Why Explore Non-Sponsored Ad Formats on Amazon
Most sellers are familiar with Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands and Sponsored Display. But Amazon’s ad ecosystem offers other formats which can:
| • Reach audiences outside of Amazon’s search funnel
| • Support awareness and full-funnel strategies rather than just conversion
| • Use richer media such as video, audio or programmatic display
Major Non-Sponsored Ad Formats on Amazon
Amazon DSP (Demand-Side Platform)
This programmatic solution allows brands to buy display, video, audio and streaming ads on Amazon and across third-party sites/apps.
| What it is: A platform that uses Amazon’s first-party data to reach audiences both on and off Amazon. Learn more
| Use cases:
| • Brand awareness and reach beyond Amazon purchase context
| • Retargeting viewers who visited product pages but did not buy
| Considerations:
| • Usually higher budget required
| • ROI is less immediate than search ads but the upside is broader reach
Audio Ads
Amazon supports audio placements via its audio platforms and streaming services.
| What they do: Reach listeners via audio-only environments such as music streaming or voice-enabled devices. Ad spec details
| When to use: For brand awareness, especially when your audience spends substantial time in listening modes (commute, home)
| Key tip: Creative must quickly capture attention — you don’t get a second chance in audio.
Video & Display Ads Outside Standard Search Placements
Beyond typical in-search video for Sponsored Brands, Amazon offers display and video placements programmatically.
| Formats: Online video (pre-roll or mid-roll), in-app display banners, streaming TV via devices. See ad-specs covering “Streaming TV, video, display”. See spec page
| Benefits: Great for storytelling, product demos or brand-building when your product needs education or lifestyle connection
How to Fit These Formats Into Your Amazon Strategy
Here’s how you might structure your usage of the formats across the funnel:
| Stage | Ad Format | Objective |
| Awareness | DSP display/video/audio | Build demand, reach new audiences |
| Consideration | Retarget via DSP or display | Re-engage visitors who viewed but didn’t buy |
| Conversion | Sponsored Products/Brands (traditional) | Drive purchase when intent is high |
| Post-purchase/Retention & Brand Defense | DSP/Audio/Display | Keep brand top-of-mind, upsell or defend positioning |
Example flow: Launch a DSP display/video campaign to build awareness → retarget via DSP and audio to those who visited your page → drive conversions via Sponsored Products.
Optimisation Tips & Best Practices
| • Creative quality is more important than volume — especially for video or audio formats where you must grab attention early.
| • Track metrics beyond clicks: view-throughs, new-to-brand, reach, frequency and impressions matter for non-search formats.
| • Ensure your listing and conversion funnel are optimised before launching big display/video budgets — otherwise you may drive traffic that doesn’t convert.
| • Align messaging across formats: your display or video ad should lead smoothly into your product listing or brand page for consistency.
| • Use Amazon’s first-party data via DSP for advanced targeting: audience segments based on browsing, purchase behaviour, streaming.
| • Set realistic KPIs: audio and video may have longer sales cycles or indirect impact — measure brand lift, recall, not just immediate sales.
When These Formats Might Not Be Suitable
| • If your budget is very limited, traditional sponsored search ads will likely offer higher immediate ROI.
| • If your product listing is weak or has low conversion rate — sending traffic via display/video will waste budget.
| • If you cannot measure or track multi-touch attribution — non-search formats require more sophisticated tracking and patience.
Summary
Exploring Amazon ad formats beyond the typical sponsored search opens up new opportunities for brand building, audience reach, retargeting and fuller funnel strategies. Formats like DSP (display/video/audio), richer video/display placements and audio ads help you go beyond “search-and-buy” and position your brand long-term.