Advertising
Boost product visibility and promote sales with Amazon’s Sponsored Ads
By using Sponsored Ads, Amazon sellers can boost visibility of their products from among a large number of products,
reach more shoppers, and help improve sales.
On this page, you can learn key points on operating Sponsored Ads, and the process of setting ad campaigns.
reach more shoppers, and help improve sales.
On this page, you can learn key points on operating Sponsored Ads, and the process of setting ad campaigns.
Four benefits of Amazon Sponsored Ads
Contribute to increased visibility opportunities and sales growth
By setting up ads, you can post products or brands in positions that will easily catch the eye of shoppers on the Amazon.co.jp website. Increased opportunities for visibility will boost recognition and help lead to sales growth.
Reach the audience you want to show your products to
By taking a detailed approach from multiple angles, such as keywords, shoppers’ browsing/purchase history, interests, etc., ads provide support when you want to reach your audience more accurately and efficiently.
Highly cost effective
Sponsored Ads are mostly pay-per-click* ads, so costs are only incurred when customers who are actually shopping show interest. Also, you can start with a small budget, which allows you to scale up while tracking results.
Extensive insight analysis tools
You can check various metrics in real time, such as number of clicks, impressions, return on advertising costs (ROAS), etc. By analyzing performance for each keyword and measuring effectiveness over specific periods, you can continuously improve campaign management.
* Pay Per Click (CPC: Cost Per Click): This is an ad billing method where a fee is charged only when an ad is clicked.
For example, if you set it to 100 yen per click, even if the ad is displayed 1,000 times, there are no charges unless it gets clicked. If it’s clicked 10 times, you’ll be charged an advertising fee of 1,000 yen (100 yen x 10 times).
For example, if you set it to 100 yen per click, even if the ad is displayed 1,000 times, there are no charges unless it gets clicked. If it’s clicked 10 times, you’ll be charged an advertising fee of 1,000 yen (100 yen x 10 times).
Types of Sponsored Ads
Among Amazon’s ads, the ads that sellers can set up themselves are called Sponsored Ads.
Sponsored Ads come in the following four types.
Sponsored Ads come in the following four types.
Sponsored Products
Sponsored Products are ads for individual products listed on Amazon. They’re displayed in the product search results and product detail pages. The set up is relatively easy, even for beginners.
Sponsored Products, which are recommended for first-time Sponsored Ads operations, can effectively reach a highly-motivated audience that is actively searching for related products by making products visible in prominent places.
Sponsored Brands
Sponsored Brands1 showcase your brand image and product lineup. Since the brand logo, headline, images, and up to three products are displayed, it helps build brand awareness and promotes combined purchases effectively. Also, linking with brand stores can further support purchase considerations.
Sponsored Brands help raise brand awareness and product lineups by presenting the factors that make your brand unique, increasing opportunities that encourage purchasing considerations and reach new audiences.
Sponsored Display
Sponsored Display2 places ads not only on Amazon, but also in many places where there are shoppers, and reaches more relevant audiences at the best timing based on sales and browsing behavior, etc.
Sponsored Display can help you reach more suitable audiences that are highly motivated to buy in a variety of locations and with manual targeting approaches.
Sponsored TV
Sponsored TV3 can be distributed via premium third-party content on Prime Video, Twitch, and Amazon Publisher Direct, and can help promote brand awareness and consideration. *
Sponsored TV are video ads that help brands of all sizes reach a wide audience and increase visibility with just a few clicks at an affordable cost.
* As of May 8, 2025, Sponsored TV can only be posted on Twitch in Japan.
Use in conjunction with Sponsored Ads: brand tools
Brand Stores
A brand store 4 is a unique, customizable multi-page landing page where you can showcase your brand's message and products. It's free to create and manage, and you can choose from a variety of templates and tiles to easily create a dedicated brand page.
You can also set links to product detail pages, Sponsored Brands, or Sponsored Display to direct customers to brand stores.
You can also set links to product detail pages, Sponsored Brands, or Sponsored Display to direct customers to brand stores.
1, 2, 3, 4 Can be used by vendors, eligible KDP authors, and sellers registered in the Amazon Brand Registry.
2 Sponsored Display is not available for KDP authors.
2 Sponsored Display is not available for KDP authors.
Sponsored Ads learning resources
Various content is posted, such as examples of Sponsored Ads being used by Japanese advertisers, videos introducing Sponsored Ads with manga, and recordings of online seminars.
In addition to the “Frequently Asked Questions” that we often receive from advertisers, and the “Latest Information” which introduces event information hosted by Amazon Ads and new learning content, etc., you can also directly access YouTube.
Information on how to operate and adjust Sponsored Ads is introduced in a brief video at Amazon Seller University in Seller Central.
Things to check before starting Sponsored Ads
1. Have a Professional Selling Plan
Sponsor advertisements cannot be placed if you have an Individual Plan.
Click here for details on selling plans
2. The relevant product is a “Featured Offer”
In order to use Sponsored Products and Sponsored Display, the product must be eligible for being listed in the Featured Offer1. Sponsored Brands are displayed to shoppers on Amazon, even if the advertiser's product is not a Featured Offer.
Click here for details on the Featured Offer
3. The requirements for each advertising product must be met
For some categories or products, advertisements are prohibited or restricted. You can check the requirements for each ad below.
-Sponsored Products Eligibility Requirements
-Sponsored Brands Eligibility Requirements
- Amazon Ads Guidelines and Approval Policy Overview
4. Being enrolled in the “Amazon Brand Registry”
If you want to use advertising products or brand tools (Sponsored Display, Sponsored Brands, Sponsored TV, brand stores) other than Sponsored Products, you’ll need to enroll in Amazon Brand Registry beforehand.
Click here for an overview of the Amazon Brand Registry and how to register
Sponsor advertisements cannot be placed if you have an Individual Plan.
Click here for details on selling plans
2. The relevant product is a “Featured Offer”
In order to use Sponsored Products and Sponsored Display, the product must be eligible for being listed in the Featured Offer1. Sponsored Brands are displayed to shoppers on Amazon, even if the advertiser's product is not a Featured Offer.
Click here for details on the Featured Offer
3. The requirements for each advertising product must be met
For some categories or products, advertisements are prohibited or restricted. You can check the requirements for each ad below.
-Sponsored Products Eligibility Requirements
-Sponsored Brands Eligibility Requirements
- Amazon Ads Guidelines and Approval Policy Overview
4. Being enrolled in the “Amazon Brand Registry”
If you want to use advertising products or brand tools (Sponsored Display, Sponsored Brands, Sponsored TV, brand stores) other than Sponsored Products, you’ll need to enroll in Amazon Brand Registry beforehand.
Click here for an overview of the Amazon Brand Registry and how to register
1If you create an ad for a product listing that is not eligible for Featured Offer placement, that ad will not display to shoppers on Amazon.
Ads that are not eligible are flagged in Campaign Manager under the Advertising tab in Seller Central.
Ads that are not eligible are flagged in Campaign Manager under the Advertising tab in Seller Central.
The process from the start to
operating Sponsored Ads
1
Log in to Seller Central and go to the Ad Campaign Manager (ad management screen).
*If you’re new to selling on Amazon, sign up
*If you’re new to selling on Amazon, sign up
Click Menu > “Ads” > “Ad Campaign Manager” to access the ad management screen. If you’re directed to the login screen, enter the login information for your Amazon seller account.
2
Register the payment method for advertising fees in the Ad Campaign Manager
Register a valid payment method in the “Administration” > “Billing” > “Payment Settings” tab on the left menu of the Ad Campaign Manager. If you’ve set up a payment method in Seller Central, the same payment method will be carried over to ads.
Once you've updated your payment method, it will become effective within one hour. However, if you update your payment method due to a payment error, it can take up to 24 hours for your account to become active.
Once you've updated your payment method, it will become effective within one hour. However, if you update your payment method due to a payment error, it can take up to 24 hours for your account to become active.
3
Set clear goals
When starting to operate Sponsored Ads, it’s important to set clear goals about what you want to achieve through advertising. By setting goals, it becomes clear which kind of audience you should show ads to, and at what timing you should show them. Also, you’ll be able to understand the budget, bid allocations, and metrics to check for.
For example, in the early stages of selling, it’s important to improve visibility in search results. Using Sponsored Products with automatic targeting helps you focus on the impressions (number of times displayed) and click-through rate to achieve this. In the case of manual targeting, partial match types are set with keyword targeting, or advertisements are exposed to a wide range of audiences through product category targeting.
For example, in the early stages of selling, it’s important to improve visibility in search results. Using Sponsored Products with automatic targeting helps you focus on the impressions (number of times displayed) and click-through rate to achieve this. In the case of manual targeting, partial match types are set with keyword targeting, or advertisements are exposed to a wide range of audiences through product category targeting.
4
Create your ad campaign
After switching to the Ad Campaign Manager, you can select an ad type by clicking the blue “Create Campaign” button.
Check below for details on how to create an ad campaign.
Check below for details on how to create an ad campaign.
Guide on how to create Sponsored Ads:
Please check below for more detailed instructions in text format on how to create them.
• Sponsored Products
• Sponsored Brands • Sponsored Display
• Sponsored Products
• Sponsored Brands • Sponsored Display
5
Check and measure ad performance
After creating your ad, ongoing performance analysis and optimization are essential. We recommend checking your ad reports about two weeks after the ad starts.
Regularly check indicators like impressions, clicks, conversion rate, return on advertising cost (ROAS), etc., and clearly identify which effective measures are highly effective, as well as areas where improvements are needed. While doing this, it’s important to conduct a comprehensive analysis that takes into account seasonal factors, sales events, and changes in the market environment.
Regularly check indicators like impressions, clicks, conversion rate, return on advertising cost (ROAS), etc., and clearly identify which effective measures are highly effective, as well as areas where improvements are needed. While doing this, it’s important to conduct a comprehensive analysis that takes into account seasonal factors, sales events, and changes in the market environment.
6
Optimize based on ad performance
Based on the analysis results, implement improvement measures like bid price adjustments, automatic targeting/manual targeting reviews, and changes in budget allocations.
1. Check the impressions (number of times the ad is displayed)
When your ads aren’t being displayed, it becomes difficult to accurately measure other metrics. Start by gaining ad visibility and performance insights. If the impressions are low, check the following points.
Check the campaign list screen in the Ad Campaign Manager. After the end date, the ad will stop. To gain more opportunities, it’s generally recommended to run your ads continuously without setting an end date.
We recommend selecting Business Reports from the “Reports” menu in Seller Central, checking the ratio of “Featured Offer” items in “Detail Page Sales and Traffic” by product, and advertise products with as high a ratio as possible.
In the Campaign Manager, go to the "Budget" page in the left-hand menu and check for sponsored product campaigns where the average time in budget is below 100%. Then, apply the budget amount by referring to the recommended budget displayed.
You can check the automatic/manual targeting performance for all campaigns by going to “Targeting” on the left menu of the Ad Campaign Manager. You can also filter eligible campaigns by various conditions such as “add filters,” “campaigns and ad groups,” etc. Check the suggested bid amount displayed and increase your bid within the recommended range.
Ads will be suspended when stock runs out. Click here for details on running out of stock on your products
With keyword targeting, we recommend setting keywords related to the information described within the detail page of the product being advertised. You can also add high-impression and high-ROAS terms to keyword targeting using the Search Term report.
With product targeting, check whether there’s enough traffic for the products you have set (check traffic for your own products; for products from other companies, set products that are higher in the category). And, if you’ve set product category filtering settings, make sure that the filter settings aren’t too narrow.
With product targeting, check whether there’s enough traffic for the products you have set (check traffic for your own products; for products from other companies, set products that are higher in the category). And, if you’ve set product category filtering settings, make sure that the filter settings aren’t too narrow.
2. Check the clicks and click-through rate (CTR)
- Clicks: The number of times your ad was clicked.
- Click-through rate (CTR): The percentage of ad impressions clicked over the total number of impressions.
Once you've gotten enough visibility, think about how you can increase your clicks. Before confirming the return on advertising fees (ROAS), check whether the ad has been clicked in the first place, and implement the following measures to improve the number of clicks.
- Click-through rate (CTR): The percentage of ad impressions clicked over the total number of impressions.
Once you've gotten enough visibility, think about how you can increase your clicks. Before confirming the return on advertising fees (ROAS), check whether the ad has been clicked in the first place, and implement the following measures to improve the number of clicks.
We recommend that you check the Search Term report and add new terms highly relevant to your products, or terms with high click-through rates as new phrase matches or exact matches to keyword targeting. This will help efficiently make your ads visible to more relevant audiences. Learn more about keyword match types here
For a product with low sales and few reviews, you can create an ad campaign for products that are high-selling and high-performing, and use the low-selling product as product targeting. This increases the possibility that traffic will be redirected to the stronger product before shoppers lose interest and leave.
Also, if you have products other than your own that can promote purchases in combination with your own high-performing products, you can set your own high-performing product as product targeting for advertising campaigns for those products. This allows you to leverage the traffic from your high-performing product (your company's strength) to encourage customers to consider purchasing the additional item.
Also, if you have products other than your own that can promote purchases in combination with your own high-performing products, you can set your own high-performing product as product targeting for advertising campaigns for those products. This allows you to leverage the traffic from your high-performing product (your company's strength) to encourage customers to consider purchasing the additional item.
Category targeting promotes ad visibility to audiences browsing more relevant products, such as related brands, price ranges, review stars, etc., by setting filters. If you set up broad category targeting, narrow it down so that your ads are visible to an audience that is highly motivated to buy. If you want to reach a niche category, we recommend increasing the bid amount since the number of category viewers is small and there are few opportunities for ad visibility in the first place.
We recommend setting an image, an appealing headline, and a logo to help highlight how your product is unique. We also recommend an AB test for such creatives (copying an existing campaign, changing only specific elements such as images, etc., and operating concurrently to investigate creatives with a high number of clicks).
3. Check return on ad spend (ROAS)
- ROAS: An indicator of the amount of sales earned for 1 yen of advertising fees. The standard calculation for ROAS is (total advertising sales amount)/(total advertising fee).
After getting impressions and clicks, check out how to optimize conversions and return on advertising fees by referring to the following.
After getting impressions and clicks, check out how to optimize conversions and return on advertising fees by referring to the following.
Appropriate values for ROAS vary depending on the product, profit margin, purpose of advertisement operation, etc., but we recommend checking the “break-even ROAS” as an indicator.
After calculating the average profit margin, you can calculate break-even ROAS by setting it to 1 ÷ average profit margin (%). If the actual ROAS figure falls below this break-even ROAS, there will be no profit, so improvements will be necessary.
Example: If the average selling price is 1,000 yen, the average order price is 200 yen, the average profit is 800 yen, and the average profit margin is 80%, then
1 ÷ 80% = break-even ROAS: 125% (or 1.25 times).
After calculating the average profit margin, you can calculate break-even ROAS by setting it to 1 ÷ average profit margin (%). If the actual ROAS figure falls below this break-even ROAS, there will be no profit, so improvements will be necessary.
Example: If the average selling price is 1,000 yen, the average order price is 200 yen, the average profit is 800 yen, and the average profit margin is 80%, then
1 ÷ 80% = break-even ROAS: 125% (or 1.25 times).
Shoppers make their final purchase decisions based on the content of the product detail page after clicking on your ad. Make sure that the product title is simple and easy to understand, and there are at least four images, bullet points for product specifications, settings for explanations, 3.5 stars or higher, and at least five reviews.
If you’ve already enrolled in the Amazon Brand Registry, you can also set product introduction content (A+), making it easier to convey the unique factors and appeal of your product.
Click here for information on how to improve product detail pages in order to increase advertising effectiveness
If you’ve already enrolled in the Amazon Brand Registry, you can also set product introduction content (A+), making it easier to convey the unique factors and appeal of your product.
Click here for information on how to improve product detail pages in order to increase advertising effectiveness
Products that aren’t relevant to product targeting, and products/brands that clearly outperform your own products can be excluded from targeting settings.
For keyword targeting, if you identify search terms with a high number of clicks but a low conversion rate, we recommend excluding them in order to help improve cost efficiency.
Learn more about exclusion targeting here
For keyword targeting, if you identify search terms with a high number of clicks but a low conversion rate, we recommend excluding them in order to help improve cost efficiency.
Learn more about exclusion targeting here
For existing product targeting or keyword targeting where the ROAS isn't good, check whether your bids are unbalanced. Manual targeting or manual campaigns with poor performance can be appropriately reduced in bids and budgets and assigned to better-performing targeting bids and campaign budgets.
By setting click destinations for Sponsored Brands to brand stores and inducing traffic, you can convey things like brand reliability and product lineup more clearly. Since you can present information that leads to a purchase, it’s also possible for shoppers to finish considering whether to purchase or not within your own brand store.
Sponsored Ads operation scenarios
Operation for new products
The most important thing is for shoppers to discover more new products, so try increasing visibility with Sponsored Products. Learn about the importance of advertising new products, preparing product detail pages before advertising, and setting up Sponsored Ads in the manga video below.
Sale and event management
During sales and event periods, there’s more traffic than normal, and shoppers tend to be more motivated to buy. Effectively promoting products through advertising can create a stronger synergy that leads to sales growth. Let's take a look at the manga video below.
Using Amazon Ads partners
Amazon Ads partners are third-party companies that support advertisers' ad operations. You can get support from advertising consulting services or ad management tool providers, etc. Find an Amazon Ads partner that fits your needs below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to frequently asked questions about Sponsored Ads.
Where will Sponsored Ads be posted?
Sponsored Products and Sponsored Brands may be displayed at the top of, alongside, or within product search results, and on product detail pages. Ads can run on both desktop and mobile pages.
Sponsored Display will appear on Amazon.co.jp and third party weather forecast sites, news sites, etc. based on the product targeting strategy and audience you choose. Ads also appear on desktop, app, and mobile pages.
Sponsored Display will appear on Amazon.co.jp and third party weather forecast sites, news sites, etc. based on the product targeting strategy and audience you choose. Ads also appear on desktop, app, and mobile pages.
What products are not eligible for Sponsored Ads?
Adult products, drug test kits, gambling-related products, and products in categories that have been discontinued are not supported. Check here for available and prohibited categories
How much do Sponsored Ads cost?
Generally, Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, and Sponsored Display are cost-per-click (CPC) ads. In other words, there’s no cost for the number of times an ad is displayed or viewed, and payments are only made when the ad is clicked.
However, Sponsored Brands and Sponsored Display are billed per 1,000 viewable impressions (vCPM), depending on the campaign goals and optimization strategies you set. In other words, you'll be charged every time shoppers view an ad 1,000 times. (If your daily budget is 2,000 yen and the bid price is 100 yen, your ad can get up to 20,000 impressions per day.)
Sponsored TV are always subject to vCPM charges.
However, Sponsored Brands and Sponsored Display are billed per 1,000 viewable impressions (vCPM), depending on the campaign goals and optimization strategies you set. In other words, you'll be charged every time shoppers view an ad 1,000 times. (If your daily budget is 2,000 yen and the bid price is 100 yen, your ad can get up to 20,000 impressions per day.)
Sponsored TV are always subject to vCPM charges.
What is a Featured Offer?
Featured Offers (eligible to use a shopping cart) appear on product detail pages where shoppers begin the purchase process by adding items to their shopping carts. A key feature of Amazon is that the same product can have multiple offers from multiple sellers. This may lead to competition with other sellers, making a product a Featured Offer. Performance-based requirements must be met to be eligible for Featured Offer placements. Learn more
What are Auto Targeting and Manual Targeting? Also, please explain how it works.
Auto targeting is a setting that can be used with Sponsored Products, where Amazon automatically matches similar keywords and related products to the advertised product. Therefore, you’ll be able to create campaigns easily and quickly by using automated targeting. By starting automatic targeting, you can also learn and gain more knowledge about what kind of audience you should show ads to from Search Term reports after starting to advertise.
Once you've started automatic targeting, or if you're already experienced with online advertising, you can set specific keyword and product targeting of your choice by starting manual targeting. You can choose a different match type for each keyword, or select a category, product, brand, or other characteristic associated with the product being advertised.
Once you've started automatic targeting, or if you're already experienced with online advertising, you can set specific keyword and product targeting of your choice by starting manual targeting. You can choose a different match type for each keyword, or select a category, product, brand, or other characteristic associated with the product being advertised.
