Competition is fierce and you want to make a splash with swanky new creatives. But revamping creatives from scratch can cost big: time, money, and resources. What brands can do is repurpose their existing creatives and present them in a new, more appealing way. At first glance, it might look like you’re cheating the system, but in reality, it’s downright clever.
In this article, we’ll cover the different ways brands can reuse their existing creatives, outline the benefits of repurposing content, and provide practical tips for effectively leveraging existing creative assets.
What is creative recycling?
Creative recycling, sometimes called creative repurposing, is cleverly reusing your existing creatives and presenting them in a new format to expand their impact and lifespan.
Creative repurposing may feel like a cop-out if you don’t know how to do it correctly. Shoppers should not feel like your creatives are repeating or that you don’t care enough to create unique creatives for Amazon product images, A+ Content, and Amazon brand storefront design.
For more clarity, let’s go briefly over what repurposing isn’t:
- Copy-and-paste: Creative recycling is not simply copying and pasting existing content onto different platforms or channels.
- Lack of innovation: Creative recycling should not be mistaken for a lack of originality or innovation. While it involves repurposing existing content, it still requires creativity and a fresh perspective to make the recycled material feel new, exciting, and relevant.
- Lazy content strategy: Creative recycling should not be seen as a shortcut or an excuse for a lazy content strategy. It should be used strategically and purposefully to complement a broader content plan.
- One-size-fits-all: Creative recycling does not mean that one piece of content can be applied universally to all platforms and channels. It’s crucial to adapt and tailor the recycled content to suit the specific requirements and characteristics of each platform or medium, considering factors such as format, audience demographics, and user behavior.
- Limiting new ideas: Creative recycling should not hinder the exploration of new ideas or the creation of original content. While recycling existing assets has its advantages, it’s essential to strike a balance between repurposing and generating fresh, innovative ideas to keep the brand’s content strategy dynamic and evolving.
Few reasons why you should repurpose your creatives
Creatives are key to capturing the attention of customers with a shorter-than-goldfish attention span. But, is it worth spending thousands of dollars on a brand new photoshoot? “Below, we’ve listed a few benefits that’ll change your mind on “creative recycling”:
#1: Cost effective
One of the most significant advantages of reusing creatives is cost savings. Creating new product images, videos, and other visual assets can be pricey, especially if you need to conduct photoshoots or hire professional videographers.
By repurposing existing assets, brands can avoid these costs and allocate their budget to other essential areas of their Amazon strategy, such as advertising or inventory management.
#2: Time saving
Developing new creatives from scratch can be time-consuming. It often involves coordinating with photographers, graphic designers, and copywriters, which can delay your Amazon listing or product launch.
Reusing existing creatives allows you to skip the time-consuming process of producing new assets, enabling you to quickly update your listings or launch new products on Amazon.
#3: Consistent branding
Reusing creatives ensures consistency in your brand messaging and visual identity across different product listings and variations.
Consistent branding creates a sense of trust and familiarity among your customers, making it easier for them to recognize and engage with your products. By maintaining a cohesive brand image, you establish a strong presence and build brand loyalty on Amazon.
#4: Streamlined product listing process
Amazon has specific guidelines and requirements for product images, videos, and other creative assets. By reusing existing creatives that already meet these guidelines, you can streamline the product listing process.
You already have assets that comply with Amazon’s standards, saving you the time and effort required to recreate them to meet the platform’s requirements.
#5: Improved SEO and visibility
Reusing your creatives can also positively impact your search engine optimization (SEO) efforts on Amazon. Consistent visuals and optimized product images and videos can enhance your product listings’ visibility in search results.
By reusing creatives with relevant keywords, you increase the chances of your products being discovered by potential customers, driving organic traffic and sales.
#6: A/B testing
Repurposing creatives enables you to conduct A/B testing and iterate on your optimization strategies more efficiently. By reusing existing assets as a baseline, you can make subtle changes to your creatives, such as testing different call-to-action messages, image layouts, or product demonstrations.
This iterative approach allows you to refine your creative strategies based on data and insights, ultimately improving your conversion rates and sales performance.
How to repurpose your existing creatives on Amazon?
When brands with small budgets and limited asset libraries approach our Amazon marketing consultants, seeking assistance with Amazon listing optimization, we understand the financial constraints they may face.
Rather than pressuring them to create new creatives immediately, we take a clever approach. We propose utilizing their existing assets by drawing from what is already available on their website and social media channels. By repurposing and repackaging their existing content, we help these brands establish a strong presence on Amazon without the need for expensive photoshoots or video production.
This strategy allows us to maximize their existing resources, create visually appealing listings, and effectively communicate their brand message to potential customers on the platform.
Here are six c0reative recycling techniques to get the most out of your existing content:
#1: Using Amazon Infographics for Amazon Posts
Take your existing detailed page images and use them for Amazon Posts. Add compelling captions, product details, and CTAs to drive conversions.
#2: Using A+ Content banner for storefronts
Repurpose the banner from your Amazon A Plus Content to create a visually captivating header for your brand’s storefront on Amazon.
Ensure that the banner is consistent with your overall brand aesthetic and communicates a strong brand message to visitors.
#3: Using Video on the listing for storefront
Utilize your existing video content, such as product demos or brand storytelling videos, and feature them prominently on your brand’s storefront listing.
Optimize the video for auto-play and ensure that it immediately grabs the viewer’s attention.
#4: Using A+ Content banner for Sponsored Brand ads
Repurpose the banner from your A+ Content to create visually compelling banners for your Sponsored Brand ads. These ads appear at the top of Amazon search results, and the banner plays a critical role in capturing attention.
Incorporate your brand logo, attractive lifestyle imagery, and concise, persuasive messaging to entice customers to click on your ad and explore your product offerings.
#5: Using listing video for Sponsored Brand Video ads
Repackage your listing video to create engaging Sponsored Brand Video ads. Trim and edit the video to fit the required duration and aspect ratio. Optimize it for storytelling, emphasizing your brand story, product features, and customer benefits. Leverage the existing footage to create captivating videos that resonate with your target audience.
#6: Making subtle changes to existing creatives for special events
Brands can make minor changes in their existing creatives to prepare them for special events like Prime Day, Black Friday, Easter, Halloween, Fourth of July, and more.
By doing so, brands can effectively align their product visuals with seasonal or promotional context, capturing the attention of shoppers during these specific events.
Here are some examples:
- Adding festive elements: Incorporate festive elements relevant to the occasion. For Christmas, you can add snowflakes, Santa hats, or ornaments. For Easter, include colorful eggs or bunnies. These small additions instantly transform your images to match the spirit of the occasion.
- Introducing promotional banners: Overlay promotional banners or badges onto your images to highlight exclusive deals, discounts, or limited-time offers specific to the event. Use eye-catching colors and compelling copy to drive conversions.
- Updating text and copy: Modify the text and copy on your images to reflect the occasion or promotion. For example, for Black Friday, you can emphasize phrases like “Huge Savings” or “Limited Stock.”
- Altering color schemes: Adjust the color scheme of your images to align with the occasion and create a sense of excitement. For Christmas, opt for a red and green color palette, while for Prime Day, use Amazon’s signature orange. These changes help create a visual association with the event.
Tip: Remember to maintain consistency with your brand’s visual identity while incorporating the unique elements and messaging of each event.
Limited budget ≠ limited creativity
Recycling your existing creative isn’t an alternative to creating new creatives. It’s a supplementary strategy that can be implemented to cut down on costs in the months when sales are slow. So, the next time you are working with a limited budget, don’t fret, get creative.
The creative team at eStore Factory is well-versed in working with limited assets. Whether it’s repurposing existing content, leveraging stock assets, or utilizing innovative design techniques, our graphic designers and Amazon consultants are equipped with the knowledge and expertise to make the most out of limited assets.