Amazon has updated the functionality of one of its three ad types within Amazon Marketing Services in an attempt to improve results for customers on the advertising platform. Now, Sponsored Product Ads will no longer be shown on the right side of the search results page.
Before we dive into what the new update means for brands using AMS, here’s a quick refresher on how Sponsored Product Ads work.
Sponsored Product Ads: Keyword-Driven, Targeted Advertising
AMS campaigns using Sponsored Product Ads can either supply their own lists of targeted keywords to drive the ads, or they can choose to have Amazon target their ads automatically. The “automatic” option allows Amazon to target the ads to relevant searches based on product information.
Sponsored Product Ads can appear in a variety of places, including in product pages, search results, and even on non-Amazon sites. The ads will appear alongside organic search results.
The biggest benefit of running Sponsored Product Ads is that they are a high sales driver. Typically, Sponsored Product Ads drive the most sales in the campaign. Guided by strategic keyword lists, the ads will show up in a number of different, relevant places both in search results and on product pages.
How Sponsored Product Ads are Changing
Amazon says they are continually testing and optimizing ad placements, and as such, ad placements will vary and evolve over time in an attempt to get products in front of buyers in the most relevant, customer-centric way.
Traditionally, Sponsored Product Ads have populated on desktop search results on the right-hand side of the page. Now, these ads are no longer relegated to the corner of the screen and will appear at the top, bottom, right side, and within search results. They can also appear under “Sponsored Products Related to this Item” on product detail pages.
What These Changes Mean For Brands
Amazon doing away with the right side ad placement might affect how much brands should bid. The decreased ad inventory could result in increased competition for premium sponsored product ad placements on the search results page. Brands may need to bid higher to get their sponsored products to appear on the Amazon search results page.
This change might also change the impression volume of Sponsored Product Ads. While they’re taking away the right-hand rail ads, they’re also adding three more ad placements elsewhere to offset the loss of ad inventory. We’re still evaluating how this will affect overall impression volume.
