Auto campaigns on Amazon are often the go-to for sellers—they’re easy to set up, require minimal effort, and can help you discover new keywords. But what happens when your auto campaigns aren’t delivering? Poor performance in auto campaigns can be frustrating because they’re supposed to “just work.”
If your clicks are high but sales are low, or your ACoS is creeping up with no real return, it’s time to troubleshoot. Don’t worry—auto campaigns aren’t a lost cause. In this blog, we’ll dig into the key issues that can tank your auto campaigns and how to fix them. Let’s turn those underperforming ads around.
Analyze your search term report
One of the biggest reasons auto campaigns fail is irrelevant targeting. Amazon’s algorithm casts a wide net, and not every keyword it picks will be right for your product. Your search term report is the first place to check.
What to do:
- Look for irrelevant or low-performing search terms and add them as negative keywords.
- Identify high-performing terms and consider moving them into a manual campaign for better control.
Adjust your bids strategically
If your ACoS is too high, it could be because your bids are set too aggressively. Auto campaigns don’t let you choose specific keywords, but you can still adjust bids at the targeting group level (close match, loose match, substitutes, and complements).
What to do:
- Lower bids for loose match and complements if they’re driving clicks but no conversions.
- Increase bids for close match and substitutes if they’re showing better performance.
Segment your auto campaigns
Running a single auto campaign for multiple products can lead to mixed performance data and wasted spend. If your campaign includes too many ASINs, Amazon’s algorithm may prioritize products that aren’t converting well.
What to do:
- Split auto campaigns by product category or even individual ASINs.
- This allows you to track performance more accurately and optimize each campaign separately.
Optimize your product listing
If you’re driving traffic to a poorly optimized listing, even the best campaign won’t convert. Low-quality images, weak bullet points, or missing A+ Content can turn shoppers away, leading to wasted ad spend.
What to do:
- Audit your listing to ensure it’s ready to convert. Use compelling images, strong product descriptions, and Amazon sponsored ads services to refine your approach.
- Ensure your listing matches customer intent for the keywords Amazon is targeting.
Monitor targeting groups closely
Auto campaigns have four targeting groups: close match, loose match, substitutes, and complements. Poor performance can often be traced back to one of these groups delivering irrelevant traffic.
What to do:
- Review performance metrics for each targeting group in the campaign report.
- Pause or lower bids on underperforming groups while scaling up those with better ROI.
Test and adjust over time
Auto campaigns aren’t a set-it-and-forget-it strategy. Amazon’s algorithm learns over time, but you need to provide input by regularly reviewing and optimizing.
What to do:
- Run experiments with bid adjustments or new negative keywords to see how performance changes.
- Check performance weekly and adjust based on what’s working.
Transition high-performing keywords to manual campaigns
Once you identify which keywords and ASINs are driving sales, don’t leave them in auto campaigns forever. Moving them to manual campaigns allows for better control and higher efficiency.
What to do:
- Create a manual campaign for your best keywords with more precise targeting and customized bids.
- Use auto campaigns to keep discovering new terms while scaling manual campaigns.
Troubleshooting auto campaigns takes patience and consistent optimization, but the results are worth it. If managing it all feels overwhelming, a professional Amazon management agency can help you fine-tune your campaigns and maximize their potential. With the right adjustments, auto campaigns can be a valuable part of your ad strategy.
