For being successful in the competitive landscape of Amazon, sellers need to go beyond simply adding a product. They need to be smart and perform Amazon Product Page Optimization with each listing as by doing so, sellers can drive more traffic and eventually have a better conversion ratio. But for that sellers need to consider different aspects of amazon product page optimization and its best practices. Plus, they need to be aware of how amazon works and what are the best deals for them.
In the following article, we will try to dig into different aspects of product listings and Amazon product page optimization. Let us start with Amazon’s product search algorithm, which is also known as the A9 algorithm as understanding it is the first step for amazon product page optimization.
Introduction to Amazon’s A9 Algorithm
Just like any other search engine, the search box on Amazon also runs an algorithm to search crawl and display products that most likely match a search or query. This algorithm which runs for amazon to display the best results for their customers is popularly known as the A9 Algorithm. The algorithm looks at different products and decides on how to display them after going through different factors, which we will dive into later.
According to Amazon, the A9 algorithm not only uses those thousands of queries that customers have already made but also analyzes the search patterns and purchase histories for providing the best searching experience to users. Once a query is entered and the relevant products are gathered behind the curtain, A9 scores those products and presents them from the most relevant to the least.
This may sound as if A9 is similar to the google search algorithm. Well to an extent it is. However, A9 puts a strong emphasis on conversions which differs it from the google search algorithm. That means even if a page gets a bunch of page views and a low bounce rate, it won’t rank as well if visitors don’t end up making a purchase. For this reason, listings with a strong sales history and high conversion rates will rank more highly. It also creates a circular effect wherein products that are more prominent in search are more likely to receive traffic, high traffic makes it more likely to get more conversions, are more conversions means higher rankings.
That is why understanding A9 is important for sellers as amazon product page optimization starts from here. Moreover, it helps sellers to earn valuable leads for their business by improving the rank of their products. But what effects the A9 algorithm. In the next section, let's check out the factors that influence the A9 algorithm.
Factors That A9 Algorithm Looks for
Now we know that Amazon Listings with high conversion and sales rates have more chances to get displayed as results to query. So, what impresses a customer to buy a product will eventually let the listing perform better in A9. Here are some insights on the products that can help an amazon listing to improve its rank in the A9 algorithm directly or indirectly.
Strong Titles
For an amazon listing, Strong Titles are as important as a cover is for a book. A strong title includes keywords, clearly defines what your product is, and leaves little room for questions.
Backend Keywords
Sellers can also add “hidden” keywords to their Amazon listings. Although they’re not displayed, these keywords are super useful in optimizing your search results. Amazon limits the length of these term attributes to fewer than 250 bytes, a limit that applies both to newly registered and existing ASINs.
Concise Product Descriptions
No customer likes inaccurate, irrelevant, or misleading information. That is why the description of an amazon listing should include keywords that elevate the most important features or selling points of your product. Such a description can increase customer engagement and conversion rates.
Customer Reviews
Customer Reviews on amazon listings influence their ranking by a great deal. Though sellers do not have direct control over customer reviews, what they can do is met the satisfaction of the customers. This way the number of customer reviews will improve and so will the ranking
Eye-catching Images
Although images are not a direct, performance-related Amazon ranking factor, they can still play a critical role in click-through and conversion rates. The higher these metrics are for a certain keyword, the higher your product will rank in searches for that keyword.
Delivery
It is a fact that listings with fast delivery have higher conversion rates than those without. Further, amazon listings with Prime attract 88% of shoppers on Amazon. This means sellers have a far better chance to attract a major chunk of amazon traffic if they opt for amazon prime delivery. More traffic means a higher chance of conversions to a sale which ultimately influences the ranking of amazon listing.
Price
A better price is always a preference of customers. That is why prices of Amazon listings can have a huge impact on their conversion rate and sales performance. These factors, as said earlier, influence the ranking of listing and will display it more as the listing keeps on attracting and converting more customers.
Well, now you are aware of how to deal with the A9 algorithm. But is that enough for Amazon product page optimization? Well, there is more. Amazon listing has elements that influence Amazon product page optimization as well. In the next section, we will check out what are these elements and how sellers can deal with them.
The Elements of Amazon Product Listing
A product listing on Amazon has 6 different elements that influence the customer response to it. Not only these elements affect the Amazon product page optimization but also communicate what exactly is the listing about, and provides a summary of performance. These elements are:
Product Image
Indeed, the images can help in communicating more about the customers, especially when they are relevant and appear properly. Here you need to add quality images that are relevant to the product. Though Amazon allows you to upload 9 images, 6 images are enough to do the job.
Product Title
Amazon allows sellers to use 200 characters for putting a title for their Amazon listing. However, 80+ characters are good enough for creating a title. According to Amazon’s guidelines, a title should start with the brand name. here you must also use potential keywords in the order of their relevance.
Product Description
Here you need to write about your product "creatively" and add a blend of keywords that result in optimization. The description has a direct impact on the customers. That is why do not forget to add the USP of your product while writing a description. Keep the description precise, clear, and short.
Product Features
Product features are usually listed using BULLET POINTS rather than chunks of texts or large paragraphs. They are a simplified version of the product description and much easier to read.
Product Ratings
Both product ratings and product reviews are closely associated and go hand in hand with each other. here your target should be achieving more than 4 out of 5. If you are not able to achieve it, try to read the reviews and look for patterns in bad or negative reviews. Work on them and get better ratings to improve your overall performance.
Product Reviews
Just like product ratings, reviews should be positive too. Here your target is not achieving 1 or 10 positive reviews but you need to gather 500+ reviews to make your listing successful. Plus, these reviews should be positive.
How to List A New Product On Amazon?
Step 1: Logging in seller central account and go to the dashboard.
Step 2: Go to the “Inventory” option on the main menu
Step 3: Click “Add a Product” from the popped-up menu. Once clicked, the seller will be redirected to a new page where details of the product can be added.
Step 4: Here, the seller has a choice to either select an existing item or create a new one. The seller can search from Amazon’s catalog or choose to add a new product that is not sold on Amazon.
Step 5: Choose the right product category and subcategory. This is important as the new listing will appear as per this classification only. In absence of the right information, sellers can check the categories for a similar product and choose the same for the new listing.
Step 6: Provide product listing information. Here seller will be asked to fill in the product title, product description, product images, and other relevant details. Here a seller needs to provide the information just in the manner we discussed above so that Amazon product page optimization is checked in parallel to the information fed.
Step 7: Seller has to fill details in every tab named Variations, Offer, Images, Description, Keywords, etc. in case a seller encounters a red warning symbol on any of these tabs, it signifies some essential detail is not provided. Once all the tabs are filled with information and there is no warning symbol, the seller can submit the details and wait for the new amazon listing to get reflected.
Along with this, Amazon also allows sellers to add product videos that can further convince customers to buy their products. In the next section, we have shared more information on these product videos. Moreover, we have included guidelines for helping those sellers who want to use videos for their Amazon product page optimization
Amazon Product Video Guidelines
Adding a video with an amazon listing is a smart move and one of the best ways to convince a buyer to purchase your product, given that it is relevant and provides a better clarification about the product to them. Online shoppers like it if there is a video included for the product as 90% of them say that videos on amazon listings help them in explaining the product benefits and features in a much better manner. At amazon, videos can be added to amazon listing in the following ways:
Through A+ Content Manager (Enhanced Brand Content): This option is only for Professional sellers who are brand-registered
Through Amazon vendor central – this option is for those sellers who get an invite for doing so.
Adding video with customer reviews – this option is for everyone but is provided by the customer.
Further, as a seller, you can consider the following guidelines for adding a product video on Amazon
Ensure that you have copyrights to the product video
Though the minimum resolution required is 1280 × 720 but the use ideal resolution of 1920 × 1080.
Use the usual YouTube orientation or 16:9 aspect ratio for the video.
The video must be recorded with an RGB (Red-Green-Blue) color profile with 300 DPI (even 72 works well)
Use a single brand logo.
Use one of the file formats: MP4, MOV, FLV, AAC, AVI, 3GP, MPEG-2
Use PNG of JPEG for the thumbnail image of the video
The video’s thumbnail image should be of high quality.
Do not provide your contact information in the video
Stick to the objective of the video.
Do not add the product’s price in the video.
Do not include time-sensitive information (e.g., hot this year, on sale now, new item this year, etc.) in the video.
Do not include anything in the video that shows it can be used for criminal activity.
Do not include information about customer reviews in the video
Do not include any web links in the video other than Amazon.
Do not include any perverse or offensive content in the video.
Considering these guidelines, you can create a video that can help your product receive positive remarks from the customer. However, when it comes to fully optimize an amazon listing it takes more consideration. In the following section let us see how sellers can optimize their product listing.
How to Optimize Your Product Listing
Till now we have understood that the higher you rank the more you sell. And to gain that high rank you need to ensure that your product listing is optimized properly. Basically, it has two aspects:
Optimized with potential keywords to map the customer searching keywords and rank up
Optimized with the right set of images, titles, and descriptions to generate greater conversion rates.
Here your understanding of the A9 algorithm comes in handy. Remember at the end it the game of when your product got converted as sold or not. That is why you must understand “optimization,” more than just accomplishing higher rankings on Amazon’s search results. It should be about providing correct details and rewarding products as well.
Considering that we are talking about a quality product here, you need to consider product information and backend keywords for ensuring an optimized Amazon listing. Here product information means product image, product video (if applicable), Product title, Product price, and product reviews.
Before adding backend keywords, first, you need to perform keyword research. Here try to gather the potential keywords based on the product that you are selling. Once you decided what keywords you want to target, you can map them to “search terms” on the listing’s back-end. Do so is pretty easy as all you need to do is to put your main keywords, one per line.
However, as said earlier “optimization” needs focus on product information and keywords. By doing so, you can achieve a complete Amazon product page optimization that is visited frequently by the customers.
Along with product information, certain traits such as timely delivery also influence the customer approach to a product. This can influence the ranking of your product indirectly. For that reason, in the next section, we have given a brief about two ways of fulfilling orders to amazon customers. These are FBA and FBM.
FBA VS FBM
FBA (Fulfilled by Amazon) is Amazon’s warehousing and fulfillment service that allows sellers to send inventory to an Amazon warehouse and have their orders shipped by Amazon. For using FBA, there is an Amazon fulfillment fee and a monthly inventory storage fee. But this option is a good one for those who want to improve on conversions as it offers Prime shipping and wins the buy box when compared to an FBM option.
on the other hand, FBM (Fulfilled by Merchant) is a fulfillment method in which the seller takes full responsibility for storing inventory and shipping orders. Here, the seller is responsible for meeting Amazon’s service levels related to shipping and orders. Besides, the seller must provide customer service and returns processing for FBM orders.
While it is not written anywhere but people consider FBA as a ranking factor that plays into the search algorithm. In search, listings with FBA likely to have an advantage over FBM ones, all else being equal.
Enhanced Content & A+ Content
Today A+ Content and EBC or Enhanced Brand Content refer to the same offering by amazon that further helps sellers in adding impressive content to their listings. However, before July 2019, the two were different as A+ Content was only available to vendors, and EBC was a similar program but only for marketplace sellers.
A+ content helps in improving the conversion rate of buyers. It is a curated collection of multimedia elements that appear in “From the manufacturer” section of a product listing page on Amazon. Apart from giving a professional appearance to the page, A+ content also helps in influencing the customers in taking purchase-decisions and conversions. All in all, A+ content allows brands to share more detailed, rich, and even interactive, product, and brand information that feeds the curious nature of a customer.
Conclusion
The overall competition in the amazon space inclined by 8 % in 2019, which pushed sellers to be more thoughtful and proactive about their products. A smart way to deal with the competition is by doing Amazon product page optimization for products. By doing so sellers can display their products more than their competitors, thus making sales and earning profits.
But to do so sellers need to work on each and every aspect of their amazon listing. This includes information about the products, the type of content a seller adds, the amalgamation of right keywords, and consideration of factors that can impact the mindset of a customer directly or indirectly.