In Part 1 of our guide, we broke down the Amazon Brand Referral Bonus (BRB) and Meta Ads top-of-funnel strategies. Today, we shift our focus to the mid-to-bottom funnel: capturing high-intent shoppers with Google Search and reclaiming lost conversions through Amazon DSP retargeting.

Google Ads: Capturing High-Intent Shoppers

Unlike Meta's demand-generation model, Google Search Ads capture active, high-intent buying signals. Shoppers searching on Google are often ready to buy; you just need to guide them to your Amazon listing.

The "Amazon Modifier" Strategy: We recommend allocating 10% to 20% of your off-site budget specifically to search terms containing "Amazon" modifiers (e.g., "[Product Name] on Amazon"). This captures shoppers who already prefer buying on the platform, bypassing the comparison-shopping phase entirely.

By integrating Amazon Attribution, you can link real-time add-to-cart and purchase data with Google click data. This allows you to quickly identify and pause high-CPC, low-converting keywords. When optimized correctly, these off-site search campaigns can achieve conversion rates that rival your on-site sponsored ads.

Amazon DSP: The Ultimate Mid-Funnel Retargeting Engine

While many small-to-medium sellers have historically overlooked Amazon DSP, the platform has opened up self-service options, making it highly accessible for brands looking to scale.

According to recent e-commerce benchmarks, Amazon's average on-site conversion rate hovers between 9.96% and 11.55%—far outperforming the average DTC Shopify store conversion rate of 1.33%. However, this still means roughly 90% of your traffic leaves without purchasing. This is where Amazon DSP shines.

  • The Power of Retargeting: DSP allows you to retarget users who viewed your product detail pages but didn't buy. Data shows that shoppers retargeted via DSP are 70% more likely to return and complete their purchase.
  • High-Yield ROAS: For cart abandoners, DSP retargeting campaigns regularly deliver a ROAS between 4:1 and 8:1.
  • The Multi-Channel Multiplier: Amazon's internal data indicates that when a shopper is exposed to both Sponsored Search and DSP ads, their purchase probability increases by 25x. This is the ultimate strategy for breaking through growth plateaus.

Practical Pitfall Avoidance Guide

To protect your margins and maximize efficiency, avoid these two critical operational mistakes when running off-site campaigns:

1. Watch Out for the "One-Time Purchase" Default

Amazon's default setting often prioritizes "One-Time Purchase" over "Subscribe & Save" (S&S). For consumable or replenishable SKUs, this can hurt your long-term customer lifetime value (LTV) from off-site traffic. To counter this, ensure your off-site ad creatives and call-to-actions (CTAs) heavily emphasize subscription discounts and coupons to anchor value from the very first click.

2. Implement Granular Attribution

Never use a single destination link for all campaigns. Generate unique Amazon Attribution tags for every channel, campaign, and ad set. Only by mapping specific ad spend to precise add-to-cart and purchase data can you confidently cut underperforming audiences and allocate budget to what actually drives revenue.

Conclusion

In a highly competitive marketplace, relying solely on on-site traffic is no longer enough. Combining Google Ads to capture high-intent searchers, Amazon DSP to retarget lost shoppers, and granular attribution to track performance is the winning playbook for modern Amazon brands looking to scale sustainably.