Get Your Advertising Strategy Primed for Prime Day

Amazon Prime Day isn't just a sales event—it’s a brand-defining moment that has become a pivotal opportunity for sellers. With millions of shoppers flooding Amazon in search of deals, there is heavy competition for visibility, clicks, and conversions. Brands that come unprepared risk getting lost in the noise. But with the right advertising strategy, Prime Day becomes more than just a revenue boost—it becomes a launchpad for growth, customer acquisition, and long-term marketplace momentum.

• Brands that advertised throughout all phases of Prime Day experienced a 216% increase in awareness and a 214% increase in consideration.
• Sponsored Products accounted for 85.8% of ad-driven sales, with an Advertising Cost of Sales (ACoS) of 27.5%.
• Sellers increased their ad spend by 29% on Sponsored Products during Prime Day 2024 compared to the rest of the year.

These stats highlight just how critical it is for sellers to approach Prime Day with a thoughtful, strategic advertising plan. With the right mix of preparation and smart use of Amazon’s ad tools, brands can tap into the surge in shopper demand and turn visibility into real revenue. Here's how to make sure your brand is primed for Prime Day advertising success.

Setting Up for Prime Day Advertising Success

To successfully advertise during Amazon Prime Day, brands need to prepare early, think strategically, and optimize for both visibility and conversion.

• Audit and Optimize: Before running any ads, brands should ensure their product listings are fully optimized. This includes using high-quality images, clear and compelling titles, keyword-rich bullet points, and enhanced content like Amazon A+ (EBC). Strong listings convert better and improve ad relevance, helping maximize return on ad spend during Prime Day’s high-traffic window.
• Set Budget and Bidding: CPCs increase significantly during Prime Day, so brands must plan their budget well in advance. It’s smart to allocate extra spending to high-margin or top-performing products and consider using dynamic bidding to stay competitive. Planning ahead allows brands to stay flexible and scale quickly as traffic surges.
• Plan Inventory and Fulfillment: Inventory shortages during Prime Day can cost brands sales and ad visibility. To avoid this, brands should forecast demand based on previous performance and traffic trends, restock high-interest items, and ensure fulfillment readiness through FBA or trusted third-party logistics. Staying in stock is essential for ad delivery and Buy Box retention.
• Launch Ahead of Prime Day: Success on Prime Day starts weeks before the event. Brands should launch campaigns 2–3 weeks in advance to build awareness and traffic momentum. Early exposure helps Amazon’s algorithm learn which products are most relevant, improving placement when Prime Day begins. Sponsored Brands, Sponsored Display, and DSP campaigns are especially effective for pre-event traffic.
• Focus on New-to-Brand Customers: Prime Day attracts millions of new shoppers, making it an ideal time for customer acquisition. Brands should promote accessible, giftable, or bestselling products and use Sponsored Brands ads to drive brand discovery. Creating a custom Amazon Storefront or landing page can also help guide new customers through a curated shopping experience.
• Use Badges and Deal Features: Leverage Amazon’s promotional tools like Prime Exclusive Discounts, Coupons, or Lightning Deals to boost visibility. These programs give your products the “Prime Day Deal” badge, which increases click-through rates and shopper trust. Badges also help your ads stand out in a crowded field, driving more qualified traffic.

Types of Prime Day Advertising Opportunities

During Amazon Prime Day, competition is fierce, and ad space is in high demand. To stand out and maximize ROI brands must prioritize the most effective ad formats.

• Sponsored Products: This is the most essential ad type for Prime Day. Sponsored Products promote individual product listings directly within search results and on product detail pages. They're effective because they reach high-intent shoppers who are already browsing similar items. Bidding on high-performing keywords and using automatic + manual campaigns is key during this time.
• Sponsored Brands: These banner-style ads appear at the top of search results and display your brand logo, a custom headline, and multiple products. They’re ideal for driving brand awareness and helping shoppers discover your broader catalog. Prime Day is a great time to direct traffic from Sponsored Brands ads to your Amazon Store, or a curated product landing page focused on Prime Day deals.
• Sponsored Display: These ads allow you to target shoppers both on and off Amazon. You can re-engage past visitors, target shoppers viewing similar products, and reach audiences across Amazon’s broader display network. This is especially powerful for retargeting cart abandoners or those who viewed your product but didn’t purchase.
• Amazon DSP (Demand-Side Platform): DSP allows brands to run highly targeted programmatic ads across Amazon-owned sites and third-party platforms. It’s best for larger budgets and advanced targeting strategies, like reaching new-to-brand audiences or building top-of-funnel awareness in the lead-up to Prime Day.
• Store Spotlight Ads: Within Sponsored Brands, you can use Store Spotlight to direct traffic to different sections of your Amazon Store. This is useful for brands with multiple categories or product lines and helps customers navigate to the most relevant deals quickly.

Advertising Best Practices to Keep in Mind

• Monitor and Optimize in Real Time: Prime Day ad performance can shift rapidly, so brands should actively monitor campaigns throughout the event. That means checking spend, conversions, and keyword performance hourly. Shift budget toward high-performing SKUs, pause low-converting ads, and be ready to make data-driven adjustments on the fly.
• Retarget After the Event: The opportunity doesn’t end on Prime Day. Brands can retarget shoppers who viewed but didn’t purchase using Sponsored Display or DSP ads. Consider offering follow-up discounts or bundle promotions to convert missed opportunities and extend the sales boost into the post-Prime Day period.
• Target the Right Keywords: Instead of focusing solely on high-volume search terms, begin with targeted campaigns that align with your product's unique value proposition. Once you gain traction, gradually expand your keyword efforts. Understanding how the type of traffic relates to relevant search terms is key to building effective campaigns that will drive meaningful traffic to your product listings.
• Utilize Off-Site Opportunities: While Amazon is the centerpiece of Prime Day, brands can expand their impact by partnering with publishers and affiliates to showcase products in articles, gift guides, and deal sites. These off-Amazon placements help capture the attention of shoppers who may not be actively browsing Amazon but are still on the hunt for Prime Day deals.

Amazon Prime Day Advertising Checklist

1. Preparation (2–4 Weeks Before Prime Day):

• Audit and optimize product listings
• Set advertising Budgets
• Plan bidding strategy

2. Inventory and Fulfillment:

• Restock high-interest and top-performing items
• Confirm FBA or third-party logistics readiness
• Monitor Buy Box eligibility
• Forecast demand based on past Prime Day data

3. Campaign Launch (2–3 Weeks Before Prime Day):

• Launch Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, and Sponsored Display campaigns early
• Build brand awareness and traffic momentum
• Use Store Spotlight or custom landing pages for easier navigation

4. Prime Day Advertising Tactics

• Prioritize Sponsored Products as the core revenue driver
• Use Sponsored Brands for brand awareness and catalog discovery
• Set up Sponsored Display to retarget and expand reach
• Use Amazon DSP (if available) for broader audience targeting
• Activate Prime Exclusive Discounts, Coupons, or Lightning Deals
• Ensure deal badges are live to increase click-through rates and shopper trust

5. Real-Time Monitoring (During Prime Day)

• Monitor campaign performance throughout the event
• Shift budget to high-performing ads and SKUs
• Pause underperforming campaigns promptly
• Adjust keyword bids in real time based on performance

6. Post-Prime Day Retargeting

• Retarget shoppers who viewed but didn’t purchase
• Run follow-up campaigns using Sponsored Display or DSP
• Offer bundle discounts or limited-time follow-up deals

7. Measurement and Optimization

• Analyze TACOS, ROAS, CVR, CTR, CPA and Active Bid Hours
• Review performance by ad type and keyword
• Evaluate new-to-brand customer acquisition

Amazon Prime Day is a fast-paced, high-stakes opportunity that rewards preparation, precision, and performance. By planning ahead and choosing the right ad formats, brands can stand out, drive meaningful results, and win both new customers and market share. The brands that thrive on Prime Day aren’t just spending more—they’re spending smarter.