Sometimes, the problem isn’t your performance, it’s the metrics you’re using to judge it…
Paid strategies don’t fail as often as their measurement frameworks do.
So often, we see brands tracking the wrong metrics, or judging them against the wrong goal.
After all, growth strategies, efficiency strategies and launch strategies all behave very differently – and they should be assessed differently too.
As Elfie Brocklehurst, one of our brilliant Paid Ads experts puts it, KPIs should never exist in isolation.
They have to align with the outcome you’re driving right now, or performance might look misleadingly weak when it’s actually doing exactly what it should.
Amazon Ads isn’t one-size-fits-all
When brands apply the same KPIs across every phase, they risk:
- Pulling spend too early.
- Over-optimising for profit before scale.
- Writing off strategies that need time to mature.
But what should you be monitoring?
If your goal is Growth…
Your focus should be on demand capture and scale, not short-term efficiency.
That means watching:
- Impressions & Clicks. Are you reaching enough relevant shoppers?
- Share of Voice / Impression Share. Are you present where it matters?
- CTR. Is your listing compelling enough to earn engagement?
- New-to-Brand Sales. Are you genuinely expanding your customer base?
If your goal is Efficiency
This is where profitability and discipline come to the forefront.
Key metrics include:
- ACOS/ ROAS. Is your spend delivering the returns you need?
- Conversion Rate (CVR). Is the traffic you’re paying for converting?
- CPC. Are you paying a sensible price for each click?
If you’re Launching
Early performance is about learning more than profit and judging a launch on ROAS alone is one of the fastest ways to shut down potential too soon.
Here, the KPIs that matter most are:
- CTR & CVR. Are shoppers understanding, trusting and engaging with the product?
- Search Term Data. What language and intent are customers responding best to?
- Spend vs Learnings. Are you getting enough good data to help you optimise effectively?
The Bottom Line
There’s no such thing as “the best overall Amazon Ads KPIs” because the right metrics for you depend completely on what your current objective is.
And if your KPIs aren’t properly aligned to your objectives?
You’ll struggle to read performance clearly – and to make the right decisions.
If you want your Amazon Ads to work harder and stay aligned with your commercial goals?
Our award-winning Paid Ads team is here to help – book a strategy call today.