What A Brand, What A Brand, What A Mighty Good Brand
Amazon has evolved, and so have the rules of success on the platform. The days of launching a generic, no-name product and quickly climbing to the top of the category are behind us. Now, if you want to win, you need a brand that draws people in, builds trust, and stays memorable long-term. It's not just about having the best product—it's about becoming the best brand. On the first episode of The Longer Game Season 3, we sat down with Kenton Snyder, Customer Success Manager at Intentwise, to dive into this evolution. We explored how brands are cutting through the clutter in a marketplace that’s more competitive than ever, from leveraging DSP to understanding attribution models and the importance of innovation. Ready for a mighty good season? Let’s dig in!
🎯 Branding: More Than Just a Pretty Logo
Branding goes far beyond sleek logos and catchy taglines. It’s about how your customers feel when they see your brand. Does it inspire trust? Does it feel familiar? Building a brand on Amazon today requires a deep emotional connection with customers, and that’s what will make them choose your product over the sea of options. Think about this: When was the last time you picked a product based on design alone? Odds are, it had something to do with how you felt about the brand behind it. That emotional resonance is what builds customer loyalty, and it’s what brands need to focus on to stand out.
Branding is about creating an experience. If customers feel good about your brand, that feeling sticks. So, no shortcuts—build something that lasts.
💡 Off-Amazon Marketing: Driving Traffic Where It Counts
As brands mature on Amazon, it's no longer enough to simply optimize your product pages and listings. To truly scale, you need to be thinking outside of the Amazon box. You have to take your marketing efforts off Amazon and bring those customers back in. This means leveraging external traffic sources—think social media, Google ads, and even influencer partnerships. Off-Amazon marketing will be crucial for long-term growth, and the brands that master this will be the ones who thrive.
But here’s the kicker—Amazon is more than happy to reward those who can pull traffic from outside the platform. When you send people to your Amazon listing from other sites, Amazon sees that as a signal that your brand is bringing value to the marketplace, and it may give your products a boost in organic rankings.
🏆 Differentiation: Why Some Brands Get to Charge More
Take a moment to think about Apple. It’s a company that’s mastered the art of product differentiation. It doesn’t matter that other brands sell laptops or phones for cheaper. Apple can command a higher price because there’s a clear reason why it’s worth the extra cost. That’s differentiation. It’s not just about having a unique product; it’s about offering a unique experience.
For smaller brands, differentiation is key. You don’t need to be Apple to stand out, but you do need to show your audience why your product is worth their time—and money. Whether it’s through superior customer service, innovative features, or even a compelling brand story, differentiation is what sets you apart in a crowded marketplace.
📺 Streaming/Connected TV Campaigns: The Big Break for Small Brands
Historically, TV advertising has been out of reach for smaller brands, but Streaming and Connected TV (CTV) campaigns have changed the game. These platforms allow smaller businesses to access premium ad placements that were once only available to brands with massive budgets. Now, with a bit of strategy, even the smallest brands can reach a larger audience through this medium.
Think of it as the ultimate "David vs. Goliath" story—smaller brands can now run campaigns on the same platforms as household names. And guess what? It works. More eyes on your product, more brand awareness, and a greater chance to capture new customers.
🧠 AMC: Data-Driven Insights Beyond RoAS
If you’re judging your ad campaigns purely based on RoAS, you’re missing the bigger picture. Amazon Marketing Cloud (AMC) is a game-changer for brands looking to dig deeper into campaign performance. It gives you a wealth of data to understand what’s truly working and what’s not. Are your ads driving long-term customer acquisition, or are they simply converting people who were already on the fence?
AMC helps you see beyond short-term results and focus on the larger goal—growing your customer base. So, stop obsessing over RoAS and start looking at the bigger picture.
🎯 DSP: Precision Targeting That Drives Conversions
Amazon’s Demand-Side Platform (DSP) offers incredible precision when it comes to targeting specific audiences. Want to reach people who have visited your product page but didn’t convert? DSP can do that. Want to build a highly targeted, niche audience that’s more likely to buy? DSP is the tool for the job. The more granular you get with your targeting, the better your chances of conversion.
And the best part? You can adjust, tweak, and refine your audiences in real-time, allowing you to constantly improve your campaigns and get more bang for your buck.
🎉 Wrapping It All Up
The landscape on Amazon has changed. No longer is it a simple case of launching a product and hoping for the best. You need to build a brand—one that connects emotionally with your customers, differentiates itself in the market, and leverages every tool available to cut through the noise. Whether you’re using DSP for precision targeting, running off-Amazon campaigns, or unlocking the power of Streaming TV, the opportunities for growth are endless. The key is to stay innovative, keep learning, and above all, play the long game (see what we did there? 😉).
Ready to dive deeper into these insights? Join us for The Longer Game Season 3 where we kick things off with Kenton Snyder from Intentwise. Don’t miss out on our conversation about Amazon’s evolving marketplace, innovative strategies, and the tools you need to succeed. Make sure to follow our page and watch the full episode here—trust us, you won’t want to miss it!
