“In a busy market, working with sponsored products is almost a must.”

Phonecompleet has been active via bol since 2014. With the holidays approaching, founder Shafiq asked The Go-Getters for advice: how do you stay visible in a busy market? The answer? Advertising. Shafiq cleverly uses sponsored products to stand out and give his sales a boost. After a successful collaboration, we spoke with Shafiq and campaign specialist Pauline about the strategy and results. 

With sponsored products, you put your items in the spotlight. For every search query, a quick auction takes place that determines which items appear at the top of the search results. Sponsored products help you rank higher in that list. Pauline explains: “Thanks to that important position, your items gain more visibility, increasing the chance that customers will choose your item. This gives you an advantage over the competition and can give your sales a significant boost!”

And the best part: you are in control and only pay when your ad is clicked. Pauline: “You decide how much you invest in your campaigns and adjust this based on your results. So it's a continuous process of analyzing and evaluating.”

Shafiq also experiences the power of sponsored products. According to him, these ads are indispensable for putting your items in the spotlight and staying ahead of the competition. “We use sponsored products to promote new items and increase our visibility during peak moments. It's not just about visibility, but also about strategy: we respond to trends and set up campaigns around popular items in the market.”

Pauline adds: “Using sponsored products not only increases your visibility, but also improves the relevance of your item. Items that appear on page 1 get more clicks and often sell better. Many of our partners start seeing results within 2 weeks, but it's important to continue improving afterwards.”

Do you want to start advertising but don't know where to begin? Bol offers new partners all sorts of handy tools to get started quickly. Pauline: “On the Partnerplatform, you'll find useful e-learnings, webinars, and how-to videos. Additionally, you'll find tools like the ACoS calculator and keyword analysis to improve your campaigns. It's important to experiment and get to know the system well.”

A valuable tool for improving your campaigns is the ACoS calculator. ACoS, or Advertising Cost of Sale, shows the ratio between your advertising costs and the revenue you generate. But how do you know what the right ACoS is? Pauline explains: ‘A good ACoS depends on your profit margins. For example, if your profit margin is 20%, your ACoS must remain below that to stay profitable. Start by analyzing your results after a few weeks. Adjust your ACoS based on performance, but first give your campaigns time to grow.’
Shafiq notes that the initial phase of a campaign is often more expensive, but over time the cost-benefit ratio stabilizes. “In the beginning, costs can be higher, but after a week or two, you really see results. It remains important to monitor and adjust your campaigns well.”

1. Split campaigns:
   Shafiq divides his campaigns by product category. This gives him clear insight into what works and what doesn't.
2. Smart bidding:
   He increases bids for underperforming items and lowers them where costs are too high. This way, he utilizes his budget optimally.
3. Broad targeting:
   By advertising on broader keywords, Shafiq expands his reach and attracts more visitors to his items.
4. Increase daily budget:
   Because Shafiq notices that many of his sales occur in the evening, he ensures that his campaigns remain visible throughout the day.
5. Be patient:
   Shafiq gives the algorithm time to process his adjustments and waits a week or two before making further changes.

Do you want to start with sponsored products like Shafiq? Pauline has some handy tips:

1. Start with automatic campaigns. Select keywords and bid automatically. This way, you gain valuable insights for your next manual campaigns.
2. Consider an always-on campaign and remain visible throughout the year. This helps you maintain visibility and better respond to peak moments.
3. Choose a broad product range and test different items.
4. Schedule at least 1.5 hours each week for improvement.
5. Increase your budget during peak moments.

So, with sponsored products, it's all about finding the right balance for the best results: cleverly adjusting keywords, aligning items with ACoS, and strategically deploying your budget. It's a dynamic process where regular adjustments are key to success. Stay flexible and improve your campaigns to get the most out of them!