage.
in Amazon Sponsored Products
How do I choose the right keywords for Sponsored Products?PPCAmazon AdsAmazonKeyword ResearchNegative Keywords+
Three sources. Amazon's Search Term Report from auto campaigns (real shopper queries). Helium 10, Jungle Scout, or Sellics keyword research tools. Competitor reverse-lookup (search Helium 10 for ASIN, see which keywords they rank for). Aim for 50-200 targeted keywords per product, prioritized by search volume and competition.
in Amazon Sponsored Products
What match types should I use: exact, phrase, or broad?PPCAmazon AdsAmazon+
Use all three in separate ad groups. Exact match: high-converting harvested terms with optimized bids. Phrase match: discover related shopper phrasing. Broad match: explore new keyword territory. Run all three for the same product family. Move winners from broad/phrase to exact match with higher bids. Negative-keyword the wastage.
in Amazon Sponsored Products
How do I set bids for Sponsored Products campaigns?PPCAmazon AdsAmazon+
Three approaches. Manual: set a CPC bid per keyword based on Amazon's suggested bid range. Dynamic bids (down only): Amazon lowers bids when conversion looks unlikely. Dynamic bids (up and down): Amazon adjusts in both directions, including up by 100% on high-converting placements. Start with Dynamic (down only) for new accounts.
in Amazon Sponsored Products
How much budget should I allocate to Sponsored Products?PPCAmazon AdsAmazon+
Start with $20-50 daily budget per product line. Most sellers spend 5-15% of monthly Amazon revenue on Sponsored Products. Scale up gradually as ACoS targets are met. For new product launches, expect higher initial ACoS (50-100%) as Amazon's algorithm gathers data; ACoS typically settles to 20-40% after 4-8 weeks.
in Amazon Sponsored Products
How do I determine the right daily budget?PPCAmazon AdsAmazonBid Strategies+
Set daily budget at least 3x your target CPA per product. For a $5 target CPA, that's $15+ daily budget for the algorithm to gather signal. For ROAS targets, set budget to allow at least 1-3 conversions per day. Below this floor, campaigns starve and the algorithm cannot optimize. Scale once ACoS is stable.
in Amazon Sponsored Products
What is a good ACoS for Sponsored Products?PPCAmazon AdsAmazon+
Depends on your margin and goal. For profitable advertising, ACoS must be below your gross margin (sustainable). 20-30% ACoS is typical for established sellers. 40-60% ACoS is acceptable for new product launches (paying for visibility). Above 60% ACoS without strategic reason indicates unprofitable spend - audit keywords, bids, and product listings.
in Amazon Sponsored Products
How do I find and use search term reports?PPCAmazon AdsAmazonPage Speed / Core Web VitalsNegative Keywords+
In Campaign Manager > Reports > Sponsored Products Search Term Report. Download the CSV showing every search query that triggered your ads with impressions, clicks, conversions, ACoS. Review weekly. Add high-converting queries as exact-match keywords. Add zero-converting queries as negatives. The Search Term report is the highest-leverage Sponsored Products optimization input.
in Amazon Sponsored Products
What are negative keywords and when should I use them?PPCAmazon AdsAmazonNegative Keywords+
Negative keywords prevent your ads from serving on specific queries. Add zero-converting queries from your Search Term Report to negative lists. Common universal negatives: free, jobs, cheap (if you sell premium), competitor brand names you don't bid on. Review weekly. Negative keywords are the fastest way to cut wasted spend on Sponsored Products.
in Amazon Sponsored Products
How do negative keyword match types work?PPCAmazon AdsAmazonNegative Keywords+
Two types on Amazon. Negative exact: blocks the precise query only. Negative phrase: blocks queries containing the phrase in order. Unlike Google, Amazon does not support negative broad match. Add singular AND plural negatives explicitly - Amazon's negative match does not catch variants. Audit negative keyword lists quarterly to remove over-blocks.
in Amazon Sponsored Products
How do I improve Sponsored Products performance over time?PPCAmazon AdsAmazonAd CreativeNegative Keywords+
Five recurring actions. Run Search Term Reports weekly; add winners as exact keywords, losers as negatives. Audit bids monthly; raise winners, lower losers. Refresh ad creative (product images, A+ content) quarterly. Test new keyword themes monthly. Migrate top auto-campaign harvested terms to manual exact match for better bid control.
in Amazon Sponsored Products
How do I optimize bids based on conversions and ACoS?PPCAmazon AdsAmazon+
Raise bids on keywords below target ACoS (you can afford more). Lower bids on keywords above target ACoS (overpaying). Use 10-20% increments per change. For Dynamic bidding, the system adjusts automatically; manually adjust base bid. Audit weekly; expect 4-8 weeks for bid changes to stabilize new performance.
in Amazon Sponsored Products
How do I use product targeting in Sponsored Products?PPCAmazon AdsAmazonKeyword Research+
Target specific competitor ASINs to show your ads on their product detail pages. Target brand names to show ads when shoppers search the brand. Target product categories for broad reach. Product targeting bypasses keyword research entirely. Best for competitive displacement - put your product in front of shoppers actively viewing competitors.
in Amazon Sponsored Products
Should I target competitor products or similar products?PPCAmazon AdsAmazon+
Both. Target high-converting competitor ASINs (use Helium 10 or Jungle Scout to identify) to compete on their detail pages. Target similar products from your own brand for cross-sell. Target adjacent product categories for upper-funnel reach. Filter targeting by review count and price to avoid wasting bids on unsuitable competitors.
in Amazon Sponsored Products
How do I measure whether Sponsored Products are profitable?PPCAmazon AdsAmazon+
Calculate true ACoS including Amazon fees: ACoS as reported + 15% FBA fees + 8-15% referral fee. If your ACoS reported as 25% but you have 35% Amazon-fee load, real ACoS is closer to 33%. Profitable advertising means real ACoS below gross margin. Many sellers run unprofitable Sponsored Products without realizing it - audit quarterly.
in Amazon Sponsored Products
How should Sponsored Products fit into my broader Amazon ads strategy?PPCAmazon AdsAmazonAudience Targeting+
Sponsored Products handle bottom-funnel intent (shoppers searching specific products). Pair with Sponsored Brands (upper funnel branded awareness) and Sponsored Display (retargeting + competitor displacement). For full funnel, all three layered together. New brands start with Sponsored Products only; add Sponsored Brands once brand recognition justifies awareness spend.
in Amazon Sponsored Products
What are Amazon Sponsored Brands ads?PPCGEOAmazon AdsAmazonAd Creative+
Sponsored Brands are upper-funnel banner ads featuring your brand logo, a custom headline, and 3+ products. They appear above search results on Amazon for branded and category keywords. Used to drive brand discovery and aggregate sales across multiple products. Require Brand Registry enrollment and at least 3 active ASINs.
in Amazon Sponsored Brands & Display & DSP
Who is eligible to run Sponsored Brands ads?PPCAmazon AdsAmazon+
Sellers and Vendors with Amazon Brand Registry approval (requires registered trademark). Must have at least 3 active products that meet eligibility (Buy Box, no restricted categories, no policy violations). New brand registrations take 2-10 weeks for approval. Without Brand Registry, only Sponsored Products is available.
in Amazon Sponsored Brands & Display & DSP
How do Sponsored Brands differ from Sponsored Products?PPCAmazon AdsAd CreativeBrand Building+
Three differences. Format: Sponsored Brands shows a banner with logo + headline + 3 products; Sponsored Products shows one product like a regular search result. Placement: Sponsored Brands appears top-of-search; Sponsored Products mixes into organic search results. Goal: Sponsored Brands drives brand awareness; Sponsored Products drives transactional conversions on individual ASINs.
in Amazon Sponsored Brands & Display & DSP
What formats are available for Sponsored Brands?PPCAmazon AdsAmazonAd Creative+
Three formats. Product Collection (banner + 3+ products, links to Amazon Store or product list). Store Spotlight (banner + 3 Store pages, links to Amazon Store). Video (15-30 second video creative). All formats include your brand logo and custom headline. Video Sponsored Brands tend to outperform static formats for engagement and CTR.
in Amazon Sponsored Brands & Display & DSP