Alexis Kestler
Ecommerce has exploded to become a $4.9 trillion global industry. As consumers increasingly go online for their shopping, ecommerce advertising has become a powerful way for brands to connect with audiences and drive sales.
In fact, global expenditure on ecommerce ads is predicted to reach $526 billion by 2023, representing 55% growth since 2018 (eMarketer). Search advertising grabs the biggest share at $187 billion, followed by social‘s $178 billion and retail media at $89 billion.
In this comprehensive guide packed with data, actionable tips, and real-world examples, we‘ll explore today‘s booming world of ecommerce advertising to help your business capitalize on this growth.
The Landscape: Current State of Ecommerce Advertising
Ecommerce advertising is digital marketing aimed at directly promoting and selling products online. This encompasses ads across platforms like search engines, social media, Amazon, marketplaces, websites, and more. The goal is to target shoppers and drive traffic to listings and partner stores.
As the primary goals, ecommerce advertising looks to:
- Increase product exposure and discovery
- Grow brand awareness and affinity
- Encourage website visits, app installs
- Generate online sales
And with consumers spending more time online discovering, researching, and buying products, ecommerce ads present a huge opportunity at every stage of the shopping funnel.
In fact, 76% of product discoveries now happen through online searching and recommendations vs. in-store browsing, per Bloomreach.
With precise audience targeting and detailed performance tracking, ecommerce ads allow brands to cost-effectively connect with buyers and drive measurable conversions. As a result, global ad expenditure in this area is rising steeply.
Search Engine Marketing Dominates Spend
Of platforms, search engines attract the most investment by far – capturing 36% of total ecommerce ad spend. Google Shopping specifically drives significant volumes and continues to mature with free listings, promoted products ads, and integration with merchant centers.
Bing Shopping has also grown through seamless connections with marketplaces like eBay. Attribution modeling ensures advertisers only pay when the platform delivers a sale.
Search advertising drives exceptional conversion rates due to precise shopper targeting and prominent placements on results pages.
Social and Amazon Follow Behind
After search, social networks represent the next largest chunk as platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok attract advertisers with huge, engaged user bases and advanced targeting capabilities.
Similarly, Amazon equips brands to promote products to high-intent shoppers already browsing its dominant ecommerce marketplace.
Both channels now feature advanced shopping formats like shoppable Instagram posts or Amazon DSP – sending conversions directly to advertiser stores.
Retail Media and Marketplaces – The Next Wave
While retail media is currently still small at $89 billion, its growth has blown up as retailers like Walmart, Target, and Kroger build branded marketplaces for suppliers to directly buy ads. Brands target competing product searches or use insights from retailer purchase data.
Similarly, popular marketplace apps are launching ads to help sellers stand out. Examples include Uber‘s Cart, Instacart Ads, and Fashionphile‘s Marketplace.
As the bridge between brands, sellers, and ready buyers, we‘ll see retail media balloon over the coming years.
Now, let‘s explore all the elements involved with running effective ecommerce advertising campaigns…
Creating Successful Ecommerce Ads
While specific tactics and placements may differ across marketing channels, great ecommerce ads share common ingredients for conversions:
Compelling Ad Copy and Messages
Every element should aim to capture shopper attention, communicate what makes the product valuable, and direct them to purchase. This includes:
★ Appealing headline and description – Emphasize key product benefits and features
★ Strong call-to-action – "Shop Now", "Buy Now", etc.
★ Prominent brand mentions – Raise awareness and affinity
Dynamic Creative Optimization
Tailor messaging and assets to different audiences for improved relevance. This could include ads showing products catered specifically to:
★ Individual interests – past browsing behavior, CRM data
★ Channel placements – Instagram vs. Amazon
★ Seasonality – summer clothes in June
Visually-Compelling Product Images
Showcase products beautifully through:
★ Professional lifestyle photographs – to inspire desire and usage ideas
★ Logo integration – reinforce brand identity
★ Consistent style and editing – maintaining brand aesthetic
★ Living area displays and videos – showcasing scale and details
Clear Calls-to-Action
Messages like "Shop This Look" or prominently placed Buy Buttons should facilitate purchase conversion, avoiding too much friction.
Success Stories: Top Brand Ecommerce Ad Campaigns
Now, let‘s explore some stellar examples of ecommerce advertising from leading brands:
Nike – Video Advertising
Nike promotes new product launches using cinematic, lifestyle videos distributed on social media feeds. These inspirational spots energize audiences while showcasing available products and driving purchases:
Sephora – Influencer Partnerships
Prestige makeup brand Sephora partners with beauty influencers who create tutorials featuring specific products. Their authority nurtures trust while showcasing items for purchase.
And many more excellent examples from today‘s top ecommerce brands…
Measuring Performance: Key Ad Metrics
In ecommerce advertising, performance tracking and optimization are vital for controlling spend and maximizing returns. Marketers should continually analyze metrics like:
Impressions – How often ads are served
Clicks – User visits to landing pages
Clickthrough Rate (CTR) – Clicks / Impressions
Cost Per Click (CPC) – Spend / Clicks
Conversions – Desired actions taken – purchases, email signups, etc.
Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) – Revenue / Ad Spend
Tools like Google Analytics, built-in platform analytics, and 3rd parties like AdStage can compile reports to uncover trends and opportunities.
From this data, set optimization checklists to routinely refine targeting, placements, creatives, and more to lift results.
The Future: Emerging Ecommerce Ad Trends
As consumers flock to social networks and marketplaces during their shopping journeys, innovation in ecommerce advertising continues to evolve dynamically. Top trends to watch include:
Shoppable Posts – browsing and buying items directly within social content and stories
Live Video Shopping – livestream hosts demoing products for seamless purchasing
Augmented Reality – virtual try-ons and furniture visualization
Streaming TV Ad Experiences – shoppable connected TV commercials
And much more in our constantly advancing digital future.
As creativity grows across platforms, customers benefit through more interactive, personalized experiences while brands open new avenues to engage shopping audiences.
Conclusion
As we‘ve explored throughout this guide, ecommerce advertising represents an enormous opportunity to match any brand‘s business needs and budget. Growth continues to accelerate across search, social, marketplaces, and emerging formats.
It comes down to crafting compelling, visually-dynamic ads showcasing products, placing them strategically in front of high-intent shopper audiences, and measuring data to refine over time.
By learning today‘s best practices for conceptualizing and optimizing online store advertisements, brands equip themselves to attract customer attention and dramatically amplify conversion rates in our increasingly digital-first shopping future.
