The Ultimate Amazon PPC Checklist

TL;DR

• Set up campaigns with the right structure, match types, and budgets to avoid wasted spend.

• Use auto campaigns for discovery, manual for control, and move converting keywords accordingly.

• Regularly check search term reports, optimize bids, and refine negative keywords to cut losses.

• A/B test bidding strategies, ad placements, and creatives to maximize ROI.

• Scale profitable campaigns by increasing budgets, expanding keywords, and optimizing placements.

• Review PPC performance weekly, adjust bids, and update strategies to stay ahead of competitors.

Running Amazon PPC ads without a clear strategy is like throwing darts in the dark—you might hit the target, but you’ll waste a lot of time and money in the process. Whether you’re launching your first campaign or optimizing an existing one, a well-structured checklist can be the difference between burning through your ad budget and scaling profitably.

This ultimate Amazon PPC checklist covers everything you need to set up, monitor, and optimize your campaigns for better visibility, lower ACoS, and higher sales. Follow this step-by-step guide to ensure every dollar you spend brings real results. Let’s get started!

Quick guide:

• #1: Set up your campaign correctly

• #2: Do proper keyword research

• #3: Optimize your product listing first

• #4: Select the right bidding strategy

• #5: Find negative keywords

• #6: Monitor and optimize performance

• #7: Use auto & manual campaigns strategically

• #8: Test different ad placements

• #9: A/B test ad creatives and strategies

• #10: Control budget and avoid wasted spend

• #11: Scale successful campaigns

• #12: Review and refine regularly

#1: Set up your campaign correctly

Setting up your Amazon PPC campaign correctly is the foundation of a successful ad strategy. First, choose the right ad type:

• Sponsored Products for boosting individual listings

• Sponsored Brands to increase brand awareness

• Sponsored Display for retargeting and audience-based ads

Next, structure your campaigns properly. Avoid dumping all products into one campaign—group them based on product type, category, or performance goals. Use separate campaigns for exact, phrase, and broad match keywords to control spending and performance better.

Set a realistic budget based on your goals and competition. If you’re in a high-competition niche, starting with a slightly higher budget allows Amazon’s algorithm to optimize better.

Enable dynamic bidding if you want Amazon to adjust bids based on conversion likelihood, or use fixed bidding for strict control.

Finally, make sure you’re tracking the right KPIs (ACoS, CTR, conversion rate) from the start. A poorly structured campaign will burn through your budget with little return, so take the time to plan properly before launching.

#2: Do proper keyword research

Amazon keyword research is the backbone of your PPC campaigns. Targeting the wrong keywords means wasting money on clicks that don’t convert. Instead, focus on high-intent, relevant keywords that match what shoppers are searching for.

Start with Amazon’s Search Term Report and tools like Helium 10 or Jungle Scout to find what’s actually driving sales. Don’t just pick the most searched terms—balance high-volume and long-tail keywords to maximize reach and conversions.

• Broad match – Good for discovering new keyword opportunities

• Phrase match – Helps target searches with relevant variations

• Exact match – Best for controlling spend on high-performing keywords

Check competitor listings to see what keywords they rank for and use those strategically. Also, keep an eye on negative keywords to block irrelevant traffic and prevent wasted spend.

Finally, keyword research isn’t a one-time task. Review and refine your keywords regularly based on performance data. The right keywords can make or break your PPC success, so invest time in getting them right.

#3: Optimize your product listing first

Before running Amazon PPC ads, make sure your product listing is fully optimized—ads can bring traffic, but a weak listing won’t convert. Your goal is to turn clicks into sales, not just increase ad spend.

• Title: Keep it clear, keyword-rich, and easy to read. Avoid stuffing unnecessary words.

• Bullet points: Highlight key features and benefits concisely—focus on what matters to the buyer.

• Images & videos: Use high-quality Amazon infographic images with lifestyle shots and infographics. A short video can boost conversions.

• A+ Content (if eligible): Adds credibility and improves engagement with enhanced visuals and descriptions.

• Backend search terms: Fill them in with relevant keywords that don’t fit naturally in the front-end content.

A well-optimized listing lowers ACoS, increases conversions, and improves organic ranking. Without this, your PPC budget is wasted on people who click but don’t buy. Fix your listing first, then scale your ads.

#4: Select the right bidding strategy

Choosing the right bidding strategy determines how efficiently you spend your ad budget. Amazon offers three options:

• Fixed bids – Amazon won’t adjust your bids, giving you full control but no automatic optimization.

• Dynamic bids (down only) – Amazon lowers your bid when a click is unlikely to convert, saving money.

• Dynamic bids (up & down) – Amazon increases bids for high-converting clicks and lowers them when chances are low.

If you want strict control over spending, fixed bids work best. If you prefer automated optimization, dynamic bidding helps maximize conversions.

Monitor CPC trends and conversion rates to adjust bids based on performance. Many Amazon PPC experts recommend testing different bidding strategies before committing to one.

#5: Find negative keywords

Negative keywords are essential for cutting wasted ad spend and improving PPC efficiency. These are terms that trigger your ads but don’t convert, leading to unnecessary clicks and higher ACoS.

• Check your Search Term Report – Identify keywords getting clicks but not sales.

• Block irrelevant traffic – If you sell premium products, exclude terms like cheap or budget.

• Use exact and phrase match negatives – Prevent your ads from showing up for unrelated variations.

• Regularly update – Negative keywords aren’t a one-time setup. Keep refining them based on data.

By filtering out the wrong traffic, you increase conversion rates, reduce wasted spend, and improve ROAS—letting your budget work smarter, not harder.

#6: Monitor and optimize performance

Running PPC ads without monitoring performance is like flying blind. You need to track key metrics regularly to ensure your ads are profitable and not just draining your budget.

• Watch your ACoS and TACoS – A high ACoS means you're overspending; optimize bids and keywords accordingly.

• Check CTR and conversion rate – Low CTR? Improve ad copy. Low conversions? Fix your product listing.

• Analyze search term reports – Identify which keywords are driving sales and which ones need to be paused.

• Adjust bids strategically – Increase bids on high-performing keywords, and lower bids on those with poor ROI.

PPC is not a set-it-and-forget-it game. Regular optimization ensures you stay competitive and profitable. Many sellers work with an Amazon PPC agency to handle this process efficiently and maximize their ad performance.

#7: Use auto & manual campaigns strategically

Using both auto and manual campaigns strategically can maximize your Amazon PPC results. Each serves a different purpose, and combining them helps you discover new keywords while maintaining control over bids.

• Auto campaigns – Great for keyword discovery. Let Amazon find search terms, then analyze what converts.

• Manual campaigns – Use exact, phrase, and broad match keywords to fine-tune targeting and control bids.

• Move converting keywords from auto to manual – This improves efficiency and ensures the budget goes to high-performing terms.

• Separate campaigns by match type – Keep broad, phrase, and exact match in different ad groups for better performance tracking.

Auto campaigns help you find new opportunities, while manual campaigns let you refine and scale effectively. Running both together ensures your PPC budget is spent wisely and optimized for the best returns.

#8: Test different ad placements

Ad placement affects visibility and conversion rates, so testing different placements is key to maximizing ROI. Amazon offers three main placements:

• Top-of-search – Highest visibility, often the best-performing but also the most expensive.

• Product pages – Ads appear on competitor listings; good for stealing market share.

• Rest of search – Lower CPC but lower visibility; can still convert at a profitable rate.

Check placement reports to see where your ads perform best. If top-of-search brings in the most sales, use bid adjustments to increase your chances of winning those spots. Regular testing ensures your ads are placed where they drive the best conversions at the lowest cost.

#9: A/B test ad creatives and strategies

A/B testing helps you find what works best in your Amazon PPC campaigns by comparing different versions of ads, creatives, or strategies. Instead of guessing, you use data-driven decisions to improve performance.

• Test different headlines and images – For Sponsored Brands, see which messaging gets more clicks.

• Compare bidding strategies – Run one campaign with dynamic bidding and another with fixed bids to see what performs better.

• Experiment with match types – Try broad vs. exact match to see which brings better conversions.

• Adjust placement bids – Test if top-of-search delivers better ROI than product pages.

Run tests for at least 2 weeks, analyze performance, and double down on what works. Constant testing helps you stay ahead of competitors and optimize ad spend efficiently.

#10: Control budget and avoid wasted spend

Managing your budget properly ensures you’re spending on profitable clicks rather than burning money on low-performing ads. Set limits, track spending, and adjust as needed.

• Set daily budgets strategically – Start small, then scale based on performance.

• Pause or reduce bids on poor-performing keywords – Don’t waste money on terms that aren’t converting.

• Use negative keywords aggressively – Block irrelevant searches to avoid useless clicks.

• Monitor ACoS and RoAS – If your ACoS is too high, adjust bids and optimize targeting.

• Reallocate budget to high-performing campaigns – Shift funds where you’re seeing the best ROI.

A well-controlled budget means more conversions for less spending, keeping your ads profitable while avoiding unnecessary costs.

#11: Scale successful campaigns

Once you’ve identified winning campaigns, it’s time to scale them smartly to maximize sales without overspending. Scaling doesn’t mean throwing money at ads—it’s about expanding strategically.

• Increase budget on high-ROI campaigns – If a campaign is profitable, slowly raise the budget to capture more sales.

• Expand keyword targeting – Add variations, long-tail keywords, and complementary terms to reach a wider audience.

• Test higher bids on top-performing keywords – Secure better placements for keywords that already drive conversions.

• Broaden targeting with Sponsored Display – Retarget past visitors and appear on competitor listings.

• Expand to international markets – If you’re selling globally, test campaigns in new regions.

Scaling works best when done gradually—monitor performance, double down on what works, and avoid reckless budget increases.

#12: Review and refine regularly

Amazon PPC isn’t a one-time setup—it needs constant review and refinement to stay profitable. Market trends, competition, and customer behavior change, so your ads must evolve too.

• Check search term reports weekly – Identify new opportunities and remove underperforming keywords.

• Optimize bids based on data – Increase bids on high-performing keywords, and lower them on poor ones.

• Monitor ACoS, CTR, and conversions – Ensure your campaigns remain profitable.

• Update negative keywords – Regularly block irrelevant searches to cut wasted spend.

• Refresh ad creatives – If engagement drops, test new images, copy, or placements.

PPC's success comes from continuous improvement—analyzing performance, adjusting strategies, and staying ahead of the competition.

You’ve got the checklist—now put it to work

Knowing what to do is one thing. Doing it is what separates winning sellers from those who keep struggling. Go through your campaigns, make the necessary changes, and start scaling smart. If you want faster, data-backed results, Amazon consultants are just a call away.