We all know the drill by now:

  • Top of Search (first position) converts best

  • Rest of Search converts middle of the road

  • Product page ads convert the worst by far

So everyone’s asking the same question: How do I make my ads only show on Top of Search, or only on Rest of Search?

I’ve tried that popular hack — super low base bid + massive top-of-search multiplier, like 900% — and got basically zero impressions.

Here’s the thing: your base bid is what determines whether you get any impressions at all. If it’s too low, even a 900% multiplier does nothing. But crank your bid up, and you’ll end up on product pages and rest of search whether you like it or not.

In reality, getting consistent Top of Search placement just comes down to testing the right combination of base bid + placement percentage. No magic trick, just testing.

That got me thinking about the actual logic behind Amazon’s ad placements. Here’s my take.

  1. Why can’t we set a multiplier for Rest of Search?

Only Top of Search and Product Pages have adjustable multipliers. Rest of Search doesn’t.

From what I’ve figured out, it’s because of the ad rank formula:

Ad Rank = listing weight × ad quality × bid

If Rest of Search had its own multiplier, it would create total chaos. For example, if you set 50% for Top and 100% for Rest, that 100% should logically push the ad higher — possibly into Top of Search. That defeats the whole point.

Amazon just avoids the mess by not letting us adjust Rest of Search at all.

  1. Why can’t we fully avoid product pages?

If your ad can show on Rest of Search, it will also show on product pages. This is intentional — Amazon wants to fill as many ad slots as possible and make money.

Search pages only have so many ad spots, maybe 20–30 per keyword. But thousands of sellers are bidding. So Amazon shoves the rest onto product pages: “Products related to this item”, “4 stars and above”, all those sliders.

Once your ad is eligible for Rest of Search, Amazon will automatically put it on product pages too.

  1. Why do product page ads convert so poorly?

It’s all about buyer behavior.

Normal path:

Search → scroll → click a listing → check it out → maybe buy.

Product page ad path:

Search → scroll → click Listing A (they already like A) → see your ad for B on A’s page → click over.

By then, the customer already has a preference. They’re anchored on A. For B to convert, it has to be way better or way cheaper.

If your category is super commoditized, product page ads are basically dead in the water.

When product page ads do work:

  • You’re a top brand / category leader

  • Low price + good ratings

  • Highly innovative, no real alternatives

This also gives a clear launch strategy:

Innovative product + low launch price + get early reviews lined up early.

  1. What’s next for Amazon ads?

Ad costs keep going up, cash flow cycles are brutal, and slots are still limited. If things stay the same, small sellers will get priced out completely.

My guess? Amazon will keep adding more placement types (they already did HR placements) and more ad slots overall. They have to, to keep the platform working for regular sellers.

That’s my breakdown. Curious how you guys control your placements — especially if you’ve cracked it better than I have.