Amazon Tests Homegrown PPC Ads

ONLINE MEGA-MERCHANT Amazon.com recently began a beta test of a self-service platform that matches product search-results pages with relevant text ads sold at keyword auctions.

Called the Clickriver Ad network, the trial was created by Amazon search engine subsidiary A9.com. It’s intended to give advertisers more control over the delivery of sponsored links to the tens of millions of shoppers who buy or browse the site.

Amazon.com currently displays ads from a number of third-party networks on its product detail and results pages. It will continue to run outside ads during the Clickriver test, which is scheduled to last until February.

Admission to the pilot program is by invitation only, and the company says in its FAQ that the network will look for businesses that advertise products and services that complement the offerings found on Amazon.