Making Great Video Ads for Amazon

Amazon video ads have 7 times the click-through rate of normal display ads. Customers really value video, perhaps because the video images make them as confident about buying the product as if they were in a shop and could actually handle it.

So video ads could really galvanize your sales. But how do you get started?

First off, you need to be a brand registered seller. Then you can create a sponsored brand video ad for one of your ASINs; it’s similar to a regular sponsored display ad, but has video of between 6 seconds and 45 seconds, and you choose which keywords you want to activate your ad.

You can also use Over The Top (OTT) and Outstream ads; these show on Amazon streaming services and on other Amazon sites, respectively.

Your video format for these ads needs to be a bit different from what you might make for Youtube or Tiktok. Let’s look at the crucial success factors:

•      You need to feature your product right away, and grab the viewer’s attention immediately. Right in the first frame, give the product name, the reason to buy the product, and a distinct feature, or ask a relevant question like “Are you feeling tired and worn out?”

•      You need to sell the benefits. These videos need to sell quite forcefully; they are not intended to be educational or entertaining, but to sell the product.

•      Use subtitles, not talk. Apart from the fact that viewers may not have sound turned on, subtitles increase view time by over 10 percent.

•      Use bullet points. Viewers need to be able to read the text quickly, even on a phone, so two to four words per bullet point will work really well.

•      Loop your ads. That is, make the end of the video flow back into the beginning, so viewers can pick up anywhere.

•      Make sure your video is fast-loading. Viewers who have to wait for the video to show up will give it a couple of seconds max, then click elsewhere.

•      Place relevant keywords in the video title or in the first frame.

•      Put a clear call to action at the end. “Buy our vitamins and never feel tired again!”

You also need to comply with Amazon’s quite tight requirements.

•      The file size must be less than 500 MB.

•      The recommended video dimensions are 1920 x 1080 pixels.

•      The video must play mute unless the viewer turns it on.

•      Standard product ads should be less than 15 seconds long.

•      Do not use pressurized sales language, or mention pricing.

•      Do not have blank frames at the beginning or end of the video.

•      Do not mention customer reviews or ratings, or use Amazon logos or branding.

This is a really tight load of conditions to create really successful ads. You have limited time to get your point across, and you still have to convince the customer to click on to your product listing. You’ll need to create a video that incorporates your brand values, looks and feels right, and meets all the restrictive requirements. That’s a big ask.

So if you want to outsource the production, that’s not a bad idea at all. But before you do, sit down and write a very clear brief for exactly the messages you want to promote, and the brand values that are important to you. That way, you’ll get video ads which get right to the point, which look professional, and which look just right for your brand.

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