Ep 585: Amazon Marketing Cloud: 5 Audience Plays to Lower ACOS on Competitive Keywords
DTC Podcast · with Tyler Masur · February 13, 2026 · 17 min
Summary
Amazon Marketing Cloud (AMC), once an enterprise-only tool, is now accessible for DTC brands to significantly reduce ACOS on competitive keywords. This episode breaks down how to leverage AMC's no-code templates and audience overlays to transform broad keyword targeting into highly effective, targeted campaigns, ultimately scaling Amazon Sponsored Ads without sacrificing profitability. Learn to isolate audience tests and measure DSP impact for optimized ad spend.
Key takeaways
Build "generic keyword" campaigns and overlay in-market audiences (nodes/categories) to bid higher without wasted ad spend on junk clicks.
Isolate audience tests in net-new campaigns instead of integrating them into existing campaigns to avoid negatively impacting current high-performers.
Utilize AMC overlap reporting to identify campaign pairings that enhance conversion rates, then allocate more budget to those synergistic combinations.
Leverage no-code templates within AMC to build custom audiences and conduct deeper measurement without requiring SQL expertise.
Understand how to measure the impact of Amazon DSP on subsequent Sponsored Brands/Products performance using AMC for a holistic view of your ad ecosystem.
Apply audience overlays to broad keywords, such as bidding on "cooler" only for users browsing outdoor products, to make previously inefficient keywords profitable.
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signupAmazon Marketing Cloud (AMC) used to feel “enterprise-only.” Not anymore. Tyler Masur (Head of Amazon at Pilothouse) breaks down what AMC actually does, how to use the no-code templates without being a SQL wizard, and the audience overlays that make broad keywords finally make sense. Role-based hook: For Amazon operators and DTC teams spending real money on Sponsored Ads who want lower ACOS without sacrificing scale.In this episode, we get tactical on:What AMC is (and isn’t): audience building + deeper measurement layered on top of your existing console How to start with the no-code audience + analytics templates (and when AI-generated SQL helps) Why you should test AMC audiences in net-new campaigns (so you don’t accidentally choke your winners)The “broad keyword + qualified audience” play (example: bidding on “cooler” but only for outdoors browsers)Measuring DSP impact: what happens after someone sees DSP, then hits Sponsored Brands/Products Who this is for: Amazon managers, DTC founders, and growth teams trying to scale Sponsored Ads past the “set it and forget it” phase.What to steal:Build a “generic keyword” campaign, then overlay an in-market audience (nodes/categories) so you can bid higher without paying for junk clicks.Keep audience tests isolated in new campaigns; don’t jam audiences into legacy structures and hope.Run the AMC overlap reporting to spot the campaigns that actually increase conversion when paired together (then fund those).Timestamps:0:00 Amazon Marketing Cloud is now open to all sellers2:05 What AMC actually does: audiences and analytics4:10 No-code templates vs custom SQL queries (and the built-in AI helper)6:10 Aud
What does this episode say about amazon & marketplaces?
Build "generic keyword" campaigns and overlay in-market audiences (nodes/categories) to bid higher without wasted ad spend on junk clicks.
What does this episode say about paid acquisition?
Isolate audience tests in net-new campaigns instead of integrating them into existing campaigns to avoid negatively impacting current high-performers.
What does this episode say about analytics & attribution?
Utilize AMC overlap reporting to identify campaign pairings that enhance conversion rates, then allocate more budget to those synergistic combinations.
What does this episode say about amazon & marketplaces?
Leverage no-code templates within AMC to build custom audiences and conduct deeper measurement without requiring SQL expertise.
What does this episode say about amazon & marketplaces?
Understand how to measure the impact of Amazon DSP on subsequent Sponsored Brands/Products performance using AMC for a holistic view of your ad ecosystem.
