In the fast-paced world of e-commerce, visibility is essential. Bol is addressing this need with the introduction of Branded Shelves, a unique advertising format that helps brands present their product story and assortment at exactly the right moment in the customer journey. This format targets the mid-funnel, where consumers are actively considering, comparing, and deciding.
What Are Branded Shelves?
Branded Shelves are sponsored banners and brand showcases that appear within Bol’s search results. They give brands the opportunity to create a visually engaging display tied to relevant keywords, including those of competitors (currently in testing).
Think of it as a digital shelf where your brand, product range, and brand identity come together, placed directly within the buying process. Branded Shelves are currently in a testing phase. Below are some examples of how they appear.
How Does the Algorithm Work?
The algorithm behind Branded Shelves is based on relevance and performance. While exact KPIs are still being refined per category, initial findings show that precise targeting and strong copywriting have a greater impact than brand size or awareness.
This creates an exciting opportunity for smaller brands to perform just as well, or even better, than larger competitors when campaigns are set up strategically.
Strategy and Bidding
Since competition for Branded Shelves is still low, the average cost per click (CPC) remains relatively low too. This provides early adopters with a valuable opportunity to gain experience, test campaigns, and collect meaningful data before the wider market joins in.
What Works (and What Doesn’t)?
Branded Shelves perform best in the mid-funnel segment. Targeting that is too broad or too narrow tends to deliver weaker results. What does work:
- Original and creative ad copy
- Smart segmentation
- A focus on purchase intent rather than broad reach
Large budgets or brand recognition alone are not enough. What truly delivers results is a well-defined strategy and precise execution.
Early Results
While official benchmarks are still being developed, early signals are positive. Branded Shelves are already driving increased visibility, stronger engagement, and clearer brand positioning at key decision-making moments.
For brands looking to stand out without getting lost in search ad competition, this format offers a powerful new tool in the marketing mix.
The Benefits of Branded Shelves:
Brand recognition
- Showcase multiple products at the same time
- Use the look and feel of the brand in the ads
- Use list-pages of brand-stores as landing
Visibility
- Extra advertising slots in search and category list-pages
- Target competitor keywords (not possible in Sponsored products)
Sales
- Stimulate cross-sell and upsell
Branded Shelves present a unique opportunity to bring branding and performance closer together on Bol. For brands aiming to grow in a smart and focused way, now is the ideal time to get ready. This feature is expected to become available to all registered brand owners on Bol starting in September.
Want to learn how your brand can benefit from Branded Shelves? Get in touch. We are happy to help you create a tailored strategy.
Check out our "Expert Talk"
If you want to hear more straight from the experts, watch our conversation with Bol Retail Media where we dive into Branded Shelves, campaign performance, and real-world strategies from the field. Learn how brands are already leveraging mid-funnel visibility to gain an edge.
In this video, 10XCREW sits down with Bol Retail Media to explore Branded Shelves in depth. You’ll hear how the format performs in real campaigns, get insider tips on targeting, bidding, and creative assets, and discover early results straight from the platform team. Whether you're a brand owner or media specialist, this conversation offers actionable insights to gain mid-funnel visibility and drive results.
