Amazon SEO:
Everything You Need to Know for Your Ranking Optimization!
Klaus Huber
August 16, 2022
You sell your products on Amazon and want to achieve maximum visibility for your business? Then Amazon SEO is essential for you.
Today, we'll show you how the Amazon A9 algorithm works and how you can actively influence it for your marketing. You will also learn what you need to do to secure a place in the coveted Amazon Buy Box.
What is Amazon SEO?
Just like with Google, the online giant Amazon is also a search engine. And wherever an algorithm determines which results are displayed to the user, SEO (Search Engine Optimization) can be applied.
For this reason, Amazon SEO has become established in recent years to help sellers achieve more sales on Amazon and stand out among numerous competitors.
How do users search on Amazon?
Unlike Google, Amazon is a purely transactional search engine. Google aims to provide the best possible information to its users, but Amazon has one goal: selling.
This is also reflected in user behavior, as those searching on Amazon have a specific intent to purchase. For this reason, informational search queries are irrelevant for Amazon SEO.
How does the A9 Algorithm work?
The A9 Algorithm is used by Amazon for ranking determination. Similar to Google's Hummingbird algorithm, it is a self-contained system that decides which products the user will see.
Of course, only the online retailer knows how it exactly works, but compared to Google's algorithm, it can be influenced relatively quickly and easily.
The algorithm consists of two main steps: first, within a few milliseconds, the algorithm must filter out from the approximately 200 million products on Amazon those that match the customer's search query.
After that, the program sorts the found items according to purchase probability. To calculate this probability, the retailer uses specific relevance and performance factors that you as a seller can optimize.
Ranking Factors for Amazon SEO
This is where the concept of Amazon SEO comes into play. To ensure your products have a high probability of being purchased, you need to consider both relevance and performance factors.
The Relevance Factors
You increase the relevance of your product page primarily through the placement of the right keywords.
To identify relevant keywords, it's best to use Amazon's search suggestions. When you enter your keyword in the search bar, additional possible terms will be displayed:
In addition to the main keywords, you should also collect important synonyms for your product names, as customers may not always search using the same words. For example, if you want to rank for the keyword "colored pencils," you can also use the word "color pencils" for optimizing your product page.
TIP: For keyword research, you can use tools like Amalyze or the SISTRIX Amazon Tool.
Product Title
The product title is one of the most important factors for the relevance of your products. You can modify it under the settings Manage inventory > Product > advanced view > Product name.
The product title should include your focus keyword, preferably at the beginning. You can add other relevant information afterward, such as material, size, or target audience (e.g., Silk scarf for women).
While the title can be up to 200 characters long, Amazon doesn't favor overly long or "over-optimized" titles. So, don't just string keywords together; pay attention to readability. Special characters and ASCII characters are prohibited in the title, by the way.
TIP: The first word of the title should always start with a capital letter. Avoid using all uppercase letters (full capitalization) or item numbers.
Bullet Points (Product Attributes)
Under Manage Inventory > Product > Advanced View > Description, you can add bullet points or product attributes.
These attributes are the key elements that a potential buyer sees. This space is ideal for highlighting your unique selling points.
Here too, you should use relevant keywords, but avoid keyword repetition, as keyword density doesn't matter for Amazon SEO, unlike Google. Instead, use meaningful synonyms, as described above.
Some additional tips for Amazon ranking optimization:
- Write concisely about the essential features and characteristics of your product.
- Use numbers as digits - it's more pleasant to read.
- Special characters are allowed, but not recommended as they can appear unprofessional quickly.
- Always begin the bullet point with a capital letter.
- Avoid unnecessary filler words.
- Mention any included accessories in the package.
Each bullet point allows a maximum of 150 characters. However, the actual length may vary depending on the product and offer.
Product Description
The product description serves to maximally guide and convince customers in the buying decision process. Use emotion and personal address to arouse the interest of potential buyers. The AIDA model is excellent for this purpose.
You have limited space here too, with a maximum of 2000 bytes (approximately 300 words). In the product description, show why your product is better than the competition. Importantly, the focus should be on customer benefits, not just product features.
Product Images
Product images are another sales-boosting factor alongside the product title. Since customers can't physically touch products online, the images must replace what a visit to a physical store accomplishes.
You can upload up to nine images, but you must define a main image that will be displayed first. Take advantage of this opportunity to showcase the product in use or from different perspectives.
The images must be on a white background (freestanding). Under no circumstances should you depict accessories that are not included in the delivery.
Ideally, your images should have a resolution of 1000 by 1000 pixels to activate the zoom function. However, if the images are too large (1500 by 1500 pixels), Amazon will scale them, which may affect their quality.
TIP: Preferred image format is JPEG. It is also advantageous to offer your images in HD format.
Amazon Backend "Generic Keywords"
Under the section Keywords > Generic Keywords, you can add keywords that have not found a place anywhere else. This section is not visible to users and is solely meant to provide the algorithm with keywords.
Therefore, you don't need to worry about readability here. You can simply list keywords one after the other within the 249 bytes available. Separate these keywords with spaces.
Still, you should avoid merely repeating the keywords. Ideally, use variations for multi-part words, separated by a hyphen (e.g., "women's handbag" and "women-handbag").
TIP: The "Platinum Keywords" appearing under Generic Keywords do not affect the ranking. So, you can leave this field empty.
Performance Factors
The performance factors are challenging to influence individually. Instead, it's about offering an overall excellent service. We recommend adhering to Amazon's policies since the wholesale giant is strict and may suspend sellers for violations.
Selling Price
The selling price must be individually set by you if you sell independently and not through Amazon. Often, being slightly cheaper than the competition is enough to optimize this factor.
If your products are more expensive than those of the competition, you must compensate for it with good performance. Customers are usually willing to pay a little more for excellent service.
Availability
Amazon customers have grown accustomed to receiving their deliveries as quickly as possible. The incredibly fast delivery time is one of the main reasons why the company has become so successful.
To meet this demand, you should always have a sufficiently large inventory. In most cases, customers are not willing to wait for an item to become available again, especially when there are plenty of alternatives from competitors.
Shipping Costs
Amazon offers free delivery for orders with a value of 29 euros or more. Therefore, customers are used to paying as little as possible for shipping.
If your profit margin allows it, you should offer free shipping or low shipping costs.
Reviews
Reviews are the most crucial quality indicators for your product. Unfortunately, many customers only leave a review when they are dissatisfied with the item.
The best way to get good reviews is to meet and ideally exceed your customers' expectations. If you want to actively solicit reviews, you can include a flyer in your package. Thank the customer for the purchase and ask for feedback.
Star ratings are a significant sales factor. They not only attract attention from customers but also inspire trust in the product. The more reviews, the more credible the product appears.
Sales Rank (Bestseller Rank)
Nowadays, each category and subcategory has its own sales rank. It is crucial for a product not only to appear in the correct category but also to rank high within that category.
The sales rank indicates how well a product is selling compared to others in the same category. The better the rank, the more the item sells.
A product can rank in both the main category and several subcategories. For example, the board game "Ludo" may rank 983 in the "Games" category and 84 in the subcategory "Board Games."
If the product is labeled as a bestseller, it receives an additional boost with an orange banner. This happens when the item reaches the number 1 spot in the sales rank.
Additionally, there's the Amazon's Choice badge, which is a clear recommendation from Amazon itself. To receive this badge, the product must meet the following minimum criteria:
- Prime delivery
- At least four stars in reviews
- High dwell time and conversion rate
- Low return rate
These products are also recommended during searches via Amazon Echo, offering you additional selling opportunities.
Seller Ratings
It's not only crucial how the product is rated but also how the seller is rated by customers.
Communication with the seller is especially important: How did the seller respond to complaints? How quickly do they address questions? Amazon's guidelines state that the seller should respond within 24 hours, even on weekends and holidays!
Return Rate
Even if you handle returns quickly and appropriately, a high return rate is detrimental to your ranking. After all, Amazon only earns revenue from successful sales.
In some cases, it may be better to refund the customer without requiring a return, as returns can be costly and also negatively impact your ranking.
Amazon Prime
Amazon Prime is a service that offers even faster and, above all, free shipping to customers. The Prime icon is an additional sales booster, as customers know they enjoy benefits with this product.
Amazon Prime primarily operates through FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon). However, you can also be included in the program through FBM (Fulfillment by Merchant) if you deliver good performance. We'll explain more about this below.
Indirect Ranking Factors
These factors are influenced by the performance of your product page and significantly affect its ranking in the search results.
Click-Through Rate (CTR)
Just like Google, Amazon interprets the click-through rate as an indicator of relevance to customers. You can positively influence this factor by optimizing your product title and having an appealing main image.
Time on Page (Dwell Time)
The dwell time indicates how long customers, on average, stay on the product page. For Amazon, this is also an indicator that the item must be relevant.
TIP: These factors should always be considered in combination. For instance, a high dwell time is only considered good if the conversion rate is correspondingly high.
Conversion Rate
The conversion rate provides valuable insights into the success of your Amazon SEO because it reflects how many customers actually purchased your product after landing on the product page.
It is crucial whether the seller was able to occupy the so-called Buy Box (the shopping box on the right-hand side), as most purchases are made from there.
The Amazon Buy Box
The Amazon Buy Box is the shopping box on the right-hand side of the product page. Customers can add the product to their shopping cart or buy it now from this box.
Customers almost exclusively make purchases from this view, which is why it is crucial for sellers to occupy this area.
Particularly, resellers (sellers who do not sell their own products) need to consider this because there can only be one Buy Box per EAN (European Article Number).
Manufacturers who sell their own products or cater to a specific niche have better chances of being placed in the Buy Box.
Factors for Buy Box Placement
To land in the Buy Box, you must meet the following criteria:
- The difference between your selling price and the currently lowest price of the product cannot be too large.
- You must have a Professional Tariff account for at least 90 days.
- The seller's average rating by customers must be positive. The number of ratings also matters.
- You must sell new items, not used ones.
- Your items must be available at all times.
One hugely important criterion for occupying the Buy Box is participating in the FBA program (Fulfillment by Amazon).
Fulfillment by Amazon and Fulfillment by Merchant: Pros and Cons
When selling products on Amazon, there are essentially two options: either selling and shipping the products yourself or outsourcing it to the online retailer.
Amazon offers two programs for this: "Fulfillment by Amazon" and "Fulfillment by Merchant". Let's explain the pros and cons of these programs.
What is FBA and FBM?
In the so-called Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), Amazon takes over the sales and shipping of a seller's items. Sellers send their inventory to an Amazon warehouse, and the orders are processed from there. Amazon also handles customer service and returns.
Of course, this service is not free: FBA comes with both a fulfillment fee for packaging, shipping, and customer service, and a monthly inventory storage fee for storing the products.
Advantages of FBA
Amazon FBA offers several advantages that can boost your success as a seller. Here are the key benefits:
- Products offered through FBA are eligible for Prime shipping, which means they are shipped within two days and with no shipping costs. This increases the chance of making a sale.
- You have better chances of landing in the Buy Box.
- You save on staff, customer support, and time.
- You can work remotely as you don't need to build your own logistics.
- Amazon takes care of shipping and packaging; if something gets damaged, they often cover the costs.
- The good reputation of Amazon can positively impact your marketing.
Disadvantages of FBA
- Amazon obtains a lot of customer data. This data remains with the retailer, making it impossible to build a customer email list.
- You always sell under Amazon's branding, making it difficult to establish customer relationships.
- You need financial backing as the products must be ordered in large quantities. Amazon requires a significant inventory to ensure the product is always available.
Conclusion
For Amazon, you can implement profitable SEO just like for any other search engine. The difference from Google lies in the fact that the Amazon algorithm can be relatively easily influenced, allowing you to manage your success more easily.
We have presented you with some effective measures that can help you maximize your sales on Amazon. Now, it's up to you to implement them.
The most crucial aspect is to ensure an excellent performance in terms of product offerings, shipping, and customer service. This will lead to long-term success with Amazon SEO.
Stay up to date with us: Our articles are continuously expanded and regularly updated.
