Amazon’s Google Shopping U-Turn? What Brands Can Learn…
We have begun to see some sources show a reversal in Amazon’s strategy of pausing their Google Shopping advertising campaigns. It surprised many advertisers when Amazon pulled the plug on Google Shopping around a month ago. At the time it felt like a statement move, showing Amazon no longer relies on Google for traffic and can dominate product discovery by harnessing its loyal customer base without needing external sources. The move was even welcomed by some brands, with CPCs falling as competition within the Google ecosystem eased.
Now, a month on, there are early signs that Amazon is using Google Shopping again. For the moment this seems limited to the US, suggesting it may still be a test, but it could easily turn into a full reversal in the coming months.
This has led us to speculate on the purpose of the test. Does Amazon see less value in Google-driven traffic? Are they simply testing performance outside of peak periods? Or could this point to a new strategy where Amazon pauses advertising during quieter times? Time will tell, but it will be interesting to see what impact this trial has had.
Seeing Amazon run this kind of test also made us consider what brands could test within Amazon’s own ad ecosystem to cut down on wasted spend. One of the areas we often discuss with clients is brand spend. It’s often seen as a taboo subject, brands want to make sure competitors aren’t showing up on their term but if a customer is searching directly for the brand, they may already be set on buying. That creates opportunities for sensible testing, such as:
Consider organic visibility – if competitors are barely showing on your brand terms, then advertising might just be duplicating what’s already on the page.
Pause Sponsored Products but keep Sponsored Brands live – this keeps you present and gives ownership of the page, while still reminding users why they searched for you in the first place.
Promote higher-priority products – use the space to push new products or high margin products. There is some risk if they don’t convert as well as your top sellers, but it’s still a useful test.
Amazon experimenting with its own media strategy should encourage brands to do the same. Advertising budgets, whether focused on awareness or conversion should always aim to drive incremental value. Reducing cannibalisation and testing new approaches will continue to be key to reaching that goal.
If you’d like support on how to approach your ads strategy, get in touch today.
