It’s virtually impossible to talk about the state of retail in 2021 without discussing Amazon. The online giant has become a central component of daily commerce, setting record after record for growth in just about every aspect. Describing itself as the world’s most customer-centric company, Amazon continues to find new ways to provide value to not only individual shoppers, but also the many brands that utilize its platform to sell direct to consumers. These often come in the form of updates to its vast suite of marketing and advertising levers, such as the recent targeting enhancements to Sponsored Display ads. Other times, Amazon will introduce an entirely new service that benefits both sellers and shoppers – such as Amazon Explore.

As the world’s most powerful and popular online marketplace, Amazon is continually improving its already robust suite of tools designed to help brands better target and convert customers. The latest expansion, announced in April 2021, are new audience targeting features for Sponsored Display ads. To help keep your brand at the forefront of Amazon’s ever-evolving marketplace, we’ve detailed what Sponsored Display ads are, how they work, why they are important, and what has changed.