Selling on Amazon? Here’s Why Advertising Matters

Selling on Amazon has become one of the most effective ways to grow an online business. With millions of customers browsing daily, the platform provides incredible opportunities for entrepreneurs, small businesses, and established brands. However, success on Amazon doesn’t happen overnight. It requires two critical steps: creating a professional Amazon Seller Account and leveraging Amazon Advertising Services to boost visibility and sales.

If you are new to Amazon or considering expanding your online presence, this guide will walk you through both—account creation and advertising—so you can start strong and scale efficiently.

Step 1: Amazon Seller Account Creation

Before you can advertise or sell on Amazon, you need an active seller account. Setting it up is straightforward but requires careful attention to detail.

Types of Amazon Seller Accounts

Amazon offers two main types of accounts:

Individual Seller Account

• No monthly subscription fee.
• Best for those who plan to sell fewer than 40 items per month.
• Pay $0.99 per item sold, plus referral and variable fees.

Professional Seller Account

• Costs $39.99 per month.
• Best for businesses planning to sell in bulk.
• Access to advanced selling tools, bulk listing, APIs, and advertising features.

Pro Tip: If you plan to run ads using Amazon Advertising Services, you’ll need a Professional Seller Account.

Requirements for Account Creation

To register, you’ll need the following:

• Business name and address.
• Valid phone number.
• Bank account and credit card details for payment processing.
• Tax information (such as SSN or EIN for U.S. sellers).
• Government-issued ID for verification.

How to Create an Amazon Seller Account

• Visit sellercentral.amazon.com and click “Sign up.”
• Choose Individual or Professional seller plan.
• Enter your business and contact details
• Provide banking and tax information.
• Upload necessary verification documents.
• Once approved, you can begin listing products.

Completing these steps carefully ensures a smooth start without delays.

Step 2: Why Advertising is Essential on Amazon

Having an account and listing products is only half the journey. Amazon is a highly competitive marketplace, and organic visibility alone may not be enough. This is where Amazon Advertising Services come in.

Advertising helps sellers:

• Gain visibility quickly in a crowded marketplace.
• Increase product sales through sponsored placements.
• Boost organic ranking as higher sales often improve search performance.
• Build brand awareness by showcasing products to targeted audiences.

Simply put, advertising accelerates your growth on Amazon.

Understanding Amazon Advertising Services

Amazon offers several advertising formats that sellers can use to meet different goals. Let’s break them down:

1. Sponsored Products

• Appear in search results and product detail pages.
• Promote individual listings.
• Work on a pay-per-click (PPC) model.

Best for: Driving sales of specific items.

2. Sponsored Brands

• Showcase multiple products with your logo and a custom headline.
• Typically appear at the top of search results.

Best for: Increasing brand visibility and promoting product ranges.

3. Sponsored Display

• Show ads on competitor listings, Amazon homepages, or third-party websites.
• Great for retargeting customers who viewed but didn’t buy.

Best for: Expanding reach beyond product searches.

4. Amazon DSP (Demand-Side Platform)

• A programmatic platform for display and video ads.
• Allows precise targeting on and off Amazon.

Best for: Larger brands with bigger advertising budgets.

How to Get Started with Amazon Advertising

Once your seller account is active, follow these steps to launch your first campaign:

1. Choose Your Campaign Type

Decide whether you want Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, or Display ads based on your goals.

2. Set a Budget

Start with a modest daily budget, then increase gradually as you identify profitable keywords.

3. Keyword Targeting

Use automatic campaigns initially to gather data, then shift to manual campaigns for greater control.

4. Optimize Listings First

Ensure your product title, description, images, and bullet points are optimized before running ads. A poorly optimized listing will waste ad spend.

5. Track Performance

Monitor key metrics like ACOS (Advertising Cost of Sales), CTR (Click-Through Rate), and conversions. Adjust bids and keywords accordingly.

Integrating Account Setup and Advertising

A successful Amazon business requires both a strong foundation (account setup) and smart growth strategies (advertising). Here’s how they work together:

• Without a Seller Account, you can’t list or advertise products.
• Without Advertising, your listings may struggle to gain traction in a competitive marketplace.
• Combining both ensures your products reach the right shoppers at the right time.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Starting with the wrong account type – Many sellers choose the Individual plan and later realize they can’t access advertising tools.
• Skipping listing optimization – Ads won’t perform if your product pages aren’t convincing.
• Ignoring performance data – Not tracking and adjusting campaigns leads to wasted budgets.
• Targeting overly broad keywords – This can drive clicks without conversions.

Final Thoughts

For new sellers, understanding the importance of Amazon Seller Account Creation and Amazon Advertising Services is key to building a profitable business. The account setup process lays the groundwork, while advertising helps you rise above the competition.

By combining the two, you create a powerful system: your seller account enables you to showcase products, and your advertising campaigns ensure those products are seen by the right audience. Whether you’re just starting out or planning to scale, these tools can help you achieve long-term success on Amazon.