How to Use Amazon Ads for Kindle Books: A Complete Guide for Authors

By Cepy 9/03/2023 Post a Comment

Hi everyone, welcome to our article on how to use Amazon ads for Kindle books. If you are an author who wants to reach more readers and sell more books on Amazon, you might be interested in learning how to use Amazon ads to promote your Kindle books.

Amazon ads are a powerful way to increase your book's visibility, drive traffic to your book's detail page, and boost your book sales. Amazon ads are also cost-effective, as you only pay when someone clicks on your ad. You can set your own budget and bid amount, and track your ad performance using various metrics.

What are Amazon Ads for Kindle Books?

Amazon ads for Kindle books are Amazon ads that appear on Amazon.com (or other Amazon marketplaces) when customers search for keywords related to your book. When a customer clicks an ad, they are taken to the Amazon product page where you can sell them your ebook or paperback version.

There are three types of Amazon ads for Kindle books that you can create: Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, and Lockscreen Ads. Each type of ad has its own benefits and features, which we will explain in more detail below.

Lockscreen Ads

Lockscreen Ads are interest-targeted ads that appear on the lock screens of Kindle E-readers and Fire tablets. They allow you to reach customers who are avid readers and who may be looking for their next book to read.

Lockscreen Ads display a full-screen image of your book cover and a custom text that entices customers to click on the ad. When customers swipe to unlock their device, they are taken to your book's detail page where they can buy your book or download a free sample.

How to Create Amazon Ads for Kindle Books?

Creating Amazon ads for Kindle books is easy and straightforward. You can access Amazon ads from either Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) or Author Central. Here are the steps you need to follow:

Access Amazon Ads from KDP

Sign in to kdp.amazon.com
Choose the book you want to advertise from your KDP bookshelf.
Click “promote and advertise.”
Under “Run an ad campaign,” choose a marketplace, and click “Create an ad campaign.”
Sign in to Amazon Ads using your KDP credentials.

Access Amazon Ads from Author Central

Sign in to Author Central (you can use your existing KDP credentials if you have them).
Add your books to your Author Central Account. Click on the Books tab and click "Add it now". In the Search field, enter the book title, ISBN, ASIN, or author name. Find your book and click on the book cover. Then click "Add this book".
Click on the Reports and marketing tab.
In the Amazon Ads tile, select the country you want to advertise in from the drop-down menu. Then click Go to ads console.

Create Your Ad Campaign

Select the type of ad you want to create: Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, or Lockscreen Ads.
Name your campaign and set your budget and duration. You can choose a daily budget or a lifetime budget, and you can run your campaign continuously or set a start and end date.
Select your targeting option: manual or automatic. Manual targeting allows you to choose your own keywords or products that you want to target. Automatic targeting lets Amazon choose the keywords and products for you based on your book's information.
If you choose manual targeting, enter your keywords or products and set your bid amount for each one. You can also use the suggested keywords or products that Amazon provides. Your bid amount is the maximum amount you are willing to pay when someone clicks on your ad.
Upload your book cover image and enter your custom text (for Sponsored Brands and Lockscreen Ads only). Your custom text should be catchy and relevant to your book and target audience.
Review your ad and submit it for approval. Amazon will review your ad and notify you if it meets the book advertising guidelines and acceptance policies.

How to Manage and Optimize Your Amazon Ads for Kindle Books?

Once you have created your Amazon ads for Kindle books, you can monitor and optimize them using various tools and metrics. Here are some tips on how to manage and improve your Amazon ads for Kindle books:

Use the Campaign Manager

The Campaign Manager is a dashboard where you can see all your active and paused campaigns, as well as their performance metrics. You can access the Campaign Manager from the Amazon Ads console. You can use the Campaign Manager to:

Edit your campaign settings, such as budget, duration, targeting, and bids.
Pause or resume your campaigns at any time.
Create new campaigns or duplicate existing ones.
Download campaign reports or schedule them to be emailed to you.

Track Your Ad Performance Metrics

The ad performance metrics are indicators of how well your ads are performing and how much they are costing you. You can see these metrics in the Campaign Manager or in the campaign reports. Some of the most important metrics to track are:

Impressions: The number of times your ad was shown to customers.
Clicks: The number of times customers clicked on your ad.
Spend: The total amount you spent on your ads.
Sales: The total amount of sales generated by your ads.
ACoS (Advertising Cost of Sales): The percentage of sales that you spent on advertising. ACoS = Spend / Sales x 100%
CPC (Cost Per Click): The average amount you paid for each click on your ad. CPC = Spend / Clicks
CTR (Click Through Rate): The percentage of impressions that resulted in clicks. CTR = Clicks / Impressions x 100%

Optimize Your Keywords and Bids

Your keywords and bids are crucial factors that determine the success of your Amazon ads for Kindle books. You should regularly review and optimize them to ensure that they are relevant, competitive, and profitable. You can optimize your keywords and bids by:

Adding new keywords or products that are related to your book and target audience.
Removing or pausing keywords or products that are not performing well or have low relevance.
Adjusting your bid amounts based on the performance and competition of each keyword or product.
Using negative keywords to exclude irrelevant or unwanted search terms from triggering your ads.

Test Different Ad Variations

Testing different ad variations can help you find out what works best for your book and audience. You can test different aspects of your ads, such as headlines, images, texts, keywords, bids, budgets, etc. You can test different ad variations by:

Creating multiple campaigns or ad groups with different settings and comparing their results.
Using A/B testing tools to split test different versions of your ads and measure their performance.
Analyzing the data and feedback from your tests and applying the learnings to improve your ads.

A Comparison Table of Amazon Ads for Kindle Books

To help you choose the best type of Amazon ads for Kindle books for your goals and budget, we have created a comparison table that summarizes the main features and differences of each type of ad. You can use this table as a reference when creating your Amazon ads for Kindle books.

Type of Ad	Sponsored Products	Sponsored Brands	Lockscreen Ads
What is it?	Keyword or product targeted ads that appear in shopping results and detail pages.	Banner ads that appear on the top of the search results page.	Interest-targeted ads that appear on the lock screens of Kindle E-readers and Fire tablets.	Where does it appear?	On the top, middle, or bottom of the search results page, or on the right side or bottom of the detail page.	On the top of the search results page.	On the lock screens of Kindle E-readers and Fire tablets.
What does it look like?	A regular product listing with a small "Sponsored" label below it.	A banner ad with a custom headline, a logo, and up to three books.	A full-screen image of your book cover and a custom text.
How do you target it?	By keywords or products that are relevant to your book.	By keywords that are relevant to your book or brand.	By interests that are related to your book genre or category.
How do you pay for it?	By cost per click (CPC). You only pay when someone clicks on your ad.	By cost per click (CPC). You only pay when someone clicks on your ad.	By cost per impression (CPM). You pay for every 1,000 times your ad is shown.
What are the benefits?	- Increase your book's visibility and discoverability. - Reach customers who are actively searching for books like yours. - Control your budget and bid amount. - Track your ad performance using various metrics.	- Increase your brand awareness and recognition. - Showcase a collection of books or your brand as an author. - Drive traffic to a custom landing page. - Track your ad performance using various metrics.	- Reach avid readers who may be looking for their next book to read. - Display a full-screen image of your book cover and a catchy text. - Drive traffic to your book's detail page. - Track your ad performance using various metrics.

FAQs About Amazon Ads for Kindle Books

How do I know if my Amazon ads for Kindle books are working?

You can know if your Amazon ads for Kindle books are working by tracking and analyzing your ad performance metrics, such as impressions, clicks, sales, ACoS, CPC, CTR, etc. You can also compare your ad performance with your organic sales and rankings to see if there is any improvement. Additionally, you can use tools like Amazon Attribution or Amazon Marketing Cloud to measure the impact of your ads on other channels, such as social media, email, or website.

How much does it cost to run Amazon ads for Kindle books?

The cost of running Amazon ads for Kindle books depends on several factors, such as the type of ad, the targeting option, the bid amount, the competition level, and the demand for your book. You can set your own budget and bid amount for each campaign or ad group, and you can adjust them at any time. You can also use the bid+ feature to increase your chances of winning the auction by automatically raising your bid by up to 50% when your ad is eligible to appear in the top of search results. You can monitor your spend and sales using the Campaign Manager or the campaign reports.

How do I optimize my Amazon ads for Kindle books?

You can optimize your Amazon ads for Kindle books by following these tips:

Use relevant and specific keywords or products that match your book and target audience.
Use negative keywords to exclude irrelevant or unwanted search terms from triggering your ads.
Adjust your bid amounts based on the performance and competition of each keyword or product.
Create different campaigns or ad groups for different types of ads, targeting options, or books.
Test different ad variations, such as headlines, images, texts, keywords, bids, budgets, etc.
Analyze the data and feedback from your tests and apply the learnings to improve your ads.

How do I create a custom landing page for my Sponsored Brands ads?

You can create a custom landing page for your Sponsored Brands ads by following these steps:

Select Sponsored Brands as the type of ad you want to create.
Name your campaign and set your budget and duration.
Select manual targeting and enter your keywords and bids.
Upload your logo and enter your custom headline.
Select "Create a custom landing page" as the destination type.
Select up to three books that you want to feature on your landing page. You can choose from any of your books that are enrolled in KDP Select or available in Kindle Unlimited.
Review your ad and submit it for approval.

How do I create a Lockscreen ad for my Kindle book?

You can create a Lockscreen ad for your Kindle book by following these steps:

Select Lockscreen Ads as the type of ad you want to create.
Name your campaign and set your budget and duration.
Select your targeting option: interest or product. Interest targeting allows you to target customers who have shown interest in certain genres or categories. Product targeting allows you to target customers who have viewed or purchased certain products.
If you choose interest targeting, select the interests that are related to your book genre or category. If you choose product targeting, enter the products that are similar or complementary to your book.
Upload your book cover image and enter your custom text. Your custom text should be catchy and relevant to your book and target audience.
Review your ad and submit it for approval.

How long does it take for my Amazon ads for Kindle books to be approved?

It usually takes up to 72 hours for your Amazon ads for Kindle books to be approved. However, it may take longer during peak periods or if your ad requires additional review. You can check the status of your ads in the Campaign Manager or in the campaign reports. You will also receive an email notification when your ads are approved or rejected. If your ads are rejected, you can edit them and resubmit them for approval.

What are the best practices for writing headlines, texts, and keywords for my Amazon ads for Kindle books?

Here are some best practices for writing headlines, texts, and keywords for your Amazon ads for Kindle books:

Use clear and concise language that communicates the value proposition of your book and brand.
Use keywords that are relevant and specific to your book and target audience.
Use emotional triggers, such as curiosity, urgency, fear, or excitement, to capture the attention and interest of customers.
Use a call to action, such as "buy now", "read more", "download a free sample", etc., to encourage customers to click on your ad.
Avoid using misleading, inaccurate, or offensive language that may violate the book advertising guidelines and acceptance policies.

How do I increase the visibility and discoverability of my Kindle book on Amazon?

Besides using Amazon ads for Kindle books, there are other ways to increase the visibility and discoverability of your Kindle book on Amazon, such as:

Optimizing your book's metadata, such as title, subtitle, description, keywords, categories, etc., to make it more relevant and searchable.
Enrolling your book in KDP Select or making it available in Kindle Unlimited to reach more readers and earn more royalties.
Pricing your book competitively and strategically to attract more customers and increase sales.
Getting more reviews and ratings from customers to boost your book's credibility and popularity.
Promoting your book on social media, email, website, blog, podcast, etc., to drive more traffic and awareness.

What are the benefits of enrolling my Kindle book in KDP Select or making it available in Kindle Unlimited?

Enrolling your Kindle book in KDP Select or making it available in Kindle Unlimited can offer you several benefits, such as:

Reaching more readers who are subscribed to Kindle Unlimited or Prime Reading. These readers can read your book for free as part of their membership, and you can earn royalties based on the number of pages read.
Gaining access to promotional tools, such as Kindle Countdown Deals and Free Book Promotions. These tools can help you create buzz and generate more sales for your book.
Earning higher royalties in some markets. You can earn up to 70% royalties for sales in Brazil, Japan, India, Mexico, and Australia.

What are the drawbacks of enrolling my Kindle book in KDP Select or making it available in Kindle Unlimited?

Enrolling your Kindle book in KDP Select or making it available in Kindle Unlimited can also have some drawbacks, such as:

Losing control over your pricing. You cannot set the price of your book below $0.99 or above $9.99 in most markets. You also cannot offer discounts or freebies outside of Amazon.
Losing exclusivity over your distribution. You cannot sell or distribute your book on any other platform

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