Introduction
For years, sellers have relied heavily on Amazon PPC to grow their business. But with rising CPCs and increasing competition, profitability has become harder to maintain. The solution? External traffic.
Amazon rewards listings that bring in converting external traffic with higher keyword rankings, improved visibility, and stronger sales velocity. This makes external traffic one of the most powerful (and underutilized) tools for Amazon sellers today.
Why Amazon Rewards External Traffic
- Sales Velocity: External traffic that converts accelerates sales history, a key ranking factor.
- Algorithmic Preference: Amazon favors products that bring shoppers to its platform.
- Competitive Edge: While most sellers fight over PPC, external traffic allows you to bypass some of that competition.
Top External Traffic Sources
- Google Ads
- Capture high-intent buyers searching for products like yours.
- Often less competitive than Amazon PPC for certain niches.
- Meta (Facebook/Instagram)
- Great for product discovery and retargeting.
- Ideal for lifestyle products with strong visual appeal.
- TikTok & Influencers
- Rapid virality potential.
- Authentic user-generated content drives trust and conversions.
- Email Marketing
- Launch campaigns, promotions, and product announcements.
- Drives repeat purchases back to Amazon.
- Content Marketing
- Blog posts, YouTube videos, and niche forums can provide evergreen traffic.
Tracking ROI with Amazon Attribution
- Attribution Console: Gives visibility into which external channels drive sales.
- Tagging: Use unique attribution tags for each campaign and influencer.
- Insights: Optimize spend by focusing on high-converting channels.
Strategies for Success
- Launch Boosts
- Use external traffic to accelerate sales during new product launches.
- Promo Campaigns
- Combine coupons or deals with external ads for maximum conversion.
- Hybrid Approach
- Balance PPC for keyword defense with external traffic for ranking pushes.
- Retargeting
- Re-engage customers who clicked but didn’t buy.
Common Mistakes Sellers Make
- Sending external traffic to poorly optimized listings.
- Failing to measure ROI (guessing instead of tracking).
- Relying too heavily on one channel (e.g., only influencers).
- Stopping campaigns too early—momentum takes time.
Real-World Case Study
A beauty brand ran TikTok influencer campaigns alongside Google Ads. Within 60 days:
- Organic rank jumped from page 7 to page 1 for three main keywords.
- TACoS dropped from 20% to 13%.
- Monthly sales grew 45%, with 30% of revenue now driven by external traffic.
Conclusion
External traffic is no longer optional for Amazon sellers who want to scale. By leveraging Google, Meta, TikTok, influencers, and email marketing, you can:
- Improve keyword rankings
- Boost sales velocity
- Reduce reliance on costly PPC
- Build a more sustainable, profitable business
The bottom line: Amazon rewards sellers who bring customers to the platform. External traffic is the secret weapon to long-term success.
