Amazon Marketing Cloud is the most underutilized tool in the Amazon advertising ecosystem. Most advertisers either don’t know it exists, don’t have access, or don’t know what to query. Here are the five queries that consistently deliver the most actionable insights for our clients.
1. Sponsored Ads + DSP Overlap Analysis
This query identifies shoppers who were exposed to both your Sponsored Ads and DSP campaigns before purchasing. The insight: overlap audiences typically convert at 2-3x the rate of single-channel exposure. If your overlap rate is low, you are not building a cohesive funnel. If it is high, your DSP retargeting is working. Either way, this data tells you where to shift budget.
2. Path-to-Purchase Analysis
How many touchpoints does a shopper need before buying your product? This query maps the full journey: first ad impression to final purchase. For most CPG products, the answer is 3-5 touchpoints over 7-14 days. For high-consideration items, it can be 8-12 touchpoints over 30+ days. This data directly informs your DSP frequency caps and lookback windows.
3. New-to-Brand by Campaign Type
Not all campaigns acquire customers equally. This query breaks down NTB percentage by campaign type and targeting strategy. Typically: branded Sponsored Products have 10-20% NTB (mostly existing customers searching your brand), non-branded exact match has 60-75% NTB, and DSP prospecting can reach 85-95% NTB. Use this to justify DSP spend to stakeholders who only look at direct ROAS.
4. Time-of-Day Conversion Heatmap
This query generates a 24-hour x 7-day matrix of conversion rates and ROAS. The data often reveals surprising patterns: for example, many home goods brands see peak conversion rates between 9-11 PM (when shoppers are browsing on the couch) but peak ROAS at 6-8 AM (when competition is lowest). Use this for dayparting strategies in both Sponsored Ads and DSP.
5. Cross-ASIN Purchase Basket Analysis
What other products do your customers buy? This query analyzes purchase baskets to identify complementary products. The applications are immediate: cross-sell DSP campaigns, Sponsored Display product targeting, and virtual bundle opportunities. We found one client whose customers bought a specific competing brand 40% of the time — perfect for a conquest targeting campaign.