Auto Campaigns: How to Use Them for Discovery on Amazon

TL;DR: Amazon Auto Campaigns are essential for new and growing sellers to boost product discovery. They automatically target relevant keywords and customer behaviors, collect valuable search term data, and lay the foundation for optimized manual campaigns. With smart settings and ongoing optimization using tools like SellerSprite, you can turn Auto Campaigns into a powerful engine for growth.

Key Takeaways

Table of Contents

Note on marketplaces: This guide is specifically optimized for the US market.

What Are Amazon Auto Campaigns?

Amazon Auto Campaigns—officially known as Automated Sponsored Products campaigns—are a type of pay-per-click (PPC) advertising tool that allows sellers to promote their products without manually selecting keywords or audiences. Unlike manual campaigns, where you dictate every targeting parameter, Auto Campaigns let Amazon’s algorithm determine who sees your ads based on your product listing content, customer behavior, and historical performance data.

These campaigns are ideal for new listings or sellers just starting with Amazon PPC. They require minimal setup and act as a discovery engine by exposing your products to a broad but relevant audience. Whether you're a new seller launching your first product or a brand manager scaling multiple SKUs, Auto Campaigns serve as a vital starting point in understanding which search terms drive clicks, conversions, and sales.

Auto Campaigns fall under Amazon’s Sponsored Products ad type and are accessible through Seller Central or via third-party tools like SellerSprite. They operate using four match types: closely related, loosely related, substitutes, and complementary products. These are not visible directly in reporting but influence where your ads appear.

The Value of Auto Campaigns in Product Discovery

For many Amazon sellers, the biggest challenge isn’t making a great product—it’s getting it seen. With over 350 million products listed on Amazon, standing out requires more than just good photography and compelling copy. This is where product discovery comes into play, and Auto Campaigns are one of the most effective tools to accelerate it.

Product discovery refers to the process by which shoppers find your item when searching for related products or categories. Auto Campaigns enhance discovery by placing your product in front of customers who may not have searched for your exact keyword but are browsing or buying similar items. For example, if someone is viewing a premium water bottle, Amazon might show your collapsible travel cup as a substitute or complementary product.

One often overlooked benefit of Auto Campaigns is their role in data collection. Every click, impression, and conversion generates insight into real customer behavior. You’ll learn which search terms trigger your ads, which ones lead to sales, and which are costing money without delivering results. This data becomes the foundation for building highly targeted manual campaigns.

For growth-stage brands, Auto Campaigns help test market response before investing heavily in inventory or advanced advertising strategies. For larger sellers managing hundreds of SKUs, they provide scalability—launching dozens of new products without requiring individual keyword research for each one.

How Auto Campaigns Work: Targeting & Data Collection

Amazon’s Auto Campaign targeting system uses sophisticated algorithms to determine where your ads should appear. While you don’t control specific keywords, Amazon evaluates several elements from your product listing to make these decisions:

• Product Title – The primary source of keyword relevance.
• Enhanced Brand Content (EBC) / A+ Content – Additional text and image descriptions that provide context.
• Backend Search Terms – Hidden keywords that support discoverability.
• Category Placement – Your product’s assigned Amazon category influences visibility.
• Customer Behavior – How shoppers interact with similar products (views, purchases, cart adds).

Based on this information, Amazon assigns your ad to one of four targeting buckets:

1. Closely Related – Shoppers searching for or viewing products very similar to yours.
2. Loosely Related – Broader intent matches, possibly within the same category.
3. Substitutes – Products customers consider instead of the one they’re viewing.
4. Complementary – Items frequently bought together (e.g., phone case + screen protector).

Although these categories aren’t directly selectable, you can infer performance by analyzing search term reports. Over time, you’ll notice patterns in which types of queries drive conversions. This is the heart of data-driven optimization. By downloading the Search Term Report from Seller Central or using automated tools like SellerSprite’s Bulk Optimization Sheets, you can identify high-performing keywords to move into manual campaigns.

For example, a seller of organic dog treats might see “grain-free puppy snacks” in their report with a low ACOS and high conversion rate. That keyword can then be added as an exact match in a manual campaign with a higher bid, increasing control and ROI.

Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up Your First Auto Campaign

Setting up an Auto Campaign is straightforward, even for beginners. Follow this step-by-step guide to launch your first campaign in under 10 minutes.

Step 1: Log in to Amazon Seller Central

Navigate to sellercentral.amazon.com and log in with your credentials. Go to the Advertising tab and select Sponsored Products.

Step 2: Create a New Campaign

Click “Create campaign.” Choose Sponsored Products and then select the Automatic targeting option.

Step 3: Name Your Campaign

Use a clear naming convention such as Auto - [Product Name] - [Date]. This makes future tracking easier, especially if you run multiple campaigns.

Step 4: Set Your Daily Budget

Start with a daily budget between $10–$20. This allows enough impressions to gather data without overspending. Amazon will not exceed your daily cap.

Step 5: Choose Your Bidding Strategy

Amazon offers two default options:

• Dynamic bids – down only (recommended): Amazon lowers your bid when the sale is unlikely.
• Fixed bids: Your bid stays the same regardless of conversion likelihood.

We recommend starting with Dynamic bids – down only to protect your ACoS while maintaining visibility.

Step 6: Select Products to Advertise

Choose the ASIN(s) you want to promote. Focus on bestsellers or new launches with strong conversion potential. Avoid promoting out-of-stock or low-rated items.

Step 7: Launch and Monitor

Review all settings and click “Launch Campaign.” Allow 48–72 hours for data to accumulate before making adjustments.

For a deeper dive into launching your first ad, see our guide: How to Launch Your First Amazon Sponsored Product Campaign.

Optimizing Auto Campaigns for Better Performance

Launching an Auto Campaign is just the beginning. To maximize return on ad spend (ROAS), you need to implement a structured optimization process. Here’s how top-performing sellers do it:

1. Wait for Sufficient Data

Don’t make decisions too soon. Wait until your campaign has at least 50–100 clicks or has been running for 7 days. Early fluctuations can mislead optimization efforts.

2. Download the Search Term Report

Go to Reports > Advertising Reports > Search Term Report in Seller Central. Filter by your Auto Campaign and date range. Export the CSV file.

3. Identify High-Performing Keywords

Sort by metrics like conversions, sales, and ACoS. Look for keywords with:

• At least 1–2 sales
• ACoS below your target (e.g., under 30%)
• High click-through rate (CTR > 0.5%)

4. Add Winners to Manual Campaigns

Create a new manual campaign and add these high-performing keywords as exact or phrase match targets. Increase bids slightly to gain more visibility.

5. Apply Negative Keywords

Identify irrelevant or low-converting search terms (e.g., “free,” “used,” “cheap”) and add them as negative exact or negative phrase keywords in your Auto Campaign. This prevents wasted spend.

6. Adjust Bids Based on Performance

If your Auto Campaign is profitable but under-spent, increase the bid by 10–20%. If ACoS is too high, reduce the bid or pause underperforming keywords through negatives.

7. Repeat Weekly

Optimization is not a one-time task. Run this cycle weekly to continuously refine performance and feed insights into your overall PPC strategy.

Advanced Optimization Tips Using SellerSprite

While Seller Central provides basic reporting, scaling optimization across multiple campaigns demands smarter tools. SellerSprite automates much of the heavy lifting, enabling both new sellers and enterprise teams to optimize faster and more accurately.

1. Real-Time Search Term Analytics

SellerSprite pulls search term data daily, grouping auto campaign keywords by performance tier. You can instantly identify winners (high sales, low ACoS) and losers (high spend, no conversion) without manual sorting.

2. One-Click Negative Keyword Application

Flag irrelevant terms and apply them as negatives across campaigns with a single click. Save hours of manual work and reduce wasted ad spend immediately.

3. Bulk Optimization Sheets

Export data in a structured Excel format with built-in filters and recommendations. Use our Auto Campaign Cleanup Template to streamline keyword harvesting and campaign restructuring.

4. AI-Powered Bid Suggestions

Leverage machine learning to get dynamic bid recommendations based on conversion probability, competition, and profit margin goals. Maximize efficiency without guesswork.

By integrating SellerSprite into your workflow, you turn Auto Campaigns from a passive discovery tool into an active growth engine. For more strategies, explore our comprehensive Amazon PPC Optimization Hub and the Amazon PPC Optimization Playbook.

FAQ

Next Steps

References

• Amazon Sponsored Products Guide View
• SellerSprite Auto Campaign Optimization Tools View
• Amazon Advertising Academy View