What is Amazon Ads?

Amazon Ads is Amazon’s advertising ecosystem for promoting products, brands, and content on the Amazon marketplace and beyond (Amazon DSP, Sponsored Display off-site). Core self-serve formats: Sponsored Products (search and product page placements), Sponsored Brands (logo banner with multiple SKUs), Sponsored Display (retargeting and lookalikes on and off Amazon).

For e-commerce and affiliate marketers, Amazon Ads is a high-intent search and display channel: users are already in a shopping context. Pricing: CPC on clicks, vCPM in display. Optimization centers on ACOS/ROAS vs. product margin.

Account structure

Advertising console. Campaigns by type (Products, Brands, Display), ad groups, keywords (search), product targets, negatives.
Amazon DSP. Programmatic display/video/CTV buying via Amazon’s DSP — separate access, higher minimums than self-serve.
Attribution. Amazon Attribution for off-Amazon traffic (social, external search) with UTM and conversion tags.

Tracking and arbitrage

Amazon Associates (affiliate commissions) is separate from Ads. In performance marketing: Sponsored Products → product detail → purchase; an external tracker matters when driving Amazon landings from off-site sources (Meta, Google Ads) via Attribution or brand analytics.

Limits

Strict rules on claims, health/supplements, restricted categories. Brand Registry required for Sponsored Brands. High keyword/bid competition in popular GEOs.