According to a new survey, YouTube has passed Netflix as the top video source for teenagers in the United States.

Part of the reason is that the streaming landscape is more fragmented. Every month it seems like a new streaming service is launched!

Another is the strength of YouTube. It’s FREE, is filled with ATTRACTIVE content, and consistently rolls out new features - especially SHORTS.

It’s also a sign that YouTube will probably only increase in importance going forward…

Here’s the rundown for today…

• AI Product Descriptions - New Tools On Amazon, eBay & Shopify

• TikTok Auto Captions - New Features Expands Access

• DMs Are Coming To Threads - Meta Keeps Investing

• Amazon Ads Vs Google Ads - 5 Reasons Why Amazon Ads Rock

• Conversion Lessons From Costco - Tap Into The Power Of Reciprocity

Lurn Bytes: Your Daily News Download

Amazon, eBay, And Shopify Roll Out AI Tools - One of the most challenging and time-consuming parts of listing your product is writing the product description. New AI tools on these platforms can see the image of your product and write a product description based on it…

Auto Captions Are Coming To TikTok - TikTok is looking to improve accessibility in the app, by implementing auto captions by default on all videos. This will help broaden the range of content that all users can access, especially once automatic translation is implemented…

Meta Keeps Adding New Features To Threads - Despite Thread’s dismal number of active daily users, Meta continues to build out new features. The latest feature they’re developing is an in-stream direct messaging option…

The Case For Amazon Ads

Every marketer knows about Google Ads. They’re the OG PPC ad platform.

In recent years Amazon has massively upgraded their ad platform. As this article shows, you can make a case that Amazon ads are actually BETTER for eCommerce businesses than Google Ads.

TLDR - 5 Reasons Amazon Ads Are Better Than Google Ads For eCommerce

The author focuses on 5 key reasons why Amazon Ads are stronger than Google Ads.

Higher Conversion Rates on Amazon

The majority of U.S. product searches occur on Amazon.

This focus on products leads to higher conversion rates on Amazon as compared to Google Ads. Amazon listings often boast conversion rates ranging from 10 to 15%, whereas Google Ads typically see conversion rates under 5%.

Even when considering the commissions taken by Amazon, the Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) from Amazon Ads still tends to be more cost-effective than that of Google Ads.

Simplified Attribution and Tracking on Amazon

Although Google Ads has made advancements in tracking with tools like Google Analytics 4 and Google Tag Manager, it remains a challenge to accurately attribute and understand the genuine value of Google Ads down to specific keywords or product listings.

Amazon Ads don’t have this issue. Since all product-related information is contained within Amazon's platform, it makes the TRACKING of the customer journey from search to sale straightforward.

You can use this information to make informed marketing decisions and optimize your campaigns effectively.

Amazon Ads Boost Organic Rankings

Google's policy clearly states that paid ads do NOT influence organic search rankings. On the other hand, Amazon Sponsored Ads have an indirect influence on organic product rankings.

When these ads drive more traffic to product listings and increase sales, the heightened sell-through rates signal Amazon's algorithm to rank the products higher organically for specific keywords.

This policy gives new sellers an opportunity to QUICKLY establish a presence on Amazon's marketplace.

Building Reviews and Long-term Value with Amazon Ads

While achieving Search Engine Optimization (SEO) on Google requires significant effort, investment in Amazon Ads has a more DIRECT and TANGIBLE impact on a product's standing on the Amazon marketplace.

More sales generated through ads lead to more product reviews, which are crucial for product rankings on Amazon.

Essentially, spending on Amazon Ads is an investment in enhancing a product's presence and reputation on the platform, a benefit not directly realized with Google Ads.

Easier Domination of the Amazon Marketplace

It’s easier to dominate search result pages on Amazon compared to Google. Google's "Unfair Advantage" policy restricts advertisers from occupying multiple ad spots for the same keyword.

In contrast, on Amazon, a single advertiser can dominate a significant portion of the search results page, providing them with a HUGE advantage and VISIBILITY.

Check out the full article for more details on the advantages of Amazon Ads.

Daily Hack - What Costco Can Teach Us About Sales

At Lurn we give away a lot of stuff.

• Free Newsletters

• Free Events

• Free Facebook Groups

• Free/Cheap Courses

• Free/Cheap Books

One word: reciprocity. We’re building our audience and building trust. A large audience that trusts you is the foundation for a successful business!

At the heart of it is one word: RECIPROCITY.

The biggest companies in the world do this.

There's a US Retailer by the name of Costco. They're basically a massive warehouse that sells insanely large quantities of a product at huge discounts.

If you go to Costco, you’ll usually see people in the aisles offering FREE SAMPLES.

This is reciprocity at FULL display by a $247 Billion company.

Here's the data that Costco reported as a part of their FREE SAMPLES:

• Featured beer brands saw a 71% boost in sales.

• Featured brands and varieties of frozen pizza experienced a 600% sales increase.

• Featured wines enjoyed a boost of more than 300% in sales.

• Featured cosmetics of lipstick and mascara sales rose by more than 500%.

• Featured packaged cheeses doubled in sales.

Not only are they REMOVING risk but they're creating subconscious reciprocity.

Ask yourself how you can start giving more to your prospects. Like Costco and other VERY successful companies, you’ll probably generate more sales as a result.

ICYMI - The Biggest Stories You May Have Missed

Meta Announces New Ad Options For Facebook Reels - Meta has introduced new advertising features for Facebook Reels. This includes Collections Ads and a "Swipe Left" function, helping brands enhance their ad reach during the holiday season...

Google Adds Image Creation To Search - Google has introduced a new feature that lets users create images from text prompts. This move by Google aims to advance its AI capabilities and compete with Microsoft's Bing...

Social Media Checklist [Infographic] - The team at Giraffe Social Media has made a checklist to help brands improve their social media strategy. This list gives a good starting point for planning and can be adjusted to fit specific needs…

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