How to Run Amazon Book Ads: A Beginner's Guide to AMS

When you log in to the Amazon Ads dashboard, you will have several options. For authors, the two most important campaign types are Sponsored Products. Within this, you can choose two main targeting methods.

1. Keyword Targeting
This is the most common and intuitive type of ad.

• How it works: You create a list of keywords, the search terms your ideal reader would type into the Amazon search bar. When a customer searches for one of your keywords, your book ad is eligible to appear in the search results.

• Example: If you’ve written a historical mystery set in Victorian England, your keywords might include “victorian mystery,” “gaslight crime novel,” or “female detective historical fiction.”

2. Product Targeting
This is a powerful way to get your book in front of your competitors’ readers.

• How it works: Instead of keywords, you target specific products (other books) or categories. Your ad will then be eligible to appear on the product pages of the books you’ve targeted, often in the “Sponsored products related to this item” section.

• Example: You can target the book pages of the top 10 bestselling authors in your specific subgenre, effectively telling Amazon, “Show my book to people who like this author.”

A Simple Step-by-Step Guide to Your First Ad Campaign

Our Amazon book marketing services manage this entire process, but here is a simplified overview so you can understand the basics.

• Step 1: Go to the Ads Dashboard: From your KDP account, go to the “Marketing” tab and find the “Amazon Ads” section.

• Step 2: Click “Create Campaign”: Choose your marketplace (e.g., Amazon.com) and click the “Create campaign” button. Select “Sponsored Products.”

• Step 3: Set Your Campaign Details:

  • Name your campaign: (e.g., “My Book – Keyword Targeting”)

  • Set your daily budget: Start small, like $10 per day.

  • Choose your targeting: Select “Manual targeting.”

• Step 4: Choose Your Targeting Method: This is where you will choose either “Keyword targeting” or “Product targeting.”

• Step 5: Enter Your Keywords or Products:

  • For Keywords: Enter the list of keywords you have researched.

  • For Products: Search for and add the specific books or authors you want to target.

• Step 6: Set Your Bid: You need to tell Amazon the maximum amount you are willing to pay for a single click (your “bid”). Amazon will suggest a bid range. It’s often best to start with a bid in the middle of their suggestion.

• Step 7: Launch Your Campaign: Click the “Launch campaign” button. Your ad will go into a review process and will typically go live within 24 hours.

Keys to Success with Amazon Ads

• Have a Professional Product: Ads can only drive traffic. If your book has a poor cover or a weak description, it won’t convert clicks into sales. A professional launch with our Amazon KDP publishing services is the foundation.

• Wait Until You Have Reviews: It’s best to wait until your book has at least 5-10 positive reviews before you start running ads. These reviews provide the “social proof” needed to convince a potential buyer.

• Be Patient and Monitor Your Results: It can take a few weeks for a campaign to generate enough data to be useful. Monitor your ad dashboard to see which keywords are getting clicks and which are leading to sales. As marketing data hub Statista often shows, digital advertising is a game of data and optimization.