How to Leverage eBay Priority Campaign Strategy for Maximum Sales Impact?

There has been considerable buzz around eBay’s priority campaign strategy (formerly eBay promoted listings advanced ads), with some postulating it’s primarily designed to generate more revenue for eBay. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. The cost-per-click (CPC) model allows sellers to target high-intent buyers with premium placements, such as top-of-search, which significantly boosts click-through rates (CTR) and ultimately drives sales growth on eBay.

It’s most effective in highly competitive, high-volume categories with high profit margins. Sellers in low-margin categories may face challenges due to the high CPC of premium placements, which can erode profitability.

In this blog, we’ll delve into how to strategically leverage eBay’s priority campaign strategy to maximize visibility, optimize bids, and improve return on ad spend (ROAS), especially in competitive categories.

When to Choose: eBay General Strategy vs. eBay Priority Strategy?

Criteria	General Strategy	Priority Strategy
Budget	Lower budget, Predictable Costs	Higher budget
Risk Appetite	Lower risk (Only pay on sales)	Higher risk (Pay for every click, not just sales)
Control Over Targeting	Limited control (eBay’s algorithm handles placements)	Full Control (Target specific keywords, placements)
Market Conditions	Ideal for low-competition or niche markets	Ideal for Competitive Markets (e.g., fashion, electronics)
Campaign Goals	Broad visibility and conversions without detailed optimization	Precise targeting, premium placements, and high-intent traffic

Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up a Priority Campaign Strategy on eBay

Step 1: Create a New Campaign

Go to the Seller Hub> Advertising> Create New Campaign


Source: eBay

Step 2: Choose the Ad Type

Select Promote Your Listings to run ads for your individual product listings.

Step 3: Select the Campaign Strategy Type

Choose Priority as your campaign strategy from the two options: General & Priority.

Step 4: Add Listings to Your Campaign

Click Add Listings and select the specific products you want to promote in this campaign.
You can choose your products using one of the following approaches:

• Rule-Based Campaign: Set criteria to automatically select products based on factors such as brand, category IDs, item condition, and price range. For example, you can define a rule to automatically include products priced between $50-$100 in a specific category, like electronics.
  
  
• Item-Based Campaign: Manually select specific listings from your inventory to add to the campaign. You can add products one at a time or in bulk, and set different ad rates for each.

Step 5: Choose Your Targeting Strategy

• Smart Targeting: This option provides a simple, automated setup that optimizes your campaigns for maximum performance.
  
  
• Manual Targeting: This option gives you more control, allowing you to choose specific keywords and manage your bids manually.

If You Choose Smart Targeting

If You Choose Manual Targeting

eBay will automatically optimize your campaign. Skip to Step 6 to set your daily budget.

Choose Keyword Bidding Strategy. Dynamic Bidding is recommended for automatic bid adjustment. Listings are auto-organized into ad groups with suggested keywords and bids. Edit Ad Groups as needed. Add suggested or custom keywords. Exclude negative keywords and select match types (e.g., broad, exact, phrase). Adjust bid rates for fixed bidding or use bulk update bids across all listings. Set your daily budget.

Step 6: Set Your Daily Budget

Choose from eBay’s predefined budget suggestions or input a custom budget based on your campaign goals.

Step 7: Configure Campaign Settings

• Provide a campaign name that helps identify the campaign.
• Set the start and end dates for your campaign to control the duration of your ads.

Step 8: Launch Your Campaign

After reviewing your settings, click Launch to get your ads running.

How to Optimize eBay Promoted Listings Priority Strategy to Improve Campaign Performance?

Priority campaign strategy uses a cost-per-click model. By implementing effective bidding strategies, precise keyword targeting, and optimized listings, you can secure premium placements and drive high-converting traffic to your products, improving overall campaign performance.

1. Listing Quality

• Use high-resolution photos that meet eBay’s standards and showcase the item from multiple angles to improve listing appeal and visibility.
• Craft keyword-rich titles that align with how buyers search, ensuring your listings are more discoverable in search results.
• Complete item specifics (brand, condition, size, compatibility, etc.) to boost ad eligibility and improve ranking in search results.
• Write detailed descriptions that address common buyer concerns and enhance purchase confidence, driving better conversion rates.

2. Choose Between Smart Targeting and Manual Targeting

Source: eBay

Choose smart targeting when:
– You want automatic optimization and a simplified setup.

– You need to cover a broad inventory quickly, focusing on visibility without dedicating time to fine-tuning keywords.

Choose manual targeting when:

– You want full control over keyword selection, bid adjustments, and ad placements.

– You’re targeting specific, high-conversion search terms and have data on which keywords perform best for your products.

– You have a defined product range and want to track performance closely to adjust keywords or bids as needed.

Key Setup Paths:

• Manual Setup: Opt for this setup if you want to control ad groups, keywords, and bids directly, giving you the ability to fine-tune your campaigns for maximum efficiency.
  
  
• Quick Setup: If you prefer a faster setup, eBay will automatically generate ad groups, keywords, and bids based on your basic campaign details, streamlining the process.

Note: Once a campaign is launched, you cannot switch between smart targeting and manual targeting.

3. Keyword Strategy for Manual Targeting

Combine match types:

• Broad match expands reach, helping identify buyer intent but should be monitored to avoid irrelevant traffic.
  
  
• Phrase match balances reach and relevance by capturing queries containing your keywords.
  
  
• Exact match targets high-intent searches. Use for proven, converting keywords and adjust bids accordingly.

Prioritize high-intent, specific terms:
Long-tail keywords (e.g., “size 10 red Nike Air Max 90”) attract buyers closer to purchase, with lower competition and higher conversions.

Use negative keywords:
Add negative keywords to exclude irrelevant searches and improve ad relevance. Review the search term report to identify new negative keywords.

4. Campaign Segmentation

Avoid grouping all products together in a single campaign. Instead, segment campaigns based on:

• Product Category or Type: Ensure keyword relevance by grouping products into categories or types.
  
  
• Margin: Bid higher for high-margin items and more conservatively for low-margin or highly competitive products.
  
  
• Seasonality: Create dedicated campaigns for time-sensitive products to maximize visibility and budget allocation during peak periods.

5.  Ad Placement

Placement is determined by bid levels relative to competing sellers, listing quality, and ad relevance. Top-of-search positions drive higher CTR but should be used for high-conversion products with strong margins.

“Only listings promoted with a priority campaign strategy are eligible to show in the first ad slot position of eBay search results. Listings promoted with a general campaign strategy are not eligible to show in the first ad slot position of eBay search results.”                                                  -eBay

6. Using Seller Hub Analytics

eBay’s advertising dashboard within Seller Hub provides the performance data for ongoing refinement. Here are key strategies to optimize the campaigns;

• Identify top-performing listings with high impressions and CTR (Click-Through Rate) in Seller Hub Analytics. Prioritize these listings for further promotion or refine keyword targeting to increase visibility.
  
  
  Source: eBay
  
  
• Pause underperforming listings to reallocate your budget towards those with better conversion rates and return on ad spend (ROAS).
  
  
• Continuously monitor ROAS and adjust your budget and keywords based on real-time performance data to optimize campaign effectiveness.

End Note:

As the complexity of eBay’s advertising platform grows, staying ahead requires more than just setting bids and selecting keywords—they demand constant analysis, refinement, and the right strategy. Outsourcing eBay promoted listings optimization helps sellers leverage advanced tools, specialized expertise, and a data-driven approach to deliver consistent, high-performing campaigns. The risk of not outsourcing eBay advertising services? Falling behind in a marketplace that demands precision and performance. Let the experts handle the complexity while you focus on scaling your business.

Author Bio :

Hazel James is an eCommerce consultant at SAMM Data —a leading eCommerce growth agency offering product data management, eCommerce marketing, marketplace management, and branding & creative solutions. She works closely with 45+ brands to optimize their eCommerce operations and uncover new growth opportunities. Hazel excels at analyzing market trends, spotting emerging technologies, and implementing best practices, enabling businesses to maintain a competitive edge. With her expertise, she helps brands make data-driven decisions and streamline their operations, ensuring long-term growth and operational efficiency.