E-Commerce Strategies
Jun 2, 2025
Want to boost your Amazon ads? Gender insights can help. By tailoring ads based on gender data, you can target the right audience, improve conversions, and maximize your ROI. Here’s a quick summary of how to get started:
Access Gender Data: Use Amazon Brand Analytics’ Demographics Report (available in the US) to see the gender breakdown of your customers.
Analyze Trends: Identify which gender dominates purchases for specific products, uncover seasonal patterns, and track shifts in buyer behavior.
Create Targeted Campaigns: Build separate ad groups for each gender, write tailored ad copy, and adjust bidding strategies based on performance.
Optimize Continuously: Monitor metrics like CTR, CPC, and ACoS by gender. Increase bids for high-performing segments and exclude underperforming ones.
How To Use Amazon's BRAND ANALYTICS Tool | Step By Step Tutorial
Getting Gender Data from Amazon Brand Analytics
Amazon Brand Analytics' Demographics Report gives you a clear look at your customer base, breaking down key details like gender, age, income, education, and marital status. If you meet Amazon’s access requirements, this data can help you design advertising campaigns that align with actual buyer behavior.
Finding Gender Data in Brand Analytics
To access this data, you must be a brand-registered seller and have at least 100 unique customers during your chosen reporting period. This threshold ensures the data is statistically reliable while also protecting customer privacy.
Currently, the Demographics Report is only available in the US marketplace, so sellers in other regions won’t be able to access this gender-specific data through Amazon’s built-in tools.
To find the report, go to Brands tab > Brand Analytics > Demographics in your Seller Central dashboard. Once there, you’ll see a dashboard that organizes demographic data, including a gender breakdown of your customers. This data reflects actual purchase behavior, not just browsing activity or interests.
"Brand Analytics is a feature that provides significant insights to enable Brand Owners to make informed, strategic decisions about their product portfolio and marketing/advertising activities." - Amazon
The gender section highlights the percentage distribution of male and female customers buying your products. This data updates regularly, giving you a consistent view of your audience.
Once you have this information, the key is to interpret it effectively to fine-tune your advertising strategy.
Downloading Gender Reports
After reviewing your gender data, you can download it for a more detailed analysis. Reports can be filtered by time frame (weekly, monthly, or quarterly), brand, and product category. Export the data as a spreadsheet to analyze it further using tools like Excel.
The report includes essential metrics for each demographic group, such as the total number of unique orders, unique customers, percentage of total sales, and percentage changes compared to the previous period. This helps you track shifts in your audience over time.
For instance, one business found that 60% of its customers were females under 35. By targeting this group with focused sponsored ads, they were able to boost Amazon conversions by 30%.
Organizing this data can reveal seasonal patterns and highlight which gender segments perform best. These insights form the basis for creating customer cohorts that shape your advertising strategy. For example, if your wireless speakers are most popular with men aged 25-40 or your home organization products attract women in their 30s, you can craft ad messages tailored to their specific motivations and preferences.
Reading Gender Data for Ad Planning
Downloading and analyzing your gender reports can provide valuable insights for shaping your ad strategy. The trick is to go beyond the surface-level percentages and dig deeper into how different gender groups engage with your products. These patterns can help refine your advertising approach and build on earlier observations for more targeted planning.
Finding Your Main Gender Audience by Product Type
The Demographics report uses bar graphs and tables to show sales by gender, making it easier to spot which gender dominates purchases for each product category. By filtering data by product type, you can uncover trends - like kitchen appliances attracting more female buyers or tech accessories being popular among men. This kind of breakdown helps explain not just who is buying, but also why and how they shop.
The dashboard goes further by offering insights into other demographic factors like age, income, education, and marital status. Combining gender data with these details allows you to create detailed customer personas. These personas help you fine-tune your ads to resonate with specific audiences. For products with a clear gender preference, this data is especially useful for crafting highly targeted campaigns that speak directly to that group.
Finding Gender Patterns by Season and Price
Once you've identified your primary gender audience, take a closer look at seasonal and pricing trends to sharpen your strategy. Buying habits often shift based on the time of year and price points. For example, women are generally more price-conscious when it comes to groceries and clothing, while men tend to be more sensitive to prices for electronics, mobile phones, video games, and cars.
Quarterly reports can highlight seasonal patterns, helping you time your campaigns effectively. Holiday shopping, back-to-school sales, and seasonal product launches often reveal distinct gender-based trends. Tracking these patterns over time lets you pinpoint when your male and female customers are most active.
Here's an example: women are three times more likely than men to be price-conscious about cosmetics and beauty products (27% vs. 10%). Similarly, 60% of women consider price when buying groceries, compared to 50% of men. These insights can guide your bidding strategies and promotional campaigns. Monitoring average spending and purchase frequency by gender also sheds light on customer lifetime value, which can influence both short-term ad tactics and long-term acquisition plans.
Setting Up Gender-Focused Ad Campaigns
Using the gender data insights we discussed earlier, you can create ad campaigns that truly resonate with your audience. By tailoring campaigns for each gender, you can refine keywords, craft specific ad copy, and adjust bidding strategies to connect more effectively.
Below, we’ll explore how to structure ad groups, write gender-targeted ad copy, and expand your reach using Amazon DSP.
Building Ad Groups for Different Gender Audiences
Start by setting up separate ad groups for each gender. This approach gives you more control over how you target and optimize for each audience. It also makes it easier to analyze performance and fine-tune your strategy.
For example, if your data shows that women aged 25–45 with household incomes above $50,000 are your primary buyers for kitchen appliances, create an ad group specifically for that demographic. On the other hand, men might fall into a different age or income range, so you’d build a separate ad group to focus on their preferences.
Use Amazon’s targeting options to refine each ad group. Each group should focus on one gender while including other relevant demographics. This makes it easier to track results and adjust your campaigns based on what’s working.
Organize your PPC account with multiple campaigns, each containing gender-specific ad groups. Ensure that keywords, ad copy, and landing pages align with the needs of each group. While your product listing needs to appeal broadly since all customers will end up on the same page, your ads should feel personalized to their respective audiences.
Writing Ads That Appeal to Specific Genders
To create effective ads, focus on the emotional triggers and language preferences of each gender. Your goal is to make each audience feel like the message was written just for them.
For women, emphasize benefits that connect with lifestyle values, such as convenience, family, or personal growth. For instance, a skincare brand might highlight phrases like "gentle daily care for busy moms" or "confidence-boosting results in just 7 days."
For men, a more direct, feature-driven approach often works better. Highlight performance, technical details, or time-saving benefits. That same skincare brand could focus on "fast-absorbing formulas" or "clinically proven results" when targeting male audiences.
Women often respond to messages about community, emotional relief, and personal growth, while men are typically motivated by efficiency, achievement, and problem-solving. Use these insights to craft headlines and descriptions that resonate.
Visuals play a key role too. Choose images that show your target audience using the product in relatable scenarios. For women, this might mean group activities like yoga, while for men, it could be individual pursuits like strength training.
Stick to Amazon’s character limits for ad copy, and incorporate compelling offers like discounts or free shipping. The key is to frame these benefits in ways that appeal directly to your target gender.
Using Amazon DSP for Gender Targeting Beyond Amazon
Once your Amazon campaigns are tailored, you can extend their reach using Amazon DSP. This tool allows you to target gender-specific audiences across third-party websites and apps, creating a seamless advertising strategy that follows your customers wherever they go online.
Amazon DSP gives you access to exclusive audience data based on shopping and behavioral patterns. You can use pre-defined gender segments or upload your own first-party data, such as email lists segmented by gender, to create custom audiences.
For even more precise targeting, combine gender data with other insights. For instance, you could target women aged 30–50 who recently searched for home organization products and serve them ads while they browse lifestyle blogs or social media.
DSP campaigns require creative formats like display banners or video content that work across various platforms. Ensure these visuals and messages align with your on-Amazon campaigns to maintain a consistent brand experience.
Keep a close eye on your DSP performance metrics to see which gender segments are engaging most with your ads. Use these insights to refine your strategy and allocate your budget to the audiences that deliver the best results.
This approach helps ensure your products remain top of mind, increasing the likelihood that customers will choose them on Amazon.
For expert help with gender-specific Amazon ad campaigns, check out the tailored solutions offered by eStore Factory.
Improving Campaign Results with Gender Data
Once your campaigns are live, keep a close eye on their performance. Use the data to make informed adjustments, ensuring your ad spend is directed toward the most effective audiences. This approach helps you get the most out of your investment.
Changing Bids Based on Gender Performance
Campaign data often highlights which gender segments are driving better results. When you notice clear differences, adjust your bids to focus on the segments delivering the most profit while pulling back on those underperforming.
Take a close look at metrics like Click-Through Rate (CTR), Cost Per Click (CPC), and Advertising Cost of Sales (ACoS) by gender. If one group consistently converts at a higher rate, consider allocating more budget to that audience. For example, if women are converting at a much higher rate than men, increasing bids for the female segment can help you capitalize on that trend.
Amazon’s bid modifiers are a great tool for fine-tuning your targeting without needing to create separate campaigns. Use these modifiers to increase bids for high-performing segments and reduce them for those that don’t meet your profitability goals. Campaigns that use targeted demographic data often see better results, such as a 30% boost in ad recall and a 20% lift in brand perception compared to non-targeted approaches.
Also, dig into historical data to spot performance trends. You might find that one gender is more active during specific times, like weekends or weekday evenings. Adjusting your bid schedules to match these patterns can improve your results. Similarly, if one gender prefers mobile devices while the other leans toward desktop, tweak your bid modifiers accordingly.
Don’t forget to regularly review search terms. Focus your budget on keywords that drive conversions and reduce spending on terms that generate clicks but fail to deliver sales. This ongoing optimization ensures your campaign dollars are spent wisely.
Finally, refine your strategy by excluding segments that consistently underperform.
Excluding Poor-Performing Gender Segments
If a gender segment repeatedly underperforms, it may be time to exclude it from your targeting. This step can help you focus your budget on audiences that are more likely to convert, improving your overall return on ad spend.
Use your campaign reports to identify segments with higher ACoS or lower conversion rates compared to your targets. If a specific demographic continues to underperform, excluding it could save you from wasting ad spend. However, be cautious about excluding the "Unknown" demographic, as this group could include valuable potential customers. Evaluate the trade-offs carefully before making any decisions.
Negative keywords are another effective way to refine your targeting. If certain search terms consistently attract the wrong audience, adding them as negative keywords can reduce unproductive impressions and improve efficiency.
Start with small exclusions and monitor their impact. Test these changes for a short period before deciding whether to make them permanent. This approach ensures you don’t accidentally cut off valuable traffic.
You can also combine demographic exclusions with time-based adjustments. For instance, if a gender segment only underperforms during specific times of day, exclude that combination rather than the entire group. This way, you can fine-tune your targeting without losing potential customers.
Track the performance of these adjustments closely and make changes as needed to keep your campaigns on track.
Monitoring Gender Campaign Metrics
Consistent monitoring of key metrics is essential for running successful gender-targeted campaigns. Focus on the following:
Click-Through Rate (CTR): Measures how well your ad copy and targeting resonate with each gender.
Cost Per Click (CPC): Ensures you’re not overpaying for clicks that don’t lead to conversions.
Advertising Cost of Sales (ACoS): Highlights the ratio of ad spend to sales revenue, helping you identify the most profitable segments.
Return on Ad Spend (ROAS): Shows how much revenue you’re generating for every dollar spent, making it easier to compare performance across different groups.
Tracking conversion rates by gender is also critical. This data reveals which audiences are most likely to complete a purchase after clicking on your ads, guiding your bid adjustments and budget allocation.
In the early stages of a campaign, monitor performance metrics closely. Once the results stabilize, you can shift to regular reviews. Setting up automated alerts for significant changes in key metrics allows you to respond quickly to shifts in performance.
For deeper insights, create custom reports that break down these metrics by gender. These detailed reports make it easier to spot trends and opportunities, ensuring your campaigns stay profitable as customer behavior and market conditions evolve.
Real Examples: Gender-Targeted Campaign Results
Let’s dive into some real-world examples where gender-focused strategies significantly enhanced Amazon ad performance. These case studies show how tailoring campaigns based on gender insights can lead to impressive results.
Hi-Fi Audio Equipment Success Story
eStore Factory partnered with a client selling hi-fi audio equipment and uncovered surprising insights through gender analysis. At first, it was assumed that men would dominate purchases in this traditionally male-oriented category. But the data told a different story.
The analysis revealed that clicks from female customers converted 1.4x better and delivered 28% higher ROAS compared to male clicks. Armed with this information, the team adopted a mixed strategy: some campaigns were split by gender with tailored bid adjustments and specific messaging, while others maintained a unified approach. These changes led to a 15% increase in female conversions without compromising overall ROAS.
This example highlights the power of data-driven strategies to achieve meaningful results.
The Importance of Subtle Messaging
When it comes to messaging, subtlety often works best. Leslie K. John from Harvard Business School explained:
"In many cases, these labels are not smart marketing. Companies might actually be depressing their demand for products. More subtle appeals might be the better way to go."
Similarly, Tami Kim from the University of Virginia warned:
"These appeals can make consumers feel as if they are being viewed through a unidimensional lens."
Taking these insights to heart, eStore Factory avoided overt gender labels, instead emphasizing the natural benefits and features of the products. This approach resonated better with a broader audience.
Demographic Alignment Strategy
Another key tactic is aligning visuals and messaging with the actual customer base. For example, one analysis revealed that the primary buyers of a product were women over 40. However, the brand’s ads featured young male models, which didn’t resonate with their core audience. By updating ad creatives, Storefront visuals, and A+ Content to better reflect their real customers, the brand saw improved engagement and stronger connections with its audience.
Performance Measurement Results
The results speak for themselves. Targeted campaigns consistently deliver measurable improvements. For instance, gender-focused strategies have been shown to boost ad recall by 30% and brand lift by 20%. These metrics underscore the value of gender-based optimizations in driving better overall campaign performance.
Conclusion: Using Gender Data to Improve Amazon Ads
Using gender insights can significantly enhance the ROI of your Amazon ads. Research shows that demographic targeting can lead to up to 30% higher ad recall and 20% greater brand lift compared to broader, non-targeted strategies.
As highlighted in this guide, incorporating gender data into your ad campaigns can reveal unexpected patterns. For example, skincare brands might uncover surprising cross-gender appeal, opening up new opportunities for growth.
"By leveraging age, gender, and income signals, businesses can ensure that their ads reach the most valuable users while reducing wasted spend", says Pat Knudsen, Account Manager at JumpFly.
To make the most of these insights, follow a structured approach: start by gathering gender data, analyze audience behavior, create targeted campaigns, and refine them over time. This method not only boosts click-through and conversion rates but also strengthens customer loyalty.
One key strategy is to avoid spending on demographics that yield low conversions and instead focus on increasing bids for high-performing segments. This ensures that your ad budget is directed toward the customers who matter most.
For those seeking expert guidance, eStore Factory offers comprehensive PPC management services, including Amazon DSP management. Their expertise spans account management, keyword research, and performance optimization, helping you tap into gender insights for measurable results. Whether you're looking to refine your Sponsored Products campaigns or explore advanced targeting options, their team can help you navigate the complexities of demographic optimization.
FAQs
How can non-US sellers access Amazon's gender-based customer insights?
If you're a seller based outside the U.S., you can still tap into Amazon's gender-based customer insights by joining the Amazon Brand Registry. This program gives you access to Amazon Brand Analytics, a tool packed with useful data, including customer demographics like gender. The best part? It's available to all brand-registered sellers, no matter where they're located.
To get started, make sure you meet the eligibility criteria for the Brand Registry, such as owning an active registered trademark. Once you're enrolled, you can use these insights to craft more focused and effective Amazon PPC campaigns.
How can I create Amazon ad copy that appeals to specific gender audiences?
To create Amazon ad copy that connects with specific gender audiences, it's crucial to first understand the preferences and habits of your target group. For example, men are often drawn to visual elements, such as videos, while women may prefer detailed and informative descriptions. Adjusting your ad format to match these tendencies can lead to better engagement.
Use gender-appropriate language and visuals that resonate with your audience's interests and values. This might mean showcasing imagery or messages that align with their lifestyle or priorities. Also, make the most of Amazon's demographic targeting tools. These features allow you to fine-tune your audience based on gender, interests, and shopping behaviors, making your ads more relevant and increasing the likelihood of conversions.
How can I create effective Amazon ad campaigns without relying on gender stereotypes?
To design Amazon ad campaigns that steer clear of gender stereotypes, focus on genuine representation and inclusivity. Feature a diverse range of individuals in various roles and scenarios, emphasizing their abilities and accomplishments instead of falling back on outdated gender norms. This not only appeals to a broader audience but also helps build a positive and relatable brand identity.
Another key strategy is to use gender-neutral language and visuals. This ensures your ads resonate with all potential customers and reflect the increasing demand for inclusivity. By embracing diversity and steering clear of stereotypes, your campaigns can engage a wider audience while remaining relevant and effective.
