Amazon Introduces Vertical Video for Sponsored Brands

With 75% of all video viewing now on mobile devices, the pivot towards mobile-optimised content was long overdue from Amazon!

At a staggering 38 billion in revenue, Amazon Ads is second only to Google and Meta, and growing faster than both. Incorporating vertical videos is an incredibly complex technical challenge since Amazon was born in the era of personal computers and not mobile and this has to blend with shopping.?

Why Sponsored Brands?

Sponsored Brands play a crucial role in Amazon's advertising ecosystem, offering cost-effective ways for sellers to enhance brand visibility and connect with potential customers.

Benefits of Vertical Video for Amazon Sellers:

1. Repurpose existing videos:?Leverage your Instagram,?TikTok,?and YouTube Shorts assets to create Sponsored Brand Ads.
2. Increased engagement:?Vertical videos naturally capture more screen space on mobile devices,?leading to higher engagement rates by cutting through the digital noise.
3. Enhanced user experience:?This format caters to prevailing mobile browsing habits on Instagram,?TikTok,?etc.,?offering content that's easier to consume without rotating devices,?leading to a smoother user journey.
4. Improved conversion rates:?Amazon tests showed a 9% higher click-through rate (CTR) on ads that incorporated vertical videos.

Best Practices for Creating Vertical Videos:

1. Shoot high-quality professional videos with good lighting.
2. Keep the video short (10-30 seconds).
3. Introduce the brand within the first 5 seconds.
4. Use copyright-free music that blends with the narrative.
5. Make the brand visible throughout the video by incorporating the logo.
6. Use talent/models to make the video more engaging and stand out.
7. Create a hook to generate curiosity and retain engagement.

What to Avoid:

• Text on the video.
• Split screens.
• Rotating horizontal videos to fit vertical format.
• Disclaimers or instructions to rotate/turn/tilt screens,?auto-rotate,?or forced rotate.
• Splitting the screen or stacking the same video.
• Filling the vertical space with letterboxing.
• On-screen text and captions,?fake functionality buttons,?and fake interactive elements.
• TikTok and Instagram watermarks,?icons,?and logos.

Vertical Video Specifications:

• Aspect ratio:?9:16
• Resolution:?720 x 1280 / 1080 x 1920 / 2160 x 3840

Leveraging Vertical Videos Effectively:

• Replace videos in existing Sponsored Brands campaigns with vertical versions if there's a better fit.
• Use Brand Videos instead of product videos for top-of-search impression share.

Seller Square has created brilliant campaign videos for some of the top Amazon Sellers. If you are looking for Amazon campaign videos or a high-impact Amazon Growth Management Program reach out to [email protected]