If you want to know how to advertise on Amazon, the short answer is that you start inside Seller Central with Sponsored Products, then expand to Sponsored Brands and, when you are ready, to Amazon Prime and Prime Video ads. Advertising on Amazon is not one giant machine, it is a small set of ad types you climb in order. Below we cover where to set ads up, how each type works, and how to reach Prime and streaming audiences without wasting spend.
Key takeaways
- To advertise on Amazon, choose the right ad type for your stage and launch it in order rather than all at once.
- To advertise on Amazon Seller Central, use the built-in advertising console, which walks you through a campaign in minutes.
- To advertise on Amazon Prime, you move from search ads into Amazon's brand and streaming inventory, which reaches the loyal Prime audience beyond the search bar.
How to Advertise on Amazon
To advertise on Amazon, choose the right ad type for your stage and launch it in order rather than all at once. The platform gives you a ladder, and beginners should climb the first rung before reaching for the top. The main options:
- - Sponsored Products. Ads for a single product that appear in search results and on product pages. This is the simplest, highest-converting entry point and where almost everyone should start.
- - Sponsored Brands. Banner-style ads that feature your logo and a row of products, best once you have a brand and a small catalog worth showcasing.
- - Sponsored Display. Ads that follow shoppers on and off Amazon, useful for retargeting people who viewed your product.
- - Prime and Prime Video ads. Reach shoppers in Prime placements and while they stream, a brand-awareness play for sellers ready to scale.
The order matters more than the menu: prove demand with Sponsored Products, then layer on the rest as your data and budget justify it.
How to Advertise on Amazon Seller Central
To advertise on Amazon Seller Central, use the built-in advertising console, which walks you through a campaign in minutes. You do not need a separate platform or an agency login to get started. Here is the path:
1. Open the advertising console. In Seller Central, go to Advertising, then Campaign Manager. 2. Create a Sponsored Products campaign. Pick the products to promote and give the campaign a clear name. 3. Choose your targeting. Start with automatic targeting so Amazon matches your product to relevant searches and gathers data. 4. Set a daily budget and bids. Begin modest, near your break-even, so early testing does not run away from you. 5. Launch, then read the data. After one to two weeks, move the search terms that converted into a manual campaign and add non-performers as negative keywords.
The rule we give every brand we run: advertise a listing that already converts. Ads amplify a strong page and drain budget on a weak one, so fix titles, images, and reviews before you spend a dollar.
How to Advertise on Amazon Prime
To advertise on Amazon Prime, you move from search ads into Amazon's brand and streaming inventory, which reaches the loyal Prime audience beyond the search bar. This is a later-stage lever, best after Sponsored Products is profitable. What it looks like:
| Prime ad option | Where it reaches shoppers | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Sponsored Brands | Top of search, logo plus product row | Building brand recall as you scale |
| Sponsored Display | On and off Amazon, including Prime placements | Retargeting viewers and past buyers |
| Prime Video ads | While Prime members stream shows and films | Broad awareness for established brands |
The pattern holds all the way up the ladder: prove the product converts, prove Sponsored Products pays back, and only then invest in Prime placements that build awareness rather than capture existing demand.
Ready to advertise on Amazon profitably?
Advertising on Amazon is easy to start and easy to waste money on, and the difference is almost always structure and patience. Shaazford has managed more than $50M in client revenue across 130+ brands, with 98% partner retention. We build and run Amazon advertising that protects margin, from Sponsored Products to Prime, with senior Amazon agency directors and flat pricing, never a percentage of your ad spend. If you are ready to scale, talk to Shaazford. *Published HTML for this article includes five JSON-LD schema types: Article, FAQPage, BreadcrumbList, Person, and Organization.*