Amazon Product Targeting by ASIN: How to Put Your Ad on Competitor Pages

Amazon product targeting lets you target specific products (ASINs) instead of keywords. Your Sponsored Products ad can then appear on those products' detail pages and in other placements related to them. It works best when you target products your listing beats on price, rating, or features, so shoppers comparing options have a reason to click yours.

Keywords reach shoppers while they search. Product targeting reaches them while they're looking at a specific product. That shopper already knows what they want, which makes the right ASIN targets very valuable and the wrong ones very expensive.

Types of product targeting

• Individual products: you list specific ASINs. This post focuses on this option.
• Categories: you target a whole category, optionally narrowed by brand, price range, star rating, and Prime shipping eligibility. See Amazon category targeting.
• Expanded ASIN targeting: when adding individual products, Amazon may offer an expanded option that also reaches products similar to the ASIN you chose. It adds reach and some noise, so test it separately from exact ASIN targets.

Where to find ASINs worth targeting

1. Your own search term report

Auto campaigns and product targeting campaigns report ASINs (values starting with 'b0') in the search term column. ASINs with orders at a good ACoS are proven targets. This is the highest-confidence source. See the search term report guide.

2. Competitors on page one for your main keywords

Search your top three keywords and note the products ranking on page one. Open each and compare price, rating, review count, and key features against yours.

3. 'Products related to this item' and comparison widgets

Look at which products Amazon shows alongside your own listing and your competitors' listings. Those are the products shoppers are comparing.

4. Complementary products

If you sell a phone stand, products like ring lights or phone tripods can be good targets. The shopper is buying in your space but not looking for a direct substitute.

How to choose which ASINs to target

Targeting a product that beats you on every factor usually just pays for clicks that bounce back to the competitor.

Setting up an ASIN targeting campaign

1. Create a manual Sponsored Products campaign and choose Product targeting.
2. Select Individual products, then search for or paste the ASINs you want to target.
3. Group similar targets in one ad group (for example, direct competitors in one, complementary products in another) so you can bid and read data by group.
4. Set bids, review suggested bids as a reference, and launch.
5. Add negative product targets for your own ASINs if you don't want this campaign to spend on your own pages.

Bidding on ASIN targets

ASIN targets often get fewer clicks than keywords, so data builds slowly. Start with a bid near what similar keywords cost, then adjust with the same formula you use for keywords: new bid = average CPC x (target ACoS / actual ACoS).

Worked example

You sell a 20-inch carry-on suitcase for $119 with a 25% target ACoS. You target eight competitor ASINs at $1.10. After 30 days:

The pattern is typical. Targets priced above you with lower ratings converted; the cheaper, higher-rated competitor did not.

Why product targeting results swing more than keywords

ASIN targeting depends on another seller's page, which you don't control. When a competitor drops their price, runs a coupon, gets a burst of new reviews, or goes out of stock, your results on their page change overnight. A target that converted at 15% ACoS last month can jump to 60% after the competitor launches a lightning deal. That's why ASIN targets need regular review and why you shouldn't scale bids on a single ASIN aggressively. Spread spend across several good targets so one competitor's change doesn't sink the whole campaign.

Watch your own listing, too

Product targeting puts your main image, price, star rating, and review count directly next to a competitor's. If your conversion on ASIN targets drops across the board, look at your own listing first. Did your price go up, your rating slip, or a coupon end? Fixing the listing usually helps all your targets at once. The connection between listing quality and ad results is covered in listing conversion rate and PPC.

Negative ASINs and negative brands

In auto campaigns and category targeting campaigns, you can add negative product targets to stop your ad showing on specific ASINs or entire brands. Use them when the search term report shows ASINs that keep spending without orders. They're also useful for keeping your own brand out of discovery campaigns if you defend your brand in a separate campaign; see how to defend your brand on Amazon Ads.

Targeting your own ASINs

Product targeting isn't only for competitors. If you sell several related products, target your own detail pages with your other items. Someone viewing your 20-inch carry-on might also want your packing cubes or your 28-inch checked bag. These campaigns usually have low CPCs and strong conversion because the shopper already trusts your brand, and they fill ad slots on your pages that a competitor would otherwise take.

A simple review cadence

• Every two weeks: apply bid changes to targets with at least 2 orders, and pause targets that have spent more than 1.5x your target cost per order with no orders.
• Monthly: re-check each competitor's price, rating, and stock status. Remove targets where you've lost your advantage.
• Monthly: add new ASINs from your auto and category campaigns' search term reports.

Product targeting in Sponsored Display and Sponsored Brands

Sponsored Display and Sponsored Brands also support product targeting, with different ad formats and placements. Sponsored Products is usually the place to start because it uses the same familiar ad format as your keyword campaigns. For a broader strategy, read how to target competitor ASINs.

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