Amazon is the go-to destination for millions of customers looking for all sorts of things – you can even buy a house on their website.
With so many sellers vying for attention, how can you ensure that your products consistently achieve the top rankings and get noticed by customers ready to give you their hard-earned cash?
The answer lies in optimising your Amazon SEO campaigns to rank higher and drive sales.
Disclaimer: At the heart of any successful Amazon campaign is the ability to understand your target audience and cater to their needs.
You can follow each step in this article, but it won’t do you any good if you don’t understand your customers and what they are looking for.
However, once you learn how to differentiate yourself and create a lasting impression, this will be a cakewalk.
By implementing the latest strategies and techniques, you can optimise your product listings, utilise Amazon’s advertising platform, monitor your competitors, and more. These tips can help you stay ahead of the game and reach your target audience meaningfully.
In this blog post, we’ll explore the best tips for ranking on Amazon in 2023 and beyond. Whether you’re a seasoned seller or just getting started, these tips and tricks can help you take your business to the next level and achieve your goals. So sit back, relax, and let’s dive into the world of Amazon SEO.
First things first: the Amazon algorithm
Amazon’s search algorithm, which is known as A9, is managed by a subsidiary of Amazon that deals with search engine optimisation for the company. A9’s mission is to provide scalable, cross-platform search and advertising technologies for its parent company and other clients.
It is important to note that Amazon, being the largest eCommerce site in the world, prioritises its bottom line above all else, thus maximising sales efficiency for its millions of customers.
In contrast to the diverse informational searches performed on Google, the searches on Amazon are primarily transactional.
Therefore, Amazon’s algorithm is primarily concerned with two ranking factors: relevance and performance. Optimising product pages on Amazon for these two factors will lead to greater sales conversion and success on the site.
How to rank higher on Amazon using SEO
#1 Optimise your product listings
Your product listings are the first thing that potential customers see when they search for products on Amazon. This step is crucial to getting your products seen and consequently purchased.
We like to consider product listing optimisation as Amazon’s equivalent to SEO. Here’s the step we would take to successfully put your item in the top spot:
– Keyword research: Conduct thorough keyword research to identify the most relevant and high-volume search terms for your product. Use these keywords in your product title, bullet points, description, and backend search terms to increase your product’s visibility.
For example, if you’re selling a fitness tracker, include keywords such as “step counter,” “heart rate monitor,” and “calorie tracker” in your product listing. Check out our content marketing services.
– Compelling product title: Your product title should be clear, concise, and informative. It should include relevant keywords and accurately describe the product.
For example, instead of a generic product title like “Smartphone Case,” use a more descriptive and keyword-rich title such as “Slim iPhone X Case with Shockproof Protection.”
– Informative bullet points: Use bullet points to highlight the key features and benefits of your product. Be concise, informative, and persuasive.
For example, if you’re selling a laptop, use bullet points to highlight features such as processor speed, RAM, storage, and screen resolution.
– High-quality product images: Use high-quality images that showcase your product from different angles and in use. The images should be clear, well-lit, and accurately represent your product.
– Customer reviews: Encourage customers to leave reviews for your product. Positive reviews can help increase your product’s visibility and credibility on Amazon.
– Backend search terms: Use backend search terms to include additional keywords that customers may use to search for your product. Be sure to include relevant terms, but avoid keyword stuffing.
For example, if you’re selling a reusable water bottle, include backend search terms such as “eco-friendly,” “BPA-free,” and “dishwasher safe.”
#2 Monitor your competitors
#3 Encourage positive reviews
Positive reviews are the make or break in your Amazon’s business operations, as they are one of the deciding factors that determine your product’s visibility and rankings.
Encouraging customers to leave feedback is essential, and there are a number of ways to do this.
- Follow-up after purchase: You can send your buyers an email or message thanking them for their purchase and asking them to leave a review if satisfied with the product.
- Offer discounts: In exchange for their review, you can even offer your buyers discounts on the next purchase, or free samples.
This is highly effective as it will motivate customers to leave you a positive review, especially if they are hesitant to do so.
It’s also important to respond to reviews, both positive and negative. This shows that you value your customers’ feedback and are committed to improving your products and services.
When responding to negative reviews, make sure to address any concerns or issues the customer may have had and offer a solution or explanation.
This can help turn a negative experience into a positive one and show potential customers that you are dedicated to customer satisfaction boosting your user engagement.
#4 Use Amazon's Brand Registry
Amazon’s Brand Registry is a safety measure you can take, as well as an invaluable tool for growth.
By enrolling in the program, you can gain access to a range of benefits and features that can help you better manage and market your products.
One of the key benefits of the Brand Registry program is the ability to protect your brand from counterfeiters and unauthorised sellers.
When you enrol, you can submit your brand’s trademark information and other key details to Amazon, which will then use this information to proactively remove listings that infringe on your brand’s intellectual property rights. This can help protect your brand’s reputation and ensure that customers are only seeing authentic products when they search for your brand on Amazon.
In addition to brand protection, the Brand Registry program also offers a range of marketing tools that can help you better showcase your products to potential customers.
For example, you can create enhanced brand content, which allows you to add more detailed product descriptions, images, and videos to your product listings.
This can help your products stand out in search results and provide customers with a more comprehensive understanding of your brand and offerings.
The Brand Registry program also gives you access to unique product identification features, such as the ability to create unique ASINs for your products. This can help you better manage your inventory and provide more accurate tracking and reporting for your sales and marketing efforts.
#5 Win Amazon’s Buy Box
Every seller on Amazon wants to win a Buy Box – this is a highly coveted feature that lets customers add items to their cart and complete their purchase in just one click. On top of that, a Buy Box winner will let your product consistently rank #1 on the listings.
Winning a Buy Box is incredibly beneficial and the results are lasting.
Amazon uses a complex algorithm to determine which seller is eligible for the Buy Box – and although there is not a guaranteed way to win one quite yet, there are some determining factors you can use to increase your chances:
- Offer competitive pricing: Price is one of the most critical factors in determining Buy Box eligibility. Ensure that your product’s price is competitive and in line with the market average.
- Provide fast shipping: Amazon prioritises sellers who can offer fast and reliable shipping. Make sure your shipping times are accurate and consistent.
- Maintain positive seller metrics: Your seller metrics, such as your order defect rate and feedback score, are important indicators of your performance on Amazon. Keep these metrics as high as possible to increase your chances of winning the Buy Box.
- Use Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA): Amazon’s FBA program takes care of shipping, handling, and customer service, which can improve your chances of winning the Buy Box. FBA products are often given priority placement in search results and are eligible for Amazon Prime benefits.
- Monitor your inventory: Running out of stock can hurt your chances of winning the Buy Box. Monitor your inventory levels and ensure that you have enough stock to meet demand.
Winning the Buy Box can be a game-changer for Amazon sellers, but it’s not easy. By implementing these strategies and staying on top of your seller metrics, you can increase your chances of winning the Buy Box and taking your eCommerce sales to the next level.
What is considered a good sales rank on Amazon?
The Amazon sales rank is a metric that measures the popularity of a product. This metric is updated every hour, based on the product’s recent sales performance.
You should note that what is considered a good Amazon sales rank is widely dependent on your niche. Someone selling a very generic item with loads of competition could be ranking #1,000th and still be considered a good sales rank, while a product with the same metric in a less competitive category may be considered poor.
Generally speaking, you want to be as close to #1 as possible.
To get an idea of what is considered a good sales rank for your product, it’s important to research the Amazon search ranking of similar products in your category. This can give you a better understanding of the level of competition and help you set realistic goals for your own sales rank.
Should you need help with Amazon SEO or eCommerce SEO, don’t hesitate to drop us a message. As a performance-driven digital marketing agency, we strive and pride ourselves on achieving that sought-after #1 spot for you.
What are you waiting for? Get in touch today.
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Alex Grossi
