Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, is a crucial element to keep in mind when building websites — but did you know that Amazon has its own SEO system? Amazon isn’t just a simple retail platform anymore. It’s a massive search engine for more than 12 million products. It does, however, differ significantly from the traditional Google SEO. Let’s take a look.
Is There SEO on Amazon?
Short answer — absolutely.
SEO on Amazon is a key aspect of making sure your products are visible to potential buyers. Similar to Google, the main goal of Amazon is to provide the most relevant search results to its users, increasing the probability of making a purchase. However, unlike Google, Amazon’s SEO focuses specifically on buyer behavior and sales conversion.
This means Amazon considers a narrower range of relevancy indicators, but forces sellers to optimize their listings to align with what Amazon deems relevant and valuable to its customers at the moment.
What is the A9 Algorithm?
The A9 algorithm lies at the heart of Amazon’s SEO. It’s a sophisticated system that analyzes and ranks product listings based on various factors, making sure the results are relevant for users. The name “A9” comes from the Amazon subsidiary that initially developed this technology.
Unlike typical search engines, A9 is uniquely tailored for e-commerce. It prioritizes factors that indicate a high likelihood of purchase — historical sales data, customer reviews, price, availability, CTR, keyword relevance, and more. For example, a product with a consistent history of high sales volumes and positive reviews is likely to rank higher than a new product with limited sales history. We’ll be covering these factors more in-depth in a moment.
The algorithm as a whole is designed to constantly learn and evolve based on user interactions. This means that sellers must always stay aware of recent changes and trends to stay relevant in searches.
Most Important Factors Influencing Amazon SEO
To achieve success on Amazon, it takes more than just listing your products. You’ll need to be aware of the different factors that might influence your product’s visibility and ranking. Consider these when preparing your Amazon listings to improve your SEO:
Keyword Relevance
Much like traditional SEO, keywords play a vital role in Amazon SEO as well. By using relevant keywords in your product title, description, and backend search terms, you can improve its perceived relevance, and, by extension, visibility. Before you post a listing, perform a thorough keyword research to identify the phrases and terms your potential customers are searching for.
Sales Performance History
Amazon prioritizes products that have a proven track record of sales. Products with higher sales volumes are perceived as more popular and more relevant to customers, which in turn leads to better ranking. This is why new products often struggle to climb the rankings initially — focus on other factors first.
Customer Reviews and Ratings
Positive feedback can significantly influence your product’s ranking on Amazon Search. Items with higher ratings and more reviews tend to rank better — the reviews are a direct indicator of customer satisfaction for Amazon, which they value highly. Encourage happy customers to leave reviews and try to minimize situations that could lead to poor reviews.
Price
Amazon’s algorithm considers your product’s price compared to similar products. Competitive pricing can improve your product’s visibility and attractiveness to customers, but lowering the price too much will hurt your profits.
Click-Through Rate and Conversion Rate
How often users click on your product after a search and their subsequent purchase behavior can also influence rankings. High CTR and conversion rates indicate that your product is appealing and relevant to customers’ searches.
Product Images
High-quality, clear images that accurately represent the product can improve customer engagement and conversion rates, impacting your Amazon SEO as well. Avoid blurry images and convert all pictures into proper formats.
Availability
Stock availability and efficient fulfillment options (like Amazon Prime) can also impact your ranking. Products that are frequently out of stock or have longer delivery times may be ranked lower than those readily available and quickly delivered.
Do Sales Affect My Amazon SEO?
Yes, sales play a significant role in Amazon SEO.
Since Amazon’s primary objective is to sell as many products as possible, its A9 algorithm has been designed to promote listings that are most likely to convert into sales. Higher sales volumes signal to Amazon that customers find your product desirable and relevant.
Long history, however, is not all that can affect your SEO on Amazon. Sales velocity, or the rate at which your product is selling, is also important. A sudden spike in sales, or introducing a new product that catches on quickly, can temporarily boost your ranking — but a decline might lower it as well.
It’s worthwhile to note that while sales are a significant factor, they are not the only one you can control. Improving other factors might also indirectly increase your sales, contributing to Amazon SEO further.
Conclusion: Monitoring Amazon SEO Results
A successful SEO strategy on Amazon takes continuous monitoring and adjusting based on the results. Regularly check where your products stand in search results for key keywords. Tools like Helium 10 or Jungle Scout are programs that offer some free functionality and insights into the effectiveness of your SEO strategies.
Monitor your sales data closely and look for correlations between changes in your SEO strategies and sales performance. Spikes or drops can often be traced back to SEO adjustments. Keep an eye on customer reviews and feedback as well, since they not only contribute to your product’s ranking, but also offer valuable insights into what customers appreciate or dislike about your product.
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