FAQ

What is Amazon Ads?

Amazon Ads offers a range of options to help you achieve your advertising goals to registered sellers, vendors, book vendors, Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) authors, app developers, and/or agencies (refer to each product's page for eligibility criteria).

How does Amazon Ads work?

To get started with self-service advertising products, including Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, display ads, and Brand Stores, visit the Register page and choose one of the options to enroll.

Campaigns run in Amazon Ads Agent can be managed independently or with an Amazon Ads account executive. Contact us to get started.

What is the difference between a seller and a vendor on Amazon?

Sellers sell products directly to Amazon customers. If you manage your products in Seller Central, you’re a seller.

Vendors sell their items directly to Amazon, who then sells them to customers. If you manage your products in Vendor Central, you’re a vendor.

What is CPC (cost-per-click) or PPC (pay-per-click) advertising, and how do I use it?

CPC or PPC advertising is a type of paid advertising where ads display at no charge—ad impressions, or views, are free—and the advertiser is charged only when a customer clicks the ad. Sponsored ads—such as Sponsored Products and Sponsored Brands—run on the CPC model.

What is CPM (cost-per-thousand-impressions [technically, "cost per mille"]) advertising, and how do I use it?

CPM advertising is a type of paid advertising where you are charged a certain price for every 1,000 impressions of your ads.

What is display advertising?

Display ads are banners or images that appear on websites. Display advertising is available through Display, Video, and Audio campaigns

How much does Amazon Ads cost?
  • Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, and display ads are cost-per-click ads, meaning you pay only when customers click your ad, and you control your campaign budget.
  • The cost of display ad and video ad campaigns can vary depending on format and placement.
  • Audio ads are sold on a CPM basis.
  • Advertising through a managed-service option with an Amazon Ads account executive (display ads, video ads, and ads that are run through DVA+ with advanced settings) typically require a minimum spend of $50,000 (US). Contact an Amazon Ads account executive for more information.
  • You can create a Store for free.
What are keywords?

A keyword is a single word or combination of words that you add to your Sponsored Products and Sponsored Brands campaigns. Keywords are matched to shopping queries that customers use to look for products on Amazon and determine when your ads may appear. Note that keywords are only used for Sponsored Products or Sponsored Brands. display ads reach products, product categories, or customers' interests.

How can I do keyword research for my Amazon Ads campaigns?

To start, we recommend using the suggested keywords when creating your campaigns. Sponsored Products campaigns may use automatic targeting, which selects relevant keywords automatically.

Once your automatic campaign is running, you can check your advertising reports to see which keywords are resulting in ad clicks and sales. You can use the top-performing keywords to create a Sponsored Brands campaign or a Sponsored Products campaign with manual targeting, where you select keywords to target and set individual bids for them.

How do I make my keywords relevant to my product?

Make sure that your keywords reference metadata contained on your advertised product’s detail pages. For example, an ad will not receive impressions for the keyword “beach towels” if the campaign contains only bath towel products.

Can I get one-on-one support from Amazon Ads?

We offer free personalized support from an Amazon Ads specialist on Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, display ads, and Managed Display campaigns to help you reach your goals.

Our dedicated ad specialists will help set up, review, and optimize your sponsored ad campaigns, as well as assist with organic brand-building tools such as Stores. They will share tailored campaign recommendations on keywords, bids, budgets, and more to help you maximize your chances of success on Amazon Ads.

To check your eligibility for this program and get started, fill out this form and one of our ad specialists will reach out to you.

What are Brand Stores on Amazon?

Brand Stores are a multipage, immersive shopping experience on Amazon that allow you to showcase your brand and products. Creating a Store is free and doesn't require any web development skills. Easily create custom layouts with rich multimedia content by using drag-and-drop tiles or predesigned templates.

Where do Brand Stores appear?

Brand Stores appear on the Amazon website on mobile, app, and desktop.

Who can create a Brand Store?

Brand Stores are available for sellers who are registered in Amazon Brand Registry, vendors, and agencies representing vendors. You do not need to advertise on Amazon to create a Brand Store, but you must be selling products on Amazon.

How do I enroll my brand?

You must have a registered and active trademark submitted and approved by Amazon. Learn more about enrolling your brand in Amazon Brand Registry. Only sellers must enroll in Amazon Brand Registry—vendors do not need to enroll.

Why should I create a Brand Store?

Building a Brand Store helps drive shopping engagement, with a curated destination for customers to not only shop your products but also learn more about your brand.

Key features include:

  • Unique design: Choose from a selection of design templates with varying store layouts and customizable features to best showcase your brand.
  • Custom curation: Feature a dynamic or handpicked assortment of products along with optional multimedia content to enhance the customer shopping experience.
  • Integrated promotion: Use built-in social features like social sharing buttons, coupled with promotional extensions such as Sponsored Brands, to drive Store awareness and traffic.
How much do Brand Stores cost?

Creating a Brand Store is free.

How can I measure the performance of my Brand Store?

The Brand Stores insights dashboard provides you with daily and aggregate views of your Store's performance. Metrics by traffic source and by page are available, including:

  • Daily visitors: Total unique users or devices that viewed one or more pages on your Brand Store in a single day.
  • Views: Number of page views during this time period. Includes repeat views.
  • Sales: Estimated total sales generated by Brand Store visitors within 14 days of their last visit. Units and sales data are only available as of December 25, 2017.
  • Units sold: Estimated total units purchased by store visitors within 14 days of their last visit.
  • Views/Visitor: Average number of unique pages viewed by a daily visitor to your Brand Store.

You can access analytics from the store builder, or from the Brand Stores main page.

How long does it take to create a Brand Store?

The time it takes to create a Brand Store depends on what you would like to create. We’ve provided you with templates and tiles to make it easy to create pages quickly without design expertise. Before your Brand Store can be published, we review it using a moderation process to make sure that it is up to the high standards we set for the customer shopping experience across Amazon. Keep in mind that moderation will take up to 72 hours, and your Store may be rejected if it does not meet our content acceptance policy. So plan ahead and publish your Brand Store with plenty of time before major sales, deals, or holiday events.

Will Brand Stores display on all devices?

Yes. Brand Stores templates and widgets are all designed as responsive. They work on any screen size or device type. To see how your Store will look on mobile or desktop before publishing it, a Preview link is available to you from the Brand Store Builder.

What are display ads?

Display ads are a flexible ad format that you can use to reach your desired audiences anywhere they spend their time using either Amazon-generated creative or your own.

Where do display ads appear?

Display ads appear on Amazon websites, apps, and devices, as well as on sites and apps not owned by Amazon.

Where are customers taken when they click my ads?

Customers may be taken to a product detail page, a Store, a custom landing page, or an external website.

Who can use display ads?

Businesses can buy display ads whether or not they sell products on Amazon.

Why should I use display ads?

Display ads help you reach, inspire, and reengage customers, with the right message, anywhere they spend their time.

How much do display ads cost?

Pricing for display ads varies depending on format and placement. Self-service Amazon Ads Agent users can buy and manage their own display campaigns, while those seeking a managed-service option can work with our account executives. The managed-service option typically requires a minimum spend of $50,000 (US). Contact an Amazon Ads account executive for more information.

What are video ads?

Video ads combine sight, sound, and motion to share your brand story and engage your audience anywhere they spend their time.

What are streaming TV ads?

Streaming TV ads are video ads that appear before, during, or after streaming content. These ads cannot always be skipped and therefore are typically viewed until completion of the ad.

Where do streaming TV ads appear?

Amazon Streaming TV ads appear alongside content on connected TVs, publisher channels and networks, IMDb, and IMDb TV.

What are out-stream video ads?

Out-stream video ads are video ads that appear outside of video content, such as on a website or app. They often appear on a web page in the space reserved for a display ad.

Where do out-stream video ads appear?

Out-stream video ads appear both on Amazon subsidiaries like IMDb and across the web as standalone videos on desktop, mobile, or tablet. Formats include in-feed video, in-article/in-read video, video in-banner, and interstitial video.

Where are customers taken when they click my ads?

For video ads that can be clicked, then the customer can be taken to a product page on Amazon, your own website, or another destination across the internet.

Who can use video ads?

Businesses can buy video ads whether or not they sell products on Amazon.

Why should I use video ads?

Video ads empower you to tell stories and make emotional connections with customers throughout their decision journeys. They can help you reach relevant audiences at scale by showcasing your brand and products in trusted environments and alongside high-quality content.

How much do video ads cost?

Pricing for video ads varies depending on format and placement. Self-service Amazon Ads Agent users can buy and manage their own video campaigns, while those seeking a managed-service option can work with our account executives. The managed-service option typically requires a minimum spend of $50,000 (US). Contact an Amazon Ads account executive for more information.

What are audio ads?

Amazon audio ads are ads between 10 and 30 seconds long that play periodically in breaks between songs on Amazon Music, iHeart, and Pandora.

Where do audio ads play?

Audio ads are played across Amazon Music, iHeart, and Pandora on Alexa-enabled devices, including Echo and Fire TV, as well as on mobile and desktop..

Who can use audio ads?

Businesses can buy audio ads whether or not they sell products on Amazon.

Why should I use audio ads?

Amazon audio ads help you connect with audiences wherever they are listening to the free tier of Amazon Music, even if they aren't watching their screens.

How much do audio ads cost?

Audio ads are sold on a CPM (cost-per-thousand impressions) basis. They typically require a minimum spend of $25,000 (US). Contact an Amazon Ads account executive for more information.

Is there a visual component in audio ads?

Advertisers can provide a companion banner for their audio ads, which appears on Echo Show devices, Fire TV, and in the Amazon Music app and webplayer on mobile and desktop. Companion banners are clickable in the Amazon Music app and webplayer.

What is Amazon Ads Agent?

Amazon Ads Agent is Amazon’s omnichannel ad platform for buying sponsored ads and Display, Video, and Audio campaigns in one place. A conversational experience helps you plan, create, optimize, and measure campaigns through natural language — or build directly using the campaign workflows that make sense for your business. Whether you want guided efficiency or full hands-on control through advanced settings, Amazon Ads Agent provides one experience that shares the same supply, signals, and measurement.

Who can use Amazon Ads Agent?

Amazon Ads Agent is available to advertisers whether or not they sell products in the Amazon store. Sellers enrolled in Amazon Brand Registry, book vendors, vendors, and agencies with clients can access the full range of campaign types. Advertisers who do not sell in the Amazon store can run Display, Video, and Audio campaigns to audiences on Amazon and across the open internet. Contact an Amazon Ads account executive to get started.

How much does Amazon Ads Agent cost?

Sponsored ads use cost-per-click (CPC) pricing with no minimum spend and budgets you control. Display, Video, and Audio campaigns are available self-service with budgets you set, or through managed service which typically requires a minimum spend that varies by country. Contact an Amazon Ads account executive for details.

What objectives can I choose?

Amazon Ads Agent supports objectives across the full marketing journey, from building awareness and reaching new audiences to driving sales and conversions. Choose your campaign type and set your goal, or describe what you want to accomplish in the conversational experience and get guided to the right solution.

What happened to Amazon DSP?

The programmatic capabilities advertisers know, such as audience targeting, frequency management, deal IDs, and custom bidding, all live in DVA+ with advanced settings. Those capabilities sit alongside Sponsored Display and Sponsored TV in one simplified buying and optimization experience.

What is DVA+?

DVA+ is the simplified buying experience and optimization solution in Amazon Ads Agent that lets advertisers reach audiences on Amazon properties and the open internet, all informed by Amazon's authenticated graph. Powered by Brand+ and Performance+, DVA+ streamlines the campaign creation process and delivers measurable outcomes. Select an objective, review AI-generated creatives, set a budget, and launch in minutes. When more control is needed, access advanced settings to customize targeting, deals, delivery, and more.

What happened to the ad console?

We brought sponsored ads and Amazon DSP together into one ad platform, Amazon Ads Agent. Your existing campaigns, reporting, and settings have carried over.

Can I connect my own tools to Amazon Ads Agent?

Yes. The Amazon Ads MCP Server lets you connect your own AI agents and ad platforms to Amazon Ads Agent using the Model Context Protocol, an open standard for how AI systems communicate with external tools. Once connected, agents can create, update, and optimize campaigns; run performance reports; manage audiences and creative; and execute multi-step workflows through simple prompts. One integration replaces dozens of manual API calls.

What was Amazon DSP?

Amazon DSP (demand-side platform) was Amazon Ads' programmatic advertising solution that enabled advertisers to buy display, video, audio, and streaming TV ads across Amazon properties and third-party publishers. Amazon DSP offered access to exclusive inventory on Prime Video, Twitch, Thursday Night Football, Amazon.com, and Fire TV, along with thousands of premium third-party sites and apps. It was available to both advertisers who sell on Amazon and those who do not, with self-service and managed-service options.

Why is Amazon DSP now Amazon Ads Agent?

Amazon Ads Agent is one ad platform for all of your advertising with Amazon. Rather than managing programmatic campaigns in one tool and sponsored ads in another, Amazon Ads Agent brings everything together: same signals, shared measurement, and a conversational experience that helps you plan, create, and optimize campaigns. The programmatic capabilities you used in Amazon DSP are all available within DVA+ using advanced settings in Amazon Ads Agent.

What happens to my Amazon DSP campaigns?

Your existing campaigns continue to run without disruption. All campaign settings, audience segments, creative assets, deal management, and performance history are carried forward into Amazon Ads Agent. You will access the same inventory, the same audience signals, and the same reporting you have today. No action is required on your part to maintain campaign delivery.

What is Amazon Ads Agent?

Amazon Ads Agent is Amazon’s omnichannel ad platform for buying sponsored ads and Display, Video, and Audio campaigns in one place. A conversational experience helps you plan, create, optimize, and measure campaigns through natural language — or build directly using the campaign workflows that make sense for your business. Whether you want guided efficiency or full hands-on control through advanced settings, Amazon Ads Agent provides one experience that shares the same supply, signals, and measurement.

What is a DSP (demand-side platform)?

A demand-side platform (DSP) is technology that lets advertisers buy digital ad placements programmatically, reaching specific audiences across websites, apps, and streaming services in real time. Amazon DSP is Amazon Ads’ demand-side platform. Those programmatic capabilities are now part of Amazon Ads Agent, available through advanced settings for advertisers who want full control over their programmatic buying.

What is programmatic advertising?

Programmatic advertising is the automated buying and selling of digital ad placements in real time. Instead of negotiating directly with publishers, advertisers use technology to reach specific audiences across websites, apps, streaming services, and connected devices. Within Amazon Ads Agent, programmatic buying powers Display, Video, and Audio campaigns across Amazon-owned properties and thousands of premium third-party publishers.

Do I need to do anything to transition?

No action is required on your part. Your campaigns, audiences, creatives, and reporting transfer automatically into Amazon Ads Agent. Your login credentials, account structure, and team permissions remain the same. Simply sign in to access the new experience. If you have questions, contact your Amazon Ads account executive or visit the Amazon Ads Help Center.

Is my Amazon DSP certification still valid?

Yes. Your existing Amazon DSP certification remains valid. Updated Amazon Ads Agent courses and certifications are available through Amazon Ads Academy to help you get familiar with the new experience. Recertification is encouraged but not required to maintain campaign access.

Will my pricing or costs change?

No. Your current pricing structure is carried forward. The programmatic pricing model you used in Amazon DSP, including self-service and managed-service options, continues within DVA+. Sponsored ads remain cost-per-click with no minimum spend. Contact your Amazon Ads account executive with pricing questions.

What is Amazon Live?

Amazon Live is a fun and unique shopping experience on Amazon. Brands can create interactive, shoppable livestreams, either for free using the Amazon Live Creator app, or producing them in partnership with Amazon Live.

Where do livestreams appear?

Livestreams appear in several locations on Amazon.com/Live, in the Amazon mobile app under Amazon Live, and in the Amazon Live Shopping app on Fire TV. Brand-created livestreams can appear on detail pages and other relevant placements where Amazon shoppers browse. Amazon-produced livestreams appear in placements such as the Amazon.com home page, event pages, and category pages.

Who can use Amazon Live?

The Amazon Live Creator app is available in the US to vendors who have a Store and professional sellers enrolled in Amazon Brand Registry.

Why should I use Amazon Live?

Amazon Live allows you to engage with shoppers in real time in order to inspire, educate, and entertain. Livestreams can help you drive consideration and sales by providing live product demonstrations, connecting with customers through live chat, and displaying special offers.

How much does Amazon Live cost?

Brands can livestream for free using the Amazon Live Creator app. Amazon-produced livestreams require a minimum spend. Contact an Amazon Ads account executive for more information.

What are custom advertising solutions?

Brands can collaborate with the Amazon Custom Advertising team to create custom advertising solutions. Together, they develop innovative campaigns that combine our advertising solutions with formats outside of existing ad products.

Where do custom advertising solutions appear?

Custom advertising solutions can appear in placements such as home page takeovers, Fire TV placements, customized destination pages, and even non-digital formats such as on-box advertising and in-store displays.

Who can use custom advertising solutions?

Businesses can buy custom advertising solutions whether or not they sell products on Amazon.

Why should I use custom advertising solutions?

Custom advertising solutions can help brands achieve their goals through innovative, customized experiences across Amazon’s online and physical stores. The Custom Advertising team is a global team of strategists, creatives, design technologists, engineers, and more.

How much do custom advertising solutions cost?

Custom programs require working with an ad consultant and are subject to a required minimum spend. Contact an Amazon Ads account executive for more information.

What are impressions?

Impressions are the total number of times your ad was displayed.

What are clicks?

Clicks are the number of times your ad was clicked.

What is click-through rate (CTR)?

Click-through rate is the total clicks divided by the total impressions.

What is attribution?

Attribution is the assigning of credit to an ad that a customer was exposed to before taking a desired action, such as a purchase. We use a last-touch attribution model that accounts for various factors, including how the customer interacted with the ad.

What are detail page views?

Detail page views are the number of times customers viewed one of your product detail pages after viewing or clicking your ad.

What is spend?

Spend is the total dollar value of accrued clicks (CPC) or impressions (CPM).

What is advertising cost of sales (ACOS)?

Advertising cost of sales is your total spend divided by your total sales as a percentage. For example, if you spend $5 on ads and generate $25 in sales, your ACOS is 20%—a straightforward measure of your advertising’s profitability. Once you have launched your campaign, you can view all reports on the reporting page.

What is return on ad spend (ROAS)?

Return on ad spend is your total sales divided by your total spend as a percentage.

What kind of reports are available to help measure my return on investment?

Account and campaign reports are available for all ad products. For some ad types, product- and keyword-level reports are available as well.

I don’t have an account.

You can create an account by visiting the Register page.

I’m a vendor and my application to advertise was rejected. What happened? What’s next?

Thank you for submitting your application to register for Amazon Ads. If your application was rejected, you will receive an email outlining the reason for rejection and next steps.

I’m a vendor and you have requested additional information about my application to advertise. How do I provide you with the information requested?

Thank you for submitting your application to register for Amazon Ads. If we require additional information to process your application, you will receive an email from Amazon Ads. Please respond to the email with the requested information.

My business has an Amazon Ads account but I don't have the account details to sign in.

To acccess your account, please reach out to an Amazon Ads account executive.

I’m interested in display, video, and audio ads. How do I start?
I forgot the password for my Amazon Ads Agent or KDP account.

To retrieve your password, click "Forgot your password?" on the sign-in page.

How do I rename my account after registration?

You can change the name by going to Manage your accounts in Amazon Ads Agent and clicking “Edit name.”

What are the eligibility requirements for KDP authors to use sponsored ads?

Your books must meet the following criteria to advertise:

  1. Eligible on your KDP Bookshelf
  2. Available on Amazon in the marketplace you're advertising in
  3. Meets the Book Advertising Guidelines and Acceptance Policies, and Amazon Ads Guidelines and Acceptance Policies
What are the eligibility requirements for book vendors to use sponsored ads?

Your books must meet the following criteria to advertise:

What is the sponsored ads creative approval process for KDP authors and book vendors?

Advertisements must be appropriate for a general audience, be available in the English language, and meet the Book Advertising Guidelines and Acceptance Policies for advertising. When you generate creative for your advertisements using Amazon Ads Agent or KDP dashboard, your book's cover, title, and content are part of the advertisement. These and any custom ad images you upload will be reviewed for compliance with the policies.

What are some common reasons for book sponsored ad campaigns being rejected?

Campaigns may be rejected due to poor-quality images or covers, unreadable text, typos in text, content not appropriate for a general audience, and content that is not localized for use in the United States.

What is a partner?

A partner is an advertising agency or tool provider who works with Amazon advertisers to manage and optimize campaigns. These campaigns help advertisers achieve business objectives and connect with Amazon audiences in meaningful ways.

I am already working with a partner. How do I provide feedback on them?

We look forward to hearing about your experience. Please submit feedback here.

What is the Amazon Ads Partner Network?

The Partner Network is a self-service hub for agencies and tool providers to interact with and manage their business relationships with Amazon Ads. They can register with the Partner Network to access marketing and learning resources and showcase their capabilities to advertisers on the Amazon Ads partner directory.

Who should register on the Amazon Ads Partner Network?

Please ensure you are the representative of your organization authorized to accept the Partner Network Terms & Conditions on behalf of your business, create, and operate the Partner Network account. As the assigned partner admin, you will be able to add additional users with other access levels in the account setup process.

As a representative of my business, which Amazon account should I use to register my business on the Amazon Ads Partner Network?

We recommend using the Amazon account that is associated with your business email address to register your business on the Partner Network. Sign in with the existing Amazon account credentials you use to support advertisers. If you do not have an Amazon account, we recommend you create a new one. If you have an existing manager account, we recommend using it to register on Partner Network to activate the users, and advertisers that are already linked to the manager account. If you have multiple manager accounts, we recommend selecting the manager account which best represents your business that will be evaluated for advanced partner status.

How do I register my business on the Partner Network?

You can register on the Partner Network by providing information required to identify your business. You can also create multiple Partner Network accounts for your organization based on regions, and distinct legal entities if you want them to be represented individually. Each Partner Network account will require a distinct business registration number and will be evaluated independently for assessment to designate advanced partner status. If multiple administrators submit a registration request for the same business, only the first registration will be considered.

Where is my business registration number?

Your local, state, or federal government issues business registration numbers. You can find it on the legal document of your incorporated business.

My business registration for the Partner Network was approved. What should I do now?

We recommend you to complete the account set up by adding users, linking your Login with Amazon applications and advertisers, and submitting your partner directory profile listing that will be reflected in the Amazon Ads partner directory. For further guidance, refer to the welcome email that was sent to the email address used to register for the Partner Network.

My business wants to publish a listing on the Amazon Ads partner directory. How do I set up my company's partner directory listing so advertisers can find my business and get in contact with me?

A partner admin can click on “Publish Directory Profile” to submit the Partner Network profile details that will be listed on the Amazon Ads partner directory. You can showcase your capabilities on the partner directory, which can be accessed by advertisers looking for partners who offer expertise across a diverse range of Amazon Ads specialties. When publishing your partner directory listing, please provide accurate, up-to-date information to describe your business.

What is the value of the Amazon Ads partner directory?

The Amazon Ads partner directory includes a list of partners (agencies and tool integrators) that have tools and offering that can help advertisers to achieve business objectives and connect with Amazon audiences in meaningful ways. If you are looking for Amazon Ads support through partners, here is a place to start. We encourage you to do your own due diligence to find the partner that best meets your unique advertising needs.

What does the check mark on the product and services on the partner directory profile signify?

The check mark implies that Amazon Ads has verified at least two associates in the partner’s organization who have the relevant product certification through Amazon Ads Academy and recent campaign management activity.

What is the best way to contact an Amazon Ads partner?

Simply contact the partner directly by navigating to their profile or from the search results page on Partner Directory. There you click on the "Contact partner" button. You will then be asked to authenticate with your Amazon Ads account credentials (if you’re not already logged in). You then simply fill out the leads form and click "Connect with partner". The partner then receives the business information you have submitted as a request to connect (excluding any personally identifiable information). You will then be notified by email with either an accepted request and next steps, or a declined request and any relevant specific details.

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