Amazon Targeting 2025 Explained: Basic, Case-Driven and Advanced Strategies

Welcome to the Amazon jungle, where your products either get devoured by competitors or reign supreme. The difference? It's all about targeting, baby. Let’s dive into the wild world of Amazon targeting with strategies so good they should probably be outlawed.

Introduction to Amazon Targeting: Where Most Sellers Get It Hilariously Wrong

Let’s be honest — if your Amazon targeting strategy consists of “throw money at broad keywords and pray for the best,” you might as well float your marketing budget down river. 

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: 90% of Amazon sellers are absolutely clueless about targeting. They’re basically playing darts blindfolded while riding a unicycle.

Spoiler alert: That approach doesn’t end well for anyone involved.

The marketplace has over 2 million active sellers, yet most are stuck in 2015 with their targeting tactics. Meanwhile, the smart 10% are laughing all the way to the bank with sophisticated amazon ads targeting that actually, you know, works.

What Business Problems Does Proper Targeting Solve?

What happens when your targeting stinks? Pain. Lots of pain:

• Invisibility syndrome: You’re selling the greatest product since sliced bread, but you’re buried on page 37 of search results. Fantastic.
• The “where did all my money go?” phenomenon: Your ad spend disappears faster than free donuts in an office break room.
• Conversion rates that make you cry: People see your ads but run away screaming (metaphorically, we hope).
• ACOS numbers that would make Warren Buffett faint: You’re spending $50 to make $20. Congratulations on your innovative approach to bankruptcy.
• The “I’ve hit a ceiling” blues: Your growth chart looks like a flatline on a heart monitor. Not good.

Types of Amazon PPC Ads: Choose Your Tools Wisely

Let’s break down your options in the Amazon marketplace. 

Sponsored Products: The Bread and Butter 

Sponsored Products are like the reliable family sedan of Amazon advertising — practical, effective and somehow still misused by most sellers.

These ads show up in search results and on product detail pages, looking almost identical to organic listings except for that tiny “Sponsored” label that only eagle-eyes notice. They’re the digital equivalent of showing up uninvited to a party but bringing really good snacks so everyone forgives you.

What makes them special:

• They blend in with organic results (stealth mode activated)
• They’re the easiest entry point for advertising (even your grandma could set these up)
• They convert better than other ad types (when you don’t mess them up)

Where most sellers fail spectacularly:

• Using the same targeting for every product (because why would different products need different strategies, right?)
• Never updating their campaigns (set it and forget it — the motto of failed Amazon businesses everywhere)
• Treating automatic and manual campaigns like they’re the same thing (they’re not, and this is why we can’t have nice things)

If you want to master Sponsored Products and other ad types, check out our in-depth Amazon PPC guide.

Sponsored Brands: For When You Want to Show Off

Sponsored Brands are the peacocks of Amazon advertising — flashy, attention-grabbing and slightly high-maintenance. These headline ads feature your brand logo, a custom headline and multiple products, basically screaming “Notice ME!” to anyone scrolling by.

What makes them special:

• They’re big and eye-catching (for shoppers with the attention span of a goldfish)
• They can feature multiple products (for the indecisive shopper in all of us)
• They build brand awareness (so customers remember you exist for more than 3 seconds)

Where most sellers fail spectacularly:

• Using generic headlines that inspire absolutely no one (“Quality Products You’ll Love!” How original.)
• Featuring products that don’t make sense together (yes, someone once advertised a toaster next to swim goggles)
• Sending traffic to poorly optimized brand stores (like inviting guests to an abandoned house)

Sponsored Display: The Misunderstood Middle Child

Sponsored Display ads are like that friend who follows you everywhere — including off Amazon. These display ads can appear on product detail pages, customer review pages and even follow shoppers around the internet like a clingy ex.

What makes them special:

• They can show up on and off Amazon 
• They can target based on shopper behavior
• They’re visual and can work without keywords 

Where most sellers fail spectacularly:

• Setting and forgetting them (then wondering why results vary wildly)
• Not creating specific enough audiences (targeting “people who breathe oxygen” might be too broad)
• Using the same creative for all placements (because one-size-fits-all worked so well for those “universal” phone cases, right?)

Amazon Ads Keyword Targeting Strategies: Words Matter, Choose Wisely

Match Types: A Comedy of Errors

Exact Match: The Control Freak Option

Exact match is for the precision-obsessed seller who wants their ads to appear only when someone searches for their exact keyword phrase. 

Phrase Match: The “Kinda, Sorta” Approach

Phrase match is like telling a toddler to stay “around” the playground. There’s some flexibility, but the core phrase stays intact. Your ad can appear when a customer’s search contains your exact phrase, even if there are additional words before or after it.

Broad Match: The Wild Card 

Broad match is the advertising equivalent of throwing a handful of darts while blindfolded after spinning in circles. Your ad can appear when a customer searches for any word in your targeted keyword, in any order, plus related searches.

To turn chaos into strategy and make even unpredictable tactics work, explore our full Amazon PPC strategy guide.

Negative Keyword Targeting Amazon: The Art of Saying “Nope”

Negative Amazon keyword targeting is possibly the most underutilized strategy in the arsenal. While everyone obsesses over what to target, the real pros are meticulously crafting what to exclude.

Types of negative keywords you should be using:

• Irrelevant intent terms: If you sell luxury watches, “cheap watches” should be a negative
• Product modifiers that don’t apply: Selling men’s shoes? Add “women’s” as a negative
• Informational queries: “How to make a watch” probably won’t convert for your watch store
• Competitor brands: Unless you’re specifically targeting them

Special Keyword Match Types: For the Advanced Players Only

Modified Broad Match (RIP)

Pour one out for modified broad match, which Amazon retired — much to the dismay of advertisers who appreciated a middle ground between the chaos of broad match and the structure of phrase match.

Auto-Applied Loose Phrase/Exact

In 2025, Amazon’s algorithm sometimes auto-applies a looser interpretation of phrase and exact match. This is Amazon’s way of saying, “We know what you meant better than you do.” Spoiler: They often don’t.

Pro tip: Counter this algorithmic overreach by being even more specific with your negative keywords. If Amazon wants to play fast and loose with your matches, build a stronger negative keyword fence around them.

Targeting Types for Amazon

ASIN Targeting: Spying on Your Competitors 

ASIN targeting lets you show your ads on specific product detail pages. It’s like setting up a billboard right outside your competitor’s store that reads, “Come to my store instead — we’re cooler.”

How to make it work:

• Target products with good traffic but terrible reviews (be the hero shoppers need)
• Focus on products priced higher than yours with similar features (value proposition, anyone?)
• Target complementary products (selling phone cases? Target phone chargers)

Category Targeting: Casting a Semi-Wide Net

Category targeting is like going to a party where everyone is at least somewhat interested in what you’re selling. It allows you to display ads across entire product categories or subcategories.

How to not fail at it:

• Start specific before going broad (target “Ergonomic Office Chairs” before “Office Furniture”)
• Use category targeting as a research tool to discover which subcategories convert best
• Implement strict bid modifiers based on performance

Automatic Targeting: Letting Amazon Take the Wheel (Partially)

Amazon ads automatic targeting is you telling Amazon, “You figure it out.” The algorithm identifies relevant keywords, products and interests based on your product listing.

When to use it:

• For new products when you have no historical data
• As a continuous research tool to discover unexpected keywords
• When you want to quickly test a product's viability

Manual Targeting: Control Freak Mode 

Manual targeting is where you specify exactly which keywords, ASINs or categories to target.

It’s like micromanaging — but in this case, micromanagement actually works.

How to excel at it:

• Create dynamic segment targeting campaigns organized by theme, not just product
• Implement single-keyword ad groups for your top performers
• Use tiered bidding strategies based on conversion rates

Contextual Targeting Amazon: The Ninja Approach

Contextual targeting Amazon is the sophisticated art of displaying your ads based on content relevance rather than just keywords or individual products. It’s like showing your camping gear ads in an outdoor magazine rather than just hoping campers search for “tents.”

How it works:

• Targets shoppers based on browsing behavior and interests
• Places your ads in relevant content environments
• Reaches customers who might not be actively searching for your product

Want a broader view of all your promotion options? Dive into our full guide on how to promote products on Amazon.

What Are the Best Targeting Types for Every Campaign Type?

For Sponsored Products:

Best targeting approaches:

• New products: Begin with automatic targeting at conservative bids to gather data
• Established products: Focus on exact match for high-converting keywords, phrase match for variations
• Defensive strategy: ASIN targeting on your own products to prevent competitors from stealing your traffic
• Aggressive growth: Competitor ASIN targeting combined with category targeting

For Sponsored Brands:

Best targeting approaches:

• Brand awareness: Category targeting with lifestyle-focused creative
• Brand defense: Exact match on your own brand terms (bid aggressively here)
• Competitor conquest: Target competitor brands with comparison messaging
• Product launches: Category targeting combined with in-market audience segments

For Sponsored Display:

Best targeting approaches:

• Retargeting: Focus on customers who viewed your products but didn’t purchase
• Cross-selling: Target customers who purchased related products
• Competitive conquesting: Target shoppers who viewed competitor products
• Audience expansion: Use look-alike audiences based on your converters

Target Smarter, Not Harder

Remember, in the Amazon jungle, the most dangerous creature isn’t the competition — it’s ignorance about targeting. Your products don’t sell themselves, no matter how amazing they are. They need to be seen by the right people at the right time with the right message.

So stop making excuses, stop “setting and forgetting,” and start treating amazon ads targeting with the strategic importance it deserves. Your bank account will thank you.

Ready to stop fumbling around in the dark with your Amazon targeting? Our team of Amazon PPC targeting specialists can develop a custom targeting framework that will make your competitors wonder what magic you’re practicing.

And if you’re just starting your Amazon journey, don’t miss our step-by-step guide to launching your store and understanding what truly threatens your success.

FAQ

What is Amazon targeting?

Amazon targeting is the process of defining who sees your ads. Think of it as choosing which fish you want to catch instead of just casting into the ocean and hoping for the best.

It encompasses specifying keywords people search for, products they view, categories they browse, their shopping behaviors and even their demographic information. Without targeting, you’re basically standing in Times Square with a “Buy My Stuff” sign, hoping the right person walks by.

How does product targeting work?

Product targeting lets you show your ads on specific product detail pages — basically setting up shop right in your competitor’s front yard (or complementary businesses, if you’re less aggressive).

You can target by specific ASINs, categories, price ranges, brands and even star ratings. It’s like being able to say, “Show my blender ads to people looking at blenders with terrible reviews and a higher price than mine.” Pretty specific, right?

The beauty is in the precision — you’re reaching people already deep in the shopping process, just helping them make a better decision (by buying your product, obviously).

Does Amazon have targeted ads?

Does Amazon have targeted ads? YES, Amazon has some of the most sophisticated targeting options in digital advertising.

You can target by keywords people search, products they view, categories they browse, their past purchase behavior, their likely purchase intent, their off-Amazon interests and their demographic information.

And if that’s not enough, Amazon keeps adding more targeting options. The newest additions include expanded contextual targeting, more sophisticated audience segments and more granular behavioral targeting.

The real question isn’t whether Amazon has targeted ads — it’s whether you’re using them correctly.