If you’ve ever set up an automatic ad campaign for your KDP book, you’ve probably seen targeting options like Close Match, Loose Match, Substitutes, and Complements. But what do these mean, and which ones are worth using?
Getting these settings right can make a big difference to your ad performance and how far your budget stretches. In this post, I’ll explain each one in plain English and share the settings I use to minimise wasted clicks and manage ad spend effectively.
Close Match – Recommended: ON (with a low bid)
Close Match means Amazon will show your ad to people who are searching for keywords that closely match your book’s title, subtitle, description, or backend keywords. These are usually more relevant searches, which means higher chances of converting to sales.
For example, if your book is a reading log for kids, Amazon might show your ad to people searching for “kids reading log” or “reading journal for children.”
What to do:
Keep this ON, but set the bid low — around £0.07 to £0.15. That way, you still appear for relevant searches but avoid overbidding.
Loose Match – Recommended: OFF
Loose Match targets search terms that are loosely related to your book. These tend to be broader and less relevant, so you might end up paying for clicks that never convert.
For example, your reading log could show up for “classroom books,” “back to school planner,” or other loosely related terms that don’t quite match what you’re offering.
What to do:
Turn this OFF completely. It’s one of the quickest ways to reduce wasted spend on broad, irrelevant traffic.
Substitutes – Recommended: OFF or very low bid
Substitutes means Amazon will show your ad on pages of other books it considers similar to yours, often competitors. This can be hit or miss.
If your book doesn’t stand out visually or isn’t priced competitively, people might click to compare but not make a purchase.
What to do:
You can either turn this OFF or set a very low bid like £0.05 if you want to test it. Monitor your ad report to see if it brings in any useful clicks or not.
Complements – Recommended: OFF or very low bid
Complements means Amazon may show your ad on listings for products that could go well with your book. For example, a self-help journal might appear alongside pens, planners, or motivational books.
Sounds good in theory, but in practice, it rarely works well for books. People browsing for unrelated items don’t often stop to buy a journal or notebook just because it’s listed below.
What to do:
Turn this OFF, or if you’re curious, set a bid as low as £0.02 to £0.05. It’s not a major traffic driver, and it’s often safe to ignore.
Summary of Recommended Settings for KDP Auto Ads
- Close Match – ON, bid £0.07–£0.15
- Loose Match – OFF
- Substitutes – OFF or bid £0.05
- Complements – OFF or bid £0.02–£0.05
These settings help you target the most relevant search terms while avoiding clicks from people who are unlikely to buy your book.
Bonus Tip:
Even with these settings, it’s still important to check your Search Term report every few days. You may still need to add negative keywords to block phrases that slip through.
By fine-tuning your auto ads like this, you give your book a better shot at showing up in the right places, without blowing your budget on the wrong ones.
