In the dynamic world of e-commerce, standing out as a Merch by Amazon (MBA) seller demands more than creative designs and quality apparel. Today’s successful Merch creators are harnessing the power of Amazon Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising to gain visibility and drive sales, turning side hustles into lucrative ventures. Mastering PPC isn’t just about spending; it’s about investing smartly to unlock new audiences, outperform rivals, and accelerate growth in Amazon’s vast marketplace.
This process becomes far more accessible when you collaborate with a specialized European Amazon Agency. Agencies with deep platform expertise can guide sellers through PPC campaign setup, keyword research, and ongoing optimization giving newcomers the edge needed to compete effectively in European and global markets. They tailor strategies to your unique brand and audience, ensuring ad budgets deliver real returns and eliminating costly mistakes common to PPC beginners.
What is Amazon PPC and Why Use It for Merch?
Amazon PPC is a paid advertising system that enables sellers to bid for better placement of their products within Amazon’s marketplace. When people search for relevant keywords, sponsored listings appear alongside organic search results or on high-visibility product pages. For Merch by Amazon sellers, PPC opens doors to audiences unlikely to discover their products through organic means alone—crucial in today’s crowded marketplace.
There are three principal PPC ad types Merch sellers can utilise:
Sponsored Products: Promote individual t-shirt or apparel listings within search and product results.
Sponsored Brands: Display a banner featuring your brand logo and select designs at the top of search results, ideal for approved brands or those enrolled in the Amazon Brand Registry.
Sponsored Display: Reach potential buyers on and off Amazon, re-targeting those who viewed your products or similar merch items.
Step 1: Prepping for Your First Campaign
Before launching ads, ensure your Merch by Amazon account is eligible for PPC. This option is gradually rolling out to more sellers; if you see an “Advertise your Merch” module on your dashboard, you’re in. Register for Amazon Advertising following the instructions and remember: this account is for Merch ads only,never other product lines.
Select your best-selling or highest-potential designs. PPC works best when you advertise shirts with strong reviews, clear branding, and designs suited to trending searches. Review your product listings, update images for clarity and appeal, and optimize titles and bullet points with target keywords.
Step 2: Setting Up a Sponsored Products Campaign
Navigate to your Amazon Advertising dashboard and click to “Create Campaign.” Start with Sponsored Products, the most accessible and effective format for most beginners. Here’s how:
Choose Automatic Targeting for your first campaign. Let Amazon test various keywords to collect data about which ones actually convert. Set a modest daily budget until you start seeing what works.
Manual Targeting comes next. Analyze results from your automatic campaign, pick the highest-engagement keywords, and structure focused campaigns to maximize ROI. This is where a European Amazon Agency can provide invaluable keyword research and ad structure guidance.
Step 3: Fine-Tuning Bids and Budgets
Success depends not on outspending competitors, but on smart budget control. Choose keyword bids based on product profitability, estimated conversion rates, and competition. Focus your ad spend on shirts with higher profit margins don’t waste budget on low-demand, low-profit designs.
Review keyword performance every 2–4 days, adding negative keywords to exclude poorly converting searches. This keeps campaigns lean, targeting only buyers likely to purchase your merch and reducing wasted clicks.
Step 4: Leveraging Sponsored Brands and Display
Once your Sponsored Products ads are delivering consistent sales, scale up with Sponsored Brands to boost brand awareness and cross-sell multiple designs. Sponsored Brands allow you to use custom headlines, showcase three or more listings, and drive shoppers to your brand store—boosting trust and recognition.
Sponsored Display campaigns re-target shoppers who engaged with your products but didn’t buy, keeping your designs top-of-mind and bringing in “second-chance” sales. These advanced options drive broader exposure and compound your organic reach.
Step 5: Measuring and Optimizing for Success
Every successful PPC seller uses data. Monitor your campaigns’ click-through rate (CTR), cost-per-click (CPC), advertising cost of sale (ACoS), and, most importantly, post-ad profit margin. Double down on high-performing keywords, refresh ad creative often, and adjust bids to stay competitive during seasonal or trending spikes.
Test new designs, ad copy, and targeting one change at a time to isolate what actually increases conversions. Set a regular schedule for reviews and optimizations; PPC is not “set and forget.”
Final Word
Mastering Amazon PPC can make the difference between a hidden design and a top-selling brand. For Merch by Amazon sellers, starting with Sponsored Products and advancing to broader campaigns creates a cost-effective pathway to scaling sales. With planning, smart budgets, and expert help from a European Amazon Agency, even new sellers can build visibility and profits in 2025’s competitive landscape.
