Did you know that most Amazon shoppers don’t scroll past the first page of Amazon search results? That is why it is crucial for companies and retailers on Amazon to achieve a good ranking. But how can you ensure that your products are found and sold successfully?
Amazon SEO offers you an effective option: by optimizing your listings in a targeted manner, you increase the visibility of your products on the sales platform and increase your sales. In this guide, you will find out which factors are important for optimization.
What is Amazon SEO?
As with Google & Co., you also have the opportunity with Amazon to optimize the ranking of your listed products with the help of targeted SEO measures. Because like a classic search engine, the product search of the online marketplace is based on an algorithm, more precisely the A9 algorithm.
With the knowledge of which Google ranking factors are important for Amazon SEO, you can improve your Amazon ranking in a targeted manner.
Why do search engine optimization on Amazon?
For years, the number of sellers and products offered on Amazon has been increasing rapidly. There needs to be more than mere listing to be successful on the online marketplace.
In addition, most users who search for products on Amazon only look at the first page of the results and usually choose one of the first three results. Articles that rank on the second or third page are often not even noticed.
In order for your products to be visible to users and to increase your chances of many sales, it is important that they are in the first place in the search. The most effective way to do this is with SEO for Amazon.
How does Amazon SEO work?
As with classic search engine optimization, your top priority is to increase the relevance of your products. It is not known which ranking factors Amazon specifically takes into account. However, the so-called sales performance is regarded as the most important component.
The following are decisive for sales performance:
Click rate (also click-through rate, CTR for short): How many people click on your listing, i.e. your detailed product page, after seeing it in the results?
Conversion rate (also CR): How many people buy your product after looking at your listing?
Put simply, sales performance tells you how likely it is that your product will be bought. Against this background, it is clear that products with a high purchase probability receive the best rankings because this is not only in Amazon’s interest but also in yours.
The measures to increase your purchase probability and consequently your relevance can be roughly divided into two areas: on-page and off-page SEO. In the following, we will explain to you what is essential.
Amazon Onpage SEO: Make the product as appealing as possible
Optimizing your product page is an important part of Amazon SEO and has a big impact on how well your item ranks in search and sells. As a seller: on Amazon, you have various options to customize your listing and optimize it from an SEO perspective.
You should use all of these to create the best possible conditions for good placements.
1. The keyword research
Keyword research is essential for successful on-page optimization. One way is to create a list of terms and synonyms that you can think of about your product. For example, if you offer leaf blowers, you could use keywords like “leaf vacuum”, “leaf cleaner” or “leaf blower”.
Additionally, you can use the auto-complete feature to find valuable long-tail keywords. To do this, enter your main keyword in the Amazon search mask. Here you will find interesting suggestions for leaf blowers, such as “electric leaf blowers” or “cable leaf blowers”, which you can integrate into your keyword list.
More keyword research tips:
- Analysis of your competitors’ listings
- Checking the search terms in the Amazon Brand Analytics Dashboard
- Using Amazon Keyword Tool for keyword research
Note: Long-tail keywords are usually very specific search terms consisting of several words. Although they usually have a low search volume, they are also less competitive. If you integrate these keywords into your listing or the page of your product, you have a better chance of a high ranking.
2. Optimize the product title
One of the most important factors for good Amazon rankings and sales is the product title. This should be concise, clear, and yet attractively designed so that it stands out from the crowd and is clicked on by users (keyword: CTR).
It is important that it contains (if available) the brand name, relevant search terms, and information relevant to the purchase decision.
Example: An example of a good product title: “LG 55UQ75009LF 139 cm (55″) UHD TV (Active HDR, 60 Hz, Smart TV)”.
The title contains all the essential information for the product category, such as:
- Brand
- Size
- Type of TV
- Features of the TV
Good to know: Depending on the type of product, the optimal design of the product title can differ. It is best to use the first search results for your topic as a guide.
3. Formulate bullet points
After the product title, the bullet points (attributes) are the most important source of information for buyers. They should answer all sorts of questions about your product, provide selling points, and highlight its unique selling points (USPs).
Since the bullet points are also relevant for the ranking, it makes sense that you place all the important keywords here.
4. Add product description and A+ content
In contrast to the bullet points, the product description plays a subordinate role in your Amazon ranking because it is not indexed by the A9 algorithm and visitors can only find it after scrolling for a long time.
Google, on the other hand, does include the product description in the search engine, which is why you should still pay special attention to it so that your product lands high in the Google SERPs and generates external traffic.
It should therefore contain all relevant information about the product, including important keywords, and inform your potential customers about the product. At the same time, it is important that the product description also appeals to the customer emotionally and convinces them to buy.
This works particularly well with the so-called Amazon A+ Content, with which you can visually customize your product description. Add pictures and develop your product description into a kind of brochure to encourage purchases.
5. Upload attractive pictures
Nobody likes to buy a pig in a poke. Meaningful product images are therefore crucial for sales success on Amazon. You have the ability to upload up to 7 photos for each product listing, with at least one required to appear in the search.
When designing the image, make sure that it not only looks professional but also that you demonstrate the actual use of the product. For example, photograph a tent in front of a beautiful outdoor backdrop or a barbecue at a garden party. You can also use product images to highlight the product’s benefits or USPs with graphics and text.
By the way: Good photos not only increase the click-through rate (CTR) in the search but also indirectly improve the ranking by increasing the conversion rate.
Amazon off-page SEO
In addition to the product title or the product description, off-page factors are also included in the ranking of your Amazon listing.
1. Positive reviews
Customer reviews play an important role in sales success on Amazon. They increase trust in your product and thus increase the likelihood of sales. Because many buyers base their purchase decision on the average rating of a product.
Articles with no or bad ratings have a correspondingly difficult time. This is not surprising, after all, reviews are the only way to assess the quality of an item before buying it online. But how are you supposed to get positive reviews when your product listing is new?
Ways to generate lasting reviews are offering a successful product, building a strong brand around it, and good customer service. Then the good ratings will come naturally over time.
Warning: You should refrain from buying Amazon reviews as this is against the guidelines. Direct requests from customers to submit positive ratings are also prohibited.
2. Answering customer questions
Many customers on Amazon use the question feature at the end of the respective product page when they have open questions about a product. By answering these questions, you can eliminate any ambiguity and increase confidence in the item and in yourself as a retailer. In addition, a well-maintained question section can lead to better rankings for the respective product by using relevant keywords in the answers.
Good to know: You can also answer questions with a video and demonstrate solutions to problems directly on the respective product.
Conclusion: Amazon SEO pays off
If you sell on Amazon, good visibility of your listings is essential given a large number of competitors. With our Amazon SEO tips, you can optimize the most important on-page and off-page factors. This is how you stand out from the competition, achieve better rankings and increase your sales figures over the long term.
Best of all, you can implement many tips without paid Amazon SEO tools or special knowledge. SEO for Amazon definitely pays off – the positive effects often show up within a short time.