E-commerce platforms have been steadily gaining in online ad revenue share. Their importance has driven advertisers to look at them in a new light and seek to develop new promotional strategies, different from those typically used for social media platforms.
Understanding the strategies that work in e-commerce marketing requires a more in-depth examination of the medium and its products. To help, we asked 12 members of Forbes Agency Council to share some of the critical strategies businesses should implement to successfully design ads for e-commerce platforms.
Members share some crucial design tips for e-commerce campaigns.
Photos courtesy of the individual members.
1. Know Your Customers’ Buying Habits
It is one thing to know the likes and dislikes of your customer. However, it is another thing to know about their buying habits. What you need to know is when they are buying and how they are making decisions. Part of that means that you are going to want to understand their thinking, as well as how you can take the information and get it to the creative team. – Jon James, Ignited Results
2. Don’t Forget The Storytelling
The best advertising, regardless of the platform or format, speaks to the emotions of consumers, and Amazon is no exception. For brands to be successful on Amazon, they need to find ways to tell stories within their advertising that aren’t just direct responses but speak to how the product folds into the overarching experience the person is trying to have. – Scott Harkey, OH Partners
3. Reach Consumers At Every Buying Stage
With over 50% of online product searches starting on Amazon, it has become not only the default e-commerce site for consumers, but also the primary way consumers discover new brands and products. Advertisers should design their marketing to create and drive demand for their products by leveraging non-brand, sponsored brands and Amazon’s programmatic platform to compliment the lower-funnel SPAs. – Drew Kraemer, Marketplace Strategy
4. Unlock Potential With Keywords
One thing to remember about an Amazon strategy is that it comes much closer to an SEO-type of strategy than a straight paid social strategy. Users go to Amazon to search, not just discover. Brands selling on Amazon need to be sure that they use the correct keywords, descriptions, images, etc. to stand out against competitors. – Bernard May, National Positions
5. Retarget Your E-Commerce Website Visitors
Users on e-commerce platforms are there for one reason: to shop. To reach them, use retargeting to re-engage users who have viewed a product but have yet to purchase. Shift messaging away from lifestyle content and toward product-focused, call-to-action messaging. Finally, identify and optimize toward the platforms, audiences and messaging that drive the highest return to maximize results. – Donna Robinson, Nina Hale – Digital Marketing Agency
6. Be Selective
E-commerce platforms are gaining significant search traffic worldwide and are now competing with Google on search queries. If you’re selling products online, it makes more sense to focus your ad spend on Amazon. To do so well, be selective — advertise products that are popular, in stock and that are priced competitively, while highlighting their top benefit in your ad’s headline. – Ahmad Kareh, Twistlab Marketing
7. Enable Easy Access
Always be user-friendly and easily accessible. It’s important to remember that customers like things done easy with no hassle. Social media platforms are always accessible so try to figure out a way to be available all the time. – Cagan Sean Yuksel, GRAFX CO.
8. Think Of The Customer Intent
When on social media platforms, you’re interrupting an experience and transferring the customer’s intent to become one to buy. On Amazon, your user already has an intent to buy. It’s less of a transition of intent, and more of a proof that you’re the best product for their specific need. Thinking of needs, solutions to problems and differentiation will make the big difference on the platform. – Jonathan Laberge, Reptile
9. Keep It Simple
E-commerce platforms require a more straightforward and informative approach. With social media, use case, lifestyle and educational campaigns are more likely to succeed. – Sarah Remesch, 270M
10. Don’t Get Distracted By Short-Term Gains
Don’t get distracted by short-term gains and sales. Amazon is not your friend, so make sure your short-term gains via their platform don’t undermine your long-term strategy (or entire industry). – Ryan Short, MODassic Marketing
11. Build An Entire Buyer Journey Through Ads
Oftentimes, we forget that the buyer may have never left the Amazon site, so assume that we have to build awareness and convert them all within the same platform. You can use video ads to introduce your brand. Next, you can show your ad next to competitor products at the consideration stage. Finally, sponsor your product to display it above others in a search for folks that are ready to buy. – Solomon Thimothy, OneIMS
12. Focus On Getting Positive Reviews
Positive reviews are essential for success. You can have stunning creative, the most relevant audience targeting and a competitive pricing strategy, but if a product has poor reviews, click-through rate and sales will be negatively impacted. – Tripp Donnelly, REQ
