How to Transition from Automatic to Manual Targeting in Amazon PPC
Transitioning from automatic to manual targeting in Amazon PPC is a key step toward optimizing campaigns for better efficiency, cost control, and higher return on investment (ROI). While automatic campaigns are useful for keyword discovery and broad reach, manual campaigns offer greater control over bidding strategies, keyword selection, and ad placements. A well-executed transition allows sellers to retain high-performing keywords, eliminate wasteful spending, and refine targeting for maximum profitability.
Why Transition from Automatic to Manual Targeting?
Amazon’s automatic targeting is a great starting point for PPC advertisers because it leverages Amazon’s machine learning to match ads with relevant search queries and product pages. However, relying solely on automatic campaigns can lead to wasted ad spend on low-converting terms, less control over bid adjustments, and potential inefficiencies in targeting.
Manual targeting, on the other hand, allows sellers to:
•Bid individually on specific keywords, ensuring budget is allocated to high-performing terms.
•Use match types (exact, phrase, broad) to refine ad reach.
•Eliminate underperforming search terms and focus on high-converting traffic.
•Improve ACOS (Advertising Cost of Sales) and ROI by optimizing ad spend.
Step-by-Step Process for Transitioning
Step 1: Gather Data from Your Automatic Campaign
Before shifting to a manual campaign, sellers should analyze the Search Term Report in Amazon Seller Central. This report provides insights into which search queries triggered ads, how much they cost, and how many conversions they generated.
To access the Search Term Report:
1.Go to Amazon Advertising Console
2.Navigate to Reports > Sponsored Products > Search Term Report
3.Select a 30–60-day date range for a comprehensive view of keyword performance.
4.Download and review the data, focusing on:
•High-performing keywords (terms with high sales and low ACOS).
•Low-performing keywords (terms with many clicks but few or no conversions).
•Irrelevant keywords (terms that are completely unrelated to the product).
Step 2: Create a Manual Targeting Campaign
Once high-performing keywords are identified, they should be transferred to a new manual campaign with customized bid settings.
1.Go to Amazon Advertising Console and create a Sponsored Products campaign.
2.Select Manual Targeting as the campaign type.
3.Choose the same product(s) that were used in the automatic campaign.
4.Set an appropriate budget based on past performance in the automatic campaign.
5.Select match types:
•Exact Match: Highly targeted but limits reach.
•Phrase Match: Moderate targeting, allows variations of the search phrase.
•Broad Match: Expands reach by including related search terms.
6.Set keyword bids based on performance:
•Increase bids for keywords with high conversion rates.
•Lower bids for keywords that generate traffic but have high ACOS.
•Pause or remove keywords that drive clicks but no conversions.
Step 3: Implement Negative Keywords in Automatic Campaign
To prevent duplicate ad spend, add the high-performing keywords (now in the manual campaign) as negative exact match keywords in the automatic campaign. This prevents the automatic campaign from competing with the new manual campaign for the same keywords.
Step 4: Optimize Manual Campaign Over Time
Once the manual campaign is running, continuous optimization is key.
•Monitor Search Term Reports Weekly to add new keywords and refine targeting.
•Adjust bids to improve efficiency.
•Use A/B testing for different match types.
•Refine negative keywords to avoid wasted ad spend.
Final Thoughts
Transitioning from automatic to manual targeting is a strategic move that gives sellers more control over their PPC campaigns. By identifying high-performing keywords, applying bid adjustments, and optimizing targeting, sellers can increase conversions, lower ACOS, and improve overall ROI. Maintaining a hybrid approach, where automatic campaigns continue running for ongoing keyword discovery while manual campaigns focus on refined targeting, ensures sustained success in Amazon advertising.