Three Pillars of Success in Building a Brand on Amazon
More and more people shop online and every day the experience gets more sophisticated. In the past you could get away with a few images, some bullets and an ad campaign and do just fine on Amazon. Add a few reviews, some SEO and being in stock and your brand could do no wrong.
That was yesterday – now you need a solid presence outside of Amazon because the path to success lies in driving traffic to amazon and pulling on your loyal customers to shore up your Amazon presence and drive relevance. When you bring more external traffic to Amazon, it pushes your listings to the top, which provides excellent growth opportunities.
The reason Brands are so important is because customers rely on reputation and credibility over price. As a result, most shoppers look at the brand name before finalizing a purchase. Even more importantly, they get annoyed when they can’t tell what company makes them.
When you build your brand correctly, you cannot be copied and that is a competitive edge worth investing in. From a strong brand comes customer loyalty and increased sales.
So how to build a brand?
Pillar One: Product Quality & Packaging
Invest in quality product and packaging design. The better the product quality the more likely you are to get good reviews and referrals. Similarly, with package design because it sends a message. You can do a strong logo, print a brand story on the packaging. Put the same effort into the images (your online packaging) to tell the same story. Made in America? Let them know. Recyclable? Vegan? Clean Ingredients? Let them know.
Pillar Two: Market Your Product Cross Channel
Selling on Amazon is an amazing way to reach millions of customers. However, don’t ignore other channels. Make sure you are on other marketplaces, show in google search, have you own website…
And if you use those other channels to drive outside traffic to Amazon you receive additional points from the marketplace itself: external traffic is organic traffic which helps you boost your ranking on Amazon and increase brand visibility. The fight for the top in the Amazon search results is fierce and expensive. That’s why external traffic is so vital. Using the Amazon Advertising option solely to boost sales will cost you a fortune as they constantly grow in price. But a big involved community on your website or social media can boost your sales, increase conversion share and help you win a bid. Start with Facebook and Instagram in addition to your own website.
Pillar Three: Keep Your Audience in Mind
When customers form an emotional connection with your brand, it becomes part of their identity, and they do not want to use any other product but yours. This places a heavy burden on your shoulders because you have to keep up with the standards you’ve set, constantly update the product line and enhance (or at least maintain) its quality. New variations, colors, versions – its all welcome AND expected. Satisfying user needs and delivering takes hard work, but it will inevitably pay off. As long as you learn, improve and grow as a brand seller, you will make a great impression on customers and keep them loyal. A brand is the most valuable asset for Amazon sellers. It’s not only what you do, but how you do it. It’s the ethos — from the way you represent yourself on your website and social media to how you conduct business and interact with your target audience, the brand is everything.
