Hello and welcome back to the External Traffic For Amazon Sellers Podcast, the ONLY Amazon Podcast dedicated to the topic of traffic.

My name is Ashley Pearce and I’m here to help you discover your unfair advantage over the competition, that is External Traffic.

In these initial episodes we’ve been covering some of the foundational topics and concepts - not simple, but essential foundations for the understanding of a rounded and effective external traffic strategy for Amazon and in fact, a future proof traffic strategy for eCommerce.

Far too much “General” advice is provided out there without context - that makes it difficult to make strategic decisions about your business without feeling like you’re doing a lot of guesswork and wasting a lot of money “learning” in the process.

So today we’re going to take another leap forward in our grasp of the world of External Traffic for Amazon FBA and we’re going to take a look at Organic Search Traffic, what is it and how does it work for Amazon sellers?

So let’s get into the episode

Organic Search Traffic For Amazon - Podcast Episode

What is Organic Search Traffic (Google Traffic!)

I’ll start by Defining organic search traffic - you’ll be most conceptually familiar with Google traffic and more specifically, I’m talking about the “organic” results, i.e. not the “Paid Results” or “sponsored placements” you see all over Google and it’s web properties like YouTubeSo organic search traffic is “earned” traffic - you’ve created a web page that has been deemed by the Google Algorithm (or Bing Algorithm) as worthy of ranking in a position that will result in users clicking through to your website. We’re largely talking about page 1 here!

Types of Keywords & Search Queries To Focus On

I introduced the idea of ranking for market focused keywords, not just product focused keywords (your product) like bringing people in for one product and then giving them an “Ad” for another product - your product

Introduce idea of ranking for “purchase journey” keywords not just “purchase intent” keywords to expand repertoire of keywords you could target

Focusing on KGR Keywords - find out more about the Keyword Golden Ratio by Doug Cunnington at nichesiteproject.com/keyword-golden-ratio/

Introduced concept that new keywords are popping up as new questions get asked in product categories all the time.

Introduced concept of “SEO’ing limited no. of pages” vs producing volumes of content

It IS a case of build it and they will come with this approach - if you’re JUST focused on a small number of pages, yes distribution and link building is more important. But that’s not what we’re talking about here. If you’re ranking specific pages then Yes - spend 25% of time on content and 75% on distribution (with aim of link building)

A word on using Social Media for traffic or SEO

I'm paying lip service to Social Media - placing the seed that you don’t use Social for reliable cumulative organic traffic, you use it for collaboration and website authority building / asset building.

The Costs Of Organic Traffic For Amazon Sellers

Let’s say 1,000,000 website visitors brought in on market focused topics - but let’s just assume that only 20% have the same purchase intent as someone coming from Facebook Ads (not true, but Paid Ads need a big head start to even come close to Organic Traffic)

We’ve shown that (and through some studies) that above a certain content level you can expect 1-2000 visitors for every 1,000 words published. So at 1,000,000 visitors, we’d need to publish between 500,000 words of 1,000,000 words of content. Coming in at somewhere between $50,000 and $100,000.

Affiliate sites then typically get a 10% conversion rate of those visitors into buyers. So in this case, we end up with 20,000 buyers.(If you want to see the conversion rates used to budget for affiliate sites that are focused on bringing in Organic Search traff...

Today I'll be talking about the cost of paid advertising for eCommerce businesses and how they might translate for Amazon only eCommerce businesses.

Quite often when trying to establish a strategy the most difficult thing can be estimating performance especially in terms of cost

So it’s really useful when somebody like Andrew Youderian from e-commerce fuel publishes his yearly report of data collected from hundreds of of high performance e-commerce entrepreneurs and businesses - The State Of The Merchant Report 2019

Return On Ad Spend RoAS Statistics From The Report

Looking at Return on Ad Spend - which is Ad spend divided by revenue (not profit).So if you paid $50 in advertising and generated $100 in revenue, that would be a 2 x return on ad spend as you generated 2 times as much revenue as you spent on Ads. (this doesn’t account for profit in any way)

So Facebook was surveyed at an average of 3.4 x RoASAnd a median of 3.0x RoAS - so there were some outliers in that data that skewed the average towards a higher RoAS - the median is a better demonstration of performance of the data set

Google came in at an average of 5.1 X RoAS - now we’re talkingBut again, there must have been some serious high performing outliers in the surveyed companies as the median was at 4.0 x RoAS still better than Facebook

Then finally on to Amazon Ads at 4.6X RoAS averageAnd a 4.0 x median RoAS - once again, showing the presence of some high performing outliers skewing the average upwards.

Facebook and Google Ads Return On Ad Spend

So let’s talk about the Facebook Ads and Google Ads numbers for a secondThese return on ad spend numbers are based primarily on e-commerce businesses with the three pillars of profitability being used - they have their own stores that their driving cold traffic to, retargeting warm traffic and then up-selling hot traffic in the loyalty pillar

So those numbers take into account high profitability campaigns and retargeting campaigns and low profitability if not loss making awareness and acquisition campaigns

If you've already listened to the Ezra Firestone three pillars of profitability for Amazon sellers episode you'll know that as an Amazon Seller you don't have access to the higher profitability pillars in the same way as e-commerce store owners and as a result can't achieve the same levels of return on ad spend.

Where do Google and Facebook Ads actually appear?

If you’ve not done a tremendous amount of work with Facebook Advertising or Google Advertising, I might be doing you a disservice here in not going into more detail about the types of Ads I’m talking about.When I say Facebook, I of course also mean Instagram - as Instagram Advertising is controlled under the Facebook platform.But more than that, this will include Facebook messenger ads, in Facebook and Instagram stories, in mid-stream of videos, Facebook search, Ads on the Facebook Audience network - that’s right, you’ll get little display Ads when you’re on certain apps and websites that monetise their traffic with Facebook display ads - you’re seeing Facebook Ads when you’re not even on Facebook.

It’s less surprising to know it’s the same for Google.Google have a display network of websites that show Ads for Google as well as Apps just like FacebookThere’s obviously top of search Ads, but that’s the very thin end of the wedge or tip of the iceberg.There’s shopping ads in searchShopping ads on YouTubeYouTube video Ads

So when I say Facebook Ads, I don’t just mean the one’s you see in your feed.And when I say Google Ads I don’t just mean the top of search ads - there’s a WHOLE WORLD out there to go and waste a tonne of money discovering!

What These RoAS Numbers Mean For Amazon Sellers

Back to the numbers then and what those RoAS numbers mean for Amazon sellers

So maybe as an Amazon Seller, someone driving traffic to Amazon without access to the high profitability campaigns you...

In this podcast I'll be talking about 3 of the biggest myths about the Google Search Engine specifically in Amazon Sellers

So let’s see if you’ve been sucked in by any of these…

1. Google Traffic isn’t purchase intent traffic and therefore isn’t worth it

Tell that to the website owners making millions of dollars per year just directing traffic to Amazon - earning from their affiliate programmes.

Every single day there a millions of clicks on Amazon affiliate links driving traffic to Amazon Listings. So if you're wondering how to drive traffic to your amazon product, this is worth a really good look.

2. Google Traffic takes far too long to get

Meaning you’re better off focusing on the short term

To launch a product on Amazon without a seller account takes ages too!

3. Google’s just an algorithm like Amazon A9 and is susceptible to the same level of gaming

Google had some of the most revolutionary changes in it’s algorithm in Penguin (April 2012) and Panda (Feb 2011)

Then there was Google Medic Summer 2018 (less revolution, more evolution)

More data for Google to play with that doesn’t automatically generate a self fulfilling prophecy

If Amazon changes the rank of an item, that will change the very metrics by which it’s achieved that rank - hence it’s a flywheel mechanism. So Amazon is very sales velocity focused - yes they might take a look at things over a longer and shorter term, compare windows of time etc.

People talking about honeymoon period, but it’s not a more diverse array of data - it’s just more of the same.

Google is also that bit more mature as an algorithm - yes the businesses have followed a similar timeline, but Google’s algorithm focus has meant it’s that bit more mature.

The guys at Amazonseoconsultant.com agree with me, having experts on both the Google and Amazon A9 Algo, they référence how the A9 Algorithm is;

"like Google's younger (stupider) brother"

So why do these myths about Google even exist?

Particularly within the Amazon Seller space!

Scared of the unknown - of having to now “hack google” in the same way you “hack Amazon”Time strapped and trying to justify NOT doing something

I personally know that External Traffic, including Google will be a huge differentiator for us going forward - differentiating ourselves from the Amazon only sellers and from the eCommerce Store owners who are addicted, but also scared to death of their Paid Advertising traffic that comes at a more and more unsustainable cost.

And you know the tide is changing, when the industries very own Ryan Daniel Moran says

“The ones who win are the ones who are doing Search Engine Optimization and sending the traffic to Amazon and closing the deal on Amazon.”

This was in an interview with Nathan over at the Outsourcing and scaling podcast from Freeeup.com

https://freeeup.com/blog/podcast/using-higher-quality-tools-for-success-with-ryan-moran/

https://youtu.be/3M_lQ3z3M2I

Are you putting off developing your external traffic strategy because any of these myths?

This has been a 30,000 foot view of Google - and there’s tonnes more misinformation and outdated information out there - again because optimising for the Google algorithm as a topic has been around for a long time.

So don’t panic

Don’t go diving into droves of information

I’m going to continue to talk you through why and how you can leverage traffic sources including Google, in ways you might not have even imagined.

In this episode of the External Traffic For Amazon Sellers Podcast I’m going to define and compare traffic and audiences and why understanding the difference is vital for Amazon Sellers above all other eCommerce entrepreneurs.

In these early episodes of this Amazon Seller Podcast I’m trying to bring you the core concepts that sit behind the strategies that we’ve observed, modified and implemented for my eCommerce brand, and this episode is no exception.

My aim is to get you thinking beyond the surface and a little more deeply about the advice you follow and maybe the actions you take.

What is the difference between traffic and an audience?

Traffic is largely made up of:

Existing customers

Retargeted website visitors

Fresh leads

An audience is made up of:

People who you get to communicate with again and again, with their permission, based on them having opted in or having already purchased from you.

Why is the difference important?

The existing, generic advice out there - almost now accepted as a mantra - “Build an audience” doesn’t take into account YOUR business.

What does YOUR business need?

This generic advice is borne out of the idea that an audience is higher converting - they’ve already bought in a lot of cases, so hey… that's probably true.

And fresh traffic, new leads are way back at the top of the funnel - so they’re “expensive” to get from top of the funnel, right the way to the bottom where your “audience” already is.

In eCommerce however, this view needs to be interrogated.

An audience might be high converting, but if they’ve already converted and your product isn’t a consumable product, what’s the next sale going to be?

There are largely 4 different types of products, in relation to different sales frequencies:

High frequency consumables - Protein shake powder maybe

Low frequency / seasonal consumables - diaries

Products forming a complimentary range or collection

Non-consumable

When are Audiences Awesome?

Audiences are great for frequent repeat purchases.

They're not bad for low frequency purchases.

They can be ok for products forming a complimentary range, but there's going to be some resistance moving an audience from one product to another, to another (and you need to be able to launch the products to keep up with having something new to offer!)

Audiences are poor for non-consumable products, your only hope is to try and get referrals from Audience members who you might not have had the chance to build a lasting relationship with in a single transaction.

When is Traffic Amazing?

Traffic on the other hand.

Consisting of "Fresh Leads" is great for 3 and 4, products forming a complimentary range and non-consumable products.

They might be lower converting than an audience for a high frequency consumable, but if you're not selling high frequency consumables it's irrelevant.

For MANY products, and many Amazon Sellers, fresh traffic actually makes a lot more sense than an audience.

Deciding which you put the effort into, or how much effort you put into each, is strategically significant for your business.

Knowing how to drive traffic to your Amazon Listing profitably is the key challenge, but that's for another episode!

Final Thoughts

Think about your product and what will perform best in terms of ROI.

There may be lots of evidence to support high conversion rates for audiences of customers, but this might also be because of the PRODUCT PURCHASE FREQUENCY.

Trying to extract the value out of an audience that's already spent is wasted effort with diminishing returns (unless you can launch enough products to keep up, adding complimentary range items like Away Travel)

Fresh leads (qualified leads) are likely to be a richer and more fruitful source of sales for an Amazon seller with a product that doesn't have a high frequency purchase cycle.

Resources

In this episode of the External Traffic For Amazon Sellers Podcast I'm going to share a fundamental concept with you and a framework for thinking about traffic, it's cost and profitability for your Amazon Listings.

The structure of the 3 pillars was originally conceived on the basis of Paid Advertising Traffic.

However today I'm going to add another layer to the thinking, especially for Amazon Sellers, answering tough questions like;

Can Amazon Sellers profitably use the 3 Pillars of Profitability structure for their traffic?

What impact could a lack of customer data, as is the case when selling on Amazon have on the 3 Pillars Concept?

How can Amazon sellers find a competitive advantage with the 3 Pillars Structure but by thinking outside of the paid advertising box?

Tune in, subscribe and enjoy as we start building up the fundamental knowledge that's required to master external traffic for Amazon.

What Are The 3 Pillars Of Profitability?

Ezra Firestone articulates how you should structure paid Advertising in your business and your mind to achieve true profitability and scalability. It’s what Ezra refers to as the 3 Pillars of Profitability.

The 3 pillars are:

Awareness & Acquisition

Retargeting

Loyalty

Awareness & Acquisition

The awareness pillar is classic "interruption marketing".

Ads are put in front of an audience that's defined by a set of criteria unrelated to their interaction with your brand. i.e. like using demographics in Facebook Ads to target your advertising.

Retargeting

Retargeting, as the name suggests is about re-introducing your brand to an audience who have already interacted with your brands' advertising within the Awareness and Acquisition pillar.

This is essentially setting up ads to display based on BEHAVIOURS and not demographics data.

Loyalty

This is another form of retargeting, but this time involves many forms of marketing to existing customers. Utilising the data you have accumulated on each customer, you can design hyper-targeted campaigns with an audience of 1 (in theory).

Resources Mentioned in the Podcast

Ezra Firestone's 3 Pillars of Profitability

Spencer Haws "Niche Site Project 4" on the Niche Pursuits website

Other Resources

The 3 Pillars of profitability rely heavily on great technology to track customer behaviour whilst abiding by privacy laws and ethical standards. Of course, I'm talking about adding Facebook Pixels to your website, adding the Pinterest pixel and Google Pixel and any other pixel that comes along!

But beyond adding pixels to WordPress, WooCommerce or Shopify, there are a whole bunch of complexities including synchronising your product catalogue with Facebook, Google and Pinterest. Not to mention setting up conversion events for each advertising platform you're using to follow your customers around with ads!

We've written a guide for WooCommerce store owners covering your options when it comes to adding pixels to your WooCommerce store, syncing Product Catalogs and setting up conversion events.

Spolier: There are a tonne of plugins out there that have the ability to deal with one ad platform or another, but if you're taking the 3 Pillars of profitability seriously and doing multi-channel remarketing you really need a WordPress Plugin that's going to support you across all the major Ad Platforms with ease.

Have a read - Assess your options - and go implement the 3 Pillars!

If you know an Amazon Seller who needs to hear this, please grab the URL and drop it in a Facebook Message, Whatsapp Message or whatever you're using these days. There are a world of profitable possibilities out there, and this is a dedicated Amazon Seller Podcast and eCommerce Podcast for driving traffic to your Amazon Listings and making more profit. Who wouldn't benefit from hearing about more profit?

Welcome to the External Traffic For Amazon Sellers Podcast

In this short episode I lay out exactly what you can expect to hear from me on a weekly basis, with a relentless focus on Traffic for Amazon Sellers, including:

Search Engine Optimisation (Obviously Google SEO!)

Pinterest Traffic Strategies

Paid Advertising and Paid Traffic Strategies and their costs

Low Cost Traffic Tactics and Strategies

Hyper Targeted and high performance retargeting and remarketing tactics

The best marketing concepts and constructs from the industry, from the best in the eCommerce space

If generating profitable traffic for your Amazon listings from a variety of low cost sources sounds like something of interest, tune in, subscribe and take notes because we've got quite a bit to cover!

Why the External Traffic For Amazon Sellers Podcast?

It's simple really.

Intellectual capital.

As a successful 7 figure Amazon seller I can always spend financial capital quicker than I can accumulate it, or put another way I have more aspirations and ideas for my brand than financial capital.

So we're deploying our accumulated intellectual capital to help Amazon Sellers discover the significant advantage they can have over the competition by mastering external traffic for their Amazon listings.

And yes of course, if you find the information of value but overwhelming, me and my team at Future State Media are here to help you implement these strategies through our services, coaching and our training (coming soon!).

The fight for external traffic is on and choosing the right channels to master, with the highest ROI is critical for long term profitable success on Amazon.

Let me help you avoid the stranglehold that a single source of (increasingly expensive, Amazon based) traffic has on your eCommerce business.

Let me help you leave the competition wondering how you've steadily, and irreparably made them irrelevant and replaced them as the dominant global force in your niche.

Want to listen to the next episode?

Click here to hear about Ezra Firestone's 3 Pillars of Profitability for Amazon FBA Sellers

Episode Transcript

Ashley Pearce  0:01

Hello, and welcome to the external traffic for Amazon sellers podcast. My name is Ashley Pearce and I'm going to be your host. I'm a seven figure amazon seller and a digital marketing innovator. The concept of external traffic for Amazon sellers doesn't appear to be a new one. podcasts and blogs and Facebook groups are peers who've been talking about this for a long time. The key word being appear profitable traffic for Amazon sellers is probably a better description of what it is I'm trying to articulate here. Traffic is expensive, and it's getting more expensive by the day. influences in in in the industry appear to tell you, you either need to be on Shopify or on Amazon. Oh, and by the way, it's probably not worth being on Shopify, or having your own store because Amazon is such a lucrative channel that could talk your own store.

Ashley Pearce 0:53

This advice is quite confusing and high level

Ashley Pearce 0:55

and probably a bit misguided for many this world of Amazon and off Amazon, it really needs to collide and be explained. And that's what you're going to get here. I'm going to share with you the best practices from my business, but also from the most respected e commerce, retailers and brands across the web. I'm going to join the dots. I'm going to be your translator. And I'm actually going to be your experiment with my own business. That helps you understand how to generate profitable traffic, and ultimately profitable sales on Amazon using external traffic. So you won't hear much about Amazon PPC, other than to draw some comparisons and contrasts. But you will hear about search engine optimization, Pinterest traffic strategies, low cost retargeting and remarketing tactics, marketing concepts and constructs from across the i...