Those looking to gain an edge over competitors have undoubtedly heard of A+ Content. With large images, expansive text, in-depth specifications, and cross-shopping-friendly charts, this additional, rich content on an Amazon detail page can answer buyers’ questions and increase conversion. But what is A+ Premium?
What is Amazon A+ Premium?
Like regular A+ Content, A+ Premium includes modules to create supplemental marketing information for a “best-in-class experience.” Integrated seamlessly into the existing A+ Content creation experience, options available include differentiated content such as video, interactive hotspot modules, image carousels, and enhanced comparative tables. With larger image dimensions (think dynamic, full-page-width) and more choices, brands can tell an even more compelling story and showcase product information much like a mini website.
How can I get A+ Premium?
Until 2022, Amazon A+ Premium was only available to top-tier vendors and sellers with all others left with Basic A+ Content. Often, Premium access cost brands $250,000 or more to unlock and utilize. But Amazon recently opened the gate to allow A+ Premium to more users. A+ Content is currently available to brand owners on Amazon. To create A+ Content on your product detail pages, you must be a professional Seller and registered as the brand owner of that ASIN through the Amazon Brand Registry Process. A+ Content is available in all locales, however, you may meet the criteria in one country but not another.
According to Amazon, A+ Premium can be unlocked by meeting the following criteria:
- You have already published A+ Brand Story to all ASINs within your catalog that you own. You can confirm this by accessing the A+ Content Manager and searching to see if you have created and published a project. You will also see Basic A+ Content and A+ Content Brand Story on your ASINs under the “From the Brand” fields on the detail page.
- You have had at least 15 project submissions of A+ Content that have been approved within the past 12 months. Confirm this by accessing the A+ Content Manager and checking the status of your submitted projects and the last modified date. This is to ensure the latest A+ Content guidelines are being adhered to.
Currently, access to Premium A+ features is available at no cost during a “promotional period” for all ASINs registered to a brand. Amazon does mention that if they do introduce a fee in the future, brand owners will be given the opportunity to opt-in for a fee. There is also no listed end date for the promotional period.
A+ Premium Content modules
The biggest boon to A+ Premium is the addition of video. Users can add a video module to inform customers, share a lifestyle vibe, or add an eye-catching pop to their products. Video can be added with or without text overlay and with or without supplemental images. Another great module introduced in A+ Premium is interactive hotspot images, which allow you to highlight images with additional hover-over details and information. The navigation carousel module has several different options that allow customers to scroll through different images with accompanying information. Lastly, the Q&A module can draw attention to the top five customer questions with a sleek design that pulls the reader in.
Is A+ Premium worth it?
Pictures are worth a thousand words, so having even larger images and more space available for no fee sounds like a dream come true. But is A+ Premium important on Amazon? At eCommerce Nurse, we’ve built A+ Premium for some of the world’s largest brands. Amazon states that using A+ Premium can result in up to a 20% increase in conversion over basic A+. If you can unlock this, it is a great option to see what content choices you have and explore how they might benefit your brand.
The nature of A+ Premium, and the fact that it was previously for large, successful high-converting brands, means that it might not be ideal for every brand selling on Amazon. In addition to reviewing some basic A+ Content best practices, are some items for consideration before you start revamping all of your content.
- Do you have high-quality assets? Like other content, there is an obvious ceiling of what a brand can manage that will vary by company. Do you have a wealth of high-res professional photography and high-def video at your disposal to place on your detail pages? If you have a technical product, for example, can a hot spot image really drill into more information with the images you have available to create content with? If not, your mileage with A+ Premium is not going to go far.
- What is your product category? Due to the way Amazon rolled out A+ Premium, it was clearly meant to showcase certain products better than others. Consumer electronics and beauty, for example, have historically been candidates for the modules A+ Premium offers. Does a simple t-shirt or a taco holder benefit from this type of content as much as expensive tech gadgets? Probably not. If you have a large product catalog, it will be especially important to understand what products make sense for
- What story are you telling? The main benefit of A+ Content is to reduce negative feedback and customer returns by better-informing customers in the first place. Using modules that just show pretty videos and don’t address customer concerns or answer queries isn’t going to get the job done. Pay attention to what customers are asking. Do they need to know how to assemble something? Are the dimensions of the product or compatibility with other items or accessories important? Do you need a detailed explanation to demonstrate product value? Or are you just showcasing a brand story (for example, how the business came to be)? With the end goal in mind, begin structuring your content to modules that make the most sense.
- Can you follow the guidelines? Even with A+ Premium, you must follow Amazon’s rules. This means claims must be substantiated, no quotes or reviews, no pricing info or time-sensitive information, and no references to other brands or off-Amazon sites.
- What about assessing results? As we don’t know how long Amazon will have free A+ Premium, it’s important to weigh the risks of investing time and resources into updating your pages. If you can’t manage to refresh your existing A+ Content on all pages, try to prioritize products with the above considerations in mind and pay attention to how it affects sales. Don’t forget to A/B test!
Even if you have A+ Premium unlocked, it’s important to assess how to best use the options to optimally showcase your brand. By taking a holistic look at your catalog, product category and available resources, you can better leverage the A+ Premium or A+ Content at your disposal.
Help with A+ Premium or A+ Content
You can learn more about A+ Content and Premium A+ Content guidelines in the Seller Central help pages. The creative possibilities and rewards are virtually endless. At eCommerce Nurse, we have created image guidelines and suggestions for creating good A+ Content. We also have demonstrated success in creating both Premium A+ and Basic A+ Content. For additional help from world-class design to informative copywriting, please contact us.
