- Brands need a way to stand out in the crowded ecommerce space if they are going to reach shoppers, and this is where retail media can help.
- Retail media — ads featured on a retail website, app, or marketplace at or near a point of purchase.
- Instead of choosing one ad format, opt for a mixture of all the major ad formats at your disposal to see what works for your specific products and categories.
by Link Walls
With 12 to 24 million online retail sites available worldwide, the growth of ecommerce has not happened in a vacuum. Brands are responding to the demand from consumers and the potential revenue to be made. It is estimated the ecommerce market will increase to $5.4 trillion by 2026 and account for 31 percent of retail sales. But, as more companies vie for a piece of the ecommerce pie, some realize that the growing competition may leave them empty-handed.
The Increasingly Competitive Online Selling Landscape
Ecommerce is heavily saturated, especially on online marketplaces. More brands are opting to list their products on channels like Amazon, eBay, and Walmart Marketplace, which means competitors, who are also on those channels, have more opportunities to sway customers. The number of online options available to shoppers have also given them endless choices.
If what they want is out of stock with a particular brand, 39 percent of consumers have no qualms about moving on to another. Brands need better ways to stand out in the crowded ecommerce space if they are going to reach shoppers. This is where retail media can help.
The Power of Retail Media
Retail media are ads featured on a retail website, app, or marketplace at or near a point of purchase. They are a powerful digital marketing tool that targets shoppers and shows them content relevant to their interests. A successful retail media plan should follow a consumer’s buying journey at key vantage points — using digital marketing, social media, and search to influence purchasing decisions.
The right retail media strategy will boost brand awareness, increase sales, and keep a brand in mind with consumers on online marketplaces, thus converting them into customers.
1. Maintain Ad Diversity
Instead of choosing one ad format, opt for a mixture of all the major ad formats at your disposal to see what works for your specific products and categories. For instance, Amazon Advertising provides multiple ad formats, including:
Sponsored Products:
Promotes individual listings and drives traffic to product detail pages. They are shown to shoppers actively searching for terms associated with a particular product and appear alongside or above organic search results.
Sponsored Display Ads:
Targets shoppers who have previously viewed your products, then displays them again to the customer across various Amazon pages, competitor listings, and third-party websites and apps.
Sponsored Brands:
Targets generic keywords, such as “running shoes,” to reach consumers who are browsing but might not yet know what they want to buy.
A mix of ad formats ensures your products are seen at various stages of the consumer’s buying journey while also providing insights into which formats perform best.
2. Optimize Product Listings
Brands need a way to boost their product listings’ visibility. Take advantage of marketplaces that offer promoted listings, such as eBay. Promoted Listings, ad campaigns are based on a product-based bidding structure, only charging the seller if a shopper clicks on a promoted listing and purchases the item within 30 days.
3. Optimize Ad Content
This means using relevant keywords pertinent to the listing and adding crisp, clear product photos with white or transparent backgrounds. Consumers will be drawn to promoted listings that you put effort into.
4. Take Cues from Recommended Listings
Another way to improve promoted listings is to take cues from recommended listings. These listings have already been proven to perform well, based on buyer demand data and popular searches. They can inform brands of the latest trends to follow or the kind of listings that are currently resonating with customers.
As more retailers branch out into ecommerce, it means more competition for existing space on online channels. With retail media and the right strategy, like diversifying ad formats and optimizing product listings, brands can stand out among their competitors and reach consumers.
Link Walls is responsible for leading ChannelAdvisor’s Digital Marketing Strategy, serving as a strategic consultant to leading brands and retailers, helping them with the strategy and solutions needed to successfully advertise their products online.