How to set up Sponsored Products, Brands, and Display campaigns

Introduction

Amazon advertising can be powerful — but only if it’s built properly from the ground up. The difference between a profitable campaign and wasted spend often comes down to structure.

This guide breaks down, step by step, how to set up Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, and Sponsored Display campaigns in 2025 — including targeting options, bidding strategies, and optimisation best practice. Whether you’re launching your first campaign or refining an existing one, these principles form the foundation of efficient, scalable advertising.

1. Sponsored Products (SP) — The Foundation of Amazon Advertising

Step 1: Choose the Right Campaign Type

Go to Advertising → Campaign Manager → Create Campaign → Sponsored Products.

Select your objective: manual targeting (recommended) or automatic targeting (for research).

Tip: Start with Automatic Targeting for 7–10 days to collect data, then transition to Manual with high-performing keywords.

Step 2: Set Daily Budget and Bidding Strategy

Start with a modest budget (£20–£50/day per key SKU).

Choose a Dynamic Bidding type:

• Down Only — safer for control.

• Up & Down — more aggressive, useful during launch or peak sales events.

Adjust bids based on placement. Top of search usually converts best; test adding a +50% placement modifier.

Step 3: Build Ad Groups and Add Keywords

Group products logically (one parent ASIN or tightly related child SKUs).

Add keywords manually using data from Brand Analytics, Search Query Performance, or Helium 10.

Include Exact, Phrase, and Broad match types for control.

Tip: To avoid keyword cannibalisation, don’t target the same keyword across multiple campaigns.

Step 4: Add Negative Keywords

Use negative exact and phrase types to filter irrelevant searches.

Regularly review the search term report to block wasted clicks.

Step 5: Monitor & Optimise

Wait at least seven days before analysing performance due to data delays.

Evaluate CTR, CVR, and ACOS.

Adjust bids or pause non-performers weekly, and aim for a stable TACOS trend, where ads and organic sales are working together.

2. Sponsored Brands (SB) — Building Visibility & Brand Recognition

Step 1: Access Sponsored Brands

Navigate to Advertising → Campaign Manager → Create Campaign → Sponsored Brands.

Choose a format:

• Product Collection (show multiple products)

• Store Spotlight (link to your Store)

• Video Ad (autoplay in search results)

Brand Registry is required to run Sponsored Brand campaigns.

Step 2: Craft the Creative

Upload your logo and 50–60 character headline.

Select hero ASINs that reflect variety and price range.

For video ads, keep clips under 15 seconds and highlight key benefits within the first three seconds.

Tip: As most users view videos with sound off, design for silent autoplay — show product function, benefits, and outcomes visually.

Also note that as of 2025, Amazon Creative Builder allows streamlined video creation and ad variation testing directly in the console. Use it to test alternative headlines or thumbnail variants to increase CTR.

Step 3: Targeting Setup

Choose from Keyword, Category, or Product Targeting.

Use keyword match types as with SP.

For brand protection, target your own ASINs and brand terms.

For growth, target competitor ASINs within your category.

Step 4: Bidding and Budgets

Start with £30–£60/day, higher during launches or promotions.

Sponsored Brands CPCs are generally 20–40% higher than SP.

Adjust bids by placement (Top of Search vs Product Pages).

Step 5: Review and Measure

Track Impressions, CTR, and Video Completion Rate.

Review New-to-Brand (NTB) metrics to measure reach and audience growth.

Combine with Sponsored Products to retarget and drive conversions.

3. Sponsored Display (SD) — Retargeting and Audience Expansion

Step 1: Campaign Creation

Go to Advertising → Campaign Manager → Create Campaign → Sponsored Display.

Choose an objective:

• Protect your products (target your own ASINs)

• Conquest competitors (target rival ASINs)

• Retarget browsers (views-based remarketing)

Step 2: Targeting Options

• Product Targeting: Select ASINs or categories

• Audiences: Use in-market, lifestyle, or interest segments

• Views Remarketing: Re-engage shoppers who viewed your product but didn’t buy

Tip: Layer product and audience targeting to reach new customers while defending your listings.

Step 3: Creative Setup

Amazon automatically generates ad layouts. Replace product images and copy where possible.

Add a concise, benefit-led headline (max 50 characters).

As of mid-2025, advertisers can select the “Optimise for Ad-attributed Sales” goal to improve conversion-driven bidding for remarketing and predictive audience segments.

For video-enabled SD campaigns, upload 15–20 second clips showing the product in context, with functional visuals first.

Step 4: Budget and Bidding

Start with £25–£50/day. Choose CPC for engagement goals or vCPM for brand awareness.

Run alongside SP and SB to maintain consistent coverage across the funnel.

Step 5: Monitor Performance

Track CTR, CVR, NTB, and Attribution (14– or 30-day windows).

Use Amazon Marketing Stream for near real-time performance data.

Integrate DSP later for granular audience management and off-Amazon reach.

4. Cross-Format Strategy Tips

Pro Insight: Use clear campaign naming conventions (e.g. “SP_AUTO_UK_May2025”) to simplify reporting and automation workflows.

Budget Allocation Tip: A 70–20–10 split (SP: 70%, SB: 20%, SD: 10%) works well for new brands starting out to establish balance across awareness, conversion, and remarketing.

FAQs

Can I run these campaigns without Brand Registry?

Yes for Sponsored Products and Sponsored Display. Sponsored Brands requires Brand Registry.

What’s a good starting budget?

Around £20–£50/day per campaign, depending on product price, competition, and goals.

Should I run automatic or manual targeting?

Use automatic first to collect data, then move to manual for precision and efficiency.

Can I run video ads without the DSP?

Yes — through Sponsored Brands Video and Sponsored Display video placements.

How can I optimise across different marketplaces?

Adjust bids and budgets per marketplace, as keyword volume and CPC differ by region. Maintain separate campaigns for each country for accurate reporting.

Summary

Setting up Amazon campaigns correctly is the foundation of every successful account. Build clean structures, use data-led targeting, and layer ad formats to move shoppers from discovery to purchase.

At Amersify, we don’t just build campaigns — we build ecosystems that scale with your brand.