The world of e-commerce is in constant flux, and Amazon is at the forefront of innovation in its advertising platforms. Sponsored Brands have been continuously evolving, and the latest addition to this format is the Sponsored Brands Slideshow. Amazon’s advertising arsenal is expanding, offering new ways for advertisers to capture their audience’s attention and communicate their brand’s unique values.
What is Sponsored Brands Slideshow?
First and foremost, it’s important to clarify that Sponsored Brands Slideshow isn’t a completely new ad format on the Sponsored Ads platform. Instead, it’s an extension, a fresh creative capability for traditional Sponsored Brands. Traditionally, Sponsored Brands allowed a single image (lifestyle) and the promotion of three ASINs. These ads would appear at the top of search results and, when clicked, redirect users either to the brand store or the detail page of the clicked ASIN.
Now, this new feature brings a dynamic element into play. It allows a carousel of 2 to 5 images to be displayed in the space where the single image used to appear – to the left of the banner. These images should ideally reflect the brand’s lifestyle. The standout feature is the dynamic functionality: the images move automatically, but shoppers can pause the presentation at any time and explore the various images at their own pace.
Why is It Important to Use This New Version?
This innovation represents a significant opportunity for advertisers. It provides a unique way to narrate the brand’s story in an engaging and visually appealing manner. In a world saturated with information, capturing and retaining the consumer’s attention is crucial, and this format offers an effective solution.
Furthermore, as with any new feature on Amazon, early adopters can gain greater visibility and impact. It’s crucial to seize every opportunity to differentiate yourself from your competitors and stay relevant to your buyers.
How Does It Work? Is It Interactive?
If you decide to employ this creative resource, it will be displayed at the top of search results, both on mobile devices and desktops. The images move automatically, and when the last image is displayed, the carousel restarts. Shoppers have complete control and can navigate through the images manually by swiping on mobile devices or by clicking forward or backward arrows on laptops.
At Amazing, we emphasize the importance of the order in which these images are presented. Care should be taken not to upload them arbitrarily. Instead, put yourself in the shoes of the potential buyer and determine the correct image sequence for maximizing conversion or, in simpler terms, clicking that leads to conversion. Clicking on any image in the carousel redirects users to the Brand Store (or the product landing page if the store isn’t available). Clicking on any of the three promoted products will take users to the corresponding detail page. This functionality remains consistent with the “classic” Sponsored Brand format.
How to Create This New Sponsored Brand Version on the Platform
Lastly, you might be curious about the process of creating this new Sponsored Brand version and whether it’s complex or requires additional resources not available on the platform. The good news is that it’s a straightforward and quick process. Advertisers can use the “product collection” ad format and select the “Custom Images” option. There, you can upload the images you want to showcase (between 2 and a maximum of 5 images). As mentioned earlier, these images are recommended to reflect the brand’s lifestyle. At this point, the new Slideshow version of Sponsored Brand is created (if you include only one image, it becomes the static Sponsored Brand version). Before publishing, you can preview it and make modifications to the carousel images, allowing for easy customization and campaign optimization.
In summary, Amazon’s Sponsored Brands Slideshow offers advertisers a versatile and engaging tool to deeply connect with shoppers. As a relatively new format, it presents a great opportunity for advertisers to stand out in the crowded marketplace. As they say, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” At Amazing, we’ve already embraced this new feature, swiftly integrating it into our clients’ campaigns. With the peak selling season on Amazon fast approaching, any tool that helps differentiate and drive clicks toward conversion is a valuable asset in our strategy for Amazon success.
