Amazon recently made headlines by **quietly discontinuing its Posts program**, marking a significant shift in its branding strategy. This decision, announced on June 3, was fueled by **dwindling impressions** and an impending redesign of its website.
Turning the Page: What’s Happening with Amazon’s Posts
The ecommerce titan revealed the program’s **deprecation** through an update in its advertising advanced tools center ([source](https://advertising.amazon.com/API/docs/en-us/release-notes/index#posts-are-deprecated-as-of-june-3-2025)). Posts were designed as a way to showcase **lifestyle photos and videos**, akin to a social media feed, aimed at inspiring users to browse products. While brands could create Posts for free, they also had the option to “boost” them and transform them into Sponsored Brands ads that appeared in search results.
Why the Shift?
The official announcement cited that: “With **declining impressions** and the upcoming redesign of our Search and Detail pages, the Posts program has become less valuable.” This change urges customers to explore Amazon’s robust suite of **sponsored advertising solutions** as the platform continues to evolve new creative formats.
From June 16, new Posts will no longer be allowed. The program is scheduled for complete shutdown on **July 31**, signaling the end of this chapter for Amazon’s branding endeavors. Interestingly, Amazon did not provide further comments on this decision when approached by ADWEEK.
The Decline of Social-Style Features
This decision follows the February cancellation of **Inspire**, another Amazon feature that attempted to mimic TikTok’s popular format. The platform’s efforts to morph into a social-style browsing hub seem to be at odds with its core identity as a **purchase-intent driven** marketplace. Meanwhile, Amazon’s investment in AI continues to grow, reshaping the ecommerce marketing landscape ([source](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/aws/aws-investment-north-carolina-ai-cloud-infrastructure)).
A Missed Opportunity?
Insights from Podean, an agency specializing in navigating ecommerce marketplaces, shed light on the shortcomings of the Posts program. According to Emily Browning, the agency’s director of ecommerce content and creative, “Posts lived in **perpetual beta** for years, never gaining meaningful traction because it attempted to solve a problem that didn’t exist. Shoppers came to Amazon with **purchase intent**, not to browse content feeds.”
Browning further elaborates that this decision “**reflects both the feature’s fundamental misalignment** with shopper behavior and the platform’s strategic maturation.” The sentiment resonates with other ad buyers, who noted that the Posts functionality didn’t fulfill its intended purpose. One anonymous buyer remarked, “It was **Amazon trying to be Target**,” referring to Target’s adeptness at **promoting social media posts** on its site ([source](https://www.target.com/finds/targetstyle?lnk=TS_GDD)).
The Bigger Picture: What This Means for Advertisers
Despite the initial promise, Amazon’s choice to sunset the Posts program is ultimately viewed as a **positive shift for advertisers**. As Browning notes, this move frees up resources for brands to focus on more effective advertising formats available on the platform. “The only thing brands will miss is the few hours spent each month managing content that delivered minimal **ROI**,” she states succinctly.
As Amazon steers its focus back to **core functionalities** and away from less effective features, it opens the door for advertisers to engage with a clear, results-driven strategy. With Amazon’s continual evolution, the ecommerce landscape remains as dynamic as ever. Stay tuned as we watch how this giant adapts to the needs of modern consumers in a rapidly changing market.
