What is Amazon AMS? Amazon Marketing Services Guide 2026

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Amazon Marketing Services (AMS) Explained

By Ashutosh Kumar - Updated on 30 December 2025

Amazon Marketing Services (AMS) is Amazon's PPC ad platform. This guide shows how to use AMS to set up ad campaigns and shares key tips to boost advertising ROI.

Amazon's e-commerce platform isn't just a marketplace - it's also a massive advertising channel. In 2024, Amazon's advertising business generated over $56 billion in revenue, reflecting how essential Amazon Ads have become for sellers.

The core of Amazon's advertising offerings is known as Amazon Marketing Services (AMS). AMS (Amazon Marketing Services) is the original name for Amazon's pay-per-click advertising platform for sellers and vendors, which allows brands to run sponsored ads on Amazon. It's sometimes also called the Amazon Advertising Console or simply Amazon Ads after a 2018 rebranding. In simple terms, AMS Amazon refers to the suite of tools sellers use to promote products through sponsored listings and display ads on Amazon's website and app.

Running effective Amazon PPC campaigns via AMS is now a cornerstone strategy for increasing product visibility and sales on Amazon. It's important to note that "AMS" can mean two different things in the Amazon ecosystem. In the context of e-commerce and marketing, AMS means Amazon Marketing Services (the ad platform). However, AMS is also an acronym for Amazon Managed Services, an AWS offering for enterprise cloud management - a completely separate service clarified later in this guide.

In this guide, the focus is on Amazon Marketing Services and how you can leverage this advertising platform to grow your business on Amazon. You'll see how to advertise on Amazon using AMS, the types of ads available, key metrics like ACoS/TACoS, optimization strategies, and some India-specific insights for Amazon.in sellers.

By the end, you should have a clear understanding of AMS Amazon meaning in the marketing sense and practical tips to get the most out of Amazon's ad services.

Understanding Amazon Marketing Services (AMS)

Amazon Marketing Services (AMS) is essentially Amazon's internal advertising platform that lets sellers and vendors create pay-per-click (PPC) ads to reach shoppers on Amazon. The full form of "AMS" is Amazon Marketing Services, and it was the term used when Amazon first launched these advertising tools for brands.

As of 2018, Amazon unified AMS along with other advertising products under the single banner "Amazon Advertising". Today, if you log into the Amazon advertising console, you're using what used to be called AMS. Despite the name change, many advertisers still refer to the system as AMS Amazon out of habit, so it's common to hear this acronym in the industry. From a practical standpoint, AMS gives sellers the ability to boost their product listings' visibility through paid placements.

These sponsored placements appear alongside organic search results and on product detail pages, labeled as "Sponsored". The big advantage of Amazon's ad platform is that it targets high-intent shoppers - people already on Amazon searching for products. You only pay when someone clicks your ad (a cost-per-click model), and there's no charge for the ad impressions themselves. This means a well-run AMS campaign can drive highly relevant traffic to your product pages at a controllable cost.

Sellers use AMS to capture more share of voice on Amazon's search pages, ensuring their products are prominently visible to potential buyers. In competitive categories, not using AMS can mean your product gets buried while competitors' sponsored products get top billing.

It's also worth noting how Amazon Marketing Services has evolved. Initially, AMS was available only to vendors (first-party sellers to Amazon) and involved a separate login. Over time, Amazon opened advertising to third-party sellers in Seller Central and consolidated the platforms.

Now, whether you're an individual seller or a large brand vendor, you access Amazon's advertising console as part of your account. Amazon has continued to expand features - adding new ad formats, more targeting options, and richer analytics - all under the Amazon Ads umbrella.

In summary, AMS (Amazon Marketing Services) = Amazon's advertising platform, empowering brands to amplify product exposure and sales through paid ads within the Amazon marketplace.

Key Advertising Solutions Under AMS

Amazon's advertising platform offers several ad formats and tools. Here are the core components of Amazon Marketing Services that advertisers can use.

Amazon DSP (Demand-Side Platform)

Beyond the self-service AMS ad types above, Amazon also offers the Amazon DSP for programmatic advertising. Amazon DSP allows you to purchase display and video ads at scale, both on Amazon-owned sites and on external websites and mobile apps, using Amazon's data for targeting.

DSP campaigns can reach audiences even if they're not currently on Amazon, which is useful for upper-funnel marketing and retargeting off-site. Unlike Sponsored ads, DSP is typically used by more advanced advertisers and can reach customers who aren't necessarily looking for your product yet (prospecting) as well as those who showed interest (retargeting).

Amazon DSP often requires a larger budget or working with an Amazon Ads account team or agency. For most sellers, the self-service Sponsored ad types within AMS will be the primary focus.

If you don't sell on Amazon at all, Amazon DSP is actually the main avenue to advertise your brand to Amazon's audience - but that's outside the scope of typical "Amazon Marketing Services" for sellers.

In summary, Amazon Marketing Services encompasses Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands (with video options), Sponsored Display, and access to Amazon's broader advertising network through DSP. Each ad type serves a different goal and a balanced Amazon advertising strategy will often use a mix of these.

Setting Up Amazon Ads (How to Advertise on Amazon)

Getting started with AMS is straightforward, but there are a few prerequisites and steps to know. Here's a quick guide on how to advertise on Amazon using Amazon Marketing Services.

1. Meet the Requirements

To use Amazon's advertising, you need to have an Amazon selling account (or vendor account). If you're a third-party seller (using Seller Central) in a marketplace like Amazon.com or Amazon.in, you automatically have access to the advertising console once your account is active.

Vendors (first-party suppliers selling wholesale to Amazon) also have access via their Amazon Advertising interface. Ensure your products are in stock and eligible for the Buy Box, as this impacts ad visibility.

2. Access the Amazon Ads Console

Amazon's ad platform is accessed through the Amazon Advertising console (sometimes called the Amazon Ads Manager). You can log in with your Seller Central credentials for your marketplace.

There's also a localized portal for Amazon India - when you use the Amazon Ads India login, it will direct you to the same advertising dashboard for Amazon.in. Once logged in, you'll see the campaign manager where you can create and manage your ads.

If it's your first time, Amazon may prompt you to set up your account details (like time zone). The interface is user-friendly, with navigation for Campaigns, Reports, and settings to manage billing or permissions on your Amazon Ads manager account.

3. Create a Campaign

In the advertising console, click "Create campaign." You'll first choose your campaign type — for beginners, Sponsored Products is usually recommended.

Sponsored Brands and Sponsored Display will appear as options if you're Brand Registered. After selecting Sponsored Products, you'll go through the campaign setup wizard.

4. Name and Duration

Give your campaign a name and set a start date (and optional end date if it's a time-bound promo).

5. Daily Budget

Decide how much you're willing to spend per day on this campaign.

6. Targeting Type

Choose Automatic targeting (Amazon will match your ads to relevant search terms) or Manual targeting (you will enter specific keywords or products to target). Auto is easier for new advertisers, while manual gives more control.

7. Bidding Strategy

Amazon offers options like dynamic bids (down-only, or up-and-down) or fixed bids. A common default is "dynamic bids - down only," where Amazon may lower your bid for less likely conversions.

8. Ad Group & Products

Select the product(s) you want to advertise from your catalog. You can group similar products in one campaign or advertise a single ASIN.

9. Keywords/Targeting

If you chose manual targeting, add keywords - Amazon will suggest some, and you can input your own. You'll also set bids for each keyword.

For automatic campaigns, Amazon will handle this step, but you can still adjust default bids.

10. Launch

Once your keywords (if manual) and bids are set, submit the campaign. Amazon will review it briefly and then it will start running. You've just launched your first AMS campaign. Setting up ads on Amazon is designed to be approachable even for new sellers.

11. Refine with Targeting and Negative Keywords

After campaigns run for a while, you'll want to optimize. If you used automatic targeting, pull a search term report after a week or two to see which search queries generated clicks or sales. Consider moving well-performing queries into a manual campaign for more control. If certain search terms are not relevant and just costing you money, add them as negative keywords to prevent your ad from showing on those.

12. Monitor and Adjust

In the Amazon Ads dashboard, monitor key metrics of your campaigns. You can adjust bids higher for keywords that are performing well or lower bids on those that overspend without results. You might also allocate more daily budget to campaigns that are profitable. Amazon Ads is a hands-on process of tweaking and improvement over time.

13. Using Amazon Ads API (Advanced)

Most sellers will use the Amazon Ads console interface to manage campaigns. However, for more advanced programmatic control, Amazon offers an Amazon Advertising API.

This API allows developers or integrators to manage campaigns, ads, keywords, bids, and get reports via software. It is typically used by tool providers or larger sellers who want to automate complex campaign management. If you're searching for "Amazon Ads API login," note that there isn't a separate login portal for the API - instead, you generate credentials in the ads console's developer settings, then use those keys to authorize API calls.

For most beginners, the web console is sufficient. You can go from zero to your first sponsored ad in just minutes - the key is to start small, learn how the system works, and then gradually expand your campaigns.

Optimizing and Measuring Performance on AMS

Once your Amazon Marketing Services campaigns are running, the next step is optimization — fine-tuning your ads to achieve the best return on investment. Amazon provides a wealth of data on ad performance.

Here are some key metrics and strategies to focus on.

ACoS (Advertising Cost of Sales)

ACoS is one of the most important metrics in Amazon PPC. It's calculated as ad spend divided by ad-attributed sales, expressed as a percentage.

A lower ACoS generally means your campaign is more cost-efficient. Your target ACoS will depend on your profit margins - many sellers aim to keep ACoS below their product margin percentage to remain profitable. Monitoring ACoS helps you gauge if your bids are too high or if certain keywords are too expensive. If ACoS is rising, you might reduce bids on costly keywords or pause underperforming ads.

TACoS (Total Advertising Cost of Sales)

TACoS takes a broader view. It is ad spend divided by total sales (ad + organic) and shows how your ads are impacting overall revenue. If TACoS is decreasing over time, it can indicate that your ads are not only driving direct sales but also boosting organic sales. Balancing TACoS vs ACoS is important for a full picture of performance.

CTR and CVR

Click-Through Rate (CTR) tells you what percentage of people who see your ad click it. Conversion Rate (CVR) tells you what percentage of clicks result in a purchase. If CTR is low, you might need to improve your ad's relevance or creative. If conversion is low, you may need to optimize your product page content or targeting.

Optimize Your Product Listings

A crucial but sometimes overlooked aspect of AMS success is the quality of your product detail page. Ads can drive traffic, but conversion depends heavily on title, images, description, price, and reviews. Make sure to apply best practices of Amazon SEO and listing optimization. By improving your listing's relevance and appeal (doing good Amazon SEO), your ads will perform better and you'll get more sales per click.

Bid Management and Keyword Tuning

AMS gives you control over bids at the keyword or campaign level. Raise bids on keywords that are converting well and lower bids or pause keywords that spend a lot with few sales. Over time, you'll identify "hero" keywords that drive most of your sales. Also, regularly search for new keywords to add and don't forget to add negative keywords for irrelevant traffic.

Leverage Automatic Campaigns for Insights

Even if you primarily run manual keyword campaigns, it's smart to run a few automatic targeting campaigns in the background. Automatic campaigns let Amazon test a wide range of search queries. By examining the search term report, you can discover new high-performing search terms to add to your manual campaigns. Auto campaigns essentially act as research.

Use Campaign Segmentation

Structure your campaigns logically. Avoid lumping too many different products into one ad group with a generic set of keywords. Instead, group products by similarity or category and ensure the keywords in that campaign are closely related. This improves relevance and simplifies optimization.

Monitor Share of Voice and Competitors

Check how often your ads appear in top spots for your main keywords. The concept of share of voice on Amazon refers to the proportion of exposure your brand or product gets in search results compared to competitors. If competitors are consistently outbidding you for prime placements, you may need to adjust bids, improve relevance, or find alternate keywords. Winning top ad slots can significantly boost sales.

Experiment with Ad Creative and Placement

For Sponsored Brands, test different headlines or product combinations. If you have access to Sponsored Brands Video, test different video clips or messaging. With Sponsored Display, upload custom imagery or logos that align with your brand. Amazon also introduces new features periodically, so try them out early when possible.

Track and Adjust to Outcomes

Set specific goals for your campaigns (e.g., increase sales by 20% or maintain ACoS under 25%). Use reporting like Search Term reports and Placement reports to see if you're hitting those targets.

Optimization is an ongoing process of testing, learning, and refining. Effective use of AMS can lead to a virtuous cycle where ads drive more sales, rankings improve, and organic sales grow. High sales volume can even help you earn badges like the "Best Seller" badge in your category, further boosting credibility and click-through rates. To sum up, focus on data-driven optimization: use metrics like ACoS and TACoS, keep tweaking your keywords and bids, improve your product pages, and scale up what works.

Amazon Marketing Services in India: Key Highlights

Amazon's advertising works largely the same way across all regions, but it's worth discussing AMS in the context of Amazon India (Amazon.in). Amazon India is one of Amazon's largest marketplaces globally, with over 150 million active users as of 2025.

For sellers operating on Amazon.in, AMS is available and critical for success. All the ad types discussed - Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, Sponsored Display - are offered on Amazon India's advertising console. If you have a Seller Central account for Amazon.in, you can access the Amazon Ads dashboard. The interface and campaign setup steps are essentially the same, except your campaigns target customers on Amazon.in and use INR (₹) as the currency. One key consideration is the competitive landscape. Amazon faces strong competition in India from Flipkart, and many sellers sell on both platforms and often compare Amazon vs Flipkart for sellers.

Flipkart has its own ads platform, but Amazon's is generally seen as more mature given Amazon's global experience. Amazon's user base in India is highly engaged and often skewed towards urban, higher-value customers.

When advertising on Amazon India, consider local shopping events and seasonality. India has major festive shopping periods like Diwali, when Amazon runs the "Great Indian Festival" sales, similar to Prime Day or Black Friday. Smart advertisers ramp up campaigns ahead of these events. Also, be mindful of cultural nuances and potentially tailor keywords or imagery to Indian consumers' preferences. Advertising costs (CPCs) in India can differ by category. In some categories, they might be lower, but in fast-growing segments like smartphones or fashion, competition is heating up and CPCs have risen.

Monitor your ACoS in the local context and stay informed on local e-commerce trends. A high rate of mobile shopping means ensuring your ads and product pages are mobile-friendly.

For example, a brand that used insights from an Amazon e-commerce growth strategy study in India found that tailoring ad schedules around Indian festivals boosted ROI significantly.

In summary, if you're selling on Amazon.in, treat AMS as a must-have in your toolkit. As Amazon continues to invest heavily in India's market, the reach and impact of Amazon Ads in India will only grow.

Amazon Managed Services (AWS AMS) vs. Amazon Marketing Services (Advertising)

As mentioned earlier, the acronym AMS also refers to something completely different: AWS Managed Services. It's easy to get confused if you encounter "AMS" in an AWS cloud computing context.

Let's clarify.

AWS Managed Services (AMS)

AWS Managed Services (AMS) is an offering from Amazon Web Services (AWS) that provides enterprise-grade support and management of a company's cloud infrastructure. In other words, AWS AMS is not about marketing or advertising at all - it's about IT operations.

Companies that use AWS for their applications can enlist AWS Managed Services to handle day-to-day cloud management tasks such as monitoring, security, patching, backups, and incident response.

Managed Services helps you operate AWS efficiently and securely by extending your team with AWS experts and automating routine activities. For instance, AWS AMS implements best practices and automates things like change requests, patch management, and compliance checks to reduce operational overhead.

Pricing and Usage

AWS Managed Services is typically aimed at larger enterprises or those with significant AWS workloads. It often involves a custom pricing model (sometimes a percentage of AWS usage or a fixed fee) depending on the level of support and services.

AWS AMS isn't something an average Amazon seller would interact with; it's managed via AWS console, not Amazon Seller Central. It's essentially an outsourcing of cloud operations to Amazon's team.

Benefits highlighted include proactive incident detection and potential cost optimizations on cloud operations through automation.

No Overlap with Amazon Ads

Other than the shared acronym, AWS Managed Services has no overlap with Amazon Marketing Services. One deals with cloud infrastructure, the other with e-commerce advertising.

If you come across "AMS" in an AWS whitepaper or technical discussion, it likely means Managed Services. In marketing or seller communities, "AMS" almost always means Amazon's advertising.

In short, AMS (Amazon Marketing Services) and AWS AMS (Amazon Managed Services) are entirely separate. Context determines which one is being discussed.

Conclusion

Amazon Marketing Services - or Amazon Ads, as it's now known - has become an indispensable tool for businesses looking to thrive on the Amazon platform. By understanding how AMS works and implementing thoughtful campaigns, sellers can dramatically increase product visibility and sales velocity.

This guide explored how to set up campaigns, the various ad formats available, and techniques for optimizing performance. The key takeaways are: be data-driven, stay relevant, and continuously refine. Use metrics like ACoS and TACoS to guide decisions, invest in making product listings top-notch, and experiment with new features and approaches.

For sellers in specific markets like India, adapting to local trends and consumer behavior will make Amazon advertising even more effective. While advertising can drive quick wins, its true power is unlocked when it feeds into your overall flywheel - boosting organic rankings, building your brand, and creating a loyal customer base.

In the end, successful Amazon sellers treat AMS not as a one-time effort but as an ongoing part of their business strategy. They continually find ways to increase sales on Amazon by leveraging both advertising and organic tactics hand-in-hand.

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In a landscape where hype is common, GrowthJockey stands out by driving innovation with discipline and evidence. The result is businesses architected for growth, resilient through iterations, and primed to scale when the moment is right - including using AMS as a powerful engine within a broader growth strategy.

FAQs

Q1. What is Amazon AMS?

Amazon AMS stands for Amazon Marketing Services, Amazon's former name for its PPC advertising platform that allows sellers to run sponsored ads to promote their products.

Q2. What are AMS at Amazon?

AMS at Amazon refers to the suite of advertising services including Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, and Sponsored Display ads that sellers use to market their products on the platform.

Q3. What does AWS AMS do?

AWS AMS (Amazon Managed Services) is a cloud service that manages AWS infrastructure for companies, handling tasks like monitoring, security patches, backups, and operational issues—completely unrelated to advertising.

Q4. Is AMS part of Amazon?

Yes, AMS is part of Amazon in two forms: Amazon Marketing Services (advertising division) for e-commerce sellers and AWS Managed Services (cloud computing arm) for IT operations.

DISCLAIMER: The information in this article is general in nature and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Readers are solely responsible for their decisions, and we disclaim all liability for any losses or damages arising from reliance on this content.