How to transform your product pages into visual sales magnets

Amazon A+ Content: Boost your product pages with enhanced visual content

Do you dream of standing out on Amazon? A+ content is a powerful feature that can transform your standard product descriptions into compelling visual experiences. In this guide, we dive into everything you need to know about Amazon A+ content – from basic features to advanced strategies that can help you capture customers’ attention and increase your conversions.

As an Amazon seller, it is essential to present your products in the most attractive way possible. This is where A+ content comes into play – a tool that can give you a significant advantage in an increasingly competitive market.

What is Amazon A+ content?

Amazon A+ content (formerly known as Enhanced Brand Content or EBC) is a premium feature that allows brand-registered sellers to enhance their product pages with advanced visual elements. Instead of standard text-based descriptions, you can now add rich images, informative infographics, comparison tables and even videos to your product listings.

A+ content replaces the traditional product description on Amazon product pages with more visually appealing content. This enables you to highlight your brand story, product features and unique selling points in a more engaging way.

Essentially, Amazon A+ content is designed to give customers a more detailed understanding of your product, which can lead to higher conversion rates and fewer returns, as customers gain a precise understanding of what they are purchasing.

Types of Amazon A+ content

There are two main types of A+ content on Amazon, each with its own strengths and use cases:

1. Enhanced Product Description: This focuses on highlighting specific product details, features and benefits. The enhanced product description is displayed directly on the product page and replaces the standard text description.
2. Brand Story: This allows you to tell your brand’s story and values across all your registered products. Brand Story is displayed as a separate section on the product page and can help create a stronger bond with your customers.

Additionally, Amazon also offers Premium A+ content, which was previously reserved for large brands by invitation only, but is now available to eligible brand-registered sellers. Premium A+ gives access to even more advanced modules and interactive features, which we will explore in more detail later.

How does Amazon A+ content differ from standard product descriptions?

Compared to standard product descriptions, A+ content offers significantly more flexibility and creative possibilities. Here are the main differences:

• Standard product descriptions are limited to simple text with basic HTML formatting
• A+ content allows for high-resolution images, advanced text layouts and multiple module types
• Standard descriptions offer limited opportunities to highlight brand identity
• A+ content lets you include brand logos, storytelling and consistent branding
• Standard descriptions cannot include comparison charts or video content

Many Amazon SEO experts also point out that A+ content can contribute to better visibility in Amazon’s search results, as it increases the time customers spend on your product page, which is a positive signal for Amazon’s algorithm.

Benefits of implementing Amazon A+ content

Investing time and resources in creating A+ content on Amazon can bring a number of valuable benefits to your business:

• Increased conversions: According to Amazon, A+ content can increase sales by up to 3-10% by providing customers with more detailed product information
• Reduced return rate: When customers have more comprehensive information about your product, they are less likely to be disappointed after purchase
• Improved brand recognition: Consistent visual branding helps to create a stronger impression with customers
• Differentiation from competitors: In a category with many similar products, A+ content can be the deciding factor that gets customers to choose your product
• Opportunity to tell your story: You can create an emotional connection with customers by sharing your brand’s story and values

For businesses that are new to Amazon’s marketplace, A+ content can be particularly valuable for establishing credibility and standing out from established competitors.

Who can use Amazon A+ content?

To access the A+ content feature on Amazon, you must meet certain requirements:

For Basic A+ content, you must:

• Be a professional seller on Amazon Seller Central
• Be approved in Amazon’s Brand Registry programme
• Be the official representative of the brand (with a registered trademark)

For Premium A+ content, additional requirements apply, which can vary, as Amazon often grants this feature based on sales volume, brand strength and other factors. Many large brands gain access via invitation, but Amazon has also run periods where the feature was available to all eligible brand-registered sellers.

If you are not yet brand-registered, it is definitely worth considering, as it not only gives you access to A+ content but also to a range of other protection and marketing tools.

How do you create A+ content on Amazon?

Creating A+ content on Amazon involves several steps. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you get started:

1. Log in to Seller Central: Start by logging in to your Amazon Seller Central account
2. Find A+ Content Manager: Go to the “Advertising” dropdown menu and select “A+ Content Manager”
3. Create new A+ content: Click the “Start creating A+ content” button
4. Select content type: Decide whether you want to create Enhanced Product Description or Brand Story
5. Define ASINs: Choose which products (ASINs) your A+ content should be linked to
6. Select modules: Amazon offers various module types such as banner modules, text modules, image modules, etc. Choose those that best suit your story
7. Upload content: Add images, text and other elements to your selected modules
8. Preview and edit: Review your content to ensure it looks as expected
9. Submit for approval: Once you are satisfied with your A+ content, submit it to Amazon for approval

The approval process typically takes 7-10 working days but can vary. If your content is rejected, Amazon usually provides feedback on what changes are needed for approval.

Amazon A+ content guidelines and limitations

To ensure your A+ content is approved by Amazon, it is important to follow their guidelines carefully. Here are the main rules and restrictions:

Prohibited content:

• Pricing information or promotions (such as “discount”, “free shipping”, etc.)
• Time-limited offers or seasonal statements
• Information about shipping or company policies
• References to other products or retailers
• Subjective or exaggerated claims (such as “best ever” without documentation)
• External website links or QR codes
• Guarantees or warranty statements, unless included in the product package
• Grammatical errors, spelling mistakes or incorrect punctuation

Image requirements:

• Images must be high resolution and of professional quality
• No watermarks or text overlays on images (unless it is part of the product)
• No animations or GIFs
• No images of happy customers or reviews
• No comparison with competitors’ products via images

Remember that Amazon marketing must always be customer-focused, informative and honest. Adhering to these guidelines will save you from rejections and delays in the approval process.

What is Premium A+ content on Amazon?

Premium A+ content (also called A++ content) represents the highest level of product presentation on Amazon. It was originally offered exclusively to major brands with significant turnover, but has at times been made available to more eligible sellers.

How does Premium A+ content differ from standard A+? It offers:

• Video integration: Ability to include HD videos directly in the product description
• Interactive hotspots: Customers can hover over different parts of an image to see more details
• Carousel views: Advanced image galleries and carousels with more interactive features
• Q&A modules: Pre-set questions and answers in an elegant format
• Full screen width: Modules that take full advantage of the screen width for a more impressive presentation

Premium A+ content provides an almost shop-like experience and is particularly well-suited to premium products or those with complex features that require thorough explanation.

To gain access to Premium A+ content, you should contact your Amazon consultant or representative to check if your account qualifies.

How to optimise your Amazon A+ content

Having A+ content is good, but having optimised A+ content is even better. Here are strategies to maximise the effectiveness of your A+ content:

Content optimisation:

• Focus on benefits over features: Explain how the product solves problems for the customer, not just its technical specifications
• Use high quality images: Invest in professional product photography that shows your product at its best
• Create a cohesive story: Ensure your entire A+ content tells a consistent story about your product and brand
• Address common objections: Use A+ content to answer frequently asked questions or concerns that customers may have
• Keep it readable: Use short paragraphs, bullet points and highlighted text to make the content easy to scan

Technical optimisation:

• Optimise for mobile viewing: Test your content on mobile devices, as many Amazon customers shop via smartphone
• Include relevant keywords: Although A+ content does not directly improve searchability, it can indirectly influence rankings through increased engagement
• Utilise module variations: Experiment with different module combinations to find out what works best for your products

Continuous testing and optimisation is key to getting the best results from your A+ content. Monitor conversion rates before and after implementing A+ content to measure effectiveness.

A+ content examples and best practices

To give you a better understanding of what effective A+ content looks like, let’s go through some best practices and examples:

Effective strategies:

• Use lifestyle images: Show your product in use in real-life situations so customers can visualise it in their own lives
• Before and after scenarios: Demonstrate the problem your product solves and what life looks like after the solution
• Size and scale comparisons: Help customers understand the physical dimensions of the product
• Step-by-step guides: Show how easy your product is to use or install
• Product families: Present related products or accessories that work together

Many successful brands also use Amazon advertising in combination with A+ content to create a seamless customer experience – from ad to product page to purchase.

The difference between A+ content and Enhanced Brand Content (EBC)

There is often confusion around the terms A+ content and Enhanced Brand Content (EBC). Previously, there was a distinction between these two:

• Enhanced Brand Content (EBC): Was originally the feature available to brand-registered sellers in Seller Central
• A+ Content: Was the equivalent feature for vendors in Vendor Central

In 2019, Amazon unified these features under the name “A+ Content” for both sellers and vendors. So today, “A+ content” and “EBC” are essentially the same – although some sellers and Amazon FBA experts still use the old term EBC out of habit.

This consolidation of terminology reflects Amazon’s efforts to harmonise the experience across their various seller programmes and platforms.

How to measure the effectiveness of your A+ content

After investing time and resources in creating A+ content, it is important to evaluate its impact on your business. Here is how you can measure effectiveness:

Key metrics to monitor:

• Conversion rate: Compare the conversion rate before and after implementing A+ content
• Average order value: Assess whether customers are purchasing more expensive variants or more products after A+ implementation
• Time spent on page: Longer time spent on the product page can indicate greater engagement with your content
• Return rate: Effective A+ content should reduce returns by setting clearer customer expectations
• Earned Media: Increased mentions, social media sharing or reviews that reference your detailed product descriptions

To get the most accurate measurements, you should establish a baseline before implementing A+ content and then track changes over a period of at least 30-60 days afterwards.

If you use an Amazon course or external consultants to create your A+ content, they can often help set KPIs and track results.

Common mistakes to avoid with Amazon A+ content

Even experienced Amazon sellers make mistakes when creating A+ content. Here are some of the most common pitfalls you should avoid:

• Overcomplication: Cramming too much information into one module can overwhelm customers
• Lack of mobile optimisation: Content that looks good on desktop but becomes unreadable on mobile devices
• Text in images: This can lead to rejection from Amazon and makes the content less accessible
• Repeating product titles and bullet points: A+ content should add new information, not repeat what is already visible
• Insufficient brand investment: Lack of consistent branding across all modules reduces brand recognition
• Overreliance on text: Too much text and too few visual elements reduce the effectiveness of A+ content

Another common mistake is treating A+ content as a one-off task. The most successful Amazon sellers regularly update their A+ content based on customer feedback, seasonal changes and new product features.

Is Amazon A+ content right for your business?

While A+ content offers many benefits, it is not necessarily the right choice for every Amazon seller. Here are some considerations to help you decide whether you should invest in A+ content:

A+ content is a good fit for your business if:

• You sell products with complex features or technical specifications
• Your products have unique selling points that require visual demonstration
• You are focused on building a long-term brand on Amazon
• Your products are in a higher price range, where customers expect detailed information
• You have resources to create quality content (or can work with an Amazon agency)

A+ content may be less urgent if:

• You primarily sell consumables or very simple products
• Your focus is on short-term revenue rather than long-term brand relationships
• You have a very limited marketing budget

For most serious Amazon sellers, however, the benefits of A+ content will outweigh the costs, especially in competitive categories where differentiation is crucial.

How to get help with Amazon A+ content

If you do not have the internal resources or expertise to create effective A+ content, there are several options for getting help:

• Amazon A+ content services: There are specialised agencies and freelancers who are experts in creating Amazon A+ content
• Amazon A+ content design services: Professional designers can help create visually striking modules that attract attention
• Amazon A+ content writing services: Experienced copywriters can craft compelling product descriptions that convert

When choosing a partner to help with your A+ content, it is important to select someone with proven experience specifically with Amazon’s unique platform requirements and limitations.

The future of Amazon A+ content

Amazon is constantly developing its platforms, and A+ content continues to evolve. Here are some trends and developments to watch for:

• Increased availability: Amazon has gradually made A+ features available to more sellers
• More interactivity: New module types with increased interactivity to engage customers
• Video integrations: Improved options to include video across all A+ content levels
• Mobile-first design: Greater focus on optimising the A+ experience for mobile devices
• AR/VR integrations: Potential future opportunities to include augmented reality experiences

By staying up to date with these trends and continuing to improve your A+ content, you can ensure your Amazon presence remains competitive in the ever-evolving e-commerce landscape.

The future of your Amazon business with A+ content

A+ content is no longer just a ‘nice-to-have’ feature on Amazon – it has become a crucial part of a successful Amazon strategy. By leveraging the rich visual and informative possibilities of A+ content, you can:

• Enhance the customer experience and increase conversions
• Build stronger brand recognition and loyalty
• Communicate complex product benefits in an engaging way
• Stand out in an increasingly competitive marketplace

Whether you are new to Amazon or an established seller looking to improve your presentation, investing in quality A+ content is a strategy that can deliver significant long-term returns.

Remember that A+ content is an ongoing process, not a one-off task. The most successful Amazon sellers regularly evaluate and refine their A+ content based on customer feedback and market changes.