EP 17: Does Your Brand Really Need Amazon DSP with Will Haire

🎙️ In this episode, e-commerce advertising expert Will Haire, founder of BellaVix, joins Abe and Robyn to break down Amazon DSP (Demand Side Platform). They dive into who should be using DSP, when it makes sense, and why it’s often misunderstood. Will shares tactical advice, pitfalls to avoid, and how DSP fits into a broader Amazon advertising strategy.

🔑 Key Takeaways

💻 Amazon DSP: Beyond the Hype
• DSP is Amazon's programmatic advertising platform, offering advanced audience targeting using real shopping data.
• It's not just for on-Amazon ads—DSP reaches third-party sites, Twitch, IMDB, and more.
• Amazon reps aggressively push DSP, but it's not always the right fit for every brand.

📊 When Is a Brand Ready for DSP?
• Minimum recommended spend: $5,000/month for effective campaigns.
• Best suited for brands doing $50-70K/month in sales looking to break through stagnation.
• Focus areas: Retargeting, abandoned carts, conquesting competitors.

🔎 The Realities of DSP Performance
• DSP is more brand awareness and audience-building focused, less direct-response than Sponsored Products.
• Sponsored Products should be maxed out before considering DSP.
• ROAS expectations for DSP differ; key metrics include click-through rates, detail page views, and new-to-brand purchases.

💡 Strategic Considerations & Common Missteps
• Exclusion controls in DSP offer valuable brand safety levers not available in Sponsored Display.
• Creative quality and audience segmentation are critical for DSP success.
• Brands often mistake DSP for a guaranteed ROAS driver—it’s more akin to billboard advertising.
• Consumables and premium-priced products benefit most from DSP's audience-building potential.

⚙️ Tools and Insights Mentioned
• Amazon Marketing Cloud (AMC) – For deeper attribution insights and customer journey tracking.
• PacVue – Tried for reporting but found Amazon’s native dashboard sufficient.
• Cantar Study – Reference for Amazon’s “better together” advertising philosophy.
• Influencer Marketing – Often a better fit for early-stage brands over DSP investments.

🔗 Useful Links Mentioned
• BellaVix
• Robyn Johnson on LinkedIn
• Abe Chomali on LinkedIn
• Amazon Marketing Cloud (AMC)

Chapters

• 0:07 Introduction to Will Haire & BellaVix
• 1:37 What is Amazon DSP?
• 2:50 Why Brands Consider DSP & Amazon’s Push
• 4:30 DSP Costs, ROI Expectations & Amazon Reps’ Incentives
• 7:40 When is a Brand Ready for DSP?
• 9:56 Strategic Uses of DSP: Retargeting, Audience Building & Conquesting
• 11:32 DSP vs Sponsored Display: Control, Targeting & Efficiency
• 13:32 Using Exclusions in DSP
• 16:47 Conquesting Competitors with DSP
• 18:58 Budget Allocation for DSP: 80/20 Rule & Spend Distribution
• 23:20 Key Metrics for DSP Success: ROAS, CTR, Brand Lift
• 25:20 DSP for Consumables & Premium Products: Best Practices
• 28:53 Testing DSP Effectiveness: Timeframes & Expectations
• 31:04 Impact of AMC on DSP Recommendations & Strategy
• 34:19 Audience Targeting: Sponsored Ads vs DSP & Future Predictions
• 41:37 Competitor Analysis Reports: Gaining a Strategic Edge