Amazon Sponsored Brands (formerly Headline Search Ads) are banner-style ads that appear at the top of Amazon search results, showcasing your brand logo, a custom headline, and up to three products — they are the most visible Amazon ad format and essential for building brand awareness, driving branded search, and capturing high-intent shoppers on Amazon.in. Indian sellers using optimized Sponsored Brands campaigns achieve 15–30% lower ACOS than Sponsored Products alone while increasing overall sales by 20–40%. Last updated October 2026.
What Are Amazon Sponsored Brands and Who Can Use Them?
Sponsored Brands are cost-per-click (CPC) ads available to sellers enrolled in Amazon Brand Registry. They appear in three premium placements:
- Top of search: A banner above all organic results — the highest-visibility position on Amazon.
- Below search results: After the last organic result on page 1.
- Product detail pages: In the “Brands related to this category” section.
Eligibility: You must have an active Amazon Brand Registry with a registered trademark. On Amazon.in, trademark registration with the Indian Trademark Registry (Controller General of Patents, Designs & Trademarks) qualifies.
What Types of Sponsored Brands Campaigns Exist?
- Product Collection: Shows your brand logo, headline, and 3+ products. Clicks go to your Amazon Store page or a custom landing page. Best for: showcasing product range, driving store visits.
- Store Spotlight: Features your brand logo and 3 store sub-pages (e.g., “New Arrivals,” “Best Sellers,” “Under ₹999”). Clicks go directly to those store pages. Best for: brands with organized stores and multiple categories.
- Video: An auto-playing video ad (6–45 seconds) with a single product link. Appears mid-search results. Best for: product demonstrations, differentiating from competitors.
How Do You Set Up a Sponsored Brands Campaign for Amazon.in?
- Build your Amazon Store first: Sponsored Brands drive traffic to your Store. Ensure it has a professional layout with at least 3 pages, high-quality images, and organized product categories.
- Choose campaign type: Start with Product Collection for established products and Video for new launches.
- Select products: Feature your best sellers with strong reviews (4+ stars, 50+ reviews). Don’t advertise products with poor reviews — the top-of-search visibility will amplify negative perception.
- Write headlines: 50 characters max. Include your value proposition: “100% Organic Cold-Pressed Oils | Free Shipping” or “Premium Leather Wallets — Handcrafted in Rajasthan.” Test 3–5 headline variations.
- Upload brand logo: 400x400px minimum, high contrast, readable at small sizes.
- Set targeting: Start with keyword targeting using your top-performing Sponsored Products keywords. Add category targeting for discovery campaigns.
- Set budget and bids: Start with ₹500–1,000/day. Bid 20–30% higher than your Sponsored Products bids for top-of-search placement (the premium visibility justifies higher CPCs).
What Bidding Strategy Works Best for Sponsored Brands?
- Start with manual bidding: Set keyword-level bids based on your Sponsored Products data. Top-of-search placement typically requires bids 1.5–2x your average SP CPC.
- Use bid adjustments: Increase bids by 20–50% specifically for top-of-search placement. This is where Sponsored Brands have the highest conversion rate.
- Separate branded and non-branded campaigns: Branded keywords (your brand name) should have their own campaign with aggressive bids to defend your brand position. Non-branded keywords (category terms) are for conquest and discovery.
- Budget allocation: 60% on proven converting keywords, 30% on category/discovery keywords, 10% on competitor brand terms (where allowed).
- ACOS targets: Brand campaigns: 10–15% ACOS (defensive, these customers were coming anyway). Non-branded: 25–35% ACOS (acceptable for new customer acquisition). Video: 20–30% ACOS.
How Do You Create High-Converting Sponsored Brands Video Ads?
Video is the highest-engagement Sponsored Brands format:
- Length: 15–30 seconds is the sweet spot. Amazon allows 6–45 seconds, but completion rates drop sharply after 30 seconds.
- First 3 seconds: Show the product immediately. Don’t waste time on logo animations or brand introductions — shoppers scroll past in 2 seconds if not hooked.
- Demo the product: Show it being used, unboxed, or compared to alternatives. “See how it works” videos outperform brand storytelling on Amazon.
- Text overlays: Many shoppers browse Amazon with sound off. Add text overlays for key selling points, prices, and CTAs.
- Mobile-optimized: 70%+ of Amazon.in traffic is mobile. Use close-up shots, large text, and square or vertical aspect ratios for maximum impact in the mobile feed.
- End with CTA: “Shop Now,” “Check Price,” or “Limited Offer” drives the final click.
How Do You Measure Sponsored Brands Performance?
- New-to-Brand metrics: Amazon provides “New-to-Brand” orders and sales — customers who haven’t purchased from your brand in the last 12 months. This is the unique metric that justifies Sponsored Brands investment.
- ACOS vs ROAS: Calculate both. ACOS = ad spend / ad sales × 100. ROAS = ad sales / ad spend. A 25% ACOS = 4x ROAS.
- Brand search lift: Monitor branded keyword search volume before and during campaigns. Effective Sponsored Brands campaigns increase branded searches by 15–40%.
- Store visit metrics: Track store page views, dwell time, and per-page performance through Amazon Store Insights.
- Halo effect: Sponsored Brands often lift organic ranking and Sponsored Products performance. Measure total brand sales, not just attributed ad sales.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good ACOS for Amazon Sponsored Brands in India?
Average ACOS for Sponsored Brands on Amazon.in is 20–30% across categories. Electronics and commodities tend toward 25–35%, while premium/niche products achieve 12–20%. Your target ACOS depends on your profit margins — calculate your break-even ACOS (profit margin percentage) and aim to stay below it for profitable campaigns.
Should I run Sponsored Brands if I already run Sponsored Products?
Yes. They serve different purposes and appear in different placements. Sponsored Products drive conversions on specific keywords. Sponsored Brands build brand awareness and drive Store traffic. Running both together typically increases total sales by 25–40% compared to Sponsored Products alone.
How much budget should I allocate to Sponsored Brands?
Allocate 20–30% of your total Amazon advertising budget to Sponsored Brands. For a seller spending ₹1 lakh/month on Amazon ads, ₹20,000–30,000 should go to Sponsored Brands. Increase the share as you build brand recognition and see New-to-Brand metrics improve.
Can I run Sponsored Brands without an Amazon Store?
Product Collection campaigns can link to a custom product listing page instead of a Store. However, an Amazon Store significantly improves performance — it provides a branded shopping experience and gives you Store Insights analytics. Build a basic Store before launching Sponsored Brands.
How long before Sponsored Brands campaigns show results?
Allow 2–4 weeks for optimization. The first week is data collection — Amazon’s algorithm needs impression and click data to optimize placement. Weeks 2–3, analyze search terms, adjust bids, and refine targeting. By week 4, you should see stable ACOS and meaningful New-to-Brand metrics.
