It’s been quite a year for Amazon. eMarketer recently reported Amazon’s ad revenue will more than double this year, pushing past Oath and Microsoft to claim the number three spot right behind Facebook and Google.
Amazon shows no signs of slowing down in 2019, and according to a recent report, it’s clear that they are gunning for the top spot among Digital Ad Platforms.
According to AdExchanger, Amazon is testing a program that lets advertisers use search queries to retarget across the web. Available only on Amazon’s DSP, this is the first time that Amazon search data will be used outside of Amazon’s platform.
The Amazon Advantage
This announcement, along with a report that some advertisers have plans to move half their search budget from Google to Amazon, proves Amazon’s real potential to make the current Duopoly a Triopoly (or maybe they already have). And, the reason why can be summed up in one word: intent.
If a shopper is searching on Amazon, they are specifically looking for a product to buy, and likely purchase. Advertisers can currently take advantage of this by retargeting customers who have viewed product pages or made a purchase on Amazon’s site. However, search-based retargeting will allow advertisers to expand their reach by the millions and capitalize on intent outside of Amazon’s marketplace.
What’s Good For The Advertiser Is Good For Amazon
Make no mistake, while this news holds a lot of promise for advertisers, it’s really just a natural and necessary next step for Amazon on its journey to the top. In order to maintain a competitive standing on the revenue leaderboard, Amazon knows it needs to continually evolve how and where advertisers can leverage the consumer data they’re amassing every day. If 2018 is any indication, so far, they’re on the right track.