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According to Business Insider, 66% of all product searches start on Amazon. With this in mind, brands know organic optimizations are the key to strong listings that will be more visible to shoppers.  

Increasing visibility leads to increased sales, and most brands aim to do this across their catalog. And although a fundamental understanding of traditional SEO is helpful, Amazon is a different ball game. 

Applying organic optimizations to your listings requires specific knowledge of the platform. On Amazon, organic optimizations on product detail pages go hand-in-hand with a well-researched keyword strategy to increase search visibility. Here we offer an overview of the how and why of Amazon SEO.

Amazon’s A9 Algorithm

As we alluded, Amazon SEO differs from traditional SEO, which most digital marketers may be more accustomed to practicing. For example, Google and Amazon are powered by their own search engine algorithms, for which organic ranking on each platform is unique. 

Amazon uses its A9 algorithm to process how each product on the marketplace should rank in the search results. It considers factors such as price, inventory levels, fulfillment method, and whether your product has the Buy Box.  

Aside from adjusting to the above where it makes sense, we help clients with their organic ranking through a strong keyword strategy.

The Components of a Strong Keyword Strategy 

Your keyword strategy is essential to your brand’s organic optimizations. And it should be designed to appeal to the Amazon shopper, not the Google searcher. 

With this in perspective, your brand will be able to create the foundation needed to improve its organic ranking. Below we outline what we consider and how we approach this for our clients:

• Keyword Research 

All aspects of your brand’s Amazon presence should be optimized with relevant search terms. Brands should compile a list of keywords at both the product- and category level. With this list in hand, brands can leverage it throughout their presence.

At Marketplace Strategy (MPS), we use reporting data, reviews, competitor listings, and third-party tools to research keywords for clients. 

• Product Titles 

The titles of your products heavily influence whether Amazon’s algorithm considers it relevant. And since they give shoppers their first impression of your product, it’s important for titles to be easy to read and informative. We recommend using top-priority keywords and including them at the beginning to make the most impact. Also, consider cutoff points for the mobile search result page display to ensure the most relevant information appears prior to the cutoff.

• Bullet Points 

A product’s bullet points are designed to share its features and benefits at a glance. When it comes to including keywords, consider using those with high search volume. Keyword research comes in handy here because the bullet points are a great place to answer common questions and provide the most important information the consumer needs to make a purchase.

• Product Description 

The product description is arguably the most overlooked aspect of a product detail page. But it still holds power when a keyword strategy is applied appropriately. It’s best used to elaborate on the bullet points and tell your brand’s story. When writing your product descriptions, consider second and third-tier keywords that weren’t used in the bullets or title. 

• Backend Search Terms 

Technical analysts at MPS leverage the 250 characters (without spaces) available in Amazon’s backend. We prioritize relevant and relatable product keywords that don’t overlap with keywords used throughout the product detail page. This is a great opportunity to include keywords found in customer reviews and competitor listings.

• Stores and A+ Content

Although A+ pages aren’t indexed by Amazon's algorithm, our strategists still include keywords pulled from the product’s title, description, and bullet points within the design. This helps to establish awareness and consistency for the brand and its products. For Stores, we include keywords that drive the most traffic to the brand’s website. 

• Where Advertising Fits in

Regardless of where the keyword strategy is applied, it’s also important to regularly loop in your advertising team to transfer knowledge about what’s performing best in active campaigns.

Understanding the how and why of Amazon SEO is a good starting point, but it’s only the tip of the marketplace’s iceberg. It’s no longer enough to upload your products without approaching every detail strategically. 

Organic optimization and a top-notch keyword strategy is a must. But, other elements of a brand's strategy, such as advertising and creative, are just as influential to success. 

If you could use the support of a strategic partner, schedule a free consultation. As always, we’re here to answer any questions.