Amazon Display Ads: The Complete Overview
Search ads wait for shoppers to come looking. Display ads go find them — on Amazon, across the web, wherever they already are.
Amazon display ads are visual, image-based ads that appear on and off Amazon to reach shoppers proactively rather than waiting for a search. You can run them two ways: Sponsored Display (self-serve, in the Ads Console) or Amazon DSP (programmatic, with richer targeting). Both use audience and product targeting to create demand and re-engage shoppers.
01What Amazon display ads are
Amazon display ads are visual, banner-style ads — built around images rather than keywords — that appear across Amazon (product pages, the homepage, search) and off Amazon (third-party sites and apps, plus Amazon properties like Twitch and Fire TV). Unlike search ads, they don’t wait for a query; they proactively put your brand in front of relevant audiences.02How display differs from search ads
Search ads like Sponsored Products are demand capture — they appear when someone searches, targeting existing intent. Display ads are demand creation and re-engagement — they reach shoppers based on audiences, behavior, and context, often before or after a search. That makes display a mid- and upper-funnel tool that feeds your search campaigns.03The two ways to run display
There are two routes. Sponsored Display is self-serve inside the Ads Console — simpler audiences, lower entry, available to Brand Registry sellers. Amazon DSP is programmatic — far richer audiences (including AMC segments), more inventory, and higher practical budgets. Sponsored Display is where most brands start; DSP is where they scale.04How display targeting works
Display uses two broad targeting approaches: audiences (who the shopper is — in-market, lifestyle, interests, or remarketing pools) and product/contextual targeting (what page or product they’re near). Sponsored Display exposes both through audiences and product targeting; DSP adds far more granular options.05Display options at a glance
| Option | How to run it | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Sponsored Display | Self-serve in Ads Console | Retargeting, PDP defense, easy start |
| Amazon DSP | Programmatic (self- or managed) | Full-funnel reach, advanced audiences |
06Creative: stock vs custom
Display ads can use auto-generated creative (pulled from your listing) or custom creative you design. Custom creative — lifestyle imagery, clear messaging, a logo — typically outperforms stock creative by a meaningful margin, so it’s worth building for campaigns you’re scaling.07When to use display
Use display to re-engage shoppers who viewed but didn’t buy, to reach new audiences who fit your customer profile, to defend your product pages, and to build awareness that feeds search. It’s a core part of a full-funnel strategy — not a replacement for search, but the layer that creates and recaptures demand.- Amazon display ads are visual ads shown on and off Amazon to reach shoppers proactively.
- Search ads capture demand; display creates and re-engages it (mid/upper funnel).
- Run display two ways: Sponsored Display (self-serve) or Amazon DSP (programmatic).
- Target by audiences (who the shopper is) and product/contextual (what they’re near).
- Custom creative beats auto-generated creative — build it for campaigns you scale.
Frequently asked questions
What are Amazon display ads?
They’re visual, image-based ads that appear on and off Amazon to reach shoppers proactively rather than waiting for a search. You can run them through Sponsored Display (self-serve) or Amazon DSP (programmatic), using audience and product targeting.
What is the difference between Amazon display and search ads?
Search ads (like Sponsored Products) appear when someone searches and capture existing intent. Display ads reach shoppers based on audiences, behavior, and context — often before or after a search — making them a demand-creation and re-engagement tool that feeds search campaigns.
Should I use Sponsored Display or DSP?
Start with Sponsored Display — it’s self-serve, lower-cost, and available to Brand Registry sellers, good for retargeting and product-page defense. Move to DSP when you need advanced audiences, more inventory, and full-funnel scale, which comes with higher budgets.
Do Amazon display ads work off Amazon?
Yes. Both Sponsored Display and DSP can serve on third-party websites and apps as well as Amazon properties, so your ads reach shoppers beyond Amazon’s own pages.
Do display ads need custom creative?
No, they can use auto-generated creative pulled from your listing, but custom creative with lifestyle imagery and clear messaging typically performs meaningfully better and is worth building for campaigns you’re scaling.
Or return to Module 5: Sponsored Display or the course hub.