Amazon Book Ad Targeting Guide
⚠️ Start ads AFTER you have launch reviews. A book with 0 reviews converts poorly from ad traffic — ARC reviews are your ads' conversion foundation.
Amazon Ads put your book in front of readers who are already shopping for books in your genre. Unlike social media advertising, Amazon shoppers are in purchase-mode when they see your ad. This guide covers keyword targeting, ASIN targeting, bid strategy, and ACOS benchmarks for KDP authors.
Get Reviews First →Amazon Ad Types for Books
Sponsored Products
Placement: Search results and product pages
Primary driver of discovery and sales. Most used format for book ads.
Sponsored Brands
Placement: Top of search results banner
Series books and author brand building. Requires 3 books minimum.
Lockscreen Ads
Placement: Kindle e-reader lock screens (KU only)
KU-enrolled books targeting KU subscribers. High visibility, niche targeting.
Keyword Targeting Strategy
Genre keywords
Broad category targeting: 'contemporary romance kindle unlimited', 'dark romance series'. High volume, competitive bids.
Trope keywords
Specific appeal: 'enemies to lovers romance', 'grumpy sunshine romance books'. Higher conversion than genre-only.
Comparable authors
Target readers searching '[author name]' or 'books like [author]'. Buyers already know the genre they want.
ASIN product targeting
Show on competitor book pages. Intercept readers in comparison-shopping mode. Often highest conversion.
Reviews Before Ads. Always.
Amazon ads drive traffic. ARC reviews convert traffic. Get your launch reviews with iWrity before you spend a dollar on ads.
Start ARC Campaign →Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between keyword targeting and product targeting in Amazon Ads?+
Keyword targeting shows your ad when shoppers search specific terms ('dark romance kindle unlimited', 'mountain man romance'). Product (ASIN) targeting shows your ad on the pages of specific books or categories — you appear on the detail page of comparable books, intercepting readers who are already in the consideration phase. Both work for different funnel stages: keyword targeting for discovery, product targeting for comparison shopping.
What is ACOS and what is a good ACOS for book ads?+
ACOS (Advertising Cost of Sale) = ad spend ÷ ad revenue × 100. If you spent $10 and made $20 in sales attributed to ads, your ACOS is 50%. For ebooks with 70% royalty on $4.99, your break-even ACOS is approximately 70% × $4.99 / $4.99 × 100 = 70%. ACOS under your royalty percentage = profitable. For series, you can run higher ACOS on book 1 if subsequent books are read-through income — a $4.99 book 1 loss can be profitable if it sells a 5-book series.
What match types should I use for book keyword targeting?+
Phrase match is the starting recommendation for most book keyword campaigns — it matches searches that contain your keyword phrase in order, allowing some variation. Broad match captures more traffic but less relevant. Exact match is too narrow for discovery. Best practice: start with phrase match on your core keywords, then identify high-converting terms from search term reports and add them as exact match at higher bids.
What keywords should authors target for romance books?+
Romance keyword layers: (1) genre keywords ('contemporary romance kindle unlimited', 'dark romance series'), (2) trope keywords ('enemies to lovers romance', 'grumpy sunshine romance'), (3) comparables (author names and book titles of comparable authors — 'books like [author name]'), (4) category keywords ('small town romance books', 'sports romance series'). Trope and comparable targeting often outperform generic genre terms because buyer intent is more specific.
How do I find competitor ASINs to target with product ads?+
Find comparable ASINs through: Amazon 'Customers also bought' and 'Customers also viewed' sections on comparable books, Amazon category bestseller lists, and manual search for books in your subgenre. Target the top 20–50 books in your exact category and subgenre. Also target comparable author's entire back catalogs — readers browsing their books are exactly your target audience.
Should I run ads before I have reviews?+
Running ads before you have reviews wastes budget. A book with 0 reviews has conversion rates dramatically lower than a book with 10+ reviews — ads drive traffic to your page, but reviews close the sale. Sequence correctly: collect ARC reviews before launch (using iWrity or similar), launch with reviews visible, then turn on ads. ARC reviews aren't just for social proof — they're your ads' conversion foundation.