Amazon Creative: 7 Ways to Improve your Brand's Visual Appearance on Amazon
For brands looking to thrive in the competitive Amazon landscape, optimizing their brand's presence is not just advisable but imperative. With millions of products vying for attention, standing out requires a strategic approach that encompasses various facets of your brand's representation. The default approach is to optimize product detail page imagery and create enhanced content (or A+ Pages) but basic listing optimization will no longer suffice.
As Amazon evolves, they have launched a growing number of visual elements on their website that a brand has the ability to control. In this blog, we will cover off on the basic design facets of Amazon but we will also also expand into some of the areas less focused on - all with the goal of helping brands to know what levers you can pull to improve your visual presence on the Amazon platform. Below are the 7 elements and a quick overview of where they can be found on Amazon, what exactly they are, and why they are important.
1. Product Page Image Gallery:
Where: The Amazon product images are prominently displayed on the product detail page above the fold.
What: The PDP image gallery comprises the collection of images associated with a product listing on Amazon. These images showcase the product from various angles and in different contexts - from product-in-use to lifestyle imagery - often used to convey important product features and benefits.
Why: A product's image gallery is likely the most important factor to an ASIN's conversion rate. In a world where brands are becoming more advanced on Amazon, optimized product images are expected. This is why it is crucial to create visually appealing and differentiated imagery that captures the attention of potential customers and shows why your product is better than the competitors. Additionally, a well thought out Amazon image strategy can significantly reduce the likelihood of returns or negative reviews by providing all necessary details and limiting potential confusion.
2. Enhanced Content:
Where: Enhanced Content, also called Enhanced Brand Content (EBC for short) or A+ Pages, is typically found in the "Product Description" section of the PDP. This requires the consumer to scroll down on the product page, but is conveniently located on the way to the reviews.
What: Enhanced Content refers to the more webpage-looking section that allows the brand to provide a unique experience and provide product and brand information beyond the basic details covered in the image gallery and copy.
Why: Enhanced Content offers customers a deeper insight into the product's features, benefits, and usage scenarios. Brands are able to get more creative as the A+ Page format allows you to use more real estate and a less restrictive medium, compared to product images. Enhanced Content not only increases the conversion rate of your product listings but the text is also crawlable, meaning it does impact your product SEO.
3. Brand Story:
Where: The Brand Story, a carousel-style banner, sits on your product listing just above the A+ Page on the product detail page. When a Brand Story is present, the section on the page reads "From the brand".
What: Brand Stories allow Sellers and Vendors to highlight their brand's story and values, showcase more of their catalog, and provide links to their brand Store. You can make one Brand Story and scale it across all the ASINs in your assortment, or customize the content for specific products or categories.
Why: A properly executed Brand Story is another element that allows companies the creative freedom to stand out from the crowd. We recommend using this module to make an emotional connection with the consumer, highlight your brand's history and mission/vision, as well as showcase the breadth of products you offer. Most importantly, ensure your Brand Story meshes with the aesthetic of your A+ Page and really builds off the content, rather than just repeating information.
4. Amazon Store:
Where: The Amazon Brand Store is a standalone page. Customers can access a Store by clicking on the brand name or logo on a product detail page or traffic can be sent via a Sponsored Brand Ad.
What: An Amazon Store is a customizable, branded storefront within Amazon where brands can showcase their product catalog in a visually appealing and organized manner. Think of it as your own website within Amazon. A brand is able to build out multiple pages with navigation and work with a wide variety of pre-set modules that makes building the page simple for someone with no technical experience.
Why: An Amazon store serves as a multi layered shopping destination for showcasing your brand's full range of products, further telling your brand story, or driving off-amazon traffic. It helps build brand equity, enhances the shopper's experience, and encourages repeat purchases.
5. Amazon Posts:
Where: Amazon Posts are Instagram-like posts about individual products. They appear as a scrollable feed on a brand's product detail page, on competitor product detail pages, and in a couple other unique feed locations on Amazon.
What: Amazon Posts is a social-inspired shopping feature that allows brands to create shoppable content, including images and videos, to engage with customers and showcase their products. Posts include an image or video, a caption, category tags, and a link to the ASIN chosen.
Why: Amazon Posts offer brands an opportunity to increase product discoverability, drive engagement, and build brand awareness in a visually engaging format. Regularly posting relevant and compelling content can help attract new customers and foster loyalty among existing ones.
6. Ad Creative:
Where: Ad creative appears in various advertising formats across Amazon, including Sponsored Brand ads, Sponsored Brand Video, Sponsored Product ads, and DSP (Demand Side Platfrom) ads.
What: Ad creative refers to the visual and textual elements used in Amazon Advertising campaigns to capture the attention of potential customers and encourage them to click on the ad.
Why: Compelling ad creative plays a crucial role in grabbing the audience's attention, communicating your value proposition, and driving clicks and conversions. Well-designed ads can significantly increase ad engagement and ultimately boost sales and revenue. Ensuring your ad creative is cohesive with the rest of your Amazon creative elements makes for a clean and effective user experience.
7. Video:
Where: Videos appear in a myriad of locations on Amazon - they can be uploaded to the product listing page as part of the image gallery, included in Premium A+ Pages, featured in Stores, and used to enhance various ad formats.
What: Video content on Amazon allows brands to showcase their products in action, demonstrate features, provide tutorials, and engage customers visually.
Why: Video content offers a dynamic way to captivate and educate potential customers, providing them with a more immersive shopping experience. Videos can help clarify product functionality, address common concerns, and increase customer confidence, ultimately leading to higher conversion rates and customer satisfaction.
By implementing these strategies, brands can take greater control of their appearance on Amazon and position themselves for success in the competitive e-commerce landscape. Remember, consistency, creativity, and customer-centricity are key to building a strong and memorable presence on the world's largest online marketplace.
