Amazon SEO: Creating the Optimal Product Listing for SERP Optimization
Amazon is unquestionably the go-to place for online shopping. If you’re selling on Amazon, you know that you need to get your product rankings as high as possible on the website’s search engine results pages (SERPs) to nab those click-throughs and conversions.
But how do you do that? This post breaks down the definition of Amazon SEO, the key elements, and best practices for SERP (search engine results pages) on the Amazon platform. It also delivers resources and strategies for making the most of your Amazon marketing plan.
What is Amazon SEO and SERP Optimization?
Most online sellers are familiar with optimizing online content for the Google algorithm to get good SERPs for their products or services. Amazon SEO is a similar process in that it seeks to optimize your Amazon listings to rank higher on searches on Amazon.com. The big difference is that Google is about serving up the best match for information and Amazon is about serving up the products that the shopper is most likely to buy.
Amazon SEO involves six major components:
Amazon Keyword Optimization
Product Title Optimization
Product Image Optimization
Backend Keywords
Pricing Strategy
The Amazon A10 Algorithm
If you want to make it easier for Amazon to find your listings and show them to potential buyers who are shopping for the types of products you sell, you need to dig into Amazon SEO best practices. Read on for the strategies that can help improve your Amazon SEO by maximizing click-throughs, conversions, and overall sales.
Keywords are the key. How to speak the A10 algorithm language.
If all the keywords in a search query are not in your product listing—including specifics like size and color—your listing will not appear at the top of the search. Identifying and optimizing for keywords is the starting point for driving Amazon sales. It’s also a never-ending process that requires consistent fine-tuning and finding opportunities your competitors miss.
The Amazon A10 Algorithm is the ranking system that influences where listings appear on an Amazon SERP. The first element this algorithm looks to are keywords in a searcher’s query (user search terms), making keyword optimization of primary importance to every Amazon SEO strategy.
Build Your Brand on Amazon
Another solid method for taking control of your Amazon listings is to enroll in the Amazon Brand Registry. By submitting your trademark documents, you prove ownership of your brand and unlock protections as well as deeper content and advertising tools, including:
Sponsored Brands Ads
Sponsored Display Ads
Amazon Stores (Formerly Amazon Storefronts)
A+ Content (Formerly Enhanced Brand Content)
Brand Analytics
Beyond protecting your brand from listing hijackers and counterfeiters, the most-important perks of Amazon Brand Registry are Amazon Stores and A+ Content. Your Amazon Store is basically your custom Amazon landing page that showcases everything your brand has to offer, from product descriptions to videos—which are increasingly necessary to enhance the all-important user experience. Showcase additional value, product comparisons, and other valuable details with A+ Content that can capture more conversions and better tell your brand story.
Amazon Product Listing Optimization and SEO Best Practices
Use these guidelines to launch your foray into A+ Content by adding optimized titles, richer visuals, and effective product descriptions:
Required: Titles & Images
Optimized Titles: 60 to 250 characters that include as many of these as possible:
Brand
Product Line/Collection
Material/Key Feature
Product Type
Color
Size
Packaging/Quantity
Effective Images: Five to nine recognizable images that match the product’s color, size, and other features, are well-lit, and include the entire product on a clean white background.
Conversion-drivers include these extras:
1000×1000 size that can be zoomed.
Images of products from different angles and in use.
Infographic or overlay text that highlights product features.
Recommended: Bullets & Descriptions
Bullet points are not required but are highly recommended on Amazon listings. Bullets are stand-out listed descriptors. Do not use them for promotions or pricing info. Best practices for Amazon bullet points:
Use up to five points, each with a maximum of 100 characters.
Highlight key product features like age appropriateness, skill level, country of origin, etc.
Begin each bullet with a capital letter.
Write in sentence fragments without final punctuation.
Order consistently across product pages (e.g. if material is the first bullet, make it first for all of your products).
Product descriptions are the last place shoppers look for product information, but they can add valuable details left out of the title and bullet points. The best product descriptions:
Contain 2,000 characters or fewer.
Expand on product features or uses.
Include additional relevant keywords that will help shoppers and the A10 Algorithm recognize relevance.
How to Perform Amazon SERP Optimization (Amazon SEO)
Here’s how to perform Amazon SERP optimization (sometimes referred to as Amazon SEO):
1. Keyword Research Importance
Keywords are essential for improving visibility, increasing your search ranking, and driving conversion rates on Amazon. By optimizing your product listings with the right keywords, you ensure that your products show up in relevant search results, making it easier for potential buyers to find and purchase them.
The two main types of keywords to research for Amazon SEO are short-tail and long-tail. Short-tail keywords are broad and high-volume (ex.g. “wireless headphones”), but they can be highly competitive. Long-tail keywords, on the other hand, are more specific and tend to have lower competition (ex.g. “best noise-canceling wireless headphones for running”) but can drive more qualified traffic. Combining both can maximize your chances of ranking and appealing to both broad and targeted search queries.
Keyword Research Strategies
Use tools like Helium 10, Jungle Scout, andor Amazon’s auto-suggest feature to identify relevant keywords.
Pay attention to customer search patterns and incorporate seasonal trends.
Focus on problem-solving keywords that reflect your customers’ needs and pain points.
2. Additional Amazon Tools
While you can (and should) use external SEO tools, Amazon offers proprietary tools you should use to maximize your optimization efforts: Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) and the Automate Pricing Tool.
FBA offers significant advantages for Amazon sellers, including Prime eligibility, streamlined logistics, and improved visibility in search results. Products fulfilled by Amazon tend to rank higher due to faster shipping, increased customer satisfaction, and better seller metrics.
The Automate Pricing tool adjusts your prices dynamically to ensure you stay competitive within the marketplace. Pricing directly influences visibility and sales, so optimizing it can help improve your product’s ranking.
3. Competitor Keyword Analysis
Unlike traditional search engines, Amazon doesn’t allow you to see what keywords your competitors are ranking for. However, there are strategies and tools you can use to gather valuable insights about the keywords your competitors are targeting, including:
Reverse ASIN Lookups With Tools Like Jungle Scout or Helium 10: You can use these tools to perform a “reverse ASIN lookup” in which you enter a competitor’s Amazon Standard Identification Number (ASIN) in to see what keywords their product is ranking for. This helps you understand which keywords are driving traffic to their listings, allowing you to identify high-value keywords that you might want to target in your own product listings.
Amazon’s Top Search Terms Dashboard: Amazon provides a Top Search Terms dashboard within your Seller Central account. This feature shows the most popular search terms related to your product category, offering insights into current trends and customer search behavior. By understanding the top search terms, you can identify which keywords will drive traffic to your products and adjust your listings accordingly.
Incorporating Competitor Insights
Once you’ve gathered competitor data using the tools above, it’s time to integrate those insights into your own strategy. By analyzing your competitors’ keywords, you can identify which terms are driving the most sales or traffic to their listings. Beyond keywords, it’s also useful to evaluate their product descriptions and pricing strategies. For example:
Are they using specific phrases or keywords that resonate with their target audience?
Are they highlighting benefits or features that you may have missed?
What pricing tactics are they using to remain competitive?
Taking a closer look at these aspects allows you to adjust your product listing to better appeal to your audience and improve your ranking.
4. Sales Factors & A10 Algorithm Details
Amazon’s A10 algorithm determines which products show up in search results. While it’s based on various factors, the A10 algorithm focuses mainly on product relevance and customer satisfaction. It emphasizes engagement metrics rather than sales history, so factors like how likely customers are to click on your listing and how well your product converts into a sale are major ranking signals. The main factors influencing the A10 algorithm are:
Conversion Rates: A product’s conversion rate measures the percentage of people who click on your listing and then complete a purchase. High conversion rates signal to Amazon that your product is relevant and appealing to customers, which can positively influence its ranking in search results. To improve conversion rates, ensure your product images, descriptions, and pricing are optimized for your target audience.
Review Quality & Quantity: Customer reviews are a critical ranking factor in the A10 algorithm. Not only does the quantity of reviews matter (more reviews often signal trust), but the quality of your reviews is equally important. Positive reviews about your product’s quality, functionality, and your customer service can improve your chances of ranking higher. Negative reviews, however, can harm your reputation and visibility, so it’s important to manage your customer feedback and work toward improving any issues that arise.
Sales Velocity: Sales velocity refers to the speed at which your product is selling. A higher sales velocity indicates that your product is in demand, which can boost your rankings. This can be influenced by pricing, promotions, and how effectively you market your product to your target audience.
Seller Authority: Amazon takes into account how reliable and trustworthy a seller is based on their history of customer service, returns, and compliance with Amazon’s policies. If you maintain strong seller performance metrics, such as a low order defect rate, fast shipping, and positive feedback, you’re more likely to rank higher in search results.
Click-Through Rates (CTRs): CTR measures how often customers click on your product listing when it appears in search results. High CTRs suggest that your product is appealing and relevant to the search queries it appears for, signaling to Amazon that your listing deserves higher placement in the search results. Optimizing your product title, images, and pricing can help improve your CTR.
Holistic Optimization Approach
To successfully optimize for Amazon’s A10 algorithm, it’s important to adopt a holistic approach to your product listings. Traditional SEO focuses primarily on keywords, but A10 takes multiple factors into account, so your strategy should go beyond simply inserting the right keywords. It’s essential to balance your SEO efforts with a focus on improving customer experience and building trust.
Customer Experience: Ensure your product listings are clear, informative, and easy to navigate. Address customer pain points and offer solutions that resonate with their needs.
Build Trust: Trust is crucial for both ranking and conversion. Make sure your reviews are genuine and engage with your customers in a positive, professional manner.
Maintain a Strong Reputation: Pay attention to your seller metrics and consistently strive to provide excellent customer service, timely shipping, and quality products. A strong reputation can significantly boost your product’s visibility and ranking in Amazon search results.
5. Pricing Strategy
When your product is priced competitively, it becomes more attractive to potential buyers, increasing the likelihood that they’ll click on your listing and complete a purchase. Competitive pricing also influences Amazon’s algorithm, as products that offer better value compared to their competitors are often rewarded with higher rankings in search results.
In a competitive and fast-moving marketplace like Amazon, dynamic pricing is essential to stay relevant and maximize your sales potential. We recommend implementing the following tactics:
Use Amazon’s Automate Pricing Feature: Amazon provides a built-in feature called “Automate Pricing” that allows you to adjust your prices automatically based on predefined rules. This tool monitors competitors’ pricing and adjusts your prices accordingly to ensure you remain competitive. For example, you could set a rule to automatically price your product 1% lower than the lowest price from your competitors, helping you maintain a competitive edge. This tool helps you stay on top of price fluctuations without constantly checking and adjusting prices manually.
Regularly Monitor Competitor Prices: One of the best ways to stay competitive is by keeping an eye on the prices of your competitors. By regularly monitoring their pricing strategies, you can adjust your prices to ensure you are not underpricing or overpricing your products in comparison. It’s also useful to look at your competitors’ sales trends—if they’re offering promotions or seasonal discounts, it may be worth considering similar strategies to boost your sales.
Offer Occasional Discounts or Promotions: Offering limited-time discounts or promotions can help increase conversions and attract more buyers to your listings. This tactic can be particularly effective when trying to move inventory or boost sales during slower periods. Promotions like “Buy One, Get One Free” or “Save 10%” can grab the attention of potential customers, incentivizing them to purchase sooner rather than later. Additionally, discounts and promotions can improve your product’s sales velocity, further enhancing its visibility and ranking within Amazon’s algorithm.
6. Off-Site Sales & Organic Traffic
While Amazon Ads are a popular way to increase visibility, relying solely on them can limit your reach. In-platform ads primarily target Amazon users who are already searching for products, whereas external traffic strategies allow you to attract new customers who may not have been actively searching on Amazon. When external visitors land on your product page and make a purchase, it not only increases your sales but also signals to Amazon’s algorithm that your product is relevant and in demand, leading to higher rankings in search results.
To drive off-site traffic to your Amazon listings:
Use Affiliate Marketing to Expand Your Reach: Partner with bloggers, niche influencers, and affiliate marketers who can promote your products to their audience. By joining Amazon’s Affiliate Program or working with independent affiliates, you can gain exposure to a wider customer base. Affiliates earn a commission for driving sales, creating an incentive for them to promote your listings effectively.
Run Targeted Ads on Platforms Like Facebook & Instagram: Social media advertising allows you to target specific demographics based on age, location, interests, and shopping behaviors. For example, you could run a Facebook ad campaign showcasing your product’s features, offering a limited-time discount, and linking directly to your Amazon listing. Instagram ads with high-quality photos and videos can be particularly effective for lifestyle or visually driven products.
Encourage Direct Website Traffic That Links to Your Amazon Listings: If you have a business website, use it to drive traffic to your Amazon product pages. This can be done through banners, product pages, and/or blog posts that include call-to-action buttons directing visitors to your Amazon listings. Additionally, email marketing campaigns sent to your customer base can highlight promotions or new products with direct links to your Amazon store.
7. Advanced Copywriting Techniques
Creating compelling product listings on Amazon requires more than just good grammar—it’s about crafting copy that resonates with customers, addresses their needs, and drives them to take action. Advanced copywriting techniques can help you stand out, highlight the benefits of your product, and ultimately increase your sales.
Here are some strategies to elevate your Amazon listing copy:
Craft Compelling Headlines
The headline is the first thing customers see, so it must capture their attention immediately. It should be clear, concise, and benefit-driven while also being optimized with relevant keywords. A well-crafted headline tells customers exactly what the product is and why it’s worth considering, all while including important search terms that help your listing appear in relevant search results. For example, instead of just saying “Bluetooth Speaker,” a more engaging headline would be “Portable Bluetooth Speaker With 12-Hour Battery Life—Perfect for Outdoor Adventures.”
Problem-Solution Approach
A strong product description focuses on addressing customer pain points and offering a solution. Start by identifying the specific problem your target customer faces, then explain how your product can solve it. For instance, if you’re selling a posture-correcting device, your description could emphasize how the product helps alleviate back pain, improve posture, and boost comfort during long hours of sitting. By framing your product as the solution to a real-world issue, you’ll appeal directly to customer needs and increase the likelihood of conversion.
Calls to Action (CTAs)
Your product description should include clear, persuasive calls to action (CTAs) that encourage customers to take the next step. Whether it’s “Shop Now,” “Add to Cart,” or “Limited Time Offer,” a clear CTA provides customers with a sense of urgency and guides them toward completing the purchase. Make sure your CTAs are placed strategically, often near the end of your description or next to your product’s key benefits, to give customers a clear direction on what to do next.
Reduce Buying Resistance
Sometimes, customers hesitate before making a purchase. To overcome this, use motivational phrases that build trust and reduce any perceived risk. Words like “guaranteed,” “proven,” “top-rated,” or “risk-free” help reassure customers that they’re making the right decision. Highlighting aspects like a money-back guarantee or mentioning your product’s excellent customer ratings can also instill confidence. The goal is to eliminate doubts and make the purchase feel like a secure and valuable choice.
8. Structured Product Descriptions
Product descriptions are crucial for converting visitors into buyers on Amazon. While a clear and informative description can help customers understand what your product offers, a well-organized layout can make it easier for them to find key information. Effective product descriptions include:
Specifications: Clearly list the technical details, dimensions, materials, and other important features of your product. This will help customers make informed decisions and ensure they know exactly what they’re buying.
Emotional Appeal: Connect with your audience by showing how the product can improve their lives. Focus on the experience and lifestyle your product enables, whether it’s creating a more comfortable home, enhancing their health, or simplifying their day-to-day routine.
Unique Selling Points (USPs): Identify what makes your product different from the competition. Whether it’s superior quality, innovative features, or an unbeatable price, highlighting your USPs gives customers a clear reason to choose your product over others.
HTML Formatting
One of the best ways to make your product description stand out is by using HTML formatting. While you should avoid overcomplicating things, a few simple techniques can make your description more scannable and reader-friendly:
Bullet Points: Use bullet points to list key features and benefits. This will allow customers to quickly scan the most important details without having to read through lengthy paragraphs.
Bold Text: Bold key phrases or important features (like “free shipping” or “lifetime warranty”) to draw attention to the aspects of your product that matter most.
Short Paragraphs: Break up your content into shorter paragraphs to avoid large blocks of text that can be overwhelming to read.
Incorporating these formatting options makes your product description easier to digest and more likely to capture a customer’s attention.
Fallback for Basic Listings
If you don’t have access to Enhanced Brand Content (EBC), which allows for more elaborate formatting and images, focus on creating clear, concise descriptions that cover your product’s key benefits and features. Even without fancy formatting, a well-structured, easy-to-read description can make a big difference. Highlight the essential information—such as dimensions, materials, and unique features—while keeping your writing direct and customer-focused. You can still create a compelling listing without the extra tools; the key is clarity and relevance.
9. Image Optimization Tips
Customers rely on high-quality visuals to evaluate products, and having optimized images can significantly boost your listing’s conversion rate and search ranking. Amazon has specific guidelines to ensure product images are clear, accurate, and helpful. The most important image-related recommendations include:
Resolution: Amazon recommends that your product images be at least 1,000 pixels on the longest side. This allows for the zoom functionality, which is crucial for customers to see the details of your product up close. Low-resolution images won’t provide this level of clarity and can hurt your product’s appeal.
Background: Amazon requires a white background for your main image. This ensures that your product is visible and stands out without distractions. It also creates a clean, professional look that aligns with Amazon’s guidelines.
Quality: Your images must be high quality, meaning they should be sharp, focused, and free of blurriness or distortion. High-quality images reflect the product well and contribute to a more trustworthy shopping experience.
Alt-Text Optimization
Alt-text is a powerful but often overlooked element of image optimization. By adding relevant keywords to your image alt-text, you can improve the SEO of your product listing and make your images more likely to appear in search results. This can help drive additional traffic to your product page. For example, if you’re selling a stainless steel water bottle, include phrases like “durable stainless steel water bottle” or “insulated water bottle for travel” in the alt-text.
Multiple Angles & Features
Providing a variety of images that showcase your product from multiple angles and in different use cases can significantly enhance your listing’s effectiveness:
Show Size & Scale: Include images that help customers understand the product’s dimensions. For instance, show the product being held, placed on a desk, or next to a familiar object for scale.
Highlight Features: Use close-ups to showcase unique features, materials, and textures. If your product has specific details that set it apart (like a unique stitching pattern or a built-in feature), highlight them in the images.
Demonstrate Use Cases: Show your product in action. For example, if you’re selling a kitchen gadget, include images of it being used to prepare a dish. These lifestyle images help customers visualize how the product fits into their lives, making it more appealing.
Remember, your images are often the first impression customers have of your product—make sure they count.
Required: Titles & Images
Optimized Titles: 60 to 250 characters that include as many of these as possible:
Brand
Product Line/Collection
Material/Key Feature
Product Type
Color
Size
Packaging/Quantity
Effective Images: Five to nine recognizable images that match the product’s color, size, and other features, are well-lit, and include the entire product on a clean white background.
Conversion-drivers include these extras:
1000×1000 size that can be zoomed.
Images of products from different angles and in use.
Infographic or overlay text that highlights product features.
Recommended: Bullets & Descriptions
Bullet points are not required but are highly recommended on Amazon listings. Bullets are stand-out listed descriptors. Do not use them for promotions or pricing info. Best practices for Amazon bullet points:
Use up to five points, each with a maximum of 100 characters.
Highlight key product features like age appropriateness, skill level, country of origin, etc.
Begin each bullet with a capital letter.
Write in sentence fragments without final punctuation.
Order consistently across product pages (e.g. if material is the first bullet, make it first for all of your products).
Product descriptions are the last place shoppers look for product information, but they can add valuable details left out of the title and bullet points. The best product descriptions:
Contain 2,000 characters or fewer.
Expand on product features or uses.
Include additional relevant keywords that will help shoppers and the A10 Algorithm recognize relevance.
How can Agital improve your Amazon SERP position?
Amazon is the first (and last) stop for many consumers who are searching, researching, and purchasing. If you want your products to show up strong in those searches, you’ve got to do more than rely on automation to see the success you want. As in any business venture, you’ll only get out of Amazon SEO what you put into it.
Rather than burning through resources and trying to manually optimize each of your product listings, developing a focused SEO strategy that maximizes your brand’s unique assets can put you in a winning position.
The team at Agital is committed to helping merchants optimize their entire ecommerce funnel to grow faster and maximize profits. Improving your Amazon performance is an important part of our holistic approach to integrated solutions for attracting traffic to your Amazon Store, converting shoppers to buyers, and retaining customers for exponential sustained growth.
