There are certain things we know for certain in 2018 when it comes to digital marketing.
Augmented reality will be embraced by every major advertising platform and change the way brands interact with consumers.
(The real world will soon become a bleak landscape devoid of virtual Pokemon and dancing hot dogs).
AI will take over the world, but in a good way.
(Chatbots, better Netflix recommendations, a fridge that orders groceries for us. . .if this is what robot domination looks like, we’re not opposed).
Last but not least, Amazon will continue climbing its way to the top of the PPC marketing pyramid.
Its 38% revenue increase in Q4 2017 to reach $60.5 billion in earnings is just one indication this platform is the one to watch in 2018.
Then there’s all the hype from media, current Amazon marketers, and every other reputable expert telling us again and again about its promising future.
Even if you don’t fully believe Amazon will overtake Facebook or Google, there’s still value to be had in understand Amazon marketing best practices for 2018.
Launching an advertising campaign on this platform can still yield 10X-20X ROI while reaching a highly motivated group of consumers.
In this article, we’ll list out five quick tips to boost your Amazon product marketing strategy.
Keep in mind that launching a paid campaign with an Amazon ads agency is one of the best options for reaching the top of the search results.
However, here are an additional five Amazon advertising hacks you can use as you determine the strategy that works best for you.
1) Create the Best Amazon Product Title – And Don’t Forget to Optimize It!
The way that product titles work on Amazon goes against almost everything you know when it comes to ranking on Google and the SERPs.
Instead, Amazon marketing practices have shown that a much longer, keyword-optimized title is best.
Compared to Google SEO, this approach is far less consumer-oriented.
Though the title should still be somewhat user-friendly, Amazon marketing best practices rely on a formula depending on the type of product.
For example, small appliance product titles on Amazon should include: Brand + Model Number + Model Name + Product Type, Color.
The help page on Amazon has even more information on writing your product titles, as well as optimizing your product listings in general.
Use this as your reference to create the most optimized title for your Amazon advertising strategy.
Additionally, use keyword research tools like Merchant Words to find the best terms to include in your title.
2) The Best Amazon Descriptions Use Bullet Points
Keeping product descriptions brief and concise are essential for a successful Amazon advertising strategy.
Most people skim web content more than print.
Make your Amazon descriptions more “skimmable” by condensing them into bullet points.
A few of the best practices for using bullet points in your Amazon product marketing strategy include (yes, this list’s format is intentional):
- Begin each bullet point with a capital letter
- Include the most exciting and important details as the first few points
- Avoid including pricing or coupons/promotions
- Use sentence fragments instead of full sentences with end punctuation
Additionally, bullet points in the description are another opportunity to insert target keywords.
Use the terms and keywords that people are using the most when searching for the same or similar products.
3) Opt for Enhanced Brand Content (It’s Free!)
Since rolling out the beta version of Enhanced Brand Content (EBC) to Amazon marketers in November 2016, the platform has expanded to include all registered sellers.
Essentially, EBC is an Amazon advertising tool for creating a product page that appears highly curated.
Compared to traditional listings, EBC has more room for product descriptions, images, and other types of rich, visual content.
The benefits of such a tool for Amazon advertisers range from boosting ROI on paid ads to enhancing brand value and affinity.
By getting your brand to stand out from competitors, Amazon users will be more attracted to your page.
As a result, they’ll be more inclined to browse, get to know your brand, and make a purchase.
And don’t forget the best part of Enhanced Brand Content: it’s free!
4) Break Up the Product Description With Basic HTML Markup
It’s pretty clear at this point that many Amazon marketing practices focus on the product description.
This is the area that’s important for both customers and your search rankings.
Even though this content often appears at the bottom of the page, it’s not a spot to overlook.
Basic HTML markup is similar to the Amazon product marketing strategy of including bullet points.
Both are intended to make content more digestible and appealing to potential customers.
Avoid creating a block of text all in one paragraph.
Instead, basic HTML markup like boldface, italics, and line breaks can help highlight certain features and make it easier to read overall.
Amazon doesn’t allow marketers to use any other type of HTML.
So, use even basic markup to your advantage and create product descriptions that are eye-catching and compelling.
5) Pay Attention to Customer Reviews
The importance of peer reviews for your Amazon advertising strategy cannot be underestimated.
The same value applies to customer reviews on Amazon product listings.
About 68% of people form an opinion about a brand after reading 1-6 reviews.
And, 58% of them place the most emphasis on overall star rating, as opposed to quantity of reviews or the sentiment expressed within them.
Though you can’t control your star rating or edit the reviews written about you, it’s still worth gathering as much feedback as possible.
When asked by a brand or company, 71% of people are willing to leave a review.
Take advantage of this in your Amazon marketing, start asking your customers to write a review after a purchase.
Even if every review isn’t glowing, you can count on the negative ones becoming averaged out by the positive.
As you amass an inventory of positive reviews, you’ll watch your star rating and ranking soar.
In order to keep up with reviews (and respond to negative ones), you can use automated alert tools.
Among those available to Amazon advertisers, there’s FeedbackFive, Feedback Genius, and more.
Staying up to date with customer reviews can alert you to any negative ones.
Additionally, the trends that emerge from reviews can help you formulate your Amazon product marketing strategy moving forward.
Optimizing Your Amazon Marketing Strategy for 2018
With these five tips in mind, you can quickly maximize the success of your Amazon advertising this year.
Whether you’re running paid ads with an Amazon agency or just starting out with Amazon marketing, these best practices are quick ways to improve.
There’s a reason Amazon advertising is ranked among AI and AR for the digital marketing trends of 2018.
Get on board with marketing on this platform, and watch revenue climb.
