Guides
Everything you need to know about Sponsored Display
Discover how you can connect with customers wherever they shop—both on and off Amazon.
Sponsored Display
Sponsored Display is a display advertising solution designed for all businesses,1 whether they sell in the Amazon store or not. Using machine-learning and multi-format creatives, Sponsored Display helps businesses reach customers wherever they spend time, across the Amazon store plus thousands of apps and websites.
Who can use Sponsored Display?
For customers who sell in the Amazon store
If you sell in the Amazon store, Sponsored Display ads are available to sellers enrolled in Amazon Brand Registry, book vendors, vendors and agencies with clients.
For businesses that don’t sell in the Amazon store (beta)
Whether you sell pizzas, cars, or theater tickets; or you offer educational programs, home repairs, or fitness classes—all businesses2 can start using Sponsored Display today.
Why should I use Sponsored Display?
With minimal campaign inputs and flexible cost structures to fit different needs, Sponsored Display is available for any business to get started in minutes. Sponsored Display can help advertisers discover, reach, and engage the right audiences in the right context across their shopping journeys.
Activate Amazon’s exclusive inventory
Meet customers as they stream, shop, browse, or game by being present across a wide array of channels like product detail pages, owned and operated sites like Twitch and IMDb, and third-party destinations.
Engage the right audiences in the most relevant contexts
Activate audiences built from shopping and streaming signals and leverage multi-format, dynamically-optimized creatives to convey the right message.
Drive new demand for your business
Drive conversions, page visits, or reach if you sell in the Amazon store. If you don’t sell in the Amazon store, drive visits to your website, or boost visibility of your business.
Sponsored display placements
Where do Sponsored Display ads appear?
Sponsored Display ads can be found in many locations across the Amazon store plus thousands of apps and websites. For example, placements can be found on the Amazon homepage and product detail pages, owned and operated sites like Twitch and IMDb, and third-party destinations. Placements are automatically selected based on your targeting tactic and optimized to help drive your desired outcome.
Use video in your Sponsored Display campaign
Sponsored Display video allows you to showcase your brand and products in action, access video-dedicated inventory across Amazon plus third-party apps and sites, and pair with Sponsored Display capabilities for more flexibility to reach audiences in new ways.
Convert browsers into buyers with compelling video content that shows the unique features and benefits of your brand’s products
Easily access Sponsored Display video formats with no minimum spends
No video? No problem
Whether you have existing video assets or are starting from scratch, Amazon's video creative production and editing services can help you produce inspiring videos for Sponsored TV. Get your video as added value with qualifying campaigns or as affordable at-cost fee-based services.
Launch announcements
What's new with Sponsored Display
Browse the latest Sponsored Display feature releases and enhancements.
AI image generation for Sponsored Display open in seven new regions
Sponsored Display advertisers can access AI-generated images within Ads Console. AI image generation puts innovation into the hands of our customers.
Promote your products on Amazon Business with Sponsored Display.
You can now link other Manager accounts (in additional to Sponsored Ads and ADSP advertiser accounts) to your Manager account.
A pro sports team reached new fans with Sponsored Display
How a pro sports team reached new audiences with Sponsored Display, an Amazon Ads solution for businesses that don’t sell on Amazon.
Key learnings
7x
Three weeks post optimization, the pro sports team’s campaign increased impressions by 7 times.3
70%
Three weeks post optimization, the pro sports team’s campaign increased clickthrough rate by 70 percent.4
Thule partners with agency Global Overview to help increase traffic
Learn how Global Overview used Sponsored Display video to help drive more efficient traffic for Thule’s Urban Glide 2 stroller.
Key learnings
190%
Global Overview had been testing Sponsored Brands video for Thule, which had a 1.24-point-higher click-through rate (CTR), a 2-point-higher conversion rate, and a 190% higher return on ad spend when compared to static Sponsored Brands placements.5
Using Sponsored Display to help increase brand awareness with Amazon Ads
Discover how Bagail, a travel and home accessories company, uses Sponsored Display to help improve visibility of their products to shoppers.
Key learnings
2x
While using Sponsored Display, Bagail has observed that discoverability for their brand name and products have doubled from 2021 to 2022.6
How do I create a Sponsored Display campaign?
2
Sign in to your account, click “Create campaign,” and choose Sponsored Display. Give your campaign a name and choose your settings.
3
Select your optimization strategy and input your cost.
4
Choose between static image creative and video creative.
5
Add the products that you want to promote in this campaign.
6
Customize your creative in the Creative Builder by choosing a headline and logo, image, or video.
7
Customize your creative in the Creative Builder by choosing a headline and logo, image, or video.
Frequently asked
questions, answered
How do I run a Sponsored Display campaign?
Sponsored Display ads are run through the Amazon Ads console and Amazon Ads API.
How much does Sponsored Display cost?
Sponsored Display supports cost-per-click (CPC) as well as cost-per-thousand viewable impression (vCPM) pricing options with no minimum campaign spend requirements. You can specify your daily bid and budget, and change your bid or pause your campaign whenever you want.
Should I add keywords to my Sponsored Display campaign?
No. Sponsored Display uses rich shopping and contextual signals to help advertisers reach relevant audiences.
How can I measure results from my Sponsored Display campaign?
The results you measure will depend on the objective you’re trying to achieve. For example, if your objective is to drive awareness and you sell in the Amazon store, you may want to measure new-to-brand sales, branded searches, and video view metrics. If your objective is to increase consideration and you sell in the Amazon store, you may want to measure detail page views and clicks. If your objective is to increase sales and you sell in the Amazon store, you may want to measure attributed orders and ROAS.
What is the difference between Sponsored Display audiences and contextual targeting? Can I use them together?
Both help you reach relevant audiences. Contextual targeting allows you to target specific products and/or categories of detail pages on Amazon to help drive consideration or sales. Sponsored Display audiences allows you to use Amazon’s rich shopping and streaming signals to help grow your business. Contextual targeting can be used in conjunction with Sponsored Display audiences. Use contextual targeting to help generate detail page traffic, and then Sponsored Display audiences to reengage audiences and help secure missed sales opportunities or further cultivate brand loyalty.
What type of creative formats does Sponsored Display support?
If you sell in the Amazon store, Sponsored Display supports static images and video creatives. If you don’t sell in the Amazon store, Sponsored Display supports static images.
Where are customers taken when they click on my Sponsored Display ad?
Customers may be taken to a product detail page on Amazon if you sell in the Amazon store or an external website if you don’t sell in the Amazon store.
What are the video specification requirements for Sponsored Display video?
- Maximum file size: 500MB
- Aspect ratio: 16:9
- Minimum duration: 6s
- Maximum duration: 45s
- Minimum dimensions: 1920 X 1080
- Video frame rate (fps): 23.976 (recommended), 24, 25, or 29.97
- Minimum audio bit rate: 192kbps
- Audio sample rate: 44.1kHz or 48kHz
- Supported formats: Video: H.264, MPEG-2, or MPEG-4 Audio: PCM or AAC
- Audio channel: Stereo or mono
- Recommended video bit rate: 8mbps
- Recommended duration: A duration of exactly 6s, 15s, 20s, or 30s is recommended. Use of videos outside of these durations may negatively impact your campaign performance. Shorter lengths will drive higher VCR (although scale on 6s may be limited).
What is the viewer experience if I use Sponsored Display video?
Your video ads will autoplay on a loop and be muted by default, with a control button with the option to unmute. On Amazon Publisher Direct and third-party exchanges, your videos may also include additional features, such as a video expand button, a call to action, and an option to skip if in-stream, which will depend on the publisher setting.
Sources
1-2 Subject to certain Amazon Ads’ policies and restrictions available here.
3-5 Goodway Group, United States, 2023.
6 Advertiser-provided data, US, 2022. Results are reflective of campaigns for one advertiser, Bagail, and are not indicative of future outcomes.