July witnessed a surge of new products on Amazon as sellers prepared to capitalize on Prime Day's traffic peak. However, in an increasingly competitive marketplace, selecting effective keywords and managing ACOS (Advertising Cost of Sale) has become a critical challenge. Many sellers report struggling to achieve desired visibility despite bidding well above suggested amounts. What keyword strategies can help new products stand out?
1. Overcoming the Initial Hurdle: Product Targeting Strategy
In highly competitive categories, relying solely on keyword targeting can lead to stagnation. Product targeting offers an alternative by displaying your ads on competitors' product pages and search results, expanding traffic sources and building brand awareness.
Two approaches to product targeting:
- Category Targeting: All ASINs within a subcategory share one bid. Ideal for initial launches, this provides broad market coverage and exposure opportunities.
- Individual Product Targeting: Set separate bids for each ASIN. This granular approach works best for high-performing products needing focused promotion.
Recommendation: Begin with category targeting for wide reach, then transition top-performing ASINs to individual targeting for optimization.
2. Avoiding Costly Traffic Wars: Long-Tail Keyword Strategy
Rather than battling for highly competitive generic terms, focus on long-tail keywords incorporating specific attributes like color, material, or function (e.g., "blue leather women's handbag" or "waterproof sports Bluetooth headphones"). These precise terms attract targeted customers at lower costs, helping products gain initial traction before competing for broader terms.
3. Long-Term Perspective: ACOS Isn't the Only Early Metric
During launch phases, don't fixate on ACOS. Elevated CPC (cost-per-click) is often necessary to gather data and improve rankings. If conversion rates meet targets (15%+), CPC will naturally decrease as sales volume grows. Even high initial ACOS can be corrected through ongoing optimization of keywords and product listings.
4. Automatic Campaigns: Essential Traffic Generators
Launch automatic campaigns immediately with new products. These serve as discovery tools, identifying high-potential keywords and ASINs while reaching broad audiences. Consider them foundational for uncovering valuable traffic sources.
5. Precision Targeting: Manual Campaigns for Conversion
Use insights from automatic campaigns to create manual campaigns targeting high-performing keywords. By carefully managing bids and placements while monitoring click-through and conversion rates, sellers can refine their approach for maximum efficiency.
Successful Amazon launches require adaptable keyword strategies combining product targeting, long-tail terms, and balanced campaign types. Continuous optimization based on performance data remains key to standing out in today's competitive marketplace.