For many Amazon sellers, presenting cohesive branding to shoppers has long been a pain point. Unlike traditional social media platforms, where it's possible to create posts—sponsored or not—to connect with consumers on a broader level, Amazon has largely restricted sellers to advertising on a product-specific basis.
Enter Amazon Posts. This feature is a free and innovative way to promote your brand and products across the marketplace, allowing sellers to communicate with customers more creatively.
What is Amazon Posts?
Amazon Posts is the eCommerce platform's answer to social media, offering a way for sellers to put forward card-like images that can go deeper than simple product ads. This can include lifestyle-related photos, creative captions, demonstrations of products in use, and product links. The result is an experience more like Instagram, in which users can see images that reflect branding on a wider level than simply items for sale.
However, unlike social platforms like Facebook or TikTok, Amazon users aren't scrolling through feeds for fun; they're on the platform specifically to shop, meaning that you're more likely to connect with people preparing to make a purchase.
Who is Eligible for Amazon Posts?
Amazon shopping feed posts aren't open to everyone, but many larger Amazon FBA sellers will qualify. At present, those who want to use Amazon Advertising Posts need to be a U.S.-based vendor or seller who is enrolled in the Amazon Brand Registry and has a storefront.
Benefits of Amazon Posts
Amazon Posts have a lot of potential benefits for brands, provided they're implemented in a strategic manner. These include:
- Free advertising: Unlike sponsored ways to showcase brands and products, Amazon Posts are free to use, similar to posting on other social media sites.
- More details: Amazon Posts allow for more creativity in connecting with shoppers, allowing you to post lifestyle images, product collections, and more.
- Data collection: Using Amazon Posts lets you collect information about which posts get the most views and clicks, helping to guide future posting and advertising strategies.
- Demand generation: Sharing things like lifestyle images can better connect customers with what you have to offer, making them more likely to picture themselves using your products and subsequently make a purchase.
- Brand awareness: Existing shoppers may not know the full range of your products, but with Amazon Posts, you can do more to showcase collections and other product lines to best illustrate your identity as a brand.
22 Rules to Increase Amazon Sales Up to 450%
Find out the proven framework we used to increase Amazon sales by 450%.
Where Do Amazon Posts Appear?
Amazon Posts can appear in numerous places across the marketplace. There's little sellers can do to influence where and when posts appear outside of ensuring quality content as placement will be determined by Amazon's algorithms.
Brand Feeds
Brand feeds are the most consistent places your Amazon Posts will appear, as this is your own feed created to post products and other seller information. When you create Amazon shopping feed posts, they will always be visible here.
Product Page Carousels
Product page carousels refer to the array of product-related images that appear part of the way down a product page; customers can scroll horizontally through these images. Not all content in a carousel will be unique to you, even on your own product listings.
Related Brands Feeds
When a shopper clicks on a post on a product page carousel, they'll be brought to a separate related brands feed. This space will show more information about the specific brand whose post the shopper clicked on, like additional products and posts, as well as related content from similar companies.
Category Feeds
When customers search for broader categories rather than specific products, they'll be directed to a feed based on Amazon's category tags. This feed will include products and posts that relate to the customer's search; whether your posts will appear here is algorithm-dependent.
Getting Started with Amazon Posts
As with many aspects of establishing and maintaining a presence as a seller on Amazon, getting started with Amazon Posts is quite easy.
Step 1: Navigate to Amazon Posts.
To create your first post, go to posts.amazon.com and log in using your seller credentials. Once logged in, you will be routed to the Amazon Posts dashboard page.
Step 2: Create your profile.
Once you've accessed the dashboard, you will need to set up a profile. This is separate from your existing Amazon seller account. To do this, you will need to verify your brand and upload your brand logo. If you're not already enrolled as a brand, you will not be able to successfully set up a profile.
Step 3: Create your first post.
Once your profile is established, you can move forward with creating a post. Click the Create Post button on the top right to begin using the post builder tool. There are several steps in this process; before getting started, ensure your intended post meets Amazon's guidelines.
Upload an image.
First, upload the image you'd like to use. Amazon allows PNG and JPG formats; animations, video content, and collage-style posts aren't permitted.
Add caption text
Captions can be up to 2,200 characters in length and must use language that applies to a general audience. Effective captions shouldn't include reviews, promotions or discounts, fake functionalities, like buttons that can't be engaged with, or questions posed to a shopper.
Add an ASIN.
All Amazon Posts should be linked back to a specific product. Enter the ASIN that best relates to your post so that shoppers who click will be directed to the right place.
Review and submit
Once you've added all of the necessary information, you can review your post prior to submitting it. Confirm you uploaded the correct image, linked to the right product, and that your caption is typo-free and reads as compelling in the context of the full post. When you're sure it's as good as it can be, you can move forward with submitting the post.
Amazon approves all posts, so your submission won't go live until this process is complete. If your post is rejected, you'll need to correct any errors and try again.
There's no limit to how many posts you can create, so you can repeat this process as many times as necessary to get your message across. However, it's usually best to start small and see how posts perform over time before expanding your efforts.
22 Rules to Increase Amazon Sales Up to 450%
Find out the proven framework we used to increase Amazon sales by 450%.
Components of Amazon Posts
Each Amazon Post contains five central components:
- Profile banner: Product banners should be limited to the name and logo of your brand.
- Custom image: Images are best when they're unique, dynamic, and creative. Standard product photos on a white background do not make for compelling, eye-catching ads.
- "Show product" button: This function links back to a selected ASIN.
- Caption text: Caption text is the best way to explain your value-add to a shopper. Effective captions are engaging, easy to read, and detailed enough to catch a shopper's interest.
- Amazon-assigned category tag: Amazon assigns a tag based on content and the linked ASIN and dictates where on Amazon a post will appear.
Each of these components works to advertise products and brands. As you create posts, ensure your approach to all of them relates back to your overall marketing strategy.
Amazon Posts In Action
Are you unsure where to begin creating and publishing content? These Amazon Posts examples can help you explore what a successful post looks like, from images to captioning.
Peloton
This popular exercise equipment company is excellent at branding overall, boasting an at-home equivalent to luxury workout classes. This Amazon Post example is a little less high-intensity than some Peloton advertising alternatives, but it does a wonderful job of making working out feel accessible—something anyone can do by waking up a little early and hopping on an exercise bike.
Samsung
In this Amazon Post, Samsung is working hard to emphasize performance for PC gamers seeking a high-quality curved monitor. Not only is the color scheme of the post eye-catching and dynamic, but the imagery of an astronaut reaching out creates an almost 3D effect, as if the gaming experience will be larger than life.
Stanley
Stanley is a popular choice in insulated water bottles and drinkware, and a big part of the company's success is branding. Not only are the products sleek and sophisticated looking, but the tropical-inspired background evokes an image of sipping a cold drink by the pool or while on vacation.
Keys to Success with Amazon Posts
Amazon Posts can offer a lot of value to sellers, but, as with all forms of social media advertising, success doesn't come overnight. As such, you'll need to be strategic about how you approach creation and submission.
Find the right posting balance.
On Amazon, volume can count for a lot. With so many sellers, a large presence is required for visibility. Since there's no limit or cost on Amazon Posts, there's no reason to hold back. However, quantity shouldn't overtake quality. Every post should add value rather than existing for the sake of existing.
Test what works best.
A/B testing is a central part of advertising success in general and should thus also apply to social media management. Post content, give it a few weeks, and assess performance. If you're not seeing the results you want, look into which aspects of your posts are performing better than others, reframe your overall content with these points in mind, and repeat the process.
Part of your A/B testing strategy can include how you're positioning content. This doesn't mean literally—although poor images that aren't properly showcasing product benefits can also be a problem—but rather thematically. Think about the different ways in which you can position your brand in the marketplace as well as what you can do to stand out from competitors. For example, you may want to change your strategy during peak seasons.
Track the right metrics.
Amazon offers numerous ways to track and measure metrics associated with posts. When determining which posts are the most successful versus which aren't driving traffic to your page, make sure you're considering the right data points; for example, views don't carry much weight if the click-through rate is poor.
Increase Profit Margins By 12%
Implement the 3 advanced PPC strategies that our clients use to sell on Amazon more profitably.
Ready for Amazon Posts?
Amazon Posts can offer a wealth of opportunities, particularly for those looking to gain ground in a competitive marketplace. A free alternative to Sponsored Ads can be great for companies on a budget, and limitless content creation means the ability to put out as much marketing material as desired.
However, the value of Amazon Posts will be limited without a strategic approach to online sales overall. For sellers who want to get ahead and stay that way, the right third-party tools are imperative. With the AI-leveraged eCommerce platform from Trellis, companies of all sizes can manage sales, advertising, and marketing quickly and efficiently for higher profit margins and increased revenue. Start your free trial today!