Sponsored Brands video is a relatively new ad format from Amazon that can display an eye-catching video alongside the ad on the Home Page, Detail Page and Search Results Page on Amazon, across desktop, mobile and tablet devices. What’s great is that these ads will automatically play when the video is at least 50% visible on screen then pause if the video is scrolled out of view.
How difficult are they to set up?
Sponsored Brands video ads include the advertiser’s brand logo, a text headline, and a call-to-action link alongside the video player as default and do not require creative design support from Amazon Advertising. Plus, thanks to the standardized mute function, the annoyance level of Sponsored Brands video ads is very low.
The product image and associated information (title, price, review count, star rating and Prime eligibility) are automatically displayed, so the only step to be taken is having the video content created for the brand or product in question. However, once the video is available, the process is simple and the ad can be created in a matter of minutes. As with any video ad, certain guidelines must be met, which can be found on Amazon’s website here.
Why should I put in the effort?
Ask yourself the following questions;
- Do I want to reach incremental shoppers and boost sales?
- Would I be more likely to stop and take notice of a moving image rather than a static one?
- Do I want to increase my brand’s exposure on the world’s #1 most visited internet marketplace?
- Do I want to show off a new product or strengthen a top seller with impactful visuals that tell a story?
If you answered yes to any or all of the above then it's a no-brainer--you should unquestionably take advantage of this valuable opportunity to increase your exposure on Amazon.
Top tips for your Sponsored Brands video ads
- Don’t start the video with an empty frame, feature the product prominently within the first second
- Keep it brief - Aim to have a video length of 15-30 seconds to relay your message
- Videos should work without sound - Remember, the majority of viewers won’t have their sound turned on, so make use of subtitles
- If appropriate, ensure that on-screen text / subtitles / captions can easily be seen and read across all devices. Amazon recommends “using Helvetica or a similar san-serif font at a minimum size of 80 px”
- Add a logo at the beginning and end of your video to remind the viewer who you are
- Consider using a custom background image behind the video player to stand out even more
- Include a call to action (CTA) within your video that’s punchy and precise, i.e. ‘Learn More’ or ‘See Details’
- A/B test your landing pages to understand your best performers. Customers can be sent to an Amazon Store Page, Product Listing Page or Category Page
- Time is of the essence, so forgo the whimsy fade-ins and lengthy introductions, and keep the video brief and straight to the point. Customers need to know what you’re selling straight off the bat
- If using music in your video, keep in mind your audience and don’t use a soundtrack that's annoying or loud
- If your goal is consideration or purchase, focus on what makes your product unique and why customers should buy it over your competitors
- If your goal is brand awareness, focus on building a connection between your potential customer and the product you’re trying to sell
How can Marin help?
Marin is here to support our eCommerce customers in any way possible. Amazon Sponsored Brands video is just one of the many ad types supported in MarinOne, giving our customers the opportunity to use our award winning, robust AI-powered bidding solution for Amazon video ads. Below are some additional advantages of using Marin to manage your Amazon sponsored ads:
- Complete visibility of all settings and performance metrics across all levels: Campaign, Group, Keyword and Ad
- Marin keeps all historical performance data whereas the Amazon console makes only the most recent 90 days available
- Use Marin’s Bidding for enhanced long-tail keyword targeting results with progressive lookback modeling
- Combine AI with inventory signals and contextual modifiers
- Have visibility into attributes, including Image, Price, Rating, Reviews and Availability
- Marin’s Keyword Expansion tool allows you to quickly and easily add search terms as new keywords or negative keywords for your Amazon activity, as well as the ability to see conversion and revenue data for each search rerm
- Link conversions and revenue driven on Amazon with your Google, Bing, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Verizon Media and Facebook spend using Marin’s Amazon Attribution solution
- Improve performance and combat wasted spend by adjusting bids by day-of-week and hour-of-day using Marin’s Ad Scheduling (Day-Parting) Tool
- Isolate underperforming keywords and ASINs using advanced filters
- Maximize growth opportunities with budget planning and predictive intelligence
To learn more about Amazon Sponsored Brands video and beyond, reach out to your Marin Customer Success Manager or click here to schedule a conversation.
