In today's digital age, where e-commerce reigns supreme, Amazon stands as a dominant force, connecting millions of buyers and sellers worldwide. As an online marketplace giant, Amazon's vast customer base presents an incredible opportunity for businesses to thrive. However, with millions of products available, how can you ensure your offerings stand out from the crowd? For sellers and digital marketers, understanding Amazon's A9 algorithm and mastering the art of search optimization is key to succeeding in this dynamic landscape. Here, we will explore the essential strategies for crafting the most successful Amazon product listings. Get ready to unlock the secrets to maximizing visibility, driving conversions, and achieving success on Amazon.

Amazon’s Perspective

Firstly, it’s beneficial to understand Amazon’s perspective when it comes to their algorithm and what it is trying to accomplish. Amazon, first and foremost, is a marketplace of buyers and sellers, and their primary objective is to have these buyers purchase from their sellers. Unlike other “informational” search engines we may be familiar with, Amazon’s is “transactional,” and is only concerned with product search. This means there are less SEO factors to work with than on traditional search engines, even more reason to learn its optimization.

Amazon A9

A9 is Amazon’s proprietary algorithm that handles their search and determines the order of products that appear. Due to its proprietary status, the exact workings of the algorithm are unknown, but we know that it considers various factors, such as: relevancy, performance, and customer satisfaction. Relevance features and past search patterns are used, meaning sales lead to more sales. It is good to remember that this is a maturing algorithm, so there are continuous changes and updates to keep aware of. By understanding the basics of how Amazon A9 ranks search results you can optimize your product listings and improve your rankings.

Optimizing Titles

The product title is arguably the most crucial element to consider, both for your customers and search engine rankings. Amazon styling recommends a title length of about 60-80 characters, with 200 being the high limit. It can be good to use some of these on punctuation to create more readability for the user, while certain things like measurements (lb., kg.) can be abbreviated. Some good elements to include in your title are:

·       Brand name (your title should mimic your packaging when possible).

·       A clear description of what the product does.

·       Specific ingredients or materials.

·       Color of product.

·       Size of product.

·       Mention of the product quality, if applicable.

With all that considered, make sure your title reads naturally, as customer experience is paramount in driving Amazon results.

Leveraging Brand Names & Brand Fields

Amazon provides a Brand Field that appears right above the title, and it’s best to use this tool for your listings, as shoppers can filter out their results by brand, possibly excluding your product if this field is not taken advantage of. It can also help to relate your product to similar results in other searches. If your company is a recognizable brand, it is best to leverage this as much as possible, and Amazon’s style guide recommends leading the title with the brand name.

Bullets, Descriptions, & Keywords

While bullets in the product description do not provide as much ranking weight as the title, they remain critical to the listing. Here is a chance to include information that could not fit inside the title and to illustrate the further benefits of the product. Some things to consider including are: descriptive attributes not listed in the title, warranty information, and other products that yours is compatible with. Any more unique selling points should be included here. While keywords are important, it is best to avoid the tactic of keyword-stuffing, trying to fit as many key words as possible. This can severely reduce the customer experience and clickthrough rate, reducing your SEO.

Backend Keywords

Backend keywords, also known as hidden or backend search terms, are not visible to customers but are essential for search optimization. They are similar to the meta tags that can be provided to Google’s search engine for descriptive optimization. Amazon provides multiple fields you can use for these keywords, with a total size limit of 250 bytes.

Here are some best practices for taking advantage of this feature:

·       Conduct keyword research to identify relevant terms your audience is searching

·       Utilize all the available space.

·       Avoid repeating keywords, even across multiple fields.

·       Include variations or synonyms of your keywords, but not changes in plurality (“dog” to “dogs”).

·       Avoid including brand names or ASINs (Amazon Standard Identification Number).

·       Avoid subjective or temporary terms like “best” and “new.”

·       Punctuation marks are unnecessary.

·       Going over the character limit will result in the backend keyword not being indexed.

Product Reviews & Feedback

Product reviews play a key role in establishing credibility and influencing users’ purchase decisions. Provide your best customer service and encourage your buyers to leave positive feedback when they’re satisfied with your product. You can politely request these reviews through follow-up emails after sales. The sheer number of reviews, as well as their number/star score, play into the search rankings of items. You may notice yourself that the top results tend to have a higher number of reviews.

Negative reviews should be examined and addressed, it is best not to ignore them and to reply promptly and professionally, with a personalized tone that makes the reviewer feel heard. Offer your apologies, any solution you may have, and pathways to customer service.  Both positive and negative reviews can help lead to product improvements.

Also, Amazon is now cracking down on fake and purchased reviews, these should never be implemented as an attempt to boost search rankings.

Implementing High-Quality Images and Videos

People are visual, and products that feature high-quality images have consistently higher conversion rates on any platform, and these higher conversion rates on Amazon lead to higher listings. Images can display the product from all angles, highlighting its features. Amazon recommends having larger images for your products, with a bottom limit of 500 pixels for the longest side of any image; this enables the zoom feature. This zoom feature  has been shown to enhance sales. Similar principles apply to including videos, where credibility can be further established and you can include a lot more information about your product, including things like testimonials and demonstrations.

Optimizing Product Pricing for More Conversions

Finally, price is a critical factor in your conversion rate and search rankings. Market research should be performed to see what prices your competition is charging for similar products and determine your optimal price point. Pricing too high or too low can affect customer perceptions, their conversion rates, and subsequently the ranking of the product on search results. Especially with over-pricing, Amazon’s algorithm may predict that your product will sell less and demote it in the rankings, as their main objectives are total sales and customer satisfaction.

In conclusion, understanding how Amazon's algorithm, A9, works is essential for successfully optimizing your product listings. While the exact workings of the algorithm are undisclosed, considering factors such as relevancy, performance, and customer satisfaction can help you improve your search rankings. Pay close attention to your product title, leveraging brand names, and utilizing backend keywords effectively. Craft informative and engaging bullet points and encourage your customers to leave reviews. Additionally, prioritize high-quality images and videos that showcase your product's features, and ensure your pricing strategy is competitive and attractive to customers. By implementing these optimization techniques, you can enhance your product's visibility, attract more customers, and drive your sales on Amazon's platform.

For further assistance with your Amazon store optimization strategy, contact Doukas Media.