Concepts
ASIN Targeting Guide: Boost Sales with Targeted Ads
Are you using ASIN targeting to its max to increase your footprint on Amazon
Jun 27, 2024
Introduction:
Introduced by Amazon in 2019, ASIN targeting is a powerful advertising feature that allows sellers to place ads directly on specific product detail pages. Whether it’s competitor products or complementary items, ASIN targeting helps improve visibility, attract potential buyers, and drive conversions by targeting shoppers already interested in related products. This is an underutilized strategy compared to keyword targeting.
In this guide, we will explore what ASIN targeting is, why it matters, and how you can use it effectively to boost your sales on Amazon.
What is ASIN Targeting?
ASIN targeting is a feature within Amazon’s advertising platform that enables sellers to direct their ads to specific products using the Amazon Standard Identification Number (ASIN). An ASIN is a unique identifier assigned to every product on Amazon. By leveraging ASIN targeting, you can:
Place your ads on competitor product pages: Attract customers who are already interested in products similar to yours.
Showcase your products alongside complementary items: Promote your products on pages of items that complement yours, encouraging cross-selling opportunities.
Enhance visibility in relevant categories: Target products within specific categories to reach a more focused audience.
This targeted approach ensures that your ads are seen by shoppers with a higher likelihood of interest in your products, increasing the potential for conversions.
Why ASIN Targeting is Essential for Sellers
Product targeting was introduced to display ads on product detail pages of your own ASINs or your competitor’s ASINs. There are three main reasons for doing this:
Cross-Selling: Promote complementary products together. For example, advertising pillow covers alongside bed sheets. This strategy helps increase your Average Order Value (AOV) by encouraging customers to purchase additional items.
Up-Selling: Encourage customers to move from lower-priced products to higher-rated, higher-priced products. By showcasing premium options, you can increase your revenue per sale.
Competitor Targeting: By targeting a better-priced or better-reviewed product on your competitor’s ASIN, you can gain their market share. This approach allows you to attract customers who might be dissatisfied with the competitor’s offering.
What is Product Targeting on Amazon Ads?
Product targeting allows you to focus your Sponsored Products ads on specific products, categories, brands, or features. This ensures your ads appear in front of shoppers who are most likely to be interested in your offerings. You can target:
Specific ASINs: Target individual products for precise advertising
Categories: Broaden your reach by targeting entire product categories relevant to your products.
Brands: Focus on products from specific brands to capture brand-loyal customers.
Product Features: Target products based on attributes like price range, star ratings, or shipping options.
By utilizing product targeting effectively, you can tailor your advertising strategy to meet your business goals and reach a more focused audience.
How Does ASIN Targeting Work on Amazon?
ASIN targeting allows you to strategically place your ads on specific product pages. Here’s how it works:
Selection of Target ASINs
Identify Competitor Products or Complementary Items: Research products that either compete with yours or complement them. Look for direct competitors, complementary products, or high-traffic items.
Choose ASINs That Align with Your Targeting Strategy: Select ASINs based on your goals—whether it’s competitor targeting, cross-selling, or up-selling.
Setting Up the Campaign
Use Manual Targeting for Full Control: In the Amazon Advertising Console, create a new Sponsored Products campaign and choose manual targeting.
Input the Selected ASINs: Under product targeting, select “Individual products” and add your chosen ASINs. Set your bids based on competitiveness and potential ROI.
Ad Placement
Your Ads Appear on the Product Detail Pages of the Targeted ASINs: Once your campaign is live, your ads will show up on the product pages of the ASINs you’ve targeted, usually under “Sponsored products related to this item.”
Shoppers Browsing These Pages See Your Ad: This increases the chance of click-throughs as customers are already interested in similar products.
Customer Interaction
Interested Shoppers Click on Your Ad: They are directed to your product page, where they can learn more about your offering.
Increased Likelihood of Conversions and Sales: By reaching a relevant audience, you boost the chances of turning clicks into purchases.
How to Select the Right Products for ASIN Targeting
Selecting the right products to target is crucial for the success of your ASIN targeting campaigns. Here’s how to make informed choices:
Top-Selling Products
Products with stable, long-term sales and strong brand recognition.
Strategy: Use tools like ASIN Fetcher, Jungle Scout, or Helium 10 to find top products for your keywords.
Benefit: Targeting these ASINs increases your visibility among a large audience.
Customers recognize and trust these products, making them a reliable source of traffic.
Upcoming Products
Emerging products with a recent surge in sales due to trends or seasonal demand.
Strategy: Monitor new releases and market trends to identify these products early.
Benefit: Quickly boost your store’s sales and visibility by riding the wave of popularity.
Acting fast on trends allows you to capture interest before the market saturates.
Potential Products
Products with high traffic but low sales, often due to incomplete information, high pricing, or bad reviews.
Strategy: Target these ASINs to offer customers a better alternative.
Benefit: Capture interested customers by addressing the shortcomings of these products.
You fill the gaps that prevent customers from purchasing those products, attracting them to yours instead.
Long-Tail Products
Niche items with consistent, though typically low, demand over a long period.
Strategy: Target these to tap into specific customer segments with less competition.
Benefit: Dominate niche markets and enhance your store’s diversity.
Catering to specific needs induces customer loyalty and steady sales.
To create an effective product targeting strategy, balance these different types of products. Top selling and upcoming products are excellent for driving storewide sales and boosting overall revenue. They bring in a steady flow of customers and help you achieve your sales targets more consistently. Meanwhile, potential and longtail products play a crucial role in promoting customer engagement and increasing the number of reviews. Positive reviews from satisfied customers enhance your product’s credibility and attract more buyers.
How to Choose When to Use ASIN Targeting Effectively?
ASIN target should not be ignored unless it is turning out to be expensive and low ROAS. But there are some specific times when ASIN targeting can give disproportionate benefits.
When competitor has increased their pricing: When a competitor increases pricing, and you target them, you have higher chances of converting the customer. Read this case study on how Beco used competitor pricing to its advantage to gain market share.
When your pricing is low: ASIN target works best in pricing use cases. So if have discounted your product, go aggressive on ASIN targeting.
When you have better reviews than competitor: The end customer can see your pricing and reviews/ ratings on the ad when you target an ASIN. If you have better reviews than the current ASIN, go ahead and target the same.
Note: Avoid competitor targeting during sale events, as competitors offer discounts and defend their market share aggressively, making ASIN targeting expensive and less effective.
How to Do ASIN Targeting?
You can choose specific ASINs according to your strategy, targeting those and others that are similar including substitutes and complements. Here are some effective ways to implement ASIN targeting for your brand:
Utilize Data and Tools
Use tools like Atom11 to collate and understand data on your products’ performance and your competitors’ performance in the market. The more data you collect, the better you can refine your ad campaign targeting to be more specific and successful.
Add Low-Performing ASINs to Negative Targeting
First, identify ASINs that are not performing well and add them to your negative targeting list. This means your ad campaigns will specifically not target these products, saving you a budget that can be put to better use. However, ensure these ASINs do not fall under emerging or potential products, as you might lose sales opportunities by excluding them.
Target Top-Performing ASINs Manually
Find the top-performing ASINs in your product category. Look at the most popular results for the keywords you’re targeting and target those ASINs manually for better chances of conversions. An ideal advertising campaign aims for a lower Advertising Cost of Sales (ACoS), and targeting high-performing ASINs can help achieve this.
We have written a comprehensive guide on how to do keep your ACOS low.
Identify and Target Relevant Competitors
Find your competition, not just the brands you want to compete with but those closer to your product category in terms of price, quality, ratings, and product similarity. You’re more likely to succeed if you target ASINs priced similar to or slightly higher than your product. Avoid targeting products priced much lower or significantly higher than yours, as this may not lead to successful conversions.
Target ASINs with Fewer or Worse Reviews
Choose and target ASINs that are very similar to your product but have fewer and worse reviews. This might prompt consumers visiting those competitors’ product pages to click and choose your product instead, especially if you have better reviews and ratings.
Target Your Own ASINs
You can also target your own ASINs! Identify which of your products can be sold together, and place your other products on your own ASINs. For example, if your brand deals in toiletries, you can advertise your brush holder on your toothbrush’s product detail page. This kind of targeting helps boost your organic ranking and upsell your other products. Targeting your own ASINs often means your bid amount will be comparatively less. You can use both Sponsored Products ad targeting and Sponsored Display ads for this strategy.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Avoid these pitfalls to ensure your ASIN targeting campaigns are successful:
Targeting Irrelevant ASINs
Ensure the ASINs you target are closely related to your product to avoid wasting ad spend and lowering relevancy scores.
Ignoring Performance Metrics
Failing to monitor key metrics can lead to inefficient campaigns. Regular analysis helps optimize your strategy and improve ROI.
Overbidding Without Strategy
High bids can exhaust your budget quickly. Bid strategically based on the potential ROI of each ASIN and the competitiveness of the market.
Neglecting Product Page Optimization
Driving traffic to a poorly optimized product page reduces conversions. Ensure your product page is compelling, informative, and encourages purchases.
Setting and Forgetting Campaigns
The Amazon marketplace is dynamic. Regularly update and adjust your campaigns to keep them effective amidst changing trends and competition.
Conclusion
As a seller, you must regularly track your ACOS to make sure that your advertising campaigns remain cost-effective. This requires evaluating the performance of keywords, products, and ad placements, and making informed, data-driven adjustments. By keeping ACOS under control, you as a seller can maintain healthy profit margins and reinvest savings into other growth areas, ultimately resulting in significant business growth.
Atom 11 is a tool that simplifies this process with automated solutions, managing all these aspects in one place. Get in touch with us at Atom11 or book a demo today to see how our automated solutions can optimize your campaigns and drive growth.
