Over the last couple of years, I’ve seen a ton of talk about “locking in top-of-search” positions. Some sellers swear by it; others say it’s just burning cash with nothing to show for it. In my experience, it’s not a one-size-fits-all answer — it really depends on your product stage, your category, and what you’re actually trying to achieve with your ads.
Let’s keep it real: Ads exist to get impressions. Clicks and conversions? Those depend almost entirely on your listing. The big question we all grapple with is: which placements should you target, and when?
I’ve tested this across a handful of categories, so here’s a no-BS breakdown of different ad placements, their pros and cons, and when they actually make sense (and when they’re just a waste of budget).
- Top of Search (TOS)
This is where most sellers throw their placement adjustments — and for good reason. Historically, it’s where CTR and conversion rates are highest. But it’s not always worth it.
Pros: High traffic, high conversion (when your listing is solid)
Cons: Insanely expensive CPC, fierce competition (you’ll be bidding against big brands)
When it makes sense:
Established products with strong conversion — if you have the budget to sustain it, holding TOS long-term can lock in sales
Mature products in competitive niches — don’t try to take on all keywords at once; pick your battles, target one at a time, and consider dayparting (only bid hard during peak hours)
Unique / custom products — go after high-relevance keywords to establish your presence; these buyers are more likely to convert, so the high CPC is worth it
- Rest of Search (ROS)
This is everything between top-of-search and product pages — think middle/bottom of page 1, page 2, etc. It’s less predictable, but often way cheaper than TOS.
Pros: Lower CPC, more placement opportunities (recommended sections, etc.)
Cons: Unstable positions (you might bounce around), scattered traffic (not all placements here convert equally)
When it makes sense:
Commodity / competitive categories — more recommendations pop up here, so you have a better shot at getting seen without breaking the bank
Products with 4.5+ stars — especially if your category average is lower, you’ll often show up in the “4 stars and above” sections, which get solid clicks
Products with influencer / review videos — you might land in the “Picks from Amazon Influencers” section, which is a hidden gem for conversions
Pro tip: You can’t directly target these recommended placements, but you can test with low CPC + ROS placement adjustments and see what sticks. I’ve had great luck with this for newer products.
- Product Pages (PP)
This is the placement most sellers try to avoid — but it’s also the cheapest, and sometimes you can’t avoid it (thanks to Amazon’s bidding algorithm). I used to hate it, but it can be useful if you use it right.
Pros: Large, relatively precise traffic (shoppers are already in buying mode), super low CPC
Cons: Way too easy to land here, often low conversion (people are there to buy the main product, not your ad)
When it makes sense:
Defense: Target your own complementary products to keep buyers in your ecosystem (e.g., if you sell phone cases, target your phone screen protectors)
Attack: Target competitor ASINs — especially those with lower ratings or higher prices. Shoppers browsing their listings are already interested in the product; your ad can be the nudge they need to switch.
If you have multiple SKUs or a broader catalog, product page placements can be surprisingly effective for capturing traffic that’s already ready to buy.
- First 3 Pages of Search Results
This is a broader category than just TOS. Let’s be real: 98% of conversions happen within the first 3 pages — but it’s hard to lock down specific spots here, and it can get expensive fast.
Pros: Most of the traffic and conversion potential (if you can get in front of the right buyers)
Cons: Unstable positions (you might be on page 1 one hour, page 3 the next), expensive to test (you’ll burn through budget fast if you’re not careful)
How to approach it:
Run single keyword per campaign — this lets you track which keywords perform best in these positions
Test tiered bids across 3–5 campaigns for your core keywords (e.g., one campaign with low bid, one with medium, one with high)
Focus your budget on your peak conversion hours (use Amazon’s dayparting tool — it’s a game-changer)
Word of caution: This is only worth it if your conversion rate is strong enough. If your listing isn’t competitive, you’ll just burn cash with nothing to show for it.
- Sponsored Brands / Sponsored Brands Video (SB / SBV)
I see a lot of sellers sleep on these, but they can be great — if you use them for the right reasons.
Pros: Visual placement (stand out from text ads), great for branding (builds recognition), scene-based visuals let you showcase your product in use
Cons: Broad traffic (not as targeted as SP), harder to control conversion, less direct impact on keyword rank than SP ads
When it makes sense:
Once you have some brand recognition (people know your name, or your brand term gets searches)
As a complement to strong SP performance — don’t rely on SB/SBV alone; use them to reinforce your presence
For brand-focused sellers (if building brand loyalty is part of your long-term strategy)
- Sponsored Display (SD) ASIN Targeting
SD ASIN targeting is hit or miss, but when it hits, it’s great. It’s all about positioning yourself in front of the right shoppers.
Pros: Visual (can include your logo), appears in prominent spots (e.g., below product descriptions), targets shoppers who are already interested in similar products
Cons: Position isn’t guaranteed (easily bumped by other ads or content), conversion can be hit-or-miss
When it makes sense:
When you have clear advantages over competitors (better price, higher rating, more reviews, stronger brand)
Use offensively to steal traffic from weaker competitors (those with lower ratings or higher prices)
Use defensively to protect your own ASINs (target your own listings to keep competitors from poaching your shoppers)
Final Thought
Here’s the thing: There’s no single “right” placement. The best strategy depends on your product stage (new vs. established), your category (competitive vs. niche), and your goals (sales vs. brand vs. organic rank).
Test different placements, track performance closely (don’t just look at ACOS — look at conversion rate and total profit), and adjust based on what actually works. Don’t chase top positions just because everyone else is — sometimes the best ROI is in the “boring” placements.
Would love to hear how others are approaching placement strategy in their categories. Any wins or fails you’ve had with TOS, ROS, or PP?
Answers (4)
Reply: I run one keyword per campaign — that way, I can see which placements perform best for each term. For small, low-volume long-tails, it’s not worth the extra work, but for core keywords, it’s a game-changer. I use a cheap third-party tool to double-check, but even without it, single-keyword campaigns give you a clear picture.
If my organic rank is already in the top 4 for a keyword, do I still need to bid on top-of-search for it? Seems like a waste of budget, but I’m worried about losing rank.
If top-of-search converts worse than product pages, but I want to push my organic rank higher, should I still target TOS? I’ve been testing it and my organic rank went up 2 spots, but ACOS is brutal.
For highly relevant long-tail terms (ABA rank ~100k), I have 20+ of them. Should I bid for top-of-search on each one? If so, one keyword per campaign or group them?