Prime Day 2023 approaches! No news yet on when exactly it will be, but Tom’s Guide predicts it’ll be around July 11-12. In last week’s blog, Jana and Pearl Ausch hosted a deeply informative webinar with a handful of the industry’s top thought leaders on how to prepare for Prime Day. They covered everything from taxation to shipping to keyword research to marketing. That’s definitely worth a watch. This week, to continue to prepare you all for Prime Day 2023, we present you with this amazing article from ChannelKey, whose tips are spot on, and spin it around with a localization touch of our own.

For the full list, hop on over to the ChannelKey article. We’ve cherry picked the steps that could be boosted by extra localization tactics.

Prime Day Optimization and Conversion

ChannelKey recommends paying special attention to the following:

• Include all the most important keywords in your product titles
• Utilize all available bullet points, and include additional keywords and phrases
• Utilize all available product image slots with high-resolution imagery
• Include a product video if possible
• Include up-to-date A+ content

From a localization perspective:

Optimize your keywords per marketplace. If we’ve said it once, we’ll say it again – every marketplace deserves its own unique and organic keyword research. The topmost rule in localization: Thou shalt not machine translate thy keywords. Stay abreast of what customers are calling your products in their own language – and if there’s the possibility that they’re calling the product something else in their colloquial speech, make sure to include that word somewhere in the listing, too. For example, are you selling mobile phone accessories, or cell phone accessories? (Chances are, you’re selling both, but you’ll have to figure out what the French call it vs. what the Japanese call it, and make sure your title contains the top searched keyword. The other one goes to the bullets and back end.)

Translate your images. You still have time. Make sure your infographics are not in English. If you’re selling in France, make sure the infographics are in French. If you’re selling in Mexico, make sure they’re in Mexican Spanish (which is different from the Spanish they speak in Madrid). We outlined the best practices in creating infographics – including some helpful tips for localizing the content from the American market to a European market. Check this blog for all the info you’ll need.

Many people ask if you should translate a video. Let’s say you’ve got sponsored ads or a listing video. They’re killing it on the US market, but you’re also selling in Europe and Asia, so you’re wondering if you should optimize the video for different cultures as well. Although it would be advisable to, it’s not 100% necessary if you can’t afford to reshoot or if you don’t have enough time right now. Quick fix? Add subtitles. That way, you can keep your video across all your marketplaces, but keep it nice and localized, anyway. That said, keep in mind that not all cultures expect to see the same things. Europeans are more pragmatic, whereas Americans like a more lifestyle, marketing type of approach. More on that in this blog.

Choose the Right Products to Promote

ChannelKey said it perfectly:

To maximize revenue and profit during Prime Day, only promote top-selling products with a high search volume, high profit margin, and enough inventory to support your ad spend.

That doesn’t mean that you promote the same products across all marketplaces. Let’s say your smiley face t-shirt does amazingly well in the USA. Don’t expect it to do as well in Germany. How do you know which products to promote? It could be as easy as looking at your reports – which products are your bestsellers in each marketplace?

Alternatively, if you’re looking to get the gift straight from the horse’s mouth, check out social media. There are groups and pages with expatriates and shoppers in each marketplace. You’ll have to be a bit creative when finding these. See what products people are talking about. Which ones do they like? Which ones don’t they like? Then, adjust accordingly.

Localize Your External Marketing

We’ve already covered what Europeans vs. Americans expect from the content they see online. These rules don’t just hold water on your Amazon listings; they’re the same for your external marketing efforts, as well. As we said in this blog, “Many sellers make the mistake of beautifully localizing their Amazon listings but overlook their external marketing efforts.” Frankly, many people start their buying journey on social media. In 2017, Retail Touchpoints reported that 76% of consumers bought products seen on social media posts, and Bloomberg reports that shopping on social media will hit $1.2 trillion by 2025.

Although this blog is geared towards Gen Z, who shops a whole lot on TikTok, it’s easy to imagine that the millennials and Gen Xers are the same; the tactics hold true regardless of the age of your target demographic. Let’s not forget the upcoming Alpha Generation, the eldest of which was born in 2010, meaning they’re going to start reaching for their parents’ credit cards pretty soon.

Gearing up for Prime Day? Figure out where your demographic hangs out. Is it on LinkedIn and email? Perhaps on Facebook? Instagram? Twitter? Pinterest? TikTok? Localize those external marketing efforts accordingly and take advantage of this huge sales opportunity.

Conclusion

As Prime Day 2023 approaches, it’s crucial to focus on optimizing your strategies and incorporating localization tactics to maximize your success. By following the tips provided by ChannelKey and adding a localization touch, you can enhance your conversion rates and increase your chances of standing out in different marketplaces. Prime Day presents a massive opportunity for sales growth and brand recall, and by leveraging localization tactics, you can take full advantage of this event across all the marketplaces you sell in. Remember to continually monitor and adjust your strategies based on your performance and any customer feedback you might receive. Good luck with your Prime Day preparations! Wishing you tons of success!