Evaluating Upper-Funnel Amazon Campaigns: How Awareness Spend Drives Long-Term Performance

Evaluating upper-funnel campaigns presents a challenge; they often seem inefficient due to high Advertising Cost of Sales (ACoS) and minimal immediate return. However, when integrated properly, these campaigns are crucial to a comprehensive, full-funnel strategy. They significantly boost visibility, stabilise rankings, and drive sustained, long-term growth.

At Market Rocket, we consider them indispensable elements of a balanced campaign ecosystem. Their true worth is not measured by short-term Return on Ad Spend (ROAS), but by the high-quality traffic and intent data they deliver.

The Role Of Awareness In Amazon Ecosystems

Upper-funnel campaigns, such as Sponsored Brands and Sponsored Display Audiences, along with category-level Sponsored Products, are crucial for targeting new-to-brand shoppers. These consumers are typically still forming their purchasing intent. By introducing products earlier in the customer journey, the campaigns create product familiarity. Subsequently, this familiarity leads to more efficient conversions through mid- and lower-funnel activity. Brands frequently rely too much on branded or retargeting traffic as a result of the absence of this crucial layer. But without ongoing audience growth, these latter tactics will eventually reach a plateau.

Recognising The Impact

These signals indicate that consistent visibility data, not wasted spend, feeds the algorithm. Investing in awareness yields gradual, yet measurable, results.

Firstly, branded search volume increases, and there are improvements in click-through rates (CTR) on category terms. Furthermore, expanding retargeting audiences helps lower the cost of conversion.

We also observe improvements in organic rank and category share. Moreover, a steady decline in the blended Total Advertising Cost of Sales (TACoS) occurs as the organic contribution rises.

These consistent signals demonstrate that the algorithm is receiving continuous visibility data, which prevents wasted spend.

When To Invest?

Upper-funnel activity performs best when listings, assets, and stock are stable. This approach is particularly effective for launches, category expansion, or generating pre-event visibility ahead of major promotional peaks. For brands operating with smaller budgets, phasing investment is recommended. Begin by targeting relevant category keywords, and then scale the investment once positive downstream results become evident.

Commercial Alignment

Successful advertisers view spending on upper-funnel activities as a crucial element of their complete advertising strategy. The primary objectives of this spending are often to increase brand visibility, establish market presence, and attract new customers. Therefore, it is important to monitor how this investment relates to the overall effectiveness of advertising efforts. When executed correctly, this approach ultimately enhances performance across the entire account.

Crucially, we should not view upper-funnel campaigns as a replacement for performance media. Instead, they must function as a complementary layer. By treating every click as a valuable data input, rather than just a potential transaction, a more resilient and predictable foundation for long-term growth is established.

Market Rocket develops bespoke plans for brands seeking to enhance their visibility, profitability, and market position through a comprehensive Amazon strategy. These plans are designed specifically to connect awareness spending directly to tangible business results.

Want to see your Amazon performance skyrocket?  Book a call with our team or email us at amazon@marketrocket.co.uk to take your brand to the next level.