Outsourced to Optimized: It’s Time to Manage Your Own Amazon Ads

If you’ve been selling on Amazon for a while, chances are you’ve outsourced your ads at some point; to an agency, a freelancer, maybe even a friend who “gets” PPC. It’s common. Running a business is already a full-time job, and Amazon ads can feel like another business on top of it. 

But here’s the truth: no one cares about your brand, your margins, or your goals as much as you do. And when you hand over your campaigns without oversight, you risk wasted spend, broad strategies that don’t fit your products, and even lost sales. Many sellers eventually realize it’s time to take back control. 

This post will walk you through why it’s worth managing your own ads, what pitfalls to avoid, and how to start cleaning up and scaling smarter. Without getting lost in the data. We’ll also point you to a video series where you can watch a real seller go through this exact transition in real time. 

Why Sellers Outsource their Amazon Ads in the First Place 

There are many reasons sellers outsource their Amazon advertising, and it’s very common to do so. For most, it comes down to lack of time. Running a business is demanding, and advertising on Amazon requires ongoing oversight that small teams often can’t keep up with. 

Another big reason is the fear of data complexity. We hear this a lot from sellers in the Helium 10 Facebook group. Many say the signals feel confusing and they don’t know which data to prioritize or why. 

Then there’s the challenge of not knowing where to start. New sellers often feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information (and misinformation) about Amazon advertising. Handing off the ads account can feel like the only option. 

Outsourcing can fill the gap, but at a cost. Broad, one-size-fits-all campaigns rarely work for unique products. You know your brand better than anyone, which means you’re best equipped to connect ads directly to your listings, keywords, and audiences. 

Question: Should I outsource or manage my own Amazon ads? 

Answer: If you’re launching your first product and overwhelmed by inventory, listings, and fulfillment, outsourcing can feel like relief. But as soon as you’ve got stable operations, you gain the most by running ads yourself. You’ll cut waste and build knowledge that strengthens every other part of your business. 

The Hidden Costs of Outsourcing Ads Management 

It feels like a relief at first, but sellers often discover the hidden costs later. Campaigns get renamed or mislabeled, making reports hard to read. Broad targeting eats budget without converting. Sometimes strong-performing campaigns get paused instead of optimized. And external partners often target irrelevant ASINs that don’t convert at all. 

These missteps go unnoticed until your ACOS spikes or sales slow, and by then, you’ve already lost ground to competitors. 

Common hidden costs of outsourcing: 

• Campaigns renamed or mislabeled, making reporting confusing 

• Broad targeting that eats budget without converting 

• Relevant campaigns paused instead of optimized 

• Irrelevant ASIN targeting (e.g., socks targeted to wallets) 

Question: Why aren’t my Amazon ads converting? 

Answer: Often it’s not your product, it’s your targeting. If your ads manager is running generic ads without adjusting for your niche, you’ll never see the traction you need. 

Building Confidence to Run Ads Yourself 

The biggest hurdle is mindset. Many sellers assume PPC requires advanced analytics skills. The reality? You only need to master a few fundamentals: keyword research, bid management, and campaign organization. Once you have those in place, you’ll be surprised how manageable it feels. 

Confidence-building tips: 

• Keyword research: Identify the terms driving traffic and sales (you already do this for SEO) 

• Bid management: Adjust spend based on conversion data 

• Organization: Keep naming conventions clean so your reports make sense 

Question: Is it hard to manage Amazon PPC myself? 

Answer: Not if you start simple. Begin with your best-converting keywords, trim wasted spend, and expand step by step. 

Step 1: Audit What You Have 

Before making changes, you need a clear picture of what’s happening in your account. Pull reports from Amazon Ads Console or Helium 10 Ads and look for wasted spend, compare conversion rates against your category average, and flag campaigns with confusing names or mislabeled ad types. 

Audit steps: 

• Pull reports from Amazon Ads Console or Helium 10 Ads 

• Look for wasted spend (clicks without conversions) 

• Compare conversion rates against your category average 

• Flag confusing campaign names or mislabeled ad types 

This audit will help bring you clarity. Once you see what’s happening, you can make better decisions moving forward. 

Step 2: Optimize and Cut Waste 

You don’t need to overhaul everything at once. Focus on quick wins that free up budget: 

Quick actions: 

• Pause poor performers: High spend, zero conversions 

• Lower bids: Strong conversions but high ACOS 

• Tighten targeting: Swap broad matches for exact or phrase 

Reallocate saved budget into campaigns already producing sales. This shift alone can often improve ACOS within weeks. 

Question: How do I lower ACOS in Amazon ads? 

Answer: Audit, cut waste, then reinvest in what’s working. Simple adjustments add up. 

Step 3: Scale with Strategy 

Once your account is cleaned up, you can start playing offense. Launch ranking campaigns that target keywords where you already convert well. Use Sponsored Brand Videos to tell your story and highlight features. Bundle products to increase average order value and capture higher-margin customers. 

Quick scaling strategies: 

• Launch ranking campaigns for your best-converting keywords 

• Create Sponsored Brand Videos to tell your product story 

• Use bundles and complementary targeting for higher order values 

Scaling is about balance. Don’t chase the lowest ACOS, chase smart traffic that grows organic rank while staying profitable. 

Question: How do I increase sales with Amazon PPC? 

Answer: Use your best-converting keywords as the foundation, then layer on creative formats and ranking campaigns. 

How to Make DIY Amazon Ads Easier 

Managing ads on your own doesn’t mean doing it ALL alone. With Helium 10 Ads you can automate bid management with rules-based strategies, benchmark against your category’s conversion averages, access keyword-level conversion data, and track TACOS alongside organic rank. 

The benefit of using Helium 10 Ads: 

• Automate bid management with rules-based strategies 

• Benchmark against your category’s conversion and ACOS averages 

• Access keyword-level conversion data directly 

• Track TACOS alongside organic rank 

This visibility lets you make the kind of decisions external managers often keep hidden. Transparency = control. 

Learn How to Manage Your Own Amazon Ads by Following a Real Seller’s Journey 

Want to see what this looks like in action? One of our own Helium 10 team members is documenting her journey moving an Amazon Ads account from outsourced ads to self-managed campaigns using Helium 10’s Rules-Based Advertising (a Diamond-level feature). 

In the series, you’ll: 

• Watch her audit campaigns 

• See how she cuts wasted spend 

• Learn how to set up automation rules that save time and money 

• Follow along as she builds ranking campaigns for growth 

She’s using a Diamond-level feature (rules-based advertising), but the strategies and lessons apply to any seller ready to take back control of their ads. 

Follow the Outsourced to Optimized series here.

Move From Outsourced to Optimized Amazon Ads 

Taking ownership of your Amazon ads is a huge mindset change. When you move from outsourced to optimized, you move from reacting to someone else’s strategy to actively shaping your brand’s growth. You gain control over spend, the ability to test creative campaigns quickly, and the confidence that every dollar invested is tied to your own goals, not someone else’s formula. 

Yes, it takes time. Yes, it requires learning. But with the right structure, auditing, optimizing, and scaling step by step, you will not only improve performance but also deepen your understanding of what makes your customers click and buy. That knowledge becomes a long-term advantage no one else can deliver for you. 

And you don’t have to figure it out alone. Our Outsourced to Optimized video series gives you a front-row seat to a real seller’s journey as she transitions from outside control to running her own ads with Helium 10’s Rules-Based Advertising. You’ll see what works, what doesn’t, and how to apply the same strategies to your own account. 

Follow the Outsourced to Optimized series here.

Your ads, your brand, your growth. It’s time to take the driver’s seat and show Amazon’s algorithm that when shoppers see your product, they buy.