So, you’ve localized your listings, and optimized them for new markets. Great. But why isn’t your product listing appearing in search results? Well, probably because you haven’t localized your Amazon advertising. Yes, we know, here’s yet another thing you have to localize – it probably sounds redundant by now. But if you’re Amazon PPC ad campaign is still in English, you’re paying for clicks that will never convert. Localization isn’t about swapping words; it’s about matching intent, tone, and buyer psychology – because what sells in the U.S. can flop in Europe or Asia.
Lately, it seems like the only way to improve your conversion rate and increase sales is to pour money behind advertising on Amazon. Brands that invest in Amazon pay-per-click improve ranking and brand awareness – especially brands that are expanding globally to other markets. But in order to dominate the Amazon marketplace, a careful handle of PPC management is necessary – you have to think globally in order to play globally.
Read through today’s blog for Amazon PPC tips for sellers expanding globally – and why localization is your best friend.
For more insights into paid vs. organic marketing, check out our blog!
Why Amazon PPC Campaigns Need Localization
Amazon ads live and die by language and culture. If your advertising campaign is in English, it’s not going to flourish in Europe, where only about 47% of Europeans say they can comfortably converse in English. That means 53% of your market won’t understand what you’re trying to say. This phenomenon is seen across all product categories – yes, even the luxury segment, where your target market is likely well-educated and can speak fluent English.
The fact is, customers buy in their own language. According to Language Testing, 19% of Europeans never browse in a language that’s not their own, and 42% will never purchase products and services in another language. Sure, your advertising strategy might be for awareness and to push your product listings to appear at the top of search results. You may say that your Amazon PPC strategy exists only to support organic search and optimization. That’s fair.
But Amazon PPC is a powerful tool that can place your product in front of your ideal target market. If you’re going to invest advertising budget in Amazon PPC to drive awareness in foreign markets, you might as well do it right.
Keywords, visuals, and even bidding behavior shift drastically per region. For example, a “baby stroller” keyword in the UK might cost around £1.50 per click, while the German equivalent “Kinderwagen” may go for about €0.80 – and the mindset of the shopper is completely different. If that’s not an indication to localize your Amazon PPC work, we don’t know what is.
Amazon PPC Strategies from Jana
Jana has seen many an Amazon seller throw in the towel on their global expansion because their PPC costs skyrocket in foreign markets without the subsequent conversion. It’s one thing to localize your keyword research properly; that’s a step in the right direction. But you’ll just bloat your advertising cost of sales (ACOS) if you don’t employ the right targeting strategies – and that includes effective translations.
Jana provides an example: “The German marketplace needs localization of intent, language, and bidding behavior. Germans shop in a very black-and-white way- straight to business, no fluff.” Urgent U.S. copy like “Save 30%! Limited time only!” sounds spammy to German or French buyers.
A home-goods brand that ran AI-translated German PPC saw a 0.3% CTR and zero conversions. After the brand invested in proper human translations, CTR rose to 1.7%, conversions 4× higher, and cost-per-click dropped. The message: even if your listing is optimized, unlocalized PPC will still underperform because the ad itself doesn’t resonate. And don’t take the easy way out; machine and AI translations won’t improve cost per click.
Culture Changes Your Amazon Ad Strategy
It goes without saying that motivation differs across cultures. Americans respond to urgency; Germans to logic; French to refinement; Nordics to simplicity. So, when it comes to your sponsored display ads, sponsored product ad, or sponsored brand ads – or, as a matter of fact, any type of ad type – visuals must differ. A beach blanket ad that sells in L.A. won’t move units in Finland.
Furthermore, regulations differ: for instance, in Germany, claims like “organic” or “hypoallergenic” need certification – or your ads get disapproved.
In a nutshell, behavior differs: what buyers click, when they click, and how much you pay for that click all shift by country, so your bidding strategies are likely to change as well.
Regardless of the types of Amazon PPC ads you run, if you are going to increase brand awareness in your new target culture, using Amazon PPC is a non-negotiable – and if you want your campaign to resonate, you want all types of PPC ads you run to go through careful localization first.
Enjoying this peek into localization strategy so far? Localization doesn’t have to be complicated, but not even the big brands get it right all of the time. Take a look at these localization examples from global brands to see which mistakes to avoid, and which wins to emulate.
The Cost of Ignoring Localization in Amazon PPC Advertising
Keep in mind that generic, untranslated campaigns are very likely to under perform and waste budget. When your ad copy, keywords, and tone aren’t localized, you end up paying for irrelevant clicks from shoppers that were never going to buy. Low click-through rates (CTR) tell Amazon that your ad isn’t resonating, which in turn drags down organic ranking and inflates ACOS.
Let’s think about sensitive categories like supplements, baby products, or anything you put on your skin or in your tummy. Trust and comprehension drive every conversion. A mom in Hamburg won’t click on an English-language ad for diaper rash cream they don’t fully understand, and a shopper in Paris won’t buy protein powder labeled in a foreign language. Once trust is lost, that shopper is gone for good.
Every campaign type plays into this. An automatic campaign can help you uncover how locals actually search, giving you insights into real, native keywords, and buyer intent. But if you never evolve past that stage, you’re letting Amazon dictate where your money goes. Once you’ve gathered enough localized data, launch a manual campaign for more control. You can double down on high-performing keywords, cut wasted spend, and tailor bids to each market’s behavior.
Remember what we said earlier? Running English ads in Europe or Asia means only every second or third person understands your content. Localization ensures that your product ads appear in front of potential buyers – and in the language and tone they trust. The result is fewer wasted clicks, stronger engagement signals, and ad spend that finally converts into sales.
Using PPC? Think About Your Customer.
Localization makes PPC more efficient, not more expensive. When you tailor your campaigns to each market’s language, intent, and culture, you’re not adding cost; you’re removing waste. Instead of paying for clicks from people who were never going to buy, you’re focusing your spend on the shoppers who actually will.
Localized campaigns consistently deliver higher CTRs, stronger engagement signals, and lower ACoS because they align with how real people search, read, and decide. They also build trust and credibility faster, especially in markets like Germany, France, or Japan, where authenticity and comprehension directly influence buying decisions. A well-localized ad feels native, and we all know, if it feels local, it attracts local. If it feels foreign, it’s harder to gain the trust and patronage of a new market.
As Jana explains,
“Marketing and keyword localization matter greatly. You can have a great listing, but if your PPC isn’t localized, your conversion will suffer.”
So, sure, invest first in automatic targeting to get your product on Amazon in front of shoppers, but then switch to a manual campaign for full control when you know who your customer is. And make sure to know who your customer is.
While we’re on the topic, check out the Five Factors Influencing Consumer Behavior. The blog should help you understand your customers better, and make the decisions that push a product to the top of search results and usher in organic sales.
Localization and Optimization Go Hand in Hand, Even in Amazon PPC
Remember – expanding globally isn’t just about listing in another marketplace. It’s about thinking like a local seller in every region you enter. The right keywords, tone, visuals, and Amazon PPC strategy spell the difference between a click that converts and a click that costs you. Successful Amazon sellers don’t just look at the bottom line; they analyze all aspects of the business, from buyer psychology to careful listing localization to the data resulting from the first campaign all the way until the last.
As Jana often reminds sellers, “You can have the best product in the world, but if your content doesn’t speak the local language like a local would, you’re leaving money on the table.”
In the end, success on Amazon isn’t about visibility; it’s about relevance. Relevance always starts with understanding how your customers think, search, and decide. Speak their language, know their hearts nad minds, and your brand will go further than any translation ever could.
For more PPC insights, follow Jana on LinkedIn – she drops incredible insights on Amazon search, relevant keywords, and proper localization techniques!