Marketing on Amazon 101

There’s no denying the Amazon Marketplace has completely changed the way brands do business with consumers. Close to 70 percent of all online shoppers now begin their product search on Amazon.com, even if they don’t think they will make a purchase on the site.

With more than 20 million individuals logging into Amazon every month in the U.S., there's no shortage of eyes on products. It's up to brands to attract and convert these shoppers into buyers.

By harnessing the power of the platform, marketers can capture consumers on Amazon and build a profitable marketing plan through keyword optimization, product photography, platform branding, advertising, A-plus content, and partnering with an Amazon-focused seller.

Keyword Optimization

Before creating and executing an Amazon marketing strategy, marketers should go back to basics and ensure a brand’s Amazon product pages are ready to receive new shoppers. A combination of keywords, seller ranking, product reviews and price determines where a product lands in the search results. When it comes to writing copy for product pages, an optimal listing combines valuable keywords and the information the shopper needs to make a purchase.

Effective keyword optimization — which includes product title, bullet points and product description — can lead to a significant increase in traffic and conversion rate on the platform, thereby maximizing Amazon profit. Expect to see a conversion rate increase up to 30 percent from optimized titles and bullet points.

Product Photography

Around 70 percent of consumers will choose a specific listing based on the photography alone. Improve success on Amazon by leveraging clear, strong product photography while also adhering to the marketplace's strict visual guidelines.

Product image requirements include, but are not limited to:

• The image must be in focus, professionally lit and photographed or scanned, with realistic color and smooth edges.
• The full product must be in frame.
• Backgrounds must be pure white.
• The image must not contain additional text, graphics or inset images.

Platform Branding

From product launches to effective advertising campaigns to branded storefronts, it's vital to ensure that the brand story is conveyed to consumers. The way a product and a brand are represented on every single product page can help influence whether a consumer converts.

This means that there must be cohesive branding and high-quality content on every single product page. This includes A-plus content, which has proven to increase conversion rate by up to 25 percent. A-plus content blocks are the best place for brand voice to shine through and to create a consistent brand experience for shoppers.

Partnering With an Amazon-Focused Seller

The Amazon shopper is motivated in a different way than other e-commerce or brick-and-mortar consumers. Brands can’t rely on the same marketing strategy to attract both audiences. Instead of adopting a “set it and forget it” marketing approach for Amazon, look for proactive ways to elevate products, improve sales, deliver better consumer experiences, and increase brand reputation.

Working with a dedicated Amazon partner is a great first step to making an Amazon-specific marketing strategy a reality. Every brand needs an Amazon strategy tailored to its specific audience, and working with an experienced partner can ensure every step of the process runs as smooth as possible.

Combined with basic Amazon marketing optimization such as photography and brand, partnering with an Amazon-focused company can help conversion rates, and therefore profits, increase dramatically. To stand out against competitors and succeed on Amazon, move towards a robust, platform-specific marketing strategy to elevate products against the millions of others on the platform.

Vanessa Ruminski is vice president of partnerships for SupplyKick, a fully integrated digital retailer for brands selling on Amazon.