Are you aware that Google Shopping can be effectively used to promote products from Amazon? Well, not directly, but there are alternative ways to do just that! In this article, I’ll guide you through the process of promoting Amazon products on Google Shopping ads, by creating your own landing page and making use of affiliate marketing.
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Can I advertise Amazon Products Directly on Google Shopping?
No, you can’t directly advertise your Amazon products on Google Shopping. There are 3 main reasons for this:
- Website Claim: Google Shopping requires you to claim ownership of the website where the product is sold. Since you don’t own Amazon.com, you can’t claim it.
- Checkout Process: Google Shopping needs the checkout process to happen on your website. Since Amazon handles the checkout, it wouldn’t meet this requirement.
- Amazon and Google are competitors in the online shopping and advertising industries. Both Google Ads and Amazon Advertising strive to attract merchants’ advertising data.
However, there are alternative ways to use Google Shopping Ads to promote your Amazon products, as I’ll show you below.
Pros and Cons of Google Shopping Ads for Amazon Sellers
While Google Shopping Ads can be a powerful tool for many online sellers, it’s not directly applicable to Amazon products due to limitations on website ownership and checkout processes. Here’s a breakdown of the pros and cons:
The Pros
Reach a Wider Audience
Google Shopping exposes your products to a massive audience on Google Search, Images, and even YouTube. This taps into potential customers who might not visit Amazon directly, expanding your reach significantly.
Targeted Advertising
Google Ads allows you to target your ads with laser focus using relevant keywords and product listings. This means you reach shoppers actively looking for what you offer, maximizing the chances of a conversion and giving you a better return on ad spend (ROAS).
Detailed Analytics
Google Ads provides in-depth analytics and insights on your campaign performance. This allows you to see what’s working and what’s not, letting you optimize your campaigns for maximum impact.
Potential for Cross-Promotion
If you have your own website alongside your Amazon store, Google Shopping Ads can drive traffic there. This opens doors for cross-promotion opportunities, showcasing a wider range of products or special offers you might have on your website.
The Cons
Limited to One Platform
If you’re planning to launch or already have a website and your products are being advertised by Amazon on Google Shopping, you cannot promote those same products on your own site due to the unfair advantage policy. Violating this policy can result in suspension.
Instead, you can consider splitting your products, selling one set on Amazon and a different set on your own website.
High Costs
The main challenge you might encounter is a decrease in profits. For instance, if you’re selling a product for $20 with a $10 profit margin per item sold. Using an Amazon storefront involves paying a commission—approximately $1 per item for individual sellers—or a variable fee for professional storefronts.
However, once you start using Google Shopping for Amazon products, it can further reduce your profit. Google Ads operates on a pay-per-click (PPC) basis, and maintaining the top position for competitive keywords can cost between $2-3 per click.
How to Run Google Shopping Ads for Amazon Products?
To promote your products yourself, you must have an online store with a complete checkout system. Third-party gateways are permitted. It’s important not to mistake Amazon for a payment gateway; it’s a marketplace.
A common strategy for affiliate marketing with Google Ads involves creating specialized landing pages. This can also be applied to Google Shopping through Amazon by designing a landing page that:
- Advertises your product
- Displays product reviews, images, descriptions, etc.
- Includes affiliate links leading to Amazon.
We’ve extensively discussed the importance of landing pages because they are crucial for running Google Ads and ensuring your ads get approved, rather than directing traffic directly to your Amazon listing.
Using a landing page as an intermediary step between your ad and your product listing offers several advantages:
- It helps warm up your traffic and filters out low-intent traffic, which can lead to maintaining a higher Amazon conversion rate.
- It allows you to include an email opt-in to capture emails and build your email list.
- It enables you to add conversion tracking codes to monitor the effectiveness of your advertising campaigns.
Your landing page is also essential for complying with Google Ads’ policies. It’s necessary to direct your ads to a page that is relevant to the ad copy and the keywords you’re targeting.
Directing your ad to Amazon might interfere with your keyword and copywriting strategy for your listing. However, a landing page gives you full control, allowing you to achieve a higher quality score.
Another strategy with your landing page is to create multiple versions for your product, each tailored to a different ad group.
For example, if you have several keyword clusters and ad groups, you can create a unique landing page for each ad group, with headlines and copy focused on that group’s keywords.
By doing this, your landing pages will score higher with Google, resulting in more clicks for less spend. Additionally, since you’re customizing the landing page to the targeted keywords, you’re more likely to convert visitors into customers.
Check out this comprehensive guide on creating a Google Ad campaign to promote your Amazon products.
Mega Digital Drives Sales for EcoLife with Targeted Google Ads
EcoLife, a company selling eco-friendly household products on Amazon, partnered with Mega Digital to improve brand awareness and increase sales. Mega Digital, leveraging their expertise in Google Ads, implemented a targeted campaign to reach potential customers actively searching for sustainable products.
The Challenge
EcoLife struggled to gain traction on Amazon against established brands. They needed a way to reach a wider audience interested in eco-friendly products and drive traffic to their Amazon listings.
The Solution
Mega Digital designed a Google Ads campaign focused on relevant keywords like “eco-friendly dish soap”, “sustainable cleaning products”, and “biodegradable laundry detergent”. Their strategy included:
- Search Network Ads: Compelling text ads with clear calls to action enticed users searching for these keywords.
- Targeted Audience: Ads were directed towards demographics most likely to be interested in eco-friendly products.
- Landing Pages: Clicking the ads led users directly to the relevant product listings on EcoLife’s Amazon store.
The Results
The campaign was a resounding success:
- Increased Traffic: EcoLife’s Amazon listings saw a significant surge in traffic from targeted Google searches.
- Boosted Sales: Conversions from ad clicks to product purchases on Amazon grew steadily.
- Enhanced Brand Awareness: EcoLife’s brand name appeared in front of a larger audience interested in sustainable living.
- Improved ROAS: Mega Digital strategically optimized the campaign to ensure a positive return on ad spend for EcoLife.
FAQs for Amazon Products on Google Shopping Ads
After consulting and running over 10 Google Ads campaigns for Amazon clients this week, I found these are the most frequently asked questions.
How Do I Make my Amazon Product Listing Appear in Google Shopping Search Results?
You are unable to advertise any products listed on Amazon. All advertisements from Amazon on Google Shopping are handled by Amazon, that is, on behalf of the merchants. If you have inquiries about this, please reach out to Amazon support for assistance.
Why Do I Still See Other Amazon Merchant Ads On Google Shopping?
Yes, it’s possible. Amazon advertises on behalf of the merchants, or they might be using Buy On Google.
Is There any Alternative Way to Advertise my Amazon Products on Google?
Yes, another alternative strategy is using Text Ads on Google Search: Create compelling text ads targeting relevant keywords related to your Amazon products. When users click the ad, they land directly on your product listing on Amazon.
Can I Use Affiliate Marketing to Promote my Amazon Products?
Yes! You can create informative landing pages showcasing your chosen Amazon products with reviews, descriptions, and affiliate links. Then, run targeted Google Ads directing users to these landing pages. If someone clicks your affiliate link and purchases on Amazon, you earn a commission.
>>> Read more: Can I Use Google Ads for Affiliate Marketing? How to Do It?
Wrap up
Using Google Shopping for Amazon products can be an excellent way to drive additional traffic. You have the opportunity to redirect a large number of potential customers to either your eCommerce website or your Amazon store, or even both simultaneously.
