2024 saw advertisers prioritise high-impact formats, resulting in a +20% increase in video display spend to £8.3bn. In the same year, Prime Video introduced ads. Connected-TV exposure is now natively tied to retail signals, closing the loop between brand spend and commerce outcomes.1 Here. We break down how and where video fits in a commerce-first plan.
Amazon end-to-end
Point of decision (conversion):
On product detail pages, shoppable video sits in the main media block, showing use, scale and proof under the Buy Box. For Brand Registry sellers, it reduces uncertainty (fit, application, claims) and supports faster decisions2.
Owned brand experience (story):
Stores have supported video modules for years. Use them to sequence a narrative – range, use-cases, social proof – and give traffic from search and media a coherent destination3.
High-intent discovery (mid-funnel):
Sponsored Brands Video (SBV) interrupts the results grid with autoplay, clicking into either a PDP or your Store. It’s the workhorse for intercepting category and competitor queries with product proof in seconds4.
Reach and remarketing (on-and off-Amazon):
Sponsored Display video and Amazon DSP extend product-led creative across Amazon’s owned surfaces and into environments like Twitch, so you can re-engage browsers and grow new reach without leaving the retail graph5.
Upper-funnel scale with retail signals (CTV & live):
Sponsored TV and Prime Video ads give streaming reach across Prime Video, Twitch and Fire TV channels (market availability applies), with privacy-safe audience building from Amazon’s first-party signals. Use QR or companion experiences to move viewers from sofa to Store6.
Why this matters now
CTV supply has scaled on Amazon. The Prime Video ad tier broadened mainstream reach in 2024, creating brand opportunities that are tied to retail outcomes, not just GRPs7.
Evidence for full-funnel planning is stronger. Amazon Brand Lift is available in the UK to quantify awareness and consideration shifts from video and CTV8.
Path-to-purchase measurement matured. Amazon Marketing Cloud (AMC) now supports up to five years of retail lookback (announced Jan 2025), enabling sequence analysis from CTV exposure through SBV/display to sale9.
How to deploy
1. Plan as one system
Map video to distinct jobs: CTV/live for reach; SBV for in-search momentum; SD/DSP video for recency and re-engagement; PDP/Store video to remove doubt. Treat each placement as a hand-off, not a silo10.
2. Sequence creative for the buyer’s state
Upper-funnel assets build memory and need; mid-funnel assets translate that interest into reasons-to-buy; point-of-decision video makes usage and benefits obvious.
3. Measure with the right instruments
Use Brand Lift for memory metrics (awareness/consideration) and AMC to validate the contribution of video exposures to search and sales (e.g., SBV assists, PDP video viewers’ CVR)11.
4. Optimise weekly, not quarterly
Reallocate budget to the placements and creatives that show lift in Brand Lift and assist rates in AMC. Retire formats that don’t move either.
In conclusion, the mandate isn’t for brands to “do more video.” It’s to put the right video in the moments that drive growth – CTV and live for reach, SBV/SD for in-market momentum, and PDP/Store video to remove doubt at the point of decision. Then measure it with Brand Lift and AMC so you know what’s moving the market, and what’s moving units12.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Where does video fit in a commerce-first marketing strategy?
A: Video fits across the entire commerce journey—from building awareness through streaming and social, to driving consideration with product-focused ads, and finally supporting conversion on product pages and brand stores.
Q: Why is video important for ecommerce and Amazon advertising?
A: Video reduces uncertainty by showing products in action, which builds trust and improves understanding, leading to higher engagement and stronger conversion rates compared to static images alone.
Q: How does video support the customer journey on Amazon?
A: On Amazon, video supports multiple stages: it builds awareness through streaming formats, drives consideration through Sponsored Brands Video, and improves conversion directly on product detail pages and Brand Stores.
Q: What types of video content work best for ecommerce brands?
A: Effective ecommerce video includes product demonstrations, how-it-works content, lifestyle usage clips, and short, benefit-led creative that quickly communicates value and solves customer questions.
Q: Why is a “commerce-first” approach to video different from traditional video marketing?
A: A commerce-first approach focuses on driving measurable outcomes like sales and conversions rather than just views or engagement, aligning video placements with points in the funnel where purchase decisions are influenced.
Sources:
IAB UKUK About AmazonAP News https://apnews.com/article/amazon-prime-advertising-streaming-tiers-e3713ac21acc14b8ba8381fa7ab447e5
Sell on Amazon https://sell.amazon.com/blog/amazon-product-video
Media Amazon https://m.media-amazon.com/images/G/01/AmazonStores/Help/en/Video_tiles.html
Amazon Ads https://advertising.amazon.com/resources/whats-new/twitch-display-inventory-amazon-dsp
Amazon Ads https://advertising.amazon.com/en-gb/products/sponsored-tv
UK About Amazon https://www.aboutamazon.co.uk/news/entertainment/an-update-on-prime-video
Amazon Ads https://advertising.amazon.com/en-gb/resources/whats-new/amazon-brand-lift-launches-in-uk
Amazon Ads https://advertising.amazon.com/en-gb/library/news/amc-measurement-expansion
Amazon Ads+1Sell on AmazonMedia Amazon https://m.media-amazon.com/images/G/01/AmazonStores/Help/en/Video_tiles.html
Amazon Ads+1 https://advertising.amazon.com/en-gb/resources/whats-new/amazon-brand-lift-launches-in-uk
Amazon Ads+1Sell on Amazon https://advertising.amazon.com/en-gb/products/sponsored-tv
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