Amazon Marketing Strategy 202

The Ultimate Overview

By Angela Yuan. Last updated on February 10th, 2020.

Amazon’s marketing landscape is constantly changing — We keep our Amazo
marketing strategy overview continuously updated. First published March 29

Amazon is steadily expanding its lead in e-commerce. More and more manufa
and sellers offer their products via Amazon to bene t from this vast sales pote
rising competition forces salespeople to engage more intensively with Amazo
marketing channels.

We help sellers and vendors develop an Amazon marketing strategy. In this

comprehensive overview, we describe the many different ways to conduct Am
marketing and discuss the differences in marketing between sellers and vend

What is Amazon marketing? And what is

best Amazon marketing strategy to use?
Amaz o n Marke ting is a set of actions to promote and sell products on Amazo
includes:

Amaz on SEO – Optimizing product pages to improve their visibility in

Amazon’s organic search results

Amaz on Adve rtising – Using native Amazon advertising formats to e

brands and products

Exte rnal Marke ting – Using promo channels not offered directly by th
platform

Amaz o n SEO takes place on the platform (On-Amazon); most measures are f
charge (Non-Paid). Adve rtise me nt o n Amaz o n is usually subject to a fee (Pa
the advertising itself may take place directly on Amazon or other websites an
platforms (On- and Off-Amazon, respectively). Exte rnal Marke ting is Off-Am
and can be either Paid or Non-Paid.

Amaz o n Marke ting Strate gy is a blueprint for achieving a competitive adva

the Amazon platform via the following channels:

1. Amazon SEO — Rank High in Search

Results
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is one of the best-known methods of online
marketing. SEO helps you to appear as high as possible in the search results fo
queries. Today, more product searches are started directly on Amazon than on
This makes Amazon the # 1 product search engine on the Internet.

Making sure your own products rank high on Amazon is all the more critical. As
Amazon SEO is one of the most essential elements in an Amazon marketing s
Here are the key factors for a successful ranking on Amazon:
1.1 Keywords: Essential Research and Proper
Placement
Researching and selecting the best keywords for a product is at the core of Am
SEO marketing. Once all the relevant keywords have been researched and as
to the product, a larger variety of search queries can display the product in the
results. The product becomes more visible.

The right placement of the keywords in the product is just as important for the
ranking. Through in-depth testing, we’ve found that the most important keyw
a product ranking are the ones in the title, followed by the generic keywords (
“search terms”). The latter are entered in the backend; they don’t appear on t
product page.

Both are followed by keywords in the product attributes (bullet points) and the
description. Repetition of keywords brings no advantage and is therefore not
necessary — in fact it merely wastes valuable space. For more details on keyw
SEO, check out The Complete Guide to Amazon SEO & Higher Rankings.

Tip: Use Sonar to nd the best keywords for your product listing – it’s a free Am
keyword tool with actual search volume for keywords on Amazon.

Take care when entering your “generic keywords” in the backend: Amazon w
them if they exceed 249 bytes.

1.2 Product Text — Optimize for Humans and

Machines for Best Results
Follow these Amazon marketing principles when creating descriptions and pr
texts (title, bullet points, product description, EBC / A + content):

Inf ormation: Provide all necessary information for the buying decision

Communication (Advantage s/Be ne ts): Highlight the bene ts and

the article in the description. How do your product’s features help poten
buyers? How exactly do they bene t from them?

Pre se ntation: Present and structure information so that customers ca

receive it quick and easy

Additional content marketing options are available for sellers with Amaz o n Br
Re gistry (Enhanced Brand Content (EBC)) and ve ndo rs (A+ Content). An inte
modular system, for example, enables the combination of texts and images to
quality product description. T he re sult: Vastly improved options to show off p
and brands and to utilize cross-selling.
While optimizing product content, it’s important to keep in mind how it will ap
mobile devices. Text (such as bullet points and product description) comes out
signi cantly shorter so that the most important information should always be
rst.

1.3 Product Images: Plenty of Pics in High

Resolution
Pictures often say more than a thousand words. That’s why attractive, convers
optimized product images play an important role in Amazon marketing. The
thing a customer sees of a product is its images. Professional and deliberate pr
images make a good impression and thereby increase the click rate and conve
rate (more tips for optimizing product images).
1.4 Product Reviews: Nurture Positive Feedbac
Amazon reviews can just as much boost a product as they can ruin it. That me
vital to respond to negative reviews. At best, careful review management con
negative rating into a positive one.

So-called product test or deal platforms can be used to generate reviews, but
important to double-check that they conform to Amazon’s review guidelines.
itself also offers vendors and sellers its fee-based review generation programs
Vine (vendors) and the Early Reviewer Program (sellers).

1.5 Questions & Answers: Add Missing Amazon

Marketing Information
The questions that customers can ask on the product page are just as importa
Customers often ask about speci c details of the application or other informati
can’t nd on the product page. Sellers, vendors, and other customers can answ
questions. Sellers and vendors should address unanswered questions regularly
ensure that customers receive correct answers.

Doing so will also improve the information content of the product page: The q
often point to larger information gaps, which can now be added to the descrip
1.6 Product Information: Crucial for Filter
Navigation
Additional marketing information can be entered for each product on Amazo
e xample about material, weight or energy ef ciency class. Fill in this informat
thoroughly as possible: The lter navigation in the sidebar of the Amazon sear
it, as well as specialized product nders. The information is also clearly displaye
dedicated section on the product page and can thus improve the conversion r
1.7 Price: Competitive Pricing Re nes Ranking
An attractive price is conducive to organic ranking. Whether or not a price is
“attractive” depends on the competitive environment of a keyword. Salespers
should compare the prices of the products above and below their own produc
possible, position themselves competitively. The be st way to de te rmine the
“perfect” price setting for a product during your Amazon marketing campaign
ultimately by simple experimentation. Sellics quickly reveals the impact of a p
change on the ranking.

1.8 Delivery Method: FBA Leads to Better Rank

The use of the FBA (Ful lment By Amazon) shipping service also has a positive
on ranking. More and more buyers are Amazon Prime members who prefer t
FBA products because they don’t pay shipping fees.

In other words: You can achieve more sales and a better conversion rate with F
in turn, has a positive effect on the ranking.

2. Amazon Advertising

2.1 Paid Advertising

Amazon Marketing Services

Various types of ads can be displayed in search results and on product pages of
Amazon website by using Amazon Marketing Services (AMS). These adverts li
product pages or other landing pages within Amazon (On-Amazon marketing

AMS charges are click-based (PPC — pay-per-click or CPC — cost-per-click).

Amazon Marketing Services addresses target audiences very precisely. It is ve

effective and should be part of every Amazon marketing strategy.

AMS offers three different advertising formats: Sponsored Products, Headline

Ads, and Product Display Ads. Vendors can use any of these formats if they hav
AMS account and are logged in to it. So far, sellers are limited to Spo nso re d P
and He adline Se arch Ads in their Amazon marketing efforts — at least these
can be accessed directly through the Seller Central account.

Sponsore d Products (Ve ndor + Se lle r): Comparable to Google Adw

Amazon’s “Sponsored Products” allows sellers to bid on the ranking of a
the search results. The ads can appear at the beginning, in the middle,
end or even next to the search result. 1st place on Amazon will thus be
accessible, or “purchasable”, for every merchant. The ads also appear on
pages. You can set your ads to appear for speci c keywords (keyword ta
Also new: The Off-Amazon Ad Retargeting for Sponsored Products (cur
beta, only on amazon.com). Go here for the best tips and strategies on
Sponsored Products.
 Sponsore d Brands (pre viously: He adline Se arch Ads) (Ve ndors
Se lle rs with Amaz on Brand Re gistration): Sponsored Brands are b
that can be deployed in different places on the Amazon search results p
The banners might, for example, link to an Amazon landing page with
products. They can also be deployed in response to speci c keywords (k
targeting).

Product Display Ads (only f or ve ndors): Product Display Ads appea

product pages below the Buy Box. They can be deployed for speci c pr
via interest-based targeting.

For the best “Amazon PPC” learning experience join o

f ree Sellics Academy. Register now!
Amazon Advertising Platf orm
The Amazon Advertising Platform (AAP) is a display advertising network from
Amazon. With AAP, banners and other advertising formats are shown on Ama
also on external sites (On + Off Amazon campaigns). Both products on Amazon
external offers/websites can be advertised or linked (Link In + Link Out).

The cost of AAP is impression-based (CPM). AAP is accessible to all advertisers

sellers, or third parties) but it requires a relatively high minimum Amaz o n ma
budge t.

Amazon Media Group

The Amazon Media Group (AMG) is Amazon’s advertising department. All the
services in the eld of advertising come together here. As a managed service
also offers complete planning and implementation of advertising activities acr
multiple channels. This includes the advertising formats of AMS and AAP as pa
AMG package. Further Amaz o n marke ting o ptio ns are e.g.

More choices for display advertising on the Amazon homepage

Newsletter campaigns

Advertising on Amazon Devices (such as Kindle Fire or Fire TV)

Flyers in parcels

Custom solutions

Like AAP, AMG is accessible to all advertisers (vendors, sellers, or third parties),
requires a relatively high minimum budget.

2.2 Discount Deals in Amazon Marketing

Several discount promotions are available for both vendors and sellers conduct
online marketing with Amazon. Some of the promotions are free; others are l
charge.

Free of Charge
Sale Price
A time-limited, reduced price offer is one of the most manageable actions. On
product page, the customer sees the regular price as a strikethrough price, fol
the sale price and the savings (“you save X%”).

Pro mo tio ns

Amazon merchants can use a varie ty o f marke ting & pro mo tio n to o ls to in
customers about sales or special discounts:

Pe rce ntage -of f : The item price will be reduced by an amount or per
of your choice. Discounts may be granted on a single product, on a spec
 number of products, or on a particular combination of articles. The prom
either made visible directly on the product page (for example, for cross
or with the help of generated coupons, which you can distribute over d
channels.

Fre e Shipping: With this promotion, the shipping is free for your custo
You take over the costs instead.

Buy one , ge t one f re e : The buyer receives a free product for every
purchased product.

Give away: To create competitions. You can set individual prizes and con
for each sweepstake promotion.

Social Me dia Promo Code s: Promotions with a percentage-off disco

These promotions receive their own Amazon marketing page, which y
share through social media or other channels.

A promotion can be distributed to target speci c customers (e.g. through a ne

or be published directly on the Amazon product page, where it is visible to all
(e.g. for cross-selling). If the discounts are publicly visible, they will also appear i
search result for the respective product (on Amazon.com, however, this is no lo
the case — Marketplaces of other countries may also be affected soon).

The promotional discounts increase the conversion rate and sales, which in tur
positive effect on the ranking. Thus, coupons are another way to operate Ama
The promotions can be created and distributed free of charge. There are no fu
costs for the seller aside the discount.
Subject to a Fee
Amaz o n Lightning De als, Prime Day, e tc .
The “Amazon Lightning Deals” are a special form of discount. Here, a predeter
quota of an item is featured for a short time (4 to 12 hours) at greatly reduced
Consider them support for the classic Amazon marketing promotions.

An advantage of the Lightning Deals: The offers are listed on the central Ama
Deals page. This separate page is often accessed directly by customers (especi
promotions such as Prime Day), which is why, for a short time, products in the
Lightning Deals are extremely visible. In addition, a special label highlights the
products with Lightning Deals in the search result.

Amazon sets limiting criteria for item quantity and price to create a Lightning
Sellers can only generate Lightning Deals for products that have already been
selected or quali ed by Amazon. Vendors, on the other hand, can freely selec
products for Lightning Deals from their product catalog. The use of a Lightning
subject to a fee.
The participation in special Amaz o n marke ting pro mo tio ns such as Prime D
Christmas campaigns is also set up via Lightning Deals. Proposals must be subm
Amazon within a particular time frame before the promotion. Lightning Deal
slightly more expensive during these special Amazon promotions.

Co upo ns
“Coupon” promotions have long been reserved for vendors. Since recently, se
also use them. A coupon will be displayed on Amazon in search results, on prod
pages, on the Amazon central landing page, in the shopping cart, and on Ama
dedicated marketing pages. With a coupon, you can grant customers a discou
choice on one or more products.

These are the main differences to other discounts:

Visible on the main Amazon page as well as on Amazon’s special marke

pages

Increased visibility with a special coupons label in the search result and o
product page

Subject to a fee
2.3 Amazon Brand Stores
Vendors and sellers who have registered a brand with Amazon can create a b
store. This type of shop is assembled with a modular system and can contain se
navigational layers to present the assortment of goods. Use unique pictures an
to present your brand in an appealing way. The brand shop has its own URL an
therefore ideal as a landing page for external traf c.
3. External Amazon Marketing (aka Off-
Amazon): Lead More Customers to Amaz
Generate More Sales
After this detailed overview of the marketing activities that are carried out dir
Amazon or belong to Amazon’s promotional offers (On-Amazon marketing), le
take a look at the ways to advertise products on Amazon from outside (Off-Am
marketing).

Off-Amazon measures guide users who are not yet on the Amazon website d
indirectly to your product page on Amazon. The principle is relatively simple: A
an external page leads to your product on Amazon. The external site directs u
Amazon, where they buy the product. Useful landing pages are a product pag
product selection page, or the Amazon Brand Store.

In contrast to Google, where the linking alone leads to a better ranking in the
results, the link to Amazon is only useful if it generates more purchases. The ke
question for sellers is, therefore: Where can I place links to my products to lead
additional buyers to my Amazon site? Here are some possibilities.
3.1 Amazon Marketing: External Strategy

“Pay-per-click” advertising
Pay-per-click models like Google Adwords, Facebook ads, or banners are an ea
to place external links. The ads link to the product on Amazon. When a user cli
the ad, they go directly to the product on Amazon.

Newsletter / E-Mails
Newsletters are also great for Off Amazon marketing. Sellers can regularly offe
customers new products via the newsletter. If these products link to Amazon,
recipients can conveniently buy the products. The seller thus generates additi
sales on Amazon, which he would not have achieved without Off-Amazon ma

Content T argeting
Another possibility is the marketing of products through content. If you provid
known bloggers, YouTubers, or Instagramers with your product for testing, the
publish the test results for their followers and link the product. You can also act
participate in expert forums and discussions related to Amazon marketing in s
networks.

Deal Sites / Coupons

Amazon coupon codes can be published on well-known coupon sites (for exam
coupons.com, retailmenot.com, frugaa.com). Users can redeem the coupons o
Amazon, which leads to more sales. Pay close attention to the terms of use of t
coupon pages, though. Some sites prohibit deals for individual products.

Social Media
Brand pages in social networks can be used to grow brand awareness, strengt
customer loyalty, and raise awareness about the product offering on Amazon.
competition, for example, or point out new products or current Amazon deals

3.2 Your Online Store or Amazon?

Of f -Amazon advertising also has a positive impact on

organic ranking
Many merchants and brands ask themselves: Why should I send traf c to Ama
instead of my own online shop? The advantage s of your own online shop: No
more control over your Amazon marketing efforts.

Here’s an argument in favor of sending traf c to Amazon: Amazon offers a mu

large r marke ting platf o rm and farther reach compared to many online sho
additional sales through external traf c only improve the ranking and visibility
Amazon. Kavaj, a manufacturer of iPhone and iPad cases, estimates that for ev
generated by Off-Amazon advertising, there are 3-4 more On-Amazon sales
result of the improved organic ranking.
 

Of f site Amazon marketing combined with a special

landing page
The most successful merchants use an individual landing page for their Off-Am
marketing strategy. Instead of linking directly to the product on Amazon from
external page, external traf c rst reaches the landing page. It usually looks sim
an online store and presents the products in a very appealing way. Unlike an o
store, however, you can’t buy the products directly on the website. Instead, cli
the “buy” button will lead you directly to the product on Amazon, where you c
nally buy it. The landing page acts as a medium to make the product even m
attractive to customers, to increase the purchase probability. The landing page
useful for building a newsletter mailing list, which in turn can be used for othe
Amazon advertising (see above).
Start an upward spiral with Amazon
Marketing
Put simply: The more a product sells on Amazon, the better it will rank in orga
search results. Every advertising measure, which — whether On- or Off-Amaz
successfully increases the sales of a product on Amazon, always has the positive
effect that it improves the ranking of the product. In the context of an Amazon
marketing strategy, you can start an upward spiral: Introduce a new marketin
measure and generate the rst sales. This improves ranking. The higher ranki
increases sales, and you earn more money, which you can reinvest into your m
efforts.
Sellics: Successful Advertising on Amazon
Sellics helps vendors (Sellics Vendor Edition) and sellers (Sellics Seller Edition) a
maximum success with their Amazon marketing strategy:

Amazon SEO:
Ke ywords: Tools for keyword research, keyword optimization, and rank
tracking

Conte nt: Content check and product recommendations

Re vie ws and Que stions & Answe rs: Tracking, email noti cation for n
reviews and/or questions & answers, review management tool, analytic
Amazon PPC:
All ke y gure s at a glance : Including pro ts from PPC campaigns aft
deduction of all costs

Automation: Save time with automatically optimized CPC bidding, ne

keywords, etc.

T rack change s to PPC campaigns (e.g. bid history)

And much more

By Angela Yuan
Product Marketing Manager at Sellics
