Let’s face it – diving into Amazon advertising can feel like trying to navigate a maze blindfolded. Whether you’re a debut author or a seasoned writer, the platform’s complexity can be overwhelming. But don’t worry – I’ve been there too, and I’m going to walk you through everything you need to know, step by step. Of course, if you would rather consume this type of information in video form, I get it! Dave Chesson (from Publisher Rocket) has a fantastic free course we absolutely recommend. Go take it! Really!
Prerequisites: Setting Your Book Up for Success
You wouldn’t enter a race with a flat tire, right? Put fuel in a plane with no wings? What analogy do you like the most? The same goes for advertising your book. Before we dive into the exciting world of Amazon Ads, let’s make sure your book is fully prepared to make the most of every advertising dollar you spend. I don’t want to categorically say “your book isn’t ready for Amazon Ads,” but honestly, 90% of the books I see every day are not. I KNOW you are eager to get your book out there, but do not jump the gun or you will be sorry!!
Essential Elements Before Advertising
Trust me on this one – I’ve seen countless authors rush into advertising before their books were ready, only to waste money and get discouraged. Here’s what you need to have in place first:
1. Market Research and Positioning
Think of this as your book’s GPS coordinates in the vast ocean of Amazon. You need to know exactly where you fit in the market before you start spending money to promote your position.
In this step, you’ll need to:
- Conduct a thorough competitive analysis of similar books in your genre
- Identify your unique selling proposition (USP). What makes your book different/ better than the competition?
- Analyze bestseller prices in your category to set competitive pricing
- Research your target audience demographics and reading preferences
2. Book Optimization
Your book’s presentation on Amazon is like your store’s window display – it needs to catch eyes and draw people in. Let’s make sure every element is working in your favor.
- Professional, genre-appropriate cover design (hopefully better than the competition in the analysis you just did!)
- Compelling book description using HTML formatting for better presentation
- Properly categorized in relevant Amazon browse categories
- Strategic keyword selection for all seven backend keyword slots
- Series information properly linked (if applicable)
3. Marketing Assets
Consider these your advertising toolkit. Just like a carpenter needs the right tools for the job, you’ll need these essential marketing elements ready to go.
- Reader magnet or bonus content created and hosted (more on that here)
- Professional author website or landing page
- Email service provider account set up
- Welcome email sequence crafted (minimum 5 emails)
4. Some Reviews
Reviews are like word-of-mouth recommendations in the digital age. Having a solid foundation of honest reviews can make or break your advertising success.
Here’s what you’ll need for this step:
- A minimum number of reviews for your book to be competitive with the other books in your competitive analysis! Do not launch paid advertising with zero reviews!!
- A solid review gathering system in place (email list, ARC team). If you do not have this, I’m sorry, but it is too soon for you to be paying for advertising. Please go back and review the follower funnel method.
- A plan for handling negative reviews professionally. Do not argue with people who give you negative reviews! Just fix whatever you can, then step up your efforts to get reviews (which will hopefully be positive) from your subscribers.
Campaign Setup Process
Ready to roll up your sleeves and get started? This is where the rubber meets the road. If you would rather watch this in video form, Dave Chesson (from Publisher Rocket) has a fantastic free course we absolutely recommend. Go take it! Really!
If you just want the bare bones “Here’s how to set up the damn ad already,” here it is!!
Step 1: Access Advertising Console
- Log into KDP Dashboard (kdp.amazon.com)
- Find the book you want to advertise
- Hover your mouse over the three little dots next to the “Order Author Copies” button, select “Promote and Advertise”
- Select “Create an ad campaign”
- Choose your marketplace (considerations for each):
- US: Largest market, highest competition
- UK: Strong market for specific genres
- CA: Growing market, lower competition
- DE: Significant market for translated works
- Others: Consider based on your book’s language and target audience
Step 2: Campaign Structure
Basic Campaign Settings
- Campaign Name
- Use a structured naming convention: [BOOK]-[TYPE]-[DATE]-[GOAL]
- Example: “MYSTERYNOV-SP-2025JAN-LAUNCH”
- Portfolio Assignment (Optional)
- Create portfolios to group related campaigns
- Helps with budget management and reporting
- Budget Configuration
- Daily Budget Recommendations:
- Testing Phase: $5-10/day
- Scale Phase: $10-25/day
- Advanced Phase: $25+/day
- Monthly Budget Planning:
- Calculate potential ROI based on book price
- Factor in Kindle Unlimited page reads
- Consider seasonal fluctuations
- Daily Budget Recommendations:
Step 3: Advanced Targeting Options
Automatic Targeting
- Loose Match
- Pros: Discovers new keywords
- Cons: Can be less relevant
- Best for: Initial testing phase
- Close Match
- Pros: More relevant traffic
- Cons: Lower volume
- Best for: Refined campaigns
Manual Targeting Strategies
- Keyword Targeting
- Research Methods:
- Amazon search suggestions
- Publisher Rocket data
- Competitor analysis
- Customer review mining
- Organization:
- Group keywords by theme
- Track performance by category
- Regular cleanup of non-performers
- Research Methods:
- Product Targeting
- Complementary Books
- Direct Competitors
- Category Targeting
- Brand Targeting
Step 4: Bid Management
Bidding Strategies
- Initial Bid Setting
- Fiction: $0.35-$0.50
- Non-Fiction: $0.50-$0.75
- Premium/Business: $0.75-$1.00
- Placement Adjustments
- Top of Search: +25-50%
- Product Pages: +10-25%
- Rest of Search: Base bid
- Dynamic Bidding Options
- Down Only: Safe option for beginners
- Up and Down: For experienced advertisers
- Fixed Bids: Rarely recommended
Campaign Optimization
Think of this section as your campaign’s health check-up guide. Regular monitoring and adjustments are key to maintaining a healthy advertising strategy.
Performance Analysis
- Key Metrics to Track
- Impressions
- Click-Through Rate (CTR)
- Conversion Rate
- ACOS (Advertising Cost of Sale)
- KENP Read (for KU books)
- Performance Benchmarks
- CTR: Aim for >0.3%
- ACOS: Target <70% initially
- Conversion Rate: >1% minimum
Optimization Schedule
Week 1-2
- Monitor impressions and CTR
- Adjust bids if not getting impressions
- Note initial keyword performance
Week 3-4
- Begin eliminating non-performing keywords
- Increase bids on converting keywords
- Start testing manual targeting
Month 2
- Scale successful campaigns
- Test new ad types
- Expand to additional marketplaces
Advanced Strategies
If you haven’t quit being an author altogether or thrown your computer against the wall by now, congratulations! Now that you’ve mastered the basics, these advanced techniques will help you take your advertising game to the next level. Think of these strategies as your secret weapons in the competitive world of book marketing.
Campaign Stacking
- Discovery Campaign
- Automatic targeting
- Higher daily budget
- Broader targeting
- Performance Campaign
- Manual targeting
- Proven keywords
- Tight ACOS control
- Brand Campaign
- Author name targeting
- Series name targeting
- Low bid, high conversion
Seasonal Optimization
- Peak Seasons
- Holiday promotions
- Summer reading
- Genre-specific events
- Budget Adjustment
- Increase during high seasons
- Reduce during slow periods
- Monitor competition
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Even the most experienced advertisers hit bumps in the road sometimes. Let’s talk about the common problems you might encounter and how to solve them – consider this your roadside assistance guide for Amazon Ads!
Low Impressions
- Check bid competitiveness
- Review targeting relevance
- Verify campaign status
- Assess budget constraints
High Spend, Low Sales
- Evaluate landing page
- Check price positioning
- Review targeting precision
- Analyze click quality
Platform Changes
- Stay updated with KDP newsletters
- Join author communities
- Monitor performance changes
- Adapt strategies accordingly
Resources and Tools
Every professional needs their toolkit. Here are the resources that can help make your advertising journey smoother and more successful.
Recommended Tools
- Publisher Rocket
- KDP Reports
- Amazon Marketing Services
- Spreadsheet templates for tracking
Community Support
- Author forums
- Facebook groups
- Professional organizations
- Marketing workshops
Conclusion
You’ve made it! By now, you should be feeling much more confident about taking your first steps into Amazon advertising. Remember, every successful author started exactly where you are now – at the beginning. The key is to start small, learn from your data, and gradually scale what works for your books.
Next Steps
The journey of a thousand sales begins with a single ad campaign (or something like that!). Here’s what to do next:
- Complete the prerequisite checklist
- Set up your first test campaign
- Monitor and collect data
- Join author communities for support
- Consider advanced strategies as you gain experience
Remember: There’s no such thing as a “failed” campaign – only learning opportunities. Take what you learn from each campaign and use it to make your next one even better. You’ve got this!