06-16-2025, 07:19 PM
Running Amazon ads without results? You're not alone. Many sellers invest in advertising but fail to see meaningful ROI. The problem isn’t Amazon’s system—it’s often poor strategy or oversight.
In this post, we'll break down the 10 most common reasons your Amazon ads fail and how expert Amazon PPC management services can fix them.
1. Misunderstanding Campaign Types
Amazon offers several ad types—each with a unique purpose.
Common Mistake:
Targeting the wrong keywords wastes ad spend and lowers conversions.
Common Mistake:
Most sellers only look at ACoS, but TACoS is equally important.
Common Mistake:
A messy campaign setup leads to poor performance and confusion.
Common Mistake:
Negative keywords help block low-converting, irrelevant traffic.
Common Mistake:
Amazon ads need regular attention, not automation alone.
Common Mistake:
Every product behaves differently—testing is key.
Common Mistake:
Your ad copy and visuals matter—especially in Sponsored Brands and Sponsored Display.
Common Mistake:
Your product page needs to convert—otherwise, PPC won’t help.
Common Mistake:
Short-term ACoS doesn’t tell the full story.
Common Mistake:
In this post, we'll break down the 10 most common reasons your Amazon ads fail and how expert Amazon PPC management services can fix them.
1. Misunderstanding Campaign Types
Amazon offers several ad types—each with a unique purpose.
Common Mistake:
- Only running Sponsored Products, ignoring Sponsored Brands or Sponsored Display.
- Using all types without understanding their roles.
- Use Sponsored Products to boost direct conversions.
- Use Sponsored Brands for visibility and brand awareness.
- Use Sponsored Display to retarget interested shoppers.
Targeting the wrong keywords wastes ad spend and lowers conversions.
Common Mistake:
- Relying solely on automatic targeting.
- Using broad, unrelated keywords.
- Perform keyword research using tools like Helium 10 or SellerApp.
- Add negative keywords to filter out irrelevant traffic.
- Focus on long-tail, purchase-intent keywords.
Most sellers only look at ACoS, but TACoS is equally important.
Common Mistake:
- Optimizing campaigns just to lower ACoS.
- Ignoring the total advertising impact on overall sales.
- Monitor ACoS to control ad-specific costs.
- Track TACoS to evaluate the real impact of ads on total revenue.
- Use both metrics to balance profitability and scalability.
A messy campaign setup leads to poor performance and confusion.
Common Mistake:
- Mixing different match types and products in one campaign.
- No clear ad group segmentation.
- Use one match type per campaign (Exact, Phrase, Broad).
- Structure campaigns by product type, keyword intent, or goal.
- Use Single Keyword Ad Groups (SKAGs) for top-performing terms.
Negative keywords help block low-converting, irrelevant traffic.
Common Mistake:
- Letting Amazon show ads for unrelated search queries.
- Never updating or reviewing the Search Term Report.
- Add negative keywords at the campaign or ad group level.
- Continuously audit search terms.
- Use phrase or exact matches to refine targeting.
Amazon ads need regular attention, not automation alone.
Common Mistake:
- Launching campaigns and forgetting to optimize them.
- Ignoring data for weeks or months.
- Monitor campaigns weekly or bi-weekly.
- Pause underperforming ads and reallocate budget.
- Adjust bids based on performance trends.
Every product behaves differently—testing is key.
Common Mistake:
- Using default bids for all keywords.
- Relying only on one match type.
- Run separate campaigns for Broad, Phrase, and Exact match.
- Adjust bids based on conversion rate, CTR, and ACoS.
- Identify your most profitable match type and scale it.
Your ad copy and visuals matter—especially in Sponsored Brands and Sponsored Display.
Common Mistake:
- Using the same headline or image in every campaign.
- Not testing creatives.
- A/B test images, headlines, and videos.
- Use Amazon Brand Analytics to learn what your audience responds to.
- Rotate creatives based on performance data.
Your product page needs to convert—otherwise, PPC won’t help.
Common Mistake:
- Driving paid traffic to listings with:
- Low-quality images
- Poor bullet points
- Bad reviews
- Low-quality images
- Optimize product listings with:
- High-resolution images
- Keyword-rich titles
- Detailed bullet points
- A+ Content
- High-resolution images
- Make sure you have at least 4.2-star reviews and solid social proof.
Short-term ACoS doesn’t tell the full story.
Common Mistake:
- Turning off campaigns that don't convert immediately.
- Ignoring customer lifetime value (CLTV).
- Track repeat purchases and Subscribe & Save conversions.
- Use Amazon Attribution to track external traffic.
- Evaluate brand lift, not just direct ROI.