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Enter the Remix: Paid Search Edition

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@ebkendo
• Seattle, WA
• 13 years eCommerce / digital
• New job! New brand! New
mom! (Again!)
Elizabeth Marsten
Senior Director, Strategic Marketplace Services

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Let the eCommerce Fun Begin!
Amazon
Google
Microsoft
And I can throw in more…

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@ebkendo
Image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patagonian_toothfish

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6Image: Pixabay

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@ebkendo
• Amazon Media Group
• Amazon Marketing Services
• Sponsored Products (historical fun: Amazon Product Ads)
• Sponsored Brands (was Headline Search Ads)
• Amazon Advertising Platform
• DSP (programmatic)
Amazon Advertising – the How & the What
https://www.cpcstrategy.com/blog/2018/09/amazon-advertising-rebranding/

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Why?

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@ebkendo
• SIMPLIFY
• Expand advertising budget sources
• Organizational structure (at Amazon and advertisers)
• Clarifying industry definitions
• Amazon is building and capitalizing on their entire paid, earned and
owned empire
Removing Friction
https://www.cpcstrategy.com/blog/2018/09/amazon-advertising-rebranding/

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@ebkendo
• Moving or cutting search budgets – up to 50%*
• Shopper marketing vs. search marketing
• Instead of cutting a search (i.e. Google/Microsoft) budget
• Applies particularly in the CPG space
• In-store promotions moving online
Really though – where is the money coming from?
https://digiday.com/marketing/amazon-winning-lucrative-shopper-marketing-budgets/
*https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/08/google-search-losing-some-adverrtising-business-to-amazon-ad-sources.html

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@ebkendo
Where I’d Look Next – Amazon DSP
Amazon owned and partner sites

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@ebkendo
Amazon DSP
• Drive users to your .com
• Do not have to be a seller on Amazon (but you do have to have a
channel partner)
• Reach and target unique audiences in the Amazon owned and private
network
• Lifestyle segments (last year)
• In-market segments (last 30 days)
• Retargeting segments (ASIN)

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@ebkendo
Amazon DSP
• Need to provide creatives (maybe check that
Google, Facebook inventory?)
• Not self service
• Hard to scale – no bulk editing
• A bit of a black box
Image source: https://advertising.amazon.com/products/display-ads

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Image: Pixabay

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@ebkendo
• Google Marketing Live PDF
• Being there. Being useful. Being responsible.
• Some examples:
• Gallery Ads, Smart Bidding, Local expansion, Discovery
Google Ads – the How & the What
https://www.cpcstrategy.com/blog/2018/09/amazon-advertising-rebranding/

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Why?

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@ebkendo
• Bring more attention to reach and frequency
• Keep advertising budgets
• Remove transactional friction
• Mobile first
• Automation capabilities
• Building on existing habits and not asking users to create a new one
Recognizing Reach & Taking Control

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@ebkendo
• Purchases on Google
• Shopping Actions
• Merchant Center
• Express
• Manufacturer Center
• Product Listing Ads
• Showcase
• Local
Enter Google “eCommerce”
Image: Google

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@ebkendo
What are Google Shopping Actions?
• The “buy button” of 2015 (Purchases
on Google)
• Personalization
• Localization
• Google property agnostic
Image: Google

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@ebkendo
How Do Google Shopping Actions Work?
• Relevancy to the user’s query
• Shipping speed and price
• Personalization
• User signals like existing cart content
• Retailer preferences – membership or linked loyalty programs, previous
purchases
• Purchase intent

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@ebkendo
It’s all about…TRANSACTION ENABLEMENT
The payment processing, order taking, receipt
giving, delivery tracking, customer support workflow.

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@ebkendo
So What is Google Express Then?
• Web UI of seller catalogs with templated storefronts
• High level product categories
• Over 1,000 sellers now
*https://www.blog.google/products/ads/shopping-actions/
• New revenue stream
• 30% average increase in order size*
• 68% net new customers*
Image: Google

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@ebkendo
Sharing in Google Product Feeds
Express
Shopping
Image: Google

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@ebkendo
Manufacturer Center
• Free – same feed at Google
Merchant Center with a few more
fields
• Different UI/sign in
• GTINs carry history in PLA –
potential to “correct” incorrect
information for brands that have
multiple retailers and to other Google
programs
Image: Google

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Image: Pixabay

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Just kidding. We’ll be working for
their AI in the next 5 years.
Image: Pixabay

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@ebkendo
Microsoft Advertising – the How & the What
• Bing still exists, but is nested under the larger umbrella of Microsoft
Advertising
• Expansion of partnerships, API support
• Investments in AI and enterprise efforts
• More countries (140+) & languages (60+)

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Why?

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@ebkendo
Microsoft Advertising
• Nod to acquisitions like
LinkedIn and capabilities
beyond SERPs, like
results in MSFT products
and the Audience Network
• Breakout from Google
parity into unique ad
offers
https://searchengineland.com/microsoft-advertising-is-no-longer-just-chasing-parity-with-google-ads-its-building-unique-ads-features-316271
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/bings-not-the-laughingstock-of-technology-anymore/2019/05/30/e870e6b4-82ed-11e9-b585-e36b16a531aa_story.html

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@ebkendo
For example:
Co-Op Bidding (Sponsored Products)
• Beta, US only
• Manufacturer (Brand) and Retailer partnership
• Take over of the paid SERP
• Must link accounts
• Can view assisted metrics
https://help.bingads.microsoft.com/#apex/3/en/60004/0
https://marketingland.com/product-listing-ads-digital-co-op-and-the-13-billion-opportunity-252125

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What Should You Do About It?
Image: Pixabay

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@ebkendo
SERP Significance
• Product Listing Ad real estate vs. transactional units vs. organic
• Product content data quality (feed management) & knowledge panel
• Different “search engines” perform and behave in different ways
• Amazon Search Autocomplete study (Nacho Analytics):
https://www.nachoanalytics.com/blog/search-autocomplete-boost-conversions/

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@ebkendo
Organic Impact
Image: Google

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@ebkendo
Business Impact
• CPC vs. commission rates
• CPA comparisons across different channels, ad types and attribution
• Investments in platforms and people
Image: Pixabay

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@ebkendo
Some Things You Might Consider
• Diversifying your channel mix and ad types
• Learn more about fulfillment and shipping times
• Re-examine catalogs, what items are sold where and by whom else
• Make friends with merchandising, warehouse and customer support
• Ask a lot more questions about how your company or your client’s is set
up generally beyond paid search

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@ebkendo
Resources & Links
• Google Shopping Actions – Hero Con (April 2019)
• Google Shopping Actions – SMX Advanced (June 2018)
• Amazon DSP Guide – Tinuiti (April 2019)
• Google Ads Re-Brand (June 2018)
• Amazon Re-Brand (Sept. 2018)
• Google Shopping Actions (March 2019)
• Microsoft Advertising Re-Brand (April 2019)

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@ebkendo
THANK YOU!