By Alexander Otto, Head of Corporate Relations, Tradebyte
Have you ever struggled to find what you’re looking for when searching for a product online? If you’re a brand or retailer with an online presence, then chances are your customers have the same problem.
In today’s digital world, online searches can be an overwhelming experience, delivering thousands of results for each product search. A critical element of online success is, therefore, visibility – making every item stand out from the crowd. With only modest growth of 1-3% projected for the European fashion and lifestyle market according to McKinsey, the art of visibility goes hand-in-hand with survival in an environment where every detail can influence discoverability and conversion rates.
This is particularly important when it comes to selling on marketplaces. Statista tells us that buyers are increasingly bypassing traditional search engines like Google to start their shopping journeys directly on marketplace platforms such as Amazon, Zalando, and ASOS. They have become destinations in their own right, offering curated experiences catering to specific needs. Shoppers can browse, compare, and purchase products seamlessly, often without leaving the platform. Marketplaces represent both storefronts and search engines; their algorithms dictating which products get visibility.
Therefore, a strategic approach to retail media, coupled with performance marketing that ensures detailed optimisation for each marketplace, is crucial for capturing market share and staying competitive.
Retail media and performance marketing: Key drivers of visibility
Retail media plays a pivotal role in ensuring products reach the right audiences. This is a brand’s opportunity to influence customers where they are, and first places in marketplace product listings always go to paying brands.
Retail media offers a range of advertising formats tailored to different objectives – choosing the right format depends on your goals. Sponsored ads excel at converting ready-to-buy shoppers, for example, while display ads and network campaigns are better suited for brand building and customer engagement. A data-driven approach and regular analysis ensure each format aligns with platform dynamics and consumer behaviour, maximising visibility, engagement, and ROI.
Performance marketing complements this by enabling brands to optimise listings through data-driven strategies designed to maximise impact. Together, these approaches enhance discoverability by ensuring that products with well-crafted titles, detailed descriptions and compelling images are more likely to appear in search results and capture attention. They also drive engagement by highlighting key selling points, such as sustainability credentials or precise sizing information, encouraging clicks and conversions. Targeted campaigns that focus on the most relevant audiences also improve return on investment by reducing wasted ad spend.
Success, however, requires more than simply applying an universal approach. Each platform operates with its own unique algorithms, customer expectations, and competitive dynamics, making tailored strategies essential for achieving optimal results.
The importance of platform-specific optimisation
Unlike the uniformity of open search engines, marketplaces have distinct criteria that govern how products are ranked and displayed. These criteria extend beyond pricing and reviews to include the quality of product information, keyword relevance, and even user engagement metrics like click-through rates. This requires a deep understanding of platform-specific criteria and a tailored approach to content creation, and success hinges on fine-tuning every element of a product listing to meet these distinct standards and maximise impact.
Enhancing product visibility begins with optimising key listing elements such as titles, bullet points, descriptions, and keywords. A keyword-rich title that balances precision with appeal can improve search rankings, particularly on platforms like Amazon, where the algorithm heavily favours relevance. For lifestyle-oriented marketplaces like Zalando and ASOS, product descriptions must also weave in narratives highlighting differentiation and aligning with the platform’s audience preferences. By focusing on high-quality, well-structured content, brands can ensure their products are discoverable and appealing to potential buyers.
Providing accurate and informative product data is equally critical. High-quality and relevant product information reduces customer inquiries and returns by enabling consumers to make informed purchasing decisions. For example, specifying material composition, eco-certifications, or unique sizing options can increase both visibility and conversion rates, particularly on platforms like Zalando, which reward transparency and sustainability-focused details. Tailoring content to highlight high-demand or strategically important products further enhances visibility and relevance.
Expertise and continuous improvement are essential to sustain marketplace performance. Professional content optimisation and regular updates ensure that product listings remain aligned with evolving customer needs and algorithmic changes. Brands are well advised to take advantage of the wealth of analytics that marketplaces provide, from click-through rates to time spent on listings. By analysing these metrics, brands can refine their strategies and adopt an iterative optimisation approach. This data-driven process ensures continuous improvement, better alignment with marketplace algorithms, and sustained performance.
Winning in a digital-first world
In today’s digital-first world, retail platforms are much more than transactional spaces – they represent arenas in which brands compete for attention, trust, and loyalty. Listing optimisation and performance marketing are the tools that empower brands to compete, ensuring their products are not just visible but compelling to the right audiences.
The devil is in the detail. Success requires more than generic strategies – it demands a platform-specific, data-driven approach that aligns with consumer expectations and marketplace dynamics. As growth slows in mature markets like Europe, the brands that thrive will be those that invest strategically in retail media and performance marketing to make every listing count. By prioritising this investment, brands can capture market share and build resilience in a rapidly evolving digital economy.
The convergence of tech and brands 