Introduction
Many Amazon sellers treat auto campaigns as a hands-off tool. But the reality is — Amazon auto campaigns can be your secret weapon for finding valuable keywords, controlling brand visibility, and scaling ad performance… if you use them strategically.
In this post, we’ll break down how to:
- Understand the logic behind Amazon’s auto targeting
- Identify branded vs. non-branded terms
- Structure your campaigns to separate traffic types
- Apply negative targeting to cut waste and boost profitability
Let’s dive into how you can take auto from “basic” to brilliant.
How Amazon Auto Campaigns Work
When you launch an auto campaign, Amazon automatically matches your products to customer search terms based on:
- Your product title
- Backend keywords
- Product detail page content
- Historical performance data
Amazon uses 4 match types within auto:
- Close Match – Similar keywords
- Loose Match – Broader search terms
- Substitutes – Products that are alternative to yours
- Complements – Products often bought with yours
Why Branded vs. Non-Branded Matters
The performance difference between branded and non-branded search terms is massive.
- Branded terms (e.g., “Nike running shoes”) typically have higher CTR and CVR.
- Non-branded terms (e.g., “men’s running shoes”) help grow awareness and reach.
If you don’t segment them, you can’t control bids, spend, or strategy.
How to Identify Branded vs. Non-Branded Terms
Pull your Search Term Report from auto campaigns and classify:
- Branded: Terms that include your brand name or product names
- Non-Branded: Generic terms or competitor brand names
Use Excel or a tool like Helium 10, DataDive, or ZonTools to filter terms accordingly.
Step-by-Step Optimization Strategy
Step 1: Launch 2 Separate Auto Campaigns
- Branded Auto Campaign: Let this capture only branded traffic
- Non-Branded Auto Campaign: Designed to discover converting generic terms
Step 2: Use Negative Keyword Targeting
In the non-branded campaign, negate your own brand terms.
In the branded campaign, negate generic and competitor terms.
💡 Pro Tip: Update negations weekly as new terms emerge.
Step 3: Monitor Performance by Match Type
Break out match types into separate ad groups:
- Ad Group 1: Close Match
- Ad Group 2: Loose Match
- Ad Group 3: Substitutes
- Ad Group 4: Complements
This gives you insight into where performance is coming from — and where to adjust bids.
Step 4: Adjust Bids Based on CVR and ACOS
Use data from each ad group and campaign to:
- Increase bids for top converting match types or terms
- Lower or pause underperformers
- Shift proven terms to manual campaigns for full control
Step 5: Use Auto as a Discovery Engine
Top sellers treat auto campaigns as keyword discovery tools.
Here’s how:
- Monitor new search terms weekly
- Tag winners with high CVR and ROAS
- Add them to exact match manual campaigns
- Harvest, then scale
Real Example: Brand vs. Non-Brand Split
Client: Home goods brand
- Pre-optimization ACOS: 49%
- Post-split into branded/non-branded:
- Branded ACOS: 12%
- Non-branded ACOS: 37%
- Total ACOS: 26%
- ROAS increased by 2.2x
- Weekly ad spend remained the same
Tools That Help
- Amazon Search Term Report
- Helium 10 Keyword Tracker
- DataDive for deeper keyword intent
- ZonTools for negation automation
- Marketplace Valet (that’s us!) for full-service ad management
Common Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Keeping all match types in one ad group
❌ Neglecting to negate branded terms in non-branded campaigns
❌ Never harvesting converting keywords
❌ Using auto campaigns long-term without analysis
Final Thoughts
Amazon auto campaigns aren’t “set it and forget it.”
They’re “set, analyze, segment, harvest, repeat.”
The key to powerful performance is separating branded and non-branded traffic — and bidding accordingly.
If you’re running auto campaigns without negations or segmentation, you’re handing Amazon the steering wheel and hoping it takes you somewhere profitable.
Want Help Doing This?
At Marketplace Valet, we specialize in:
✅ Ad structure audits
✅ Branded vs. non-branded segmentation
✅ Negation management
✅ Conversion-based bidding strategies
📩 Reach out: justin@marketplacevalet.com
🌐 https://marketplacevalet.com
