Amazon Is Looking More Like A Social Media Platform. Here’s How Brands Can Benefit. - Episode 257
DESCRIPTION
In today’s podcast, Kiri talks about how Amazon is looking more like a social media platform, how much it’s now dedicated to video content, lifestyle content, and influencer content, and what tools she is recommending to brands to use to their advantage.
Make sure you tune in to find out more!
“Even if some of these branding opportunities aren’t immediately monetized, if Amazon can get people to spend more time on the app or engaging with branded content, then they’re learning more about the shopper.”
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Kiri shares that Amazon has been testing its own version of TikTok among employees. Amazon is starting to look more like a social media app in order to keep pace with the current social media platforms.
Amazon’s foray into making a more social media-like shopping experience is beneficial to brand advertisers. Kiri shares how Amazon is adapting its interface, and the ways that brands can take advantage of these changes to engage their own buyers.
Influencer content - Amazon has been advertising on social media apps like Pinterest and Instagram, driving traffic to influencer storefronts on Amazon.
Interest-based content - On the Amazon app, shoppers are being served hobby- and interest-based items and content.
Live video - Amazon launched live video on the platform a couple of years ago. But results for brands have been mixed. When cruising Amazon’s live video page, it's not uncommon to see the “top-watched videos” have only a couple hundred live viewers at a time. That might cause many brands to pass on the opportunity.
Brand followers - Shoppers have the ability to “follow” brands on Amazon. Until recently, it's been unclear as to the benefit either to the shopper or the brand to take this action. But now the use case is emerging.
How brands can benefit from these changes - While Amazon is rolling out these changes to cover more of the purchase journey, particularly the upper-funnel “discovery” segment. And this creates a huge opportunity for brands who don’t just view Amazon as a distribution channel but as a marketing channel.
Amazon DSP. - Amazon’s programmatic advertising solution gives brands many sophisticated targeting options, particularly around purchase intent, lifecycle, and interest groups.
Increase “followers”. - Get in early on an emerging ecosystem of “brand followers”. Shoppers who follow your brand will start seeing your Amazon Posts, and you can also start sending them new product announcements and deals via Manage Your Customer Engagement.
Build Amazon into influencer programs. - Brands who are experimenting with sending paid or organic traffic to Amazon are seeing impressive results - particularly from TikTok.
Upgrade organic content on product pages. - There are many more options today for enhanced content on Amazon product detail pages than most brands are taking advantage of. Many brands are now eligible to add “A+ Premium” content to their product pages and create an immersive experience for shoppers.
Sponsored Brand Video ads. - This ad type, which displays in the search results for a given term, now allows much more inventive and immersive content from brands.
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Connect with Kiri Masters on LinkedIn or via email
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