Creating an Amazon listing is easy. Getting it to stand out? That's a different story. In today's Amazon marketplace, you have to fully optimize your listing from top to bottom if you want to make it to the top of the search results and maximize your conversions. Here are our 10 top tips for Amazon product listing optimization.

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Amazon Product Listing Optimization Tips For FBA Sellers

It's true - selling online used to be simple. There was less competition, which meant more room in the marketplace - even for commonplace items. Today, Amazon hosts over 300 million products. Sourcing a product and creating a listing is no guarantee for success when competition is so fierce.

For years, PPC has been the primary backbone for many new businesses on Amazon - and while PPC is still incredibly important for e-commerce sellers, it is admittedly not the most important.

The fact is that about 90% of product views come from search results1 - not ads or sponsored products. This means that most traffic to your listing will be acquired as customers actively look for your product.

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Your success depends on your ability to make it on that first page of a shopper's search results. About two-thirds of clicks take place on the first page1. Most shoppers only stick around to wade through one to two pages (perhaps three, if you're lucky).

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So, how do you build a listing that works with Amazon's algorithms to get to the top of the charts? Let's find out.

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The Amazon A10 (Formerly A9) Algorithm

Amazon wins when customers easily find exactly what they are looking for and buy it quickly. This depends on Amazon's ability to show customers relevant listings every time they shop. That's where the Amazon A10 Algorithm comes into play. This algorithm decides which products to prioritize when shoppers search for an item. To understand how you should optimize your listing, you must understand how the A10 algorithm works.

Changes have been made recently to the algorithm that makes organic optimization more important than ever.

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Here are the primary factors that Amazon's A10 Algorithm uses to rank products. These have stayed the same.

• Sales History. Your product needs to remain in stock and have a consistent sales history. A history of out-of-stock or "running low" items will work against you.
• Reviews. The more positive reviews your product has, the better. Amazon prioritizes products with a high review count, where most of the reviews are four or five-star ratings.
• Conversion Rate. Your conversion rate is the percentage of customers who purchase your product after viewing your page. If customers regularly visit your listing and decide not to buy, this negatively affects your ranking.
• Keywords. Keywords are vital for ranking on Amazon. The A10 Algorithm uses relevant keywords to ensure shoppers see listings that are relevant to their search terms - no matter how simple or detailed it is.
• Fulfillment Method. FBA sellers are prioritized above FBM sellers. If you want to rank well on Amazon, you have to choose FBA.

Some of the new elements to keep an eye on include:

• The importance of seller authority. Seller authority is determined by how well your listing performs compared to your competitors. You can gain seller authority by winning the buy box, having positive customer feedback, having longevity as a seller, using variations to your advantage, and ultimately offering a better product than your top competitors.
• Organic sales. PPC can get you started - but you must fully optimize your Amazon listings so that customers find your product naturally. This is critical. The A10 algorithm elevates organic search results, traffic, and sales more than in the past - which means you can only partially rely on paid traffic to rank well.
• Click-through rates. This is the rate at which a customer will click on your listing when it is in front of them. Whether customers see your product because you've sponsored it or because they found it organically, you must optimize your listing to grab their attention (and their clicks!) immediately.
• Sales from recommended products. The new A10 formula considers sales gained from other internal methods, such as "frequently bought together" or "recommended products." Accurate PPC campaigns and optimized keywords can ensure your listing is found in these places.
• Sales from external traffic. Amazon loves receiving traffic from external sites. If you can generate sales from your social media page, website, or blog - they reward this algorithmically.

Amazon keeps part of its algorithm a secret - and we like it that way. The bottom line is that the A10 algorithm is built to generate the most sales for Amazon and keep their customers the happiest they can be. So if you want to rank well on Amazon search engines according to their ever-changing algorithm, you must learn how to optimize your Amazon listing (and use PPC to your advantage, of course).

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10 Tips to Optimize Your Amazon Listing

Let's get right to it. Here are ten simple ways to optimize your Amazon product listing and start ranking higher in the search results.

1. Use Keyword Research. Search engine optimization on any platform, including Amazon, starts with keyword research. You must gain a research-backed understanding of what words and phrases are relevant to your product and include those words in every aspect of your listing. 

There are a few essential areas to include these keywords: your product title, product descriptions, bullet points, backend keywords, and the listing keyword entries. The rule of thumb is this: use every character you're allotted and make every character count. Wherever you can put text, it must be stuffed with accurate keywords and written in an engaging format.

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2. Include Variations. You can optimize your listing by including relevant variations within your product listing. Don't make multiple listings for different versions of the same thing - this will harm your ranking. Instead, offer a variety of colors, versions, or multi-packs on the same page.

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3. Choose The Right Category. Make sure you get detailed with the category of your listing. You can optimize your product page by ensuring you are as specific as possible with the category and avoiding errors in this department. The more specific you are, the less competition you have within any given category branch. If you can rank well in a specific category, this will also boost your overall ranking.

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4. Use The Right Images. Your product images are massively important to your ranking. You need to have a white-background photo, a few lifestyle photos, high-quality infographics, and some detail shots showcasing the key product features. All photos must be professionally taken. You can rely on 3D renders for some of the variation shots and infographics, but the primary listing photos must be real.

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5. Create Product Videos. Video is a game-changer for an Amazon seller. Including a professional, high-quality video in your listing is a surefire way to stay optimized and start ranking well. Not only will it help you rank well, but you can use video for ads and as multipurpose content for social media.

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6. Enroll In Brand Registry. Amazon's Brand Registry gives you access to many key features unregistered sellers can't enjoy. Registered brands are also favored in the algorithm and can advertise in new ways. Additionally, registered brands can use Amazon A+ content - another great way to optimize your listing!

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7. Encourage Reviews. You need reviews to rank well on Amazon. However, you are not allowed to ask for or purchase positive reviews. You may include insert cards in your deliveries requesting honest feedback or enroll in the Amazon Vine program to send free products to trustworthy Amazon reviewers in exchange for a comprehensive review.

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8. Be Responsive. Respond to customer feedback, questions, and messages. Thank customers for positive reviews, kindly address negative reviews, and provide helpful answers to any questions left on your listing. This will boost your listing health.

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9. Use Amazon's Latest Features. Always assume that Amazon wants you to use its newest features. Follow Amazon Ads, Amazon Seller Central account, and other Amazon accounts online to stay up-to-date with recent seller features and updates. Don't be afraid to try something new. The algorithms may favor you as you lean into whatever features Amazon is excited about.

10. Price Right! Pricing is incredibly important. Especially in a struggling economy, customers are looking for the best value at the lowest price. You need to provide that value consistently. You can use a third-party pricing app or management service to ensure your price stays where it needs to, day in and day out.

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Conclusion

You should optimize your listing before your product launch goes live - but don't stop there. Since algorithms are constantly evolving and keyword data changes routinely, you should continually optimize your Amazon product listing. Make it a habit to improve your product listings and fine-tune things as you collect data and decide what works best for you. Use A/B campaigns to discover the best version of your listing. Amazon FBA is a field undergoing constant growth - so stay relevant, keep things optimized, and start top-ranking. Still trying to figure out where to start? Our team of Amazon experts can help!

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