More than 300,000 small and medium-sized U.S. based businesses started selling on the Amazon platform in 2017 alone. With that many sellers, it can be hard to stand out among the pack.
Here’s where Amazon’s advertising solutions come into play. Sponsored Products, Headline Search Ads, and Amazon Stores offer a unique way to reach customers, boost product visibility and land more sales within the Amazon platform.
Before deciding if one of these solutions will work for your store, you’ll want to explore the different features and eligibility requirements of each one.
Amazon Sponsored Products
Sponsored Products allows you to promote your product listings to shoppers through keyword targeted ads. When a shopper is searching or browsing for products, your ads may appear on top of or within search results as well as on product detail pages. Amazon determines what ads are shown to shoppers with matching search terms based on your ad’s relevance and bid.
The ads can be shown on a desktop, mobile and tablet browsers, and on the mobile and and tablet Amazon app. When someone clicks on the ad, they are directed to the product detail page.
The products you select for the ads are up to you. Amazon suggests using ads to move clearance items, further drive the sales of popular items, and/or to increase holiday sales for seasonal items.
Sponsored Products can help boost the visibility of your products, getting them in front of shoppers browsing for related items. And with the increased traffic to your product detail page, you have a better chance of landing sales.
Cost
Sponsored Products work on a cost-per-click basis. There are no monthly fees and you are only charged when a shopper clicks on your ad. Within Amazon, you set a max bid that you are willing to pay for a click. To up your chances of getting your ad in front of those relevant shoppers, you’ll want to set your bid competitively.
Eligibility
You’ll need an active professional seller account, have the ability to ship to all U.S. addresses, and choose products that fall under one of the eligible categories.
Buy Box eligibility for the selected products is also a must. Although it’s not listed on the eligibility requirements page, Amazon’s best practice guide states that the ad will only display if the listing is winning the Buy Box.
Headline Search Ads
Like Sponsored Product, Headline Search Ads are also shown to shoppers who are searching for relevant keywords. Unlike Sponsored Products, these ads can display up to 3 product ASINs. They also allow you to include a brand logo and unique headline. The ads appear within both desktop and mobile search results. When a shopper clicks on the ad, they are either taken to a custom landing page or to your Amazon Store.
These ads are great for boosting brand awareness and increasing sales.
Cost
The cost structure is set up like Sponsored Product Ads, you pay when the ad is clicked on.
Eligibility
In addition to having an active seller account and being able to ship across the U.S., you need to be enrolled in Amazon Brand Registry. And with these ads, it doesn’t matter who is winning the Buy Box. They have the potential to be shown regardless.
Amazon Stores
Amazon Stores gives brands an opportunity to showcase products and teach shoppers about the brand. It’s like having your own virtual store within Amazon. And you don’t have to be a web design whiz to use it. You can choose from various templates and layouts to create your multipage store.
It’s a great tool to boost shopper engagement and promote your brand.
Cost
The best part about Amazon Store’s is that its free. And who doesn’t like free?
Eligibility
To use Amazon stores, you must have an active professional seller account and be enrolled in Brand Registry.
Conclusion
Sponsored Products, Headline Search Ads, and Amazon Stores are all great ways to set yourself apart from the competition. They can help you get in front of potential customers, promote brand awareness, and increase sales. To learn more about each advertising method, click here.
