28. Deciphering Amazon Ads with Destaney Wishon, CEO and co-founder of BetterAMS

In this episode of E-Commerce with Coffee?! Destaney Wishon, the CEO, and co-founder of BetterAMS, joins the show to talk about Amazon ads. Destaney provides a high-level view of what’s new on Amazon along with ways that brands can set ads up for success.

With Destaney’s deep knowledge in Amazon ads from all the work she does for brands at BetterAMS, her insights include technical tips as well as a bigger look at the industry and how it’s changing. Changes are coming so fast, she says, that it’s podcasts like this one that can make the difference. Listen to the full interview to hear what she has to say!

What to listen for:

• The interview starts with a look at how Destaney co-founded her Amazon ad business. For starters, Destaney’s from Rogers, Arkansas, known as the hometown of Wal-Mart. “I was always surrounded by vendors,” she describes. The commercial environment in Rogers is a unique one, and Destaney had opportunities to meet interesting people and learn about equally interesting opportunities. Listen to the podcast for the full story.
• Talking about the challenges brands face today, Destaney describes how brands do so many things to keep up. “I see a brand doing everything, but no one thing super well,” she says. Amazon ads are one of those things that aren’t being capitalized like they could be, Destaney points out, because even brands who are doing them don’t have the time to do them as well as they could.
• Destaney then compares Amazon ads to other types of ads. “If you don’t have a converting listing [for an Amazon ad],” she says, “your ad won’t work.” This might seem self-evident to some folks, but compared with other types of ads on Facebook or Google, this is a big difference. Listen to the full episode to learn what Destaney tells us about buyer intent and how she set brands up for success.
• One of the first things brands can do now is learn about the different types of ads on Amazon and how to use them for their intended purpose. For example, sponsored ads are an opportunity for brands to get clicks for their keyword without waiting for SEO strategies to boost their listings. “Take your number-one keyword and type it onto Amazon,” Destaney suggests. That first listing item you see at the top is a sponsored ad, and that spot could be occupied by your brand instead.
• Video ads, too, are an intriguing new addition to the slew of Amazon ads you can try. “The best part about video ads is that they’re PPC,” Destaney notes. This means that you only get charged when users click. Users can even watch your video all the way through, but without that click, you won’t be charged. Amazon, therefore, tries to get your video seen by the people with the red-hot intention to buy your product then and there. Listen to the full episode for Destaney’s tips on creating the best video ad to convert.
• Destaney continues, “on Amazon, 70% of ad collateral requires zero creative control.” She then points to video content and other creative ad collateral as a great example of something brands can outsource to spend more of their own time getting deeper into Amazon ad strategy.
• The interview wraps with Destaney talking about trends in ad costs, Amazon competition, and how brands can position themselves for success. Not only are there more brands on Amazon since the pandemic, but there are more users, too. The space is ripe with possibilities. “There’s no way for any one individual to keep up in this environment,” Destaney advises. Take her advice—listen to the full episode and subscribe to the show to keep up with more interviews like this one on E-Commerce with Coffee?!