Should We Bid on Our Own Brand & Product Names in Amazon Advertising?
5 Reasons why defensive search ads are a smart investment
If your business is scaling up its Amazon PPC (pay-per-click) advertising efforts, you’ve likely encountered this classic debate:
“Should we bid on our own brand or product names? Isn’t that just wasting money on clicks we’d already get through organic search?”
This is a common concern—especially from CFOs, CEOs, or anyone focused on maximizing return on ad spend (ROAS). But despite the skepticism, brand-bidding is not just defensible—it’s a proven best practice, particularly on platforms like Amazon where competition for attention is fierce.
In this article, we’ll break down five strategic reasons why bidding on branded terms in Amazon Advertising is worth every penny—and how it can protect, amplify, and grow your brand in measurable ways.
What is Brand-Bidding in Amazon Advertising?
Brand-bidding (also called branded keyword targeting, PPC brand ads, defensive targeting, or branded search advertising) refers to the practice of running paid ads for searches that include your company name, product name, or related branded terms. Even if your listing appears organically at the top, running a branded ad ensures you control the message, outshine competitors, and dominate the search results page.
Our Experience with Brand-Bidding
At Amplify Marketing Services, we’ve been in your shoes. Years ago, we faced this exact question while managing ad budgets for a large corporation. After rigorous testing and analysis, we concluded that brand-bidding consistently delivers positive ROI.
When we launched Amplify, we had to reassess everything—this time with our own budget on the line. And again, the results proved the value of bidding on branded keywords. Today, nearly every client we work with raises this question, and we confidently guide them through the data-backed reasons to say yes to branded ads.
Now, we’ve created this article as a go-to resource—for clients and marketers alike—to help you make the right decision based on logic, not just gut instinct.
Why Brand-Bidding Is a Best Practice on Amazon: 5 Key Reasons
1. Defend Your Brand from Competitor Conquesting
One of the biggest risks of not bidding on your own brand terms? Your competitors will. Amazon allows brands to bid on any keyword, including yours. If you’re not present in the top sponsored spot, a rival brand could grab that prime real estate and steal clicks—and customers—right from under your nose.
2. Dominate the Search Results Page
Amazon shoppers are heavily influenced by what they see above the fold. When you combine a sponsored brand or product ad with a top organic result, your brand owns more of the screen real estate. This dominance increases trust, reduces friction, and helps keep shoppers from exploring competitor options.
3. Control Your Messaging and Cross-Sell Opportunities
Branded ads give you the power to customize headlines, showcase specific products, and direct users to curated brand storefronts. Organic results don’t offer this level of flexibility. Use your ad space to feature bestsellers, promotions, bundles, or new launches, enhancing both sales and brand perception.
4. Boost Conversion Rates and ROAS
Bidding on branded terms typically results in high click-through rates (CTR) and low cost-per-click (CPC). Why? Because shoppers searching for your brand are already familiar with you—they’re lower-funnel and ready to buy. This often leads to higher conversion rates and stronger ROAS compared to non-branded keywords.
5. Gain Valuable Insights and Performance Data
Branded campaigns provide a clean, consistent data stream that helps you track how many customers are searching directly for your brand or product names. This data reveals brand strength, trend shifts, and keyword variations that you might miss if you only rely on organic traffic analytics.
Final Thoughts: Brand-Bidding Isn’t Optional—It’s Strategic
While it may seem counterintuitive to “pay for your own traffic,” the risks of not bidding on your branded terms far outweigh the cost. From defending against competitors to increasing visibility and conversions, branded keyword advertising is a smart move—especially on a highly competitive platform like Amazon.
If you’re still weighing the decision or facing internal pushback, feel free to use this article as your strategic cheat sheet. At Amplify Marketing Services, we help brands navigate exactly these types of advertising decisions with clarity, confidence, and results.
If you’re interested in a possible Amazon Ad management partnership, we’d be honored to explore that with you. Click here for more information about Amplify’s Amazon Ad management services.
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