Amazon product ads: every format, and when each one earns its place
Amazon product ads come in more formats than most sellers use. This guide shows what each one looks like, where it appears, what it needs, and how it is priced, from a plain Sponsored Products ad to Sponsored Brands video, using Amazon Ads' own specs.
Key takeaways
- Sponsored Products are the core Amazon product ads: one product, in shopping results and on product pages, cost per click, only when in stock.
- Sponsored Products video adds 1 to 5 feature videos per product, each at least 7 seconds, inside the same campaign and budget.
- Sponsored Brands come in three formats: product collection, Brand Store spotlight and video, priced by click or by 1,000 viewable impressions.
- Sponsored Brands video runs 6 to 45 seconds, 20 or less recommended, and has its own placement and auction.
- Display ads, formerly Sponsored Display, reach audiences on Amazon properties and across the open internet.
What Amazon product ads are
Amazon product ads are the sponsored ads that promote products inside the Amazon store. The phrase usually means Sponsored Products, the ads that promote one product, and more broadly covers every format Amazon offers sellers: Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands and display ads.
They differ in what they show. A Sponsored Products ad shows one product with its image, title, price and rating, and sends the click to that product's detail page. A Sponsored Brands ad shows the brand, with a logo, a headline and several products or a video, and can send the click to a Brand Store. Display ads reach audiences, not only searches.
This guide covers what each format looks like and when it earns its place. How bids, budgets and targeting work across all of them is in our Amazon PPC guide.
Every Amazon product ad format at a glance
| Format | What it shows | Where it appears | Pricing | Who can use it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sponsored Products | One product: image, title, price, rating | Shopping results, product pages, select sites beyond Amazon | Cost per click | Professional sellers, vendors, authors, agencies |
| Sponsored Products video | 1 to 5 feature videos for one product | Search, with more placements planned | Cost per click, same campaign | Sponsored Products advertisers |
| Sponsored Brands collection | Lifestyle image, logo, headline, several products | Top of and within results, product pages | Cost per click or vCPM | Brand Registry sellers, vendors, agencies |
| Brand Store spotlight | Up to three Brand Store subpages | Shopping results | Cost per click or vCPM | Brands with a Store of 3+ subpages |
| Sponsored Brands video | An auto playing video of 6 to 45 seconds | Shopping results and detail pages | Cost per click or vCPM | Brand Registry sellers, vendors, agencies |
| Display ads | Products and brands to audiences | Amazon properties and the open internet | Automated bidding | Advertisers on and off Amazon |
vCPM means cost per 1,000 viewable impressions: you pay for views rather than clicks. Amazon Ads says Sponsored Brands support both models, and in both, the final price is based on your adjusted bid plus additional factors. Sponsored Products are always cost per click.
Sponsored Products: the core Amazon product ad
Sponsored Products promote individual product listings, and Amazon Ads recommends new advertisers start with them. The ad includes what Amazon calls trusted shopping attributes, and shows the product itself rather than a brand message. A click takes the shopper straight to the product's detail page.
Placement is broad. Amazon Ads says Sponsored Products may appear at the top of, alongside or within shopping results and on product pages, on desktop, mobile and the Amazon app, and on select Amazon owned and third party sites. They only appear while the advertised item is in stock.
- Pricing
- Per clickPay only when a shopper clicks
- Budget
- $10+ / dayAmazon's recommended US starting point
- Targeting
- Auto or manualKeywords, products, categories, negatives
- Destination
- Detail pageThe advertised product's own page
Because the click lands on the product page, the ad can only be as good as the listing. Amazon's best practices ask for the featured offer, a competitive price, at least three bullet points, four or more zoomable images and five or more reviews rated 3.5 stars or higher before advertising a product. Our listing optimization guide covers each.
How to set up Amazon product ads, step by step
- Register for Amazon Ads with your Seller Central account, then click Create campaign and choose Sponsored Products.
- Choose the products to advertise; Amazon marks suggested products it expects to earn impressions and clicks.
- Pick automatic targeting to start, or manual targeting to choose keywords and products yourself.
- For manual keywords, choose a match type for each: broad, phrase or exact, with the highest bid on exact.
- Set a default bid and a bidding strategy: dynamic up and down, dynamic down only, or fixed.
- Set a daily budget, at least $10 in the US, and leave the end date empty to run always on.
- Add negative keywords or products for searches you already know will not convert, then launch.
Amazon Ads recommends grouping only closely related products in one ad group, since keywords, targets and bids apply to every product in it, and using separate campaigns for separate product groups. Its first 30 days advice: check metrics at least twice in the first week, adjust bids and budget on performance, and add manual campaigns to supplement the automatic one.
Keywords, bids and sales: optimizing product ads
Amazon product ads improve through the search term report, which shows the customer search terms that produced at least one click, with the sales each one brought. Amazon Ads names three ways to improve a keyword strategy after about two weeks of data: refine match types, add new keywords, and add negative keywords.
| What the data shows | What to do | Amazon Ads basis |
|---|---|---|
| A search term with sales in an automatic campaign | Add it to a manual campaign as an exact match keyword | Automatic targeting as keyword discovery |
| A search term with clicks and no sales | Add it as a negative keyword | Negative targeting for terms that miss your goals |
| A competitor product page that converts your ad | Target that ASIN with product targeting | Target high performing products from the report |
| Top of search converts best | Raise the top of search placement adjustment | Placement adjustments up to 900% |
| The campaign runs out of budget daily | Raise the budget if ACOS is within margin | Add budget so ads keep showing all day |
Judge the result by sales against spend. ACOS, ad spend divided by ad sales, has to stay below your profit margin for an ad to make money; above it, each ad sale costs more than it earns. Our guide to negative keywords on Amazon covers the most common optimization in detail.
On organic search, Amazon Ads' new product playbook says ad driven page visits can help boost organic rankings, without saying by how much. The dependable benefit of product ads is the data: which searches actually convert for your product.
Sponsored Products video
Sponsored Products video adds long form feature videos to a Sponsored Products ad. Amazon Ads says you can upload 1 to 5 product feature videos per product in an ad group, each at least seven seconds with no maximum, with descriptive text for each. Shoppers see up to three video thumbnails of the features most relevant to their search and can jump to the one they care about.
It runs inside an existing Sponsored Products campaign, with the same targeting and budget, and adds a bid boost you can set for video on top of other placement adjustments. The same product can carry different feature videos in different ad groups, so the video can match the search.
| Amazon Ads figure | What it describes |
|---|---|
| 67% higher click through rate | Sponsored Products campaigns with video, compared with campaigns without |
| 9% higher conversion rate | The same comparison |
| 2 times more likely to buy | Shoppers who watched 5+ seconds, purchasing from that brand within 7 days |
| 1 to 5 videos | Feature videos per product in an ad group, each 7 seconds or longer |
The percentages are Amazon's own averages across its advertisers, not a promise for a given product. The practical point stands without them: a feature video shows what a still image cannot, such as scale, sound or motion, which matters most for products shoppers need to see in use.
Sponsored Brands: collection, Store spotlight and video
Sponsored Brands are customizable ads with a brand logo, headline, video or lifestyle image, and several products. Amazon Ads says they appear on top of and within shopping results, on product detail pages and on the home page, and are open to sellers enrolled in Brand Registry, vendors and agencies. Targeting can use keywords, categories and products. They are where most custom advertising on Amazon starts.
The three Sponsored Brands formats
- Product collection: several products beside a lifestyle image, landing on a Store or landing page
- Brand Store spotlight: up to three Store subpages, each with its own image and label
- Video: a 6 to 45 second auto playing video, landing on a detail page or a Store
- All three: a custom headline and a brand logo
- Deals can show automatically with a call to action
Eligibility rules that stop campaigns
- No Brand Registry enrollment for sellers
- Store spotlight with fewer than three Store subpages
- Store subpages without a unique product on each
- Video with bars, or text in the lower right corner
- Creative that fails the sponsored ads policies
Sponsored Brands video has one feature worth knowing: Amazon Ads says it has its own ad placement and auction, so a video campaign does not compete with your other self service campaigns. Amazon recommends a daily budget of at least $10 for Sponsored Brands too, and running with no end date. Our Brand Store guide covers the Store these ads often point to.
Sponsored Brands video specs
| Spec | Amazon Ads requirement |
|---|---|
| Duration | 6 to 45 seconds; 20 seconds or less highly recommended |
| Dimensions | 1280 x 720, 1920 x 1080 or 3840 x 2160 pixels |
| Aspect ratio | 16:9, square pixels, per the current spec page |
| File | MP4 or MOV, 500 MB or less, H.264 or H.265 |
| Frame rate | 23.976 to 30 fps, from Amazon's listed values |
| Audio | PCM, AAC or MP3; at least 96 kbps and 44.1 kHz |
| Language | The language of the marketplace, on screen or in the voiceover |
Amazon's creative guidance for the format is short: show the product or something interesting in the first seconds, keep it brief and easy to follow, and hold the brand name and logo for later, ending on a card with both. Videos start muted and play when half the video is on screen, so the story has to work without sound.
Two technical rules cause most rejections: no black, colored or blurred bars around the video, and no text or important content in the lower right corner, where the mute button sits.
Display ads, formerly Sponsored Display
Amazon Ads says Sponsored Display is now part of display ads, in a single platform alongside Amazon DSP workflows. Existing Sponsored Display campaigns keep running in Campaign Manager; new ones are created as display campaigns. Display ads reach audiences across Amazon properties, including Twitch, Fire TV and Echo Show, and premium placements on the open internet.
For a seller, display ads do two jobs search ads cannot. They reach shoppers before they search, by audience, and they bring back shoppers who viewed a product and left. Amazon Ads reports that advertisers using Sponsored Products and display ads together saw 22% more new to brand customers on average than those using Sponsored Products alone.
Which Amazon product ad to use, and when
| Goal | Best format | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Sell a product to shoppers already searching | Sponsored Products | The click lands on the product page; cost per click |
| Show a product in use | Sponsored Products video or Sponsored Brands video | Motion and features a still image cannot show |
| Introduce the brand and a range | Sponsored Brands collection | Several products and a headline in one ad |
| Send shoppers to the Brand Store | Brand Store spotlight | Up to three Store subpages in the ad |
| Launch a product with no reviews yet | Sponsored Brands beside best sellers | Amazon Ads says it builds trust without reviews |
| Reach or re-engage audiences | Display ads | Audiences on and off Amazon, and remarketing |
Most sellers need only the first row to start. Add formats as the business grows into them: video when the product benefits from being seen, Sponsored Brands once the brand is registered and has a range, display ads once search campaigns are profitable. How to sequence them is covered in our Amazon advertising strategy guide.
Product ad mistakes that waste budget
Advertising an unready page
The click lands on the detail page; weak images or few reviews waste it.
Only ever using image ads
Video formats exist for products that need to be seen in use.
Store spotlight on a thin Store
The format needs three subpages, each with a unique product.
Long, loud videos
Amazon recommends 20 seconds or less, and videos start muted.
Text in the video's lower right
The mute button covers it, and Amazon's safe area rules exclude it.
Judging vCPM ads by clicks alone
A campaign bought on views is built for awareness; measure reach and new to brand orders too.
If you want formats chosen and campaigns run for you, our Amazon PPC management service starts with a free audit. Check what each format can cost against your margin with our ACoS calculator.
Amazon product ads: FAQ
What are Amazon product ads?
Amazon product ads are sponsored ads that promote products in the Amazon store: Sponsored Products for single products, Sponsored Brands for a brand and several products, and display ads that reach audiences on and off Amazon.
How much do Amazon product ads cost?
Sponsored Products are cost per click, with no minimum spend and a recommended starting budget of $10 a day in the US. Sponsored Brands can be bought per click or per 1,000 viewable impressions. Final prices depend on your bid plus other factors.
Where do Sponsored Products ads appear?
At the top of, alongside or within shopping results and on product pages, on desktop, mobile and the Amazon app, and on select Amazon owned and third party sites. They only appear while the product is in stock.
Do I need Brand Registry for Amazon product ads?
Not for Sponsored Products, which are open to professional sellers. Sponsored Brands are for sellers enrolled in Brand Registry, vendors and agencies.
What is Sponsored Products video?
A format that adds 1 to 5 feature videos, each at least seven seconds, to a product in a Sponsored Products ad group. It uses the same targeting and budget, and shoppers see up to three thumbnails of the most relevant features.
How long can a Sponsored Brands video be?
Between 6 and 45 seconds, and Amazon highly recommends 20 seconds or less. The video must be 16:9, MP4 or MOV, 500 MB or less, per Amazon Ads' current spec page.
What is a Brand Store spotlight ad?
A Sponsored Brands format that features up to three subpages of your Brand Store, each with an image and label. The Store must have at least three subpages, each with a unique product, to be eligible.
What happened to Sponsored Display?
Amazon Ads says Sponsored Display is now part of display ads, in one platform with Amazon DSP workflows. Existing campaigns keep running; new ones are created as display campaigns.
Which Amazon ad type is best for beginners?
Amazon Ads recommends Sponsored Products, starting with automatic targeting, on products that are in stock and hold the featured offer.
Do Sponsored Brands video ads compete with my other ads?
Amazon Ads says Sponsored Brands video has its own ad placement and auction, so a video campaign does not compete against your other self service campaigns.
Sources
- Search term report for Sponsored Products, Amazon Ads helpLast verified September 24, 2026.
- CPC (cost per click) explained, Amazon AdsLast verified September 24, 2026.
- Launching new products and ASINs with Amazon Ads, Amazon AdsLast verified September 24, 2026.
- Sponsored Products, Amazon AdsLast verified September 24, 2026.
- Best practices for your Sponsored Products ads, Amazon AdsLast verified September 24, 2026.
- A complete guide to setting up Sponsored Products video, Amazon AdsLast verified September 24, 2026.
- Your complete guide to Sponsored Brands, Amazon AdsLast verified September 24, 2026.
- Sponsored Brands video ad specs and guidelines, Amazon AdsLast verified September 24, 2026.
- Sponsored Display is now known as display ads, Amazon AdsLast verified September 24, 2026.
- Expand your reach on, and beyond, Amazon, Amazon AdsLast verified September 24, 2026.
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