On an online marketplace as popular and expansive as Amazon, sellers have to be at the top of their advertising game to stand out from the crowd. Successful management of Amazon Ads requires a comprehensive digital marketing strategy that engages potential customers and captures their attention until the moment of conversion.
Of course, this process is much easier explained than done. But fortunately, Amazon offers brands the tools they need to succeed in a highly saturated market — such as Amazon’s demand-side platform (DSP).
But what is a demand-side platform, and how can it help your business?
If you’re looking for better ways to improve your digital marketing campaign performance and elevate your online advertising, you’re in the right place. Read on to learn more about Amazon’s demand-side platform and how you can use it to rise above your competition.
What Is a Demand-Side Platform?
A demand-side platform is a programmatic advertising tool that allows brands to purchase ad space from multiple networks. It operates on automation, which makes it much easier for advertisers to manage ads across many different sources through one handy software.
A DSP is essentially a sister tool to an SSP, or supply-side platform. Brands use demand-side software to help them organize their advertising purchases, whereas publishers use supply-side software as a management platform that helps them automate the sale of advertising space through real-time bidding.
Amazon’s demand-side platform (DSP) allows sellers to purchase various types of ads that can target potential customers on and off the Amazon marketplace. This feature includes websites owned by Amazon and some that aren’t, meaning Amazon sellers can expand their advertising reach considerably.
Using Amazon’s DSP, you can target audiences on various other platforms. Your options include but aren’t limited to the following:
- Fire TV
- IMDb
- Kindle
- Twitch
Amazon DSP vs. Sponsored Ads: What’s the Difference?
Amazon’s DSP and Sponsored Ads program both present useful advertising opportunities for sellers. The key difference between them is that Sponsored Ads are exclusive to Amazon, and sellers primarily use them to target a specific step in the advertising process. On the other hand, DSP advertising allows brands to target every part of the advertising funnel and feature ads on other platforms.
This feature of the demand-side platform allows for more comprehensive digital marketing, as it gives sellers the ability to use full-funnel advertising and capture the attention of potential customers much earlier in the purchasing process.
Types of Amazon DSP Ads
Now that you’ve learned what a DSP is and how it differs from Sponsored Ads, it’s time to establish the types of ads you can run using Amazon’s demand-side platform.
Responsive eCommerce Creative (REC) Ads
Responsive eCommerce Creative (REC) ads are among the most versatile on Amazon’s DSP, as they allow you to add up to 20 Amazon Standard Identification Numbers (ASINs) and select as many as ten sizes for your various ads.
Additionally, because demand-side platforms use automation, your ads will immediately pause if one of your featured products runs out of stock.
Static Ads
This ad type doesn’t feature any moving parts, so sellers generally use static ads to display eye-catching calls-to-action that link back to their Amazon stores or a specific product page.
Video Ads
Video ads offer a fantastic way to showcase your brand and connect with potential customers. Using Amazon’s DSP, you can run videos on various platforms and link them back to your storefront, a product page, or your personal website.
Amazon Over-the-top (OTT) Ads
Over-the-top advertising is exactly what it sounds like: intensive, non-skippable ads that demand attention. In most cases, sellers feature these ads on TV advertising sources. Although potential buyers can’t click on OTT ads to find your store, OTT advertising gives you the opportunity to spotlight your brand in a full-screen display.
How Amazon’s DSP Helps You Target More Viewers
Sponsored Amazon Ads are great for raising awareness and expanding your brand’s reach. However, Amazon’s demand-side platform presents a unique advantage because it allows you to create a custom audience based on a variety of factors.
The DSP uses Amazon’s customer data to help you target audiences based on shopping habits and niche keyword searches, including the ways individual customers discovered your brand and how they view products on your storefront.
Custom audience building allows you to get more detailed insights about customer behavior and use that information to devise more effective digital marketing strategies.
How to Create a Successful Amazon DSP Campaign
What is a demand-side platform’s role in your digital marketing? Due to the expansive nature of demand-side platforms, you have plenty of tools at your disposal to create a successful ad campaign – but a successful campaign requires having specific, achievable goals.
If you’re struggling to decide what kind of ads to run in your next campaign, consider the following goal options to determine which one best suits your current objectives.
Increasing Brand Awareness
This goal is pretty self-explanatory: you want to introduce potential customers to your business and products. Ad campaigns focused on increasing brand awareness primarily aim to expand reach and garner interest that will lead audiences toward conversion.
Engaging the Audience
Consideration-focused campaigns include middle-funnel advertising that seeks to present potential customers with a problem or pain point and explain how your product or service can provide a solution.
Increasing Conversion Rates
If you’ve implemented previous ad campaigns that introduced your business to your target audience, it may be time to focus on increasing conversion rates – that is, advertising that encourages potential customers to make a purchase.
Create a Killer DSP Campaign With Click Fluency
If you’re struggling to get a grasp on your digital marketing, you may be wondering: what is a demand-side platform, and how do I use it? How do I navigate the automation of Amazon Ads?
Look no further than Click Fluency. Our team consists of Amazon advertising experts who can help you elevate your business and build the ultimate Amazon DSP campaign. Schedule your free strategy session today to get started!