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Running and managing successful PPC campaigns require much more than an advertising budget. It also involves endless hours of keyword research, competitive analysis, ad optimization, split testing, and performance tracking. 

This guide will help you get started with your own Amazon PPC advertising campaigns. It also details strategies – if and when the time comes – you can use to determine the best Amazon agency for the job.

Understanding the Fundamentals of Amazon PPC

The first step to becoming an Amazon PPC management expert is understanding the basics of Amazon advertising.

Amazon is a very competitive marketplace with millions of sellers. Amazon’s advertising solutions enable marketers and sellers to boost visibility, increase sales and stay ahead of the competition.

Amazon marketing and advertising use a Pay-Per-Click (PPC) model. Marketers pay when people click on their ads, similar to other digital networks.

Before Amazon launched PPC advertising in 2012, an Amazon PPC agency probably relied on search engine optimization (SEO) to boost visibility. Amazon SEO is still crucial for improving your product ranking, but PPC on Amazon delivers faster results for brands and marketers.

Amazon PPC advertising may appear simple. However, it goes beyond creating a professional seller account, logging into Amazon Seller Central and throwing some dollars into the mix. You need an Amazon campaign management strategy and a developed advertising skill set to run successful campaigns.

How to Get Started with Amazon PPC

Keywords are search terms or phrases that customers use to look for products on Amazon. Using relevant and profitable keywords boosts your ranking and lets users find your ads when they search Amazon using those search terms.

Amazon SEO is critical to long-term success on the platform, and keyword research is an essential piece of the puzzle. With pay per click advertising, keywords are what connects the shopper with your listing.

By understanding how customers search for products and strategically incorporating relevant keywords, you can improve your listings’ visibility, attract potential buyers, and ultimately boost your sales.

Keyword Research Strategies

Customer-Centric Approach

To begin your keyword research, do what an Amazon PPC consultant does and put yourself in the customer’s shoes. Consider the words and phrases they would use to search for your specific product. Start by listing keywords that are directly related to your product’s features, benefits, and intended use.

Leveraging Long-Tail Keywords

When you’re just starting out, it’s recommended to focus on long-tail keywords. These are more specific and less competitive compared to broad, generic keywords. For instance, instead of targeting “cutting board,” opt for “handmade wooden cutting board.” Long-tail keywords often indicate higher buyer intent and can help you attract more qualified leads.

Expanding Your Keyword List

To broaden your keyword portfolio, utilize software tools (from companies such as Helium 10 or Jungle Scout) or other keyword research platforms. These tools provide insights into related keywords, search volume, and competition levels. Analyze the metrics to identify high-potential keywords that align with your product and have a decent search volume.

Organizing Your Keywords

Grouping by Themes

Once you have a comprehensive list of keywords, it’s essential to organize them effectively. An Amazon FBA agency will group keywords into tightly related themes and create separate ad groups or campaigns for each theme. This approach ensures better relevance and allows for more targeted optimization efforts.

Starting with Smaller Campaigns

When you’re new to keyword optimization, it’s advisable to begin with smaller campaigns consisting of 10-20 keywords each. This enables better control over your daily budgets and allows for easier performance tracking and adjustments.

Separating by Match Type

Amazon offers different keyword match types, such as exact, phrase, and broad match. To gain granular control over your keyword performance, create separate campaigns for each match type. This segregation facilitates precise analysis and optimization based on the match type’s behavior.

Bidding and Optimization Techniques

Prioritizing High-Intent Keywords

When advertising on Amazon, not all keywords are created equal. Identify the keywords that demonstrate the highest level of buyer intent and allocate higher bids to them. It might mean drilling down into a specific Amazon product category to increase the relevence of your advertising strategy.

This strategy improves your ad rank for those crucial keywords, increases the likelihood of your listings being seen by potential customers, boosts conversion rates, and drives sales.

Setting Conservative Daily Budgets

When you’re in the initial stages of keyword optimization, it’s wise to start with conservative daily budgets, such as $10-15 per campaign. This approach allows you to gather data and assess the performance of your keywords without overspending.

Continuous Analysis and Adjustment

Keyword optimization is an ongoing process. After running your Amazon PPC ad for a few weeks, take a close look at the search term reports to gain valuable insights.

For example, you will want to identify non-performing keywords and consider pausing or removing them. Instead, allocate more budget to keywords that are driving conversions.

When you truly understand the valuable data and underlying metrics, you’re better able to create efficient PPC campaigns that help you stand out from the crowd.

Amazon PPC Management Services: Is Outsourcing the Answer?

Amazon advertising is a powerful tool for businesses looking to increase their visibility and sales on the Amazon marketplace. However, managing PPC campaigns can be complex and time-consuming, especially for those without extensive experience or expertise in the field.

This is where Amazon PPC management services can be invaluable.

The Benefits of Working with an Amazon PPC Management Service

Partnering with a professional Amazon PPC management service offers a number of advantages. The best agencies employ teams of certified Amazon Advertising specialists with in-depth knowledge of the platform, algorithms, and best practices.

As your business grows, your advertising needs may become more complex. A well-established PPC management service can seamlessly scale your campaigns, ensuring consistent performance and efficient use of your advertising budget.

They stay up-to-date with the latest changes and trends, ensuring that your campaigns are consistently optimized for maximum performance.

For a lot of entrepreneurs, the biggest benefit of outsourcing your Amazon PPC management can be the significant time and resource savings. By entrusting this task to a dedicated service, you can focus on other critical aspects of your business.

Selecting the Right Amazon PPC Service Provider

Choosing the right Amazon PPC service provider involves several key considerations. First, look for a provider with a proven track record of delivering successful results, which can be assessed through case studies, client testimonials, and reviews. Ensure the service provider employs certified Amazon Advertising specialists who have undergone rigorous training and demonstrated expertise in managing Amazon PPC campaigns.

Transparent reporting and communication are crucial. A reputable service provider should offer regular, clear reports on your campaign performance, strategies, and any optimizations made. Customized strategies tailored to your specific business needs, goals, and target audience are essential, rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach.

Inquire about the tools and analytics platforms the service provider uses to gather and analyze data, as well as their approach to data-driven decision-making. Evaluate their pricing structure and contract terms to ensure they align with your budget and business needs, prioritizing transparency and flexibility.

How an Amazon PPC Expert Optimizes Your Campaigns

An experienced Amazon PPC expert can optimize your campaigns in several ways. Just like you might do to get started, they conduct thorough keyword research to identify the most relevant and profitable keywords for your products, ensuring your ads are shown to the right audience.

Unlike most sellers, the best agencies also have teams of data strategists, product managers, and software wizards that are able to build bespoke, high converting PPC optimization processes.

They analyze data and market trends to develop and implement effective bid strategies, ensuring you’re bidding competitively while maximizing your ROAS.

Continuous performance monitoring and reporting are key aspects of an Amazon PPC expert’s role. They provide detailed insights to help you understand your campaign’s strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement. Through A/B testing and data-driven optimizations, they refine various aspects of your campaigns, such as listing copy, targeting, and bid strategies, to achieve better results over time.

How Canopy Management Can Help

Selling on Amazon? What would adding 67% more organic sales mean for your brand?

When you combine the massive experience of Canopy’s Amazon Advertising Experts with smart tools and tech, you get industry-leading results like this:

• 84% Average Year-Over-Year Profit Growth for Our Partners
• 2.7 Billion in Revenue Managed
• 99.1% Partner Retention Rate

Canopy Management is a full-service marketing agency for Amazon and Walmart sellers. Our team consists of former Amazonians, multi-million dollar sellers, and award-winning experts.

• Strategic Growth Planning
• Listing Copywriting Optimization
• Listing Photography
• Product Videography
• Advertising Management
• Customer Service
• Demand Side Platform (Amazon DSP)
• Amazon Posts
• Full Service Management
• Amazon Review Aggregation