September '24 Monthly Roundup

September '24 Monthly Roundup

This September roundup has the mix of case studies, big-picture ideas, trends, and a sprinkle of inspiration to help kick-off your fall (football) season.

Let’s get GO-ing.??


We can't catch ’em all. But you don’t want to miss these.

From the GO Team:?


CASE STUDY: A/B Testing Sponsored Brand Video Content?

When creative teams work closely with ad teams, it’s easier to test, learn and capitalize on opportunities. This case study highlights how our ads team worked internally with our creative team (GO Studio) to A/B test SBV content and optimize our strategy utilizing the winning version.??

Read the full case study ??




TREND & STRATEGY: Developing a Lead In and Lead Out DSP Campaign for Holiday Shopping?

With consumer trends projecting a ~10% increase in 2024 holiday retail ecom revenue every advertiser is strapping in for a busy shopping season. As you do, don’t forget to utilize DSP campaigns to lead into the biggest shopping days and then leverage DSP again coming out of them, to stay in front of those potential buyers and get the most out of this critical season.??

Read this article with DSP tentpole planning strategies ??



CASE STUDY: Reclaiming Best Seller Badge After Transitioning to New SKUs?

When a client made changes to the product packaging on their 2 top ASINs that made up 85% of their sales, they knew that transitioning those products to new SKUs could heavily impact their sales. Our team proactively worked alongside the client to help make the transition as smooth as possible and to help minimize the disruption. As a result, we were able to restore the “Best Seller” badge within 24 hours.??

Read the full case study ??



ARTICLE: 3 Things to Help You Stand Out in a Saturated Category?

With roughly 3,700 new Sellers joining Amazon daily (according to Helium 10) and 2024 search ad spend projected at $28B and expected to double by 2026 (according to EMARKETER), standing out on the platform has become more crucial than ever.? ?

This article highlights three key strategies for brands to rise above the competition:? ?

?? Highlighting unique differentiators?

?? Investing further up the funnel?

?? Maximizing the effectiveness of ad spend?

Read the article ??


Posts by others that stood out:?

Juozas Kaziuk?nas , Founder of Marketplace Pulse , shared a review of the TikTok Shop’s top 20 best sellers as part of his look at the first 12 months since its launch. While some have boasted strong success with TikTok shop, Juozas shared some thoughts that are likely more in line with broader performance:?

“First, it is by far the closest we've ever gotten to social commerce, and affiliates drive most sales on the platform. ? ?
Second, no major brands are present. All sales go to brands that figured out TikTok early - many of them from China. The top 20 list is meh. ? ?
Third, TikTok Shop will do single-digit billions in sales this year. Not as much as they hoped ($18b), but there is just no great supply of inventory, and Western shoppers are still getting used to it. So it is fun and can move volume with affiliates plugged in (Goli sold $7m but paid all of its margin to influencers), but it is not yet a major channel for brands, nor is it at a significant scale yet.”?

If you haven’t jumped into TikTok Shop, or maybe you have and you’re reevaluating, it’s interesting to note where else those shoppers might be searching for or buying products.? EMarketer released a report in April 2024 that showed the audience isn’t necessarily incremental to bigger shopping ecom retailers (see below).??



Jeffrey Cohen pulled together a helpful recap of the big announcements two weeks ago at #AmazonAccelerate. Here is how he summarized the highlights:?

  1. AI is creating efficiencies and providing a better seller experience. These products will only get better over time.?
  2. Amazon is flexing Prime to meet shoppers where they are shopping. This is evident in many of the advancements with Buy with Prime. You should if you have a DTC website and haven’t looked into this.?
  3. Amazon Shipping now provides end-to-end logistics, a trend that has been developing for years. Amazon can now transport your product from the manufacturer to the end customers at a competitive price.?

Read his full recap ??



Mikael Brakker , ECom Director at L'Oréal, shared the above snapshot from Fox Intelligence highlighting YTD performance in the top 5 EU markets. He shared a great summary on his post and here’s how we interpret it:??

  • Market Growth: E-commerce in EU5 is growing steadily, with a 6% increase in value and 13% in volume year-to-date (YTD) August 2024 vs. the previous year. This indicates a shift towards higher volume, lower-priced purchases.?

  • Category Shifts: Beauty, DIY, and Sports categories are growing the most. Fashion and Electronics are losing market share to lower average order value (AOV) categories.?

  • Marketplace Dominance: Third-party marketplaces account for 41% of e-commerce business across EU5, with Germany leading at 46%.?

  • Amazon's Position: While still the #1 online retailer across EU5, Amazon is losing market share among heavy shoppers (top 20% spenders) in Germany, Italy, and Spain.?

  • Emerging Competitors: Chinese platforms like Temu are gaining traction, especially among heavy shoppers. TikTok Shop is also becoming a significant player in the UK.?

  • E-grocery Growth: This category is taking prominent positions in the UK and France.?

But what does this mean for EU advertisers? Here’s how we see it:??

  • Volume is king now: Shoppers are buying more, but spending less per purchase. Time to rethink those premium product pushes and focus on value propositions that encourage frequent, smaller buys.?

  • Category shake-up: Beauty, DIY, and Sports are having a moment. If you're in these spaces, it's time to double down. If not, consider how your products might align with these trending categories. Could your fashion brand launch a sportswear line??

  • Marketplace musical chairs: Amazon's still the big player, but they're not the only game in town anymore. Spread your bets across different marketplaces to catch those big spenders who are shopping around.?

  • Eastern promises: Chinese platforms like Temu are making waves. Don't dismiss them as just another flash in the pan. Your next big customer base might be browsing there right now.?

  • TikTok is not just for dancing: In the UK, TikTok Shop is becoming a serious contender. If you've been putting off that TikTok strategy, now's the time to get moving.?

  • Grocery goes digital: Especially in the UK and France, e-grocery is booming. Food and beverage brands, this is your cue to optimize for online grocery platforms.?

  • One size doesn't fit all: The EU5 might share a continent, but each country's e-commerce landscape is unique. Tailor your approach market by market for best results.?



A reminder that Brand Builders can't afford to forget.

Fighting for a Steeper and Long-lasting “Responsive Curve”.??

Rikard Wiberg , Partner at Pace, offers a critical reminder for brand-builders: Today's data is just a snapshot, not the full story of your potential. The real challenge? Maximizing each media channel's performance to achieve steeper, longer-lasting response curves.??


These curves show your return on incremental investment, typically in advertising. While increased spending often leads to diminishing returns - with initial investments yielding higher ROI but growth slowing as spending rises - the goal is to shift the entire curve upward. This means extracting more value from each channel, even as you scale up your investment. It's about seeing beyond current numbers to unlock your brand's true growth potential.?

Here’s a look at how Rikard suggests supporting that responsive curve:??

“?? When you look at your advertising results, remember that they’re just snapshots of the current situation. ? ?

?? Our job is to improve each media channel’s performance and make the response curve* steeper and longer-lasting. That will require collaboration among specialists, scientists, creatives, and leaders. Each team member brings a unique perspective that finds new growth opportunities.? ?

??? If you’re not happy with the results, there are ways to change that:? ?

  • Negotiate?- Lowering media costs through negotiation directly improves ROI, allowing you more exposure without increasing your budget.??

NOTE FROM GO- For Amazon advertisers, Rikard's "negotiation" concept translates to staying savvy with your ad spend across all available tools. Think of it as an ongoing internal negotiation or dialogue: Which tools deserve your investment right now? It's not about sticking with the same old stack just because it's familiar. Instead, it's about flexibly allocating your budget where it counts most at any given time. This approach keeps you agile, ensuring you're always getting the best bang for your advertising buck in Amazon's ever-evolving marketplace.?

  • Targeting?- Focus on active customers searching for your products. But be careful. While this might boost short-term ROI, focusing too narrowly can limit long-term growth. Les Binet and Peter Field describe the balance in the book "The long and the short of it". ? ?
  • Audience?- Expanding your audience can be a cost-effective way to reach more potential customers (because targeting is expensive), balancing immediate sales with long-term growth. Read (and reread) "How Brands Grow" from Ehrenberg-Bass Institute? ?
  • Quality?- Ensure your ads reach people (humans and not bots) in the right environments. Poor visibility or low-quality placements harm effectiveness. Follow Dr. Augustine Fou for eye-opening knowledge. ? ?
  • Entertaining?- Create ads that grab attention. Engaging, enjoyable ads are more memorable and support both short and long-term. Listen to Sir John Hegarty in the Uncensored CMO podcast. Brilliant!” ?



A challenge from our team to yours, helping you level up this next month.

Vince Lombardi is rumored to have started every season with the simple statement, "This is a football." Lombardi's approach came from the idea that success was the result of an unwavering focus on the essentials.??

It's easy to get caught up in a whirlwind of tasks and goals, chasing every new trend or tool that might give us some relief amid growing challenges. But the reality is that we can only truly accomplish about three significant things at a time. This isn't a limitation; it's a clarifying force. By narrowing our focus on the essentials, we amplify our impact.??

For the next month, challenge yourself to identify and focus on your three essential goals. Our GO team’s goals are always driving profitability, increasing market share, and building brand equity. But whatever yours might be, regularly evaluate your tasks and prioritize the ones that align your focus with those 3 goals. Stay committed to that work and cut loose anything that distracts you from it. By embracing this concentrated approach, you're not just optimizing your own tasks; you're cultivating a mindset of intentional growth that can create a ripple effect of improvement across your entire team.?

Rikard Wiberg

CEO at Pace | MMM & Forecasting

1 个月

Great work and a pleasant piece of summary! Keep up the excellent work, and thanks a lot for mentioning our work ??

回复
Mikael Brakker

L’Oréal Luxe, Europe Zone E-Commerce Director Online Pure Players Key Accounts & Marketplaces

1 个月

Amazing recap, keep it up! And thank you for the feat, happy to share! ??

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