Marketing Tips: AMS Ads – Protect Your Budget During Major Promo Events in 2025
When it comes to running Amazon Marketing Services (AMS) ads, things can get tricky—especially during high-traffic promotions like Zoebubs or end-of-year campaigns. If you’ve ever been shocked by unexpected ad spend spikes, you’re not alone. Luckily, there’s a simple way to control your AMS daily budget and keep your costs from spiraling out of control.
Whether you’re prepping for a big promotional push or just want to keep your budget in check, this quick tip will save you time and money.
Check out the video below for a walkthrough of how to safeguard your AMS ad budget:
Why AMS Ad Spend Jumps During Major Promotions
When you’re running AMS ads, Amazon allows your campaigns to spend up to 100% more than your daily budget using unspent budget amounts. Basically, if your campaign didn’t reach its daily limit earlier in the month, Amazon can roll that unused budget over to the end of the month—and that’s where things can add up FAST.
If you’re running a big promo like Zoebubs, you might think you’re in control of your costs… until a massive ad spend hits your account during high-traffic days. Suddenly, what looked like a $10/day campaign could turn into $150, $800, or even $1,000+ in a single day. Ouch.
But don’t worry—there’s a way to avoid these surprises while still making the most of your ad dollars.
How to Adjust Your AMS Budget for Better Control
Amazon gives you the option to adjust how much of your unused budget can roll over into high-traffic days. By default, this setting is often set at “Spend up to 100% more than the average daily budget using unspent budget amounts.” This means that if you spent less than your set budget earlier in the month, Amazon could double your budget on other days to make up for it.
Here’s how to fix it:
- Log in to your AMS dashboard.
- Navigate to the Settings section under your sponsored ads.
- Look for the option called “Average Daily Budget Increase.”
- Change the setting from 100% more to 25% more.
- Click Save.
That’s it! By lowering this percentage, you’re ensuring your campaigns won’t blow through your monthly budget unexpectedly.
When Should You Adjust This Setting?
If you know you’ve got a major marketing push coming up—like Zoebubs, BookBub, or any end-of-year promotions—this is the time to play it safe. Adjusting the daily budget increase to 25% gives you more control while still allowing a bit of flexibility for high-performing days.
And don’t worry—this change isn’t permanent. You can go back into your settings and adjust it again whenever you need to.
Tips for Managing Ads During High-Traffic Promotions
Here are a few extra tips to keep your AMS campaigns running smoothly during big promo events:
- Plan ahead. Know what promotions are happening and schedule your ad adjustments at least a few days beforehand.
- Monitor daily performance. Keep an eye on your campaigns to make sure they’re staying within your comfort zone.
- Test incrementally. Start with smaller changes to your budget increases and see how it impacts results before making bigger moves.
- Pause low performers. If a campaign isn’t delivering good results, consider pausing it to focus your spend where it’s working.
Avoid Budget Blowouts Without Losing Momentum
Promotions are exciting, but they don’t have to drain your wallet. By tweaking your AMS settings, you can enjoy the benefits of big events like Zoebubs without worrying about your ad costs running wild.
Set yourself up for success by checking your settings, lowering unnecessary spend risks, and staying in control of your campaigns. Marketing doesn’t have to feel overwhelming when you know how to make the tools work for you.
Ready to try out these tips? Go tweak your settings now, and let’s keep those campaigns profitable!