By 
You’re not just burning ad spend—you’re burning opportunity.
Many Amazon sellers assume PPC is just another checkbox: set a daily budget, launch a few auto campaigns, and let the algorithm handle the rest. But the truth is this “set it and forget it” mindset is exactly why so many sellers see high traffic but low conversions.
If your ACoS keeps rising and your sales aren’t following, the problem may not be your product, it’s your PPC strategy. Whether you’re doing it yourself, using AI tools, or hiring an agency, each option shapes how much control you have, how fast you scale, and how much budget you risk.
In this guide, we’ll break it all down so you can pick smarter, optimize faster, and finally see ads that actually convert.
Option 1: DIY (Do it yourself)
Running Amazon PPC campaigns on your own might sound overwhelming at first, but many sellers start this way especially those with a smaller budget. The DIY route means you’ll be setting up campaigns manually inside the Advertising Console, adjusting your bids, researching keywords, and analyzing reports without any help from external tools or professionals.
What it looks like
You choose your campaign type, set your bids, select match types, and decide when to pause or scale campaigns. All changes and optimizations are done by you, based on what you learn from Amazon’s data.
Pros
- Full control: You manage every aspect of your campaigns from bids to budgets giving you complete oversight and flexibility.
- No external fees: You won’t pay for agencies or software tools, making it a budget-friendly option for lean operations.
- Good learning experience: You’ll gain firsthand experience in Amazon PPC, which can help you make smarter decisions down the road.
Cons
- Steep learning curve: Amazon PPC isn’t as easy as it looks. Understanding campaign types, keyword match types, and how bidding works takes time, especially if you’re new to advertising.
- Time-consuming: From setting up campaigns to checking reports and making manual adjustments, PPC management can eat up hours every week—time you could spend on other parts of your business
- Mistakes can get costly: Simple errors like setting high bids, targeting the wrong keywords, or forgetting to add negative keywords can lead to wasted spend and low returns, hurting your profits.
Best for
DIY is best suited for sellers with limited ad spend who are willing to invest time into learning and experimenting. If you’re launching your first product or want to keep full control, this can be a great starting point as long as you’re ready to put in the work. On the other hand, you can hire Amazon experts to boost your sales and manage your PPC campaigns for Amazon Advertising Australia.
Option 2: AI PPC tools
As your Amazon business grows, managing PPC manually can become more complex and time-consuming. That’s where AI-powered PPC tools come into play. These platforms help automate repetitive tasks like bid adjustments, keyword harvesting, and performance tracking.
Instead of doing everything by hand, you get a system that can handle data-heavy decisions more efficiently while you stay focused on the bigger picture. It’s not a magic fix, but it can make campaign management easier and more scalable.
What it looks like
With an AI PPC tool, you connect your Amazon account and let the software take over much of the campaign work. It analyzes data, identifies trends, and makes real-time adjustments to bids and keywords. Most tools offer dashboards where you can monitor performance, set goals (like target ACoS), and make manual tweaks if needed.
Pros
- Time-saving: Automation handles repetitive tasks like bid changes and keyword additions, reducing your daily workload.
- Data-driven optimizations: Automation handles repetitive tasks like bid changes and keyword additions, reducing your daily workload.
- Scalable for large catalogs: Managing 10+ products manually is tough. These tools can handle dozens or even hundreds of SKUs with ease.
Cons
- Limited customization: While you can set goals and rules, deep manual adjustments or unique strategies may be harder to implement within rigid AI systems.
- Requires some oversight: These tools are not fully “hands-off.” You still need to review performance, spot trends, and make high-level decisions.
- Still not fully plug-and-play: There’s an onboarding curve, and results may take time to stabilize as the AI learns your product and customer behavior.
Best for
Mid-size sellers with consistent ad spend and enough product volume to justify automation. It’s ideal for those who want efficiency and data-driven results but are still able to stay involved in strategy.
Option 3: Amazon agency
Hiring an Amazon agency means handing over your PPC advertising to a team of professionals who live and breathe Amazon ads. From campaign strategy and setup to daily optimizations and performance tracking, they manage everything so you can focus on growing your business instead of diving into ad reports.
What it looks like
An agency takes a strategic, hands-on approach. They assess your catalog, product positioning, and current performance, then create tailored campaigns designed to meet your business goals. This includes keyword targeting, bid strategies, negative keyword refinement, and optimizing creatives like Sponsored Brands or video ads.
Many agencies also go beyond PPC aligning ad efforts with your listings, A+ content, and even inventory planning for better overall performance.
Pros
- Strategic expertise: Agencies bring in-depth knowledge of Amazon’s ad system, marketplace trends, and proven growth tactics helping you avoid common pitfalls and get better results.
- Holistic account view (including listings, creatives, etc.): Good agencies don’t treat ads in isolation. They optimize your entire presence, from listings and images to A+ content and brand stores, ensuring all parts work together.
- Time saved for the seller: No more late nights reviewing reports or tweaking bids. Agencies handle the day-to-day so you can focus on product development, logistics, and business strategy. Here, you can choose the best Amazon account management services that handle everything for you—saving time and optimizing your advertising.
Cons
- Monthly retainer or % of ad spend: Most agencies charge a monthly retainer or a percentage of ad spend, which can add up for newer or low-budget sellers.
- Quality varies: Not all agencies are equal. It’s important to vet them properly, check case studies, and ensure they understand your niche and goals.
Best for
Sellers who are ready to scale, want expert help and prefer a hands-off approach. If you value growth and efficiency, a reliable Amazon agency can be your biggest asset.
Key features comparison
| Feature | DIY (Do it yourself) | AI PPC tools | Amazon agency |
| Control | Full control | Shared control – tool handles most tasks | Full control |
| Time investment | High – requires regular monitoring and updates | Low – automation reduces manual work | Very low – agency handles end-to-end |
| Cost | Low – no external fees | Medium – monthly subscription fee | Medium |
| Learning curve | Steep – requires learning PPC basics | Moderate – some tool learning required | Low – agency brings expertise |
| Customization | High – everything tailored manually | Limited – based on platform features | High – strategy is personalized |
| Scalability | Harder to scale manually | Easier to scale with automation | Easily scalable with a team’s support |
| Best for | Beginners or budget-conscious sellers willing to learn | Mid-size sellers looking to automate but stay involved | Brands looking to scale with expert help |
How to choose what’s best for you?
Deciding between DIY, AI tools, or an Amazon agency depends on your goals, time, and budget. If you’re just starting and want to learn the ropes, the DIY route gives you full control. But it’s time-consuming, requires constant attention, and mistakes can cost you more than you think.
AI tools are a step up they save time by automating tasks like bidding and keyword harvesting. They’re ideal for mid-sized sellers who understand PPC basics and want to scale without managing everything manually. However, these tools still need oversight and don’t offer full customization or strategy.
An Amazon agency, on the other hand, offers the most comprehensive solution. You get a dedicated team that builds and manages your campaigns, optimizes listings, and adjusts strategy based on performance. While agencies charge more, they often deliver better results, fewer mistakes, smarter decisions, and more efficient ad spend.
If your focus is on scaling fast and staying competitive, an agency is the best investment. They handle the complexity, so you don’t have to and that means more time to focus on your product, brand, and growth.
What’s the smartest move for your PPC success?
No matter where you are in your Amazon journey, how you manage PPC can make or break your profitability. DIY gives you control but demands time and precision. AI tools bring speed and automation but still need your input and can feel limited. Amazon agencies, though more costly, offer the highest value with expert strategy, cross-functional optimization, and full-service execution.
They not only run your ads but also help align your entire Amazon presence from listings and creatives to inventory and analytics. Don’t let poor ad management stall your progress. Whether you’re scaling up or streamlining, the right PPC approach especially with expert Amazon consultants can help you turn clicks into conversions and make your ad spend work for you.
Comments