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The Hands-Off Method of Online Marketing That’s Both Fast and Easy

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By NIGHTINGALE-CONANT

You don’t have to do all the work yourself when it comes to marketing your passive income site. That’s where affiliate marketing comes in.

The following excerpt is from Nightingale-Conant’s book The Power of Passive Income: Make Money Work For You. Buy it now from Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Apple Books | IndieBound

Affiliate marketing is one of the fastest and easiest online passive income businesses to get started in. Depending on the path you choose, the investment to get up and running can be minimal. It all depends on your preferred marketing model and how much you need to outsource as opposed to doing it yourself. And the best part is, you can do this with any kind of site you set up, whether it’s a blog, general interest site, or ecommerce store. Once you get your foundation in place, your main ongoing costs are associated with advertising and promoting the products you sell, and you get to choose how much or how little you’d like to put into the process.

Affiliate marketing is essentially a way for you to earn cash for promoting and selling items or services without ever having to be responsible for the product, shipping, or fulfillment of the order. You strike a deal with a business, company, or individual to promote their products, and in return, when an item is sold through your affiliate account, you get a commission—a certain percentage or dollar amount for that sale. It’s a win-win situation for you and the business: They get free advertising and customers they might not have otherwise reached, and you’re compensated for the work you’ve put in. The commission they pay you is essentially part of their marketing budget. For some companies, it’s their exclusive form of marketing.

Let’s explore how this works.

Personalized affiliate links and cookies

There are two ways an affiliate program will track the prospects you send them:

1. Personalized affiliate links. If your affiliate program uses links to track sales, you’ll be given a login and a link associated with your account, which you’ll send to customers so the purchase can be traced back to you.

2. Cookies. Some programs use cookies instead of personalized links. Cookies are tiny pieces of data the internet uses to track someone’s online habits. It’s a way to see where a customer came from and what they bought.

Different programs have different duration policies. Some companies will pay you for life any time a prospect you have sent them buys something; others pay only on the initial sale. Some programs have specified time ranges — 30, 60 or 90 days — during which they’ll pay you on purchases made by the prospect you sent them.

As with anything, there are a few drawbacks. You have to be willing to invest your time, energy, and patience into making it work for you. Small sales here and there are great, but if you want to make this your main source of online passive income, you have to be able to land a lot of sales to make a significant amount of money. You need to think about your efforts as building a business. Two considerations in that vein are creating systems that are set up to get consistent new lead acquisition and choosing higher-margin offers (same amount of work, more money).

For this to be sustainable as a long-term income stream, you need to create promotions that lead to consistent sales. This will take commitment, time, and dedication but will be easier for those of you who have some experience with search engine optimization (SEO) or paid traffic generation.

Finally, you really need to choose your affiliates wisely. If the merchant’s site isn’t up to par, slow, buggy, full of errors, and not geared toward making the sale, you’ll lose out as well. Take a look around the site and ask yourself, “Would I feel comfortable buying from here?” If the answer is no, you may want to reconsider becoming an affiliate for that business.

Types of affiliate offers

Most offers you’ll be exposed to can be lumped into three categories: products, services, and stores.

Products

There are two types of online products you can be an affiliate for: physical and digital. The marketing strategies you will employ won’t really change either way, but they do each come with their own sets of pros and cons.

Physical products

Pros: Not all consumers buy digital products, but pretty much all consumers buy physical products. If you choose a product that’s in demand, made by a trusted brand, and sold through a credible online store, the selling is really already done for you.

Cons: The biggest cons to physical products are the shipping cost and the fact that it takes some time for the product to arrive. Also, there are certain products that consumers want to be able to touch and experience before they buy. That can sometimes hamper an online purchase.

Digital products

Pros: One of the biggest advantages of a digital product is instant gratification. The consumer can immediately dig in and enjoy the product they purchased while they’re excited about it. If you’re in tune with your prospects’ problems and have a digital product that gives them the solution to that problem, conversions can be really high. No shipping costs are another plus.

Cons: Digital products are often swimming among a lot of competition that you need to stand out from. Also, you’re at the mercy of the retailer when it comes to making sure the product downloads properly. Sometimes digital products are so complicated they overwhelm the consumer, which can hinder additional sales from that prospect.

Services

There are many services people pay for online that have affiliate programs. Some examples are:

  • Financial services like tax preparation
  • Social media and digital marketing services
  • Professional services (hosting, payment processing, etc.)
  • Travel-related services like Hotels.com and Travelocity

Storewide programs

There are tons of stores that will give you commissions on the entire purchase made by a consumer you send to their site. This is great because it gives you the flexibility to market just one product they sell and still get credit for anything else your prospect adds to their cart, or you can just promote the entire store in general.

Feature Image Credit: Image credit: RamCreativ | Getty Images

By NIGHTINGALE-CONANT

Sourced from Entrepreneur

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4 Email Marketing Metrics to Track Your ROI

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By Thomas Griffin

Email marketing is one of the most crucial parts of promoting your business. Here are the metrics you need to track to improve your campaign’s ROI.

There are few things as necessary as your email marketing campaign. The success of your newsletter and other email-based promotional material can have a significant impact on the financial status and health of your company.

If you need to know what kind of impact your email marketing campaign has on your brand, consider the following stats from a case study by Delivra:

  • Email subscribers are three times as likely to share your content as those who discover your content on social media.
  • Automation in the email marketing field is causing a drastic increase in open rates. They report a 70.5% increase in open rates with automated emails.
  • A whopping 72% of people prefer to receive promotional content in their email inbox.

Now that we know why email marketing is important, it’s time to figure out which ROI (return on investment) metrics you need to track to make the most of your lead list.

Editor’s note: Looking for email marketing software for your business? Fill out the questionnaire below to have our vendor partners contact you about your needs.

Click HERE to read the remainder of the article.

Feature Image Credit: Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock

By Thomas Griffin

Sourced from business.com

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3 Ways Thoughtful Writers Use Tone to Build Loyal Audiences

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By Sonia Simone

” I don’t like your tone.”

You’ve heard the adage, It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.

(Actually, if you want to get your message across, you should pay careful attention to both what you say and how you say it.)

When we communicate with our fellow humans, tone of voice helps us convey meaning.

That’s what allows my son, in the time-honored tradition of 13-year-olds, to infuse his monosyllabic agreement to take the dog out with a rich sense of suffering and forbearance.

But text has to work harder.

If you use the social web at all, you probably see someone put their digital foot in their mouth virtually every day by making poor word choices.

Add to that the fact that there’s a political or potentially controversial subtext that can be attached to almost any statement, and it starts to feel like a minefield out there.

Fortunately, we’ve got handy writing techniques like word choice, story, and connotation to help us master tone.

Because when you get the tone right, you start to resonate with the perfect audience for your product or service — and your content can really start to shine.

Tool #1: The words you choose

All careful writers know that there’s no such thing as a true synonym. Every word carries its own set of associations and nuances that color the writing.

Some shades of meaning are fairly neutral. I nearly always prefer use over utilize because it’s clearer and less pretentious. But it doesn’t particularly identify me as having a particular set of values or beliefs.

Other synonyms carry a more potent cultural charge.

Despicable and deplorable seem like they mean pretty close to the same thing. But the first has been colored by a silly and charming series of animated movies. The second is a well-known insult (then claimed as a badge of honor) for supporters of a political figure.

Careful writers chase down the nuances of the language they choose. They think long and hard about the selection of each word. And they strive to choose the word that conveys the subtleties they’re after.

Tool #2: The stories you tell

The stories you tell carry nuances as well.

In many ways, The Star Thrower story and the “I don’t have to outrun the bear” joke illustrate the same point.

They’re both about accomplishing the next small but meaningful goal, rather than focusing on overwhelming or impossible ones.

But The Star Thrower story about a lone figure rescuing sea stars on the beach is a favorite of nonprofits, nature lovers, and the more liberal on the political spectrum.

The joke about a runner not needing to outrun the bear, just needing to outrun his hapless hiking companion, appeals more to “cutthroat” competitive types who don’t mind metaphors that are a bit on the gory side.

The first story would be a good choice if you’re speaking to The Nature Conservancy. The second would be a better fit for a sales meeting that embraced good-natured but intense rivalry.

Both stories are memorable and effective. But the one you choose depends on who you want to talk to and the nuances you want to get across.

Tool #3: The values you embrace

If you want to talk about a difficult problem that you overcame, you could use words like Honor, courage, and commitment — which happen to be the stated values of the U.S. Marine Corps.

Or you could write that, nevertheless, you persisted — which echoes a statement made about Senator Elizabeth Warren when she refused to silence her criticism of a candidate in a confirmation hearing.

“Nevertheless, she persisted” became a feminist rallying cry … and went on to be used as the title of an episode of Supergirl.

Simple, ordinary English words … but their associations connect them to a larger cultural context.

Some feel that this kind of language is divisive. I think of it as identifying the people who resonate with you — and not worrying too much about the people who don’t.

For example, if you believe that a film scene of Nick Fury washing dishes is an example of “male-bashing,” it’s fine with me if you look elsewhere for your marketing and writing advice.

The weight of connotation

In 2019, every seemingly innocent pop culture reference can carry the weight of connotation.

Enjoyed the last comic book or science fiction movie you saw? Your choice of favorite pop cult character can send a message to your audience about your larger worldview.

(I’m on Team Leia. Always will be.)

Comic artist Matt Furie found this out to his chagrin when his easygoing character Pepe the Frog was embraced by white supremacists and neo-Nazis. (It should be pointed out that this was never Furie’s intention, and references to the goofy frog character are used innocently by many people.)

It would be nice if there was a giant decoder ring to look up the connotations attached to various references, but alas, the environment moves too quickly.

Sites like Know Your Meme are helpful, but the best way to stay current is just to keep your eyes and ears open on social and stay attuned to how messages are moving through the culture … and specifically, to the people you care about talking to.

The unity principle

If all of this chasing down nuance, meaning, and connotation sounds like too much work, keep in mind that your first duty as a marketer is to understand your audience.

If they have strong reactions to Pepe, you need to know what those are.

If they have no idea, you can safely move on to what they do care about.

Embrace nuance and connotation not just to find out what you don’t want to put your foot in, but to choose the language and stories that make the strongest connections with your audience about their values and beliefs.

By Sonia Simone

Sourced from copyblogger

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Approaching Public Relations In The Age Of New Media

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By Paul Koulogeorge

One of the biggest struggles faced by marketers today is how to balance new media (digital and social) with traditional media (TV, radio, print). Marketers tend to pay attention to the “new shiny idea,” often taking action on new media campaigns. But one traditional medium that has bridged the gap between the two worlds is public relations.

Public relations (PR) is work that helps a business or individual cultivate a positive reputation with the public through various paid and earned communications. Twenty years ago, PR worked through traditional media and in-person engagement; whereas today, we now have digital, social and influencer marketing — even virtual reality — to consider.  Unlike TV, radio or print, PR has evolved and is as relevant, if not more relevant, today than it was 20 years ago.

Below are a few examples of how PR has evolved in the digital world.

Refined Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing has been a hot ticket for several years now. As consumers continue to look to social proof and opinion, influencer marketing has evolved.

I expect this year to be a big year for nano-influencers — those with a following of 1,000 to roughly 5,000, and who often have much higher engagement from their fan bases. Due to their smaller following, their recommendations and opinions are often perceived as more genuine and trustworthy.

Brands are using influencers and other engagement tools to connect with consumers on a more personal level. For instance, H&M used influencers and polling tools to target their millennial consumers, find out their preferences and collect feedback for the designs. 

While the world of influencer marketing operated much like the Wild West in previous years, I believe it is beginning to show us more savvy and refined programming than ever before.

Multichannel PR 

Reaching the public has evolved from standard print, online and TV placements to a multitude of avenues. As mentioned above, influencer marketing is key to being relatable to younger consumers, as is the emerging world of podcasts. Brands can play off the influencer posts and drive new followers to connect on their own social channels. The impression and traffic to one web article can be leveled up by connecting stories and sharing with different brands’ fans, whether it be through reposting business news on LinkedIn or sharing a perfect consumer-facing press placement in Instagram Stories with a swipe-up link.

Today, PR must be broadened to multiple channels to deepen and expand the reach to target consumers. The message simply cannot break through the clutter when only focused on one medium.

The millennial-driven company Bumble has done a great job at touching on all channels through its influencer partnerships, such as its partnership with The Chainsmokers for the Bumble Beats dating app, in which the band hosted a concert ticket giveaway at the first college road stop of the campaign, or thought leadership interviews centered around new workplace initiatives like “The Hive.”

Content Performance 

It takes more than a heartwarming story or innovative product launch to earn a story in 2019. Increasingly, reporters and publications are being asked to deliver metrics such as article views, clicks, social media shares and likes. Therefore, your brand must be able to offer more than a great story by showing a willingness to help amplify that story across a variety of networks.

This is something I think all PR teams should be offering in 2019 as part of the pitch for earned media. There are different audiences to reach on various social media platforms, in newsletters, etc., that should be utilized when important and noteworthy press is earned.

IHOP was able to show how sharing news and information across different platforms can increase the engagement of consumers. With the brand’s stunt, changing its name to IHOb last year, the company was able to garner stories published by a variety of outlets and on social media platforms, as the news was virally shared.

Virtual Media

As tech continuously upgrades and shares information through artificial intelligence, PR strategies will begin to include voice-searchable content. Many consumers are using a virtual assistant to provide everyday information, from the news to the weather outside. I believe earned and paid media will be transformed to be easily referenced by virtual assistants, reaching targeted audiences more efficiently.

Google Assistant already shares information from search results. Asking “OK, Google, what’s the latest news?” or “OK, Google, how do I get rid of a cough?” results in top answers read aloud to the user. The future of these results will become even more specific and useful as more data is collected, making ideal earned placements with detailed information increasingly important.

Modern Day Metrics 

PR and marketing results have historically been difficult to track in terms of return on investment. Common practice in PR used to be measuring ad value equivalency and potential impressions for an earned media placement. However, times have changed and the advancements in digital have given PR pros modern new tools for measuring success across a variety of attributes.

Metrics platforms are helping brands understand their positions by providing a variety of analytics at their fingertips. On a single dashboard, brands can now track things like their share of voice among competitors, true audience metrics and reader engagement with content to determine which avenues and messages are successfully converting.

The examples above show how public relations is still doing what it did a century ago by “cultivating a positive reputation,” but is now using 21st-century tools and techniques to deliver the message. The way I see it, PR has adapted with the times, unlike the rest of traditional marketing and is staying relevant by taking the best of the old and combining it with the best of the new.

Feature Image Credit: Getty

By Paul Koulogeorge

Vice President of Marketing, Advertising and Public Relations at The Goddard School.

Sourced from Forbes

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How to Use Social Proof in Your Marketing

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Looking for ways to boost your credibility using social media? Wondering how to capitalize on positive company mentions?

In this article, you’ll discover how to incorporate social proof into your social media marketing.

Why Include Social Proof in Your Social Media Marketing?

The term social proof was coined by prominent psychologist and author Robert Cialdini. He described it as a psychological and social phenomenon that leads people (read: customers) to mimic the actions of others in a given situation because of an inherent need to conform.

In other words, when people are unsure of how to react or respond to a situation, they automatically look to others around them, under the assumption that these people—whether experts, celebrities, friends, or even other consumers—know more than they do and hence also know what should be done.

Social proof affects us in more ways than are immediately apparent. A testimonial from an expert you admire or trust on the landing page of a product is social proof. Similarly, chancing upon the logo of an industry giant on a tool or service that you may be exploring is also social proof.

Your tendency to prefer a product or a service that your friends have recommended or have tried out for themselves can also be attributed to the impact of social proof.

Click HERE to read the remainder of the article

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Sourced from Social Media Examiner

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4 Reasons Happy Customers Become Brand Ambassadors

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By Entrepreneurs’ Organization

Want to spark the power of word of mouth? Echo what Zappos, Nike and Southwest Airlines do.

Stan Meytin, an Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) member in New York, is founder and CEO of True Film Production, a video production company that connects people to brands through meaningful storytelling. We asked Stan how differentiators help create loyal brand ambassadors. Here’s what he shared:

Great brands don’t chase customers, they invite a loyal following. Creating brand ambassadors isn’t just a niche marketing function–it’s an effective way to drive business growth. And it starts with creating your brand voice and the message it communicates.

There are many factors at play in creating raving fans and brand ambassadors who will market your product or service without you asking them. Here are four of these critical factors:

1. An extraordinary product

There are at least 45 brands of athletic shoes sold in the United States, but only a few are well-known to the mass market. What is it that Nike does to differentiate itself from the 44 other athletic shoe brands?

Adidas was the dominant player when Nike entered the US market. Adidas, however, was neither as nimble nor as connected to its customers. The founding team of Nike was on the ground, listening to its core audience―runners. Nike asked for feedback on the running experience and discovered something that the existing shoes on the market did not provide.

Most running shoes at the time had flat soles, making it a challenge for athletes to maintain grip and traction. Inspired by a waffle maker, the Nike team transformed the bottom of its sole, giving athletes an edge in running performance. Waffle-soles are something we take for granted today, but it was tremendously innovative and put the brand on the map when Nike first came out with the idea in 1974.

2. Human-centric customer service

Product innovations are not the only factor in brand differentiation. Many successful brands have functional, but relatively average products or services. What is above average, however, is the culture that these brands inspire. Southwest Airlines is a prime example.

The company puts “employees first, customers second and shareholders third.” Southwest’s counterintuitive model for applying its focus works.

They’ve created a culture that is inclusive and fun, where employees have freedom and take pride in their work. Their core values motivate employees to do their best, which trickles down to happy customers and translates into business success. In the words of Southwest Airlines spokesperson Brad Hawkins, “We hire rock stars, ask them to be themselves, and then support them in everything they do to take care of our customers.”

Some companies tackle customer service head-on and focus on that as a marketing strategy. Take Zappos, for example: They invest their money in understanding what clients are struggling with instead of spending it on ad campaigns to force the brand on customers.

Zappos tracks customer behavior in an effort to create an emotional connection and then delivers a service that exceeds expectations. This creates brand ambassadors through the ultimate customer experience of convenience and personalized service. The result? People rave about Zappos to everyone they know.

3. Memorable experiences

Every experience that a brand provides affects how it is perceived and received. I discovered this personally with Club Med. During a video shoot about their unique company culture, they converted me into a customer myself!

I got to know the employees personally and formed an emotional connection with the brand. I shared the experience afterward with people I know. That is the power of word of mouth. It turns happy customers into brand ambassadors.

4. Storytelling

Storytelling helps people understand how brands fit into their worldview. I recently listened to a 13-hour audiobook called Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins. David’s story begins as an abused child. His audiobook tells a tale of transformation from an overweight man with a dead-end job into a distinguished Navy SEAL. I was struck by the strength of his character, his diligence and his inspiring mission of being great.

The storytelling approach moved me so much that I have told at least 30 people about the audiobook. They’ve listened to it and shared it with others. We’ve become David’s brand ambassadors. Powerful storytelling creates an emotional state that is contagious and viral. It is the essence of good marketing.

These examples share a common element that goes beyond the concept of brand ambassadors. Aspiring to greatness inspires others. The impact is far-reaching. Mediocrity is a comfort zone and default-mode for many companies. They measure success only by sales, then wonder why everyone is talking about the competition.

It’s simple: Innovative companies don’t just sell to us. They foster inspiration within us. Once that happens, we can’t wait to share their story.

Feature Image Credit: Getty Images

By Entrepreneurs’ Organization

Sourced from Inc.

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Stand Out On Social Media: Tips For Boosting Your Business’ Brand

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Sourced from Forbes

Social media allows businesses to share and connect with audiences based on interest, not geography. With daily refresh and a variety of audiences, social media is a platform that allows brands some flexibility in talking about more than just the nuts and bolts of their products or services; it’s a venue where businesses can humanize themselves—an increasingly important factor in marketing.

Just as individual users try to show off their best sides on social media, businesses have traits that show them off in the best fashion. So what are the most important traits brands should show off when marketing on social media? Below, experts from Forbes Agency Council share some of the characteristics they believe help brands stand out among the enormous social media crowd.

1. Authenticity And Personality

Brands should display their “authentic selves” through social media, which means conveying the personality and values of the brand. This can include posts that showcase a great company culture and the team behind the brand, customer success stories demonstrating the true value the customer experienced, and the broader impact and social good the brand is driving. – Elissa Liu, Influential Executive

2. Empathy

Individuals show off in an effort to elicit “peer envy.” Brands have to be mindful of the “push” instead of “pull” in their marketing. The best way for brands to show off is to show they care about their customers. If you are a marketing agency, show off your clients’ wins. If you are a hospitality company, highlight great vacationers. Also, think of your brand persona and show off your team. – Jennifer Barbee, Destination Innovate

Sourced from Forbes

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AAI Toolkit May 2019

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AAI are delighted to welcome 3 international speakers to Ireland for #AAIToolkit in May.  It will take place between 3.15 p.m. and 5.00 p.m on Monday 20th May at Dentsu Aegis Offices on Haddington Road, Dublin 4.


 To kick off Jamie Barnard, General Counsel – Global Marketing, Media and eCommerce, Unilever (London) & Catherine Armitage, Director of Digital Policy, World Federation of Advertisers (Brussels) will talk about the meaning and relevancy of data ethics to advertisers, the global business case for awareness and corporate action needs from 2019 on-wards. Extensive time for questions from the audience is planned for this section of the seminar.

Next up, and also joining us from London, Lauren Walker Chief Data Officer, Dentsu Aegis Network EMEA will take a look at good data ethics in action throughout the data supply chain, illustrated by recent examples.

During this present day, digital focused, immediate impact and social sharing era, the WFA Data Ethics Board are actively championing moral consideration by brands.
Using ethical frameworks and overarching principles as a starting point, the topics of privacy, human dignity, non-discrimination, transparency, accountability, societal good and safety present urgent and ongoing challenges. Not only are these subject matters paramount for discussion in day to day work locally, but across global markets while addressing and recognising cultural norms in diverse markets for multi-nationals.

You can read more about each speaker at https://data_ethics.eventbrite.ie

Keep up to date and join the interaction 

Free to AAI Members – please register your attendance

€35 + booking fee for non-members
Book now  

Monday 20th May 3.15 p.m. – 5.00 p.m.
Data Ethics – Current and Future Actions for Advertisers

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Google Gives Retailers A Leg Up As It Moves Further Into The Cloud

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Google is doing more to help companies connect, manage, secure and analyze ever-growing amounts of data.

At its Google Cloud conference in San Francisco, the company unveiled a raft of announcements, including new open-source integrations, more AI capabilities and product-development partnerships with large consulting firms like Accenture. Enhancements will assist large companies in areas such as data migration, analytics and cross-compatibility with competitors Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure.

Among the offerings is a vertical-specific suite, Google Cloud for Retailers, that will help retailers tap analytics and AI to predict their future inventory needs, recommend products for their customers and assist those customers in locating items they want to buy.

Within that suite is Vision Product Search, which uses Cloud Vision technology. Someone can take a photo or screenshot of a pair of pants they fancy, for example, and the tool will return search results with similar items from the retailer’s inventory.

“We’re able to help if a user likes a specific product; it finds ones that are similar, either in function or in style,” said Andrew Moore, head of Google Cloud Artificial Intelligence. “We provide tools that make the experience on the retailer’s website more immersive and useful for the user.”

Ikea is among those using the product. “We’re working with Google Cloud to create a new mobile experience that enables customers, wherever they are, to take photos of home furnishing and household items and quickly find that product or similar in our online catalogue,” Susan Standiford, chief technology officer at IKEA Group, said in a Google blog post.

Google’s Recommendations AI powers the new Product Recommendations tool, which suggests complementary products as customers browse a retailer’s website. Meanwhile, Real Time Inventory Management and Analytics helps retailers boost the in-store experience so that customers don’t end up empty-handed, costing retailers the sale.

“We’re using sales data regionalized over years or months, depending on what we have, to make a much more accurate prediction of what stocks they should have, in which parts of the country and when, so they are more accurate and have less wastage,” Moore said.

Google has tapped its vast partner network to develop additional tools for retailers. For example, Accenture’s Hyper-Personalization product helps retailers transform data into business insights they can use to boost customer response rates and lifetime value. Google Cloud and Accenture teamed up last year to launch the Accenture Google Cloud Business Group.

Tableau can help retailers quickly collect and analyze their data, while Publicis Sapient assists retailers with addressing data silos to connect and take action on the data points along the customer journey.

That goal is in line with other Google product announcements that improve speed and simplify data migration to Google Cloud. Its BigQuery Data Transfer Service, for example, which can automatically ingest data from SaaS apps to BigQuery, the company’s cloud-scale data warehousing solution, expanded support to more than 100 enterprise apps, including Salesforce and Marketo.

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Sourced from adexchanger

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Amazon rolls out customer demographic analytics for third-party sellers

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By Suman Bhattacharyya

Amazon is now giving third-party sellers access to aggregate demographic information about customers, including age, income, gender and marital status.

It’s part of an effort from Amazon to give more information to sellers using its third-party seller platform, Seller Central. The company noted some of these moves in a news release Tuesday that highlighted newly launched Amazon Brand Analytics, including insight on popular search terms and comparable products; a promotional Fulfilled by Amazon monthly storage and removal fee waiver; personalized guidance on how to sell globally, and educational tools for sellers. Kiri Masters, CEO of Amazon agency Bobsled Marketing, said news of the move emerged on a LinkedIn post from a seller late last week; Amazon confirmed to Digiday that demographic analytics were made available to sellers in the U.S. last Thursday.

According to Amazon, Amazon Brand Analytics, including the customer demographics report, is available to “eligible brand owners” who are enrolled in Brand Registry. Currently, the feature is only available to sellers who own a brand or who serve as an agent, representative, or manufacturer of a brand.

For third-party sellers on Amazon, unlocking free customer demographics information addresses one of the biggest pain points of selling on Amazon’s marketplace: limited access to customer data. While brand analytics offer information about keyword searches, how popular keywords are, click and conversion share, information about who customers were was virtually nonexistent before, said Ryan Williams, director of finance for Rise Brewing. With limited customer data, it’s been challenging for many Amazon sellers to market to customers and would-be customers who peruse or buy items via Amazon.

The insights acquired from the demographics tool will have an impact on broader marketing strategies that go beyond Amazon, said Williams, who said he began accessing the feature on Tuesday.

“This really helps with your marketing strategy, not just on Amazon but outside of Amazon as well,” said Williams. “We’re constantly asked by investors who we should focus on, and beyond Google Analytics, those questions are not always easy to answer.”

For Brian Hemmert, chief marketing officer at Fat Snax, the added insights are a positive move from Amazon, but not enough to abandon growing Fat Snax’ own e-commerce site.

“It’s still crucial to have our own direct channels through our site,” he said.

Agencies working with Amazon, however, say the motivations behind the new analytics tool aren’t only to benefit smaller sellers. Amidst recent reports that Amazon wants to move some sellers away from the wholesale platform to Seller Central, agency executives say what’s at play is a strategy to promote Seller Central by giving third-party sellers access to data they would have to pay for if they used Vendor Central. Brands that sell through Vendor Central have to pay for demographic data as part of a subscription to Amazon Retail Analytics (ARA) Premium, which can reportedly cost as much as $30,o00 per year (ARA basic, which is free, offers reports on business metrics including sales and inventory levels). But according to the company, brand analytics are less relevant to the vendor model since Amazon is handling the listings.

“I don’t know if I would characterize it as a win — it’s an incentive for larger sellers to move to Seller Central,” said Fred Killingsworth, CEO of Amazon-specialized agency Hinge, who added that moving more sellers to Seller Central lets Amazon divert resources from seller relationships within Vendor Central. “Amazon is a tech platform; the vendor relationship requires a lot more humans to be involved in the process, given expectations Amazon is going to provide help.”

Meanwhile, additional analytics are a powerful tool to justify additional investments in Amazon’s advertising platform.

“With brand analytics, the new demographics that came out in the past few days are a case for more ad spend on Amazon,” said Masters.

By Suman Bhattacharyya

Sourced from DIGIDAY UK

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