In this episode of Selling on Giants: The eCommerce Marketplace Show, Robyn Johnson is one of the country’s foremost leaders on the topic of selling and marketing products on Amazon.com. Robyn has been a guest on shows like Entrepreneur on Fire, Confessions of A Marketer, and is a SEMrush Academy professor. Robyn is the co-founder of Marketplace Blueprint, In the newest episode Mrs. Johnson talks about the process of “How Creative Impacts Advertising- Why A/B Testing is More Important than Ever!”.
In this episode of “Selling on Giants: The eCommerce Marketplace Show”, the renowned Robyn Johnson, an Amazon marketing expert and co-founder of Marketplace Blueprint dive deep into the fascinating world of advertising creativity and why A/B testing has become more crucial than ever before. Robyn, widely recognized as an authority in selling and marketing on Amazon.com, shares her expertise, drawing from her appearances on respectable shows such as Entrepreneur on Fire and Confessions of A Marketer, as well as her role as a SEMrush Academy professor. Robyn and her team initially started as Amazon sellers, later launching an agency seven years ago to assist brands with challenges like optimization, advertising, and compliance on Amazon. Their experience spans working with various brands, from startups to large corporations. They’ve noticed significant changes in the Amazon landscape over the last few years, emphasizing the importance of creative advertising, multi-level strategies, external traffic generation, and customer acquisition efforts for brands to thrive in the increasingly competitive Amazon marketplace. Don’t miss out on “ How Creative Impacts Advertising- Why A/B Testing is More Important than Ever”
Key takeaways: / Short Summary:
The Evolution of Seller Strategies on Amazon
- The changes in the Amazon platform in the last few years have affected the types of sellers and brands that are successful. Despite challenges like weakening consumer confidence, some brands are still experiencing significant growth on Amazon.
- Before, sellers didn’t need a sophisticated marketing strategy, but now the platform feels broken for some brands.
- Brands that came from a Google or Meta background understand the need for upper and lower funnel strategies.
- Creative aspects of advertising on Amazon have also evolved with the introduction of video ads, sponsored display, and DSP.
- Customer acquisition and conversion rate optimization on Amazon were not a focus until recently, as Amazon handled it all in the past.
A/B Testing Strategy for Technical SEO on Amazon
- A/B testing in technical SEO involves making strategic, fine-tuned changes to optimize conversion rates.
- A common misconception is making multiple changes to a listing simultaneously, while true A/B testing involves testing one variable at a time.
- Seasonality and external factors like Prime Day affect the accuracy of the data during A/B testing.
- Initial A/B testing should focus on determining the factors that contribute to conversion rates.
- Tracking changes in conversion, click-through rates, and product performance helps identify optimization opportunities.
- Amazon brand analytics provides insights on share and performance.
- Comparing conversion rates with sales orders helps identify optimization opportunities.
- Optimization may be necessary if the best-selling product has a lower conversion rate than other products.
Importance of A/B testing titles and content for effective conversion
- When conversion rates are low, it indicates the need for A/B testing titles and content to attract and convert more customers, especially for branded searches.
- Fanciful brand names that are unrelated to the product may limit organic traffic and hinder conversions.
- Established brands have the advantage of immediate conversions when launching new products, while lesser-known brands must rely on precise language to attract their target audience.
- A/B testing, along with optimizing titles and utilizing advertising and sales strategies, can help improve search rankings and increase conversions for important keywords.
- Indexing for a large number of keywords is not impactful if the product doesn’t rank high for the most relevant keywords.
- In cases of uncertainty, narrowing the focus of keywords is recommended.’
Strategies for improving organic sales and conversion rates on Amazon
- Focusing on relevant keywords and rewriting listings, titles, bullets, and images can boost conversion rates and improve ranking.
- A combination of A/B testing, coupons, and strategic use of important keywords can help secure higher rankings.
- Increasing organic sales takes time and requires a mix of upper and lower funnel marketing, as well as retargeting.
- The effectiveness of sponsored display has improved over time, and targeting options have expanded.
- Conversion rates may decrease when wider funnels are used to attract more traffic, especially with colder leads and less specific keyword targeting.
- The highest conversion rate does not always belong to the best selling product, as other factors may influence conversion success.
A/B Testing and Branding Strategies on Amazon
- A/B testing should involve synchronizing the creative with the advertising team, focusing on keyword phrases that generate the best conversions. It is crucial to analyze Amazon brand analytics and examine competitors’ successful conversions.
- Identifying the right keywords that align with customer search behavior is essential, even if they differ from how the product is described. This understanding aids in effective branding and can be applied to organic SEO and other platforms.
- A/B testing on Amazon product pages should prioritize the title, main image, and other crucial elements to increase conversion rates.
Optimizing primary image and title in ads on Amazon
- The primary image and title are crucial components of ads as they drive click-through rates and conversions.
- Poor click-through rates and conversions may indicate the need to improve the primary image and title.
- Pattern interrupts can help capture attention, such as cropping the image differently or adding shadows.
- Modifying the item’s appearance in the thumbnail can enhance readability and visibility of the label.
- Displaying high-quality product packaging can prevent counterfeits and build trust.
- Adherence to Amazon’s terms of service is important when making changes to the product display.
- The primary image and title should clearly convey what the product is, passing the caveman grunt test.
Importance of Balancing Keywords and Brand Guidelines in Product Listings
- Inaccurate keyword stuffing in product listings makes it difficult for readers to quickly identify desired information.
- Overemphasis on keywords can cheapen a product’s brand image, especially for sophisticated buyers familiar with digital marketing.
- Maintaining consistency with brand guidelines and aesthetic is often more important for conversion than adding additional keywords.
- Testing different approaches is crucial to understanding what works best for a brand, even if it means deviating from established guidelines.
- Testing can lead to unexpected successes, such as user-generated content that surpasses brand guidelines but generates significant sales.
- It is advisable to experiment with different elements of a listing, such as titles, images, and ad creatives, to optimize performance.
Importance of AB Testing for Brands in Digital Advertising
- AB testing allows you to test different kinds of ad creative without changing the front end of your listing.
- Testing should be done periodically, as customer behavior and search patterns evolve.
- Amazon’s use of AI in summarizing reviews and generating autocomplete suggestions can result in different behavior compared to other channels like Google.
- Connecting ad testing with AB testing helps determine the effectiveness of different ad strategies.
- Brand guidelines and legal/compliance issues may limit experimentation, but data from AB testing can reveal potential paths to profitability.
- AB testing is especially valuable for consumable items, as it can lead to incremental improvements in customer acquisition costs and retargeting strategies.
Optimization Tips for Video Advertising on Amazon
- Changing word order and title placement can help rank higher in keyword searches.
- Optimizing video creative is important for customer engagement and click-through rates.
- Utilize AB testing and data analysis to optimize the first three seconds of the video that tend to have higher conversion rates.
- Consider running videos off Amazon to gain visibility and engagement insights.
- Prioritize videos that have performed well on social media platforms and resulted in conversions.
- Test multiple approaches, focus on customer reviews, and highlight unique selling points quickly.
- Avoid long intros and rely on captions to capture viewers’ attention.
- Highlight specific qualities or endorsements that make the product stand out in a competitive market.
Or listen to the previous episodes on the different platforms:
Links:
- LinkedIn – Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robynjohnsonaz/
- Branded – LinkedIn: https://marketplaceblueprint.com/
“Selling on Giants: The eCommerce Marketplace Show” is sponsored by BellaVix. To learn more, head over to https://sellingongiants.com/
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