I kind of live in a Google Ads search bubble. I live, breathe and work paid search primarily in Google. But I’ve always wanted to learn more about Amazon Ads. So, I decided to take a course and share what I learned with our team during a VI “Food for Thought” session. For those who haven’t had the pleasure of attending, it’s like a lunch and learn. Here are my major takeaways!
First off, Amazon is huge (well, duh). It’s the third-largest ad platform after Google and Meta, with more than 300 million global users. And approximately 88% of Prime Video households have shopped on Amazon at least once (I raise my hand as part of that number.) It just blew my mind how much Amazon has become a part of our daily lives.
If you’ve been in the mindset that Amazon Ads are only for clients who sell online, you’re not alone (guilty!). Amazon has tons of options for lead gen clients, too. Small and medium-sized businesses, publishers, authors and enterprise-level clients with or without e-commerce can run Amazon Ads.
If you’re part of an agency, chances are your clients are part of an industry that already has a presence on Amazon: automotive, beauty, entertainment, fashion, financial services… You name it. At VI, we have several clients in these industries. For example, we work with banking clients, and it was fascinating to learn that Prime Video reaches more financial services audiences than 90% of other streaming services!
Speaking of streaming, Amazon Ads recently partnered with Netflix, giving DSP advertisers direct access to Netflix’s premium ad inventory. Basically, your brand could show up while someone’s binging their favorite show… maybe even during their third bowl of popcorn on a random Friday night.
Okay, okay… all this is great, but where are these ads serving?
Amazon has a channel to reach audiences across just about every activity you can imagine. Live sports? Check. Thursday Night Football, Premier League, Champions League. Watching movies on Prime? Yep. Kindle? Absolutely. Talking to Alexa? Fire TV? Shopping at Whole Foods? All fair game. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. There are tons of places Amazon serves ads.
So, what do the ads look like?
There are a few different types:
- Sponsored Products: These appear below search results. When someone clicks, they’re taken directly to the client’s Amazon store.
- Sponsored Brands: These show above, alongside or within shopping results (both mobile and desktop) and help customers discover your brand in the Amazon store. Visually, they’re rich and engaging. Clicking on one takes you to a custom Amazon storefront or a product detail page – you stay on Amazon.
- Amazon DSP Ads (Demand-Side Platform): If you want to send users to websites off Amazon, DSP Ads are the way to go. Budget requirements vary depending on region and targeting.
Similar to Google Ads, Amazon Ads offer a wide range of audience targeting. You can reach audiences by Interests & Lifestyles, In-Market & Purchase Intent, Retargeting/Remarketing, and even custom audiences.
In a nutshell, Amazon Ads aren’t just for e-commerce. They’re a versatile platform with opportunities for almost any client. Whether you’re looking to reach niche audiences, expand your brand or explore new channels, Amazon has a solution. If you’re curious about how Amazon Ads could fit into your marketing mix, reach out to us at VI. We would love to help you get started!
