Offsite Sponsored Products Ads: Amazon's Not-So-Secret Expansion Plan That's Actually Pretty Secret

Remember when your mom used to say "Don't talk to strangers"? Well, Amazon just threw that advice out the window and is sending your Sponsored Products ads to hang out on Pinterest, Buzzfeed, and other corners of the internet. One year into this grand experiment, we've got numbers that are... interesting? Concerning? A little bit of both? Let's dive in.

The "Wait, My Ads Are Where Now?" Breakdown

Picture this: Your perfectly curated SP ads, which used to live in the cozy confines of Amazon.com, are now out there living their best life on:

• Pinterest (showing up next to DIY fails)

• Buzzfeed (hanging out between "Which Potato Are You?" quizzes)

• PopSugar (vibing with celebrity gossip)

Million-Dollar Question: Did anyone ask for this? No? Cool, cool, cool.

The Numbers That'll Make You Go "Hmm"

The Growth Story (Spoiler: It's Tiny)

• Fall 2023: 0.04% of SP spend (basically a rounding error)

• Current: 0.38% of SP spend (still basically a rounding error, but bigger!)

Million-Dollar Question: Is this growth impressive or are we just measuring bacteria here?

The Good, The Bad, and The "Well, Actually..."

The Good News 🎉

• CPCs are lower than your ex's standards

• You're reaching new audiences

• It's basically free real estate (sort of)

The Bad News 😬

• No opt-out button (surprise!)

• No bid control (double surprise!)

• ACOS that would make your CFO cry

The "Well, Actually..." News 🤔

• It's more of an awareness play

• Think non-brand terms, but with more cat videos

• Attribution is messier than a toddler with finger paint

The AMC Detective Work

Want to play Sherlock Holmes with your offsite ads? Here's how:

1. Hunt for "Others": That's what Amazon calls these placements in AMC (very creative, we know)

2. Track the Journey: Are people more likely to buy after seeing an offsite ad?

3. Do the Math: If second-touch conversion rates spike, you might be onto something

Should You Care? A Flowchart

Copy

Are you spending on SP ads? → Yes → You're already in this game → No → How are you even reading this?

What This Means For Your Strategy

Right Now:

1. Keep Calm: It's less than 0.5% of your spend

2. Carry On: You literally can't change anything anyway

3. Track Performance: Use AMC to see if these ads are your secret sauce

In the Future:

1. Watch the Trends: That 0.38% might not stay tiny forever

2. Prepare for Growth: Amazon's probably not done experimenting

3. Hope for Controls: Maybe we'll get bid adjustments? (woah - they listened)

Action Items (Because Your Boss Will Ask)

1. Set Up AMC Tracking: Focus on that "Others" placement type

2. Monitor Growth Rate: Is your offsite spend growing faster than 0.38%?

3. Measure Second-Touch: Are these ads actually creating new customers?

4. Document Everything: Because when this gets bigger, you'll want the receipts