Everyone wants to boost their ranking on Amazon. So, it's vital to understand how the ranking algorithm of Amazon works, right?
But the thing is, a lot of sellers don't know how much Amazon can help them deliver results. It turns out that most buyers are three times more likely to look up a product on Amazon than on Google. Most people go there and see if the product is actually worth buying.
Meaning, if you rank well on Amazon, you'd get customers that are three times more likely to buy your products than on Google. How cool is that?
What is Amazon’s A9 Algorithm?
At its core, A9 is Amazon's algorithm, the one it uses in product search. It's a gradually maturing algorithm that will eventually get more complex over time.
However, as of the moment, it operates to be a simple and straightforward keyword search method that shows product results for searching customers. It's also the one deciding which products to show, as well as how high will those product's rankings are based on the following criteria:
Past customer preferences and behavior
Quantity of previous purchases of a particular product
Relevance to search words
Every Amazon seller knows how crucial it is to be favored on Amazon's search engine. Not to mention that appearing on top of the search results is vital to success.
Chances are, products that don't appear on the first page won't be seen by a majority of shoppers who don't scroll past the first page of the search results. In fact, there are even others that don't make it past the first three listings.
So, you should put your efforts to be on top of the first three listings. At this stage, it’s really crucial to optimize your products for the Amazon A9 search engine. It also helps that you hire or consult with experts from Amazon marketing agencies in order to succeed.
Now, we'll move on to the number of ways on how you can rank your products on the top spot of Amazon's search results.
Increase the relevance of product page
The product relevance in the search terms of your customers is one of the most important elements that will impact your product ranking. Here are some aspects that you have to take into consideration:
Title
Amazon's title optimization is quite different from Google. Google needs simpler terms, unlike Amazon that digs deep with keywords.
So, fill your title with as many keywords as you can. The more that you can add, the better. Keep in mind though that the platform has begun to standardize the title.
Here are some things that you can include in your title:
Brand
Product
Quantity
Color
Material
Bullet Points
It's essential to properly describe your product in bullet points. Amazon also doesn't allow goods that are not properly described in the Buy Box.
Note that every bullet field has a 500 character limit. But the recommended number of characters is about 250 since you don't want to overwhelm shoppers.
Moreover, make those bullet points as detailed as possible. Here, you can include the benefits, attributes, and features of the products.
Try to place yourself in your customer's shoes, and think of the information that you'll be putting out before making an informed purchasing decision.
Description
Your product description is like an extension of the bullet points. As long as you place keywords in your product listing, there is a high chance that your products will show up on search results.
Search Terms
Amazon is composed of five search term fields. On the back of your product listing, search terms are found in your detail page and hold a lot of weight in your keyword relevancy.
So, enter the most important keywords that you could think about. Avoid using different or alternative spellings, synonyms, and repeating words.
Brand and manufacturer
Your brand can attract other users out there that are searching for specific brands.
That way, if a particular customer uses a manufacturing number to search, then you should also consider placing it in the title.
Also, as much as possible, place the name of your brand in your title. This helps consumers that are searching for your brand name to find your products.
Improve your conversion rate
The higher your conversion rate is, the higher the chance that Amazon will recommend your products.
A high conversion rate simply shows that a specific product is highly likely to fulfill the customers' needs and demands. It also brings in higher interest and conversions to Amazon itself.
Here are some points that you should take note of:
Sales Rank
Try searching a product on Amazon. From there, you'd know that the products that have the highest sales are the ones that always rank on the top results of the search page.
So, the more sales that you get, the higher the ranking. The higher your ranking is, the more sales!
Product Reviews
The most crucial part is the number of reviews your product has.
Let's say, a customer wants to know more about a specific product you're selling. They’ll tend to check the review section first. That way, they’ll know what the users who have bought the product in the past have to say about it.
That's why you need to get more positive reviews, especially when you're submitting a new product listing. What you can do is to recommend your products with your target audience via emails to get more sales and reviews over time.
Product Image
The size and quality of the photo that you choose are also crucial. Choosing a large, clear, and high-quality visual is always a bonus. It's easy for prospects to become disinterested with the product especially if it's small and isn't clear.
Here are also things that you need to keep in mind:
The photo should be well lit (to be able to zoom, you must have at least a minimum of 1,000 by 1,000 pixels.)
Show all the product angles.
Show how the product is used or worn.
The photo must have excellent resolution.
Variant products
Most sellers want to come up with multiple listings for various product attributes. But the thing is, this isn't a good idea.
Instead, utilize the Amazon multi-attribute variant function to come up with a listing and then direct your buyers to a specific page. By doing so, you can boost overall sales and generate a lot of customer reviews.
All attributes are shown on a single product page. As a result, buyers don't have to change pages just to make a purchasing decision.
Bounce Rate
Your bounce rate significantly affects your conversion rate.
When a prospective buyer stays on your page for quite a long time, the higher the chances that they will buy your product. Thus, it will significantly boost your conversion rate.
So, it's time to rethink your strategy if you have high bounce rates.
Pay attention to product feedback
Feedback on your product is an important aspect, and therefore, shouldn't be overlooked. When more consumers are returning your products with negative feedback, then your authority will drop.
Order Defect Rate (ODR)
Order defect rate or ODR is a factor that will be calculated in the search ranking algorithm of Amazon.
Let's say a customer claims that a particular order has some sort of defect. Product defects eventually lead to negative feedback. So it's crucial to resolve these issues as they happen.
Fulfillment by Amazon
Your items that are fulfilled by Amazon will rank higher than those items that were fulfilled by a merchant.
Professional Seller Account
A professional seller account will cost you a couple of bucks. However, the good thing about it is that it will exempt you from paying the one-dollar product fee that Individual Account holders are paying.
Just like fulfillment with Amazon, having a professional seller account will boost your visibility on search results because of the "Buy Box."
Found on the right side of the page of the search results is the Buy Box, wherein Amazon lists down the most recommended sellers.
Negative feedback
As mentioned earlier, negative feedback will be counted against you when it comes to product search results. It reflects the service of your store aside from customer service and shipments.
In-stock rate
Amazon will not recommend a specific product to users especially if it won't be immediately shipped. So, it's always advisable that you keep an inventory. That way, it's easier to implement your sales plan.
A Final Word
So there you have it. By now, you might have a better understanding of the search engine of Amazon and how it functions. Keep in mind that all of the factors we've discussed in this article should be considered altogether.
Most of your efforts will go to waste if you choose to only concentrate on one. For you to be able to get better rankings in Amazon's search results, then you need to optimize all aspects as much as possible, and then master every single minute detail.
Author
Bryan Mixon of AmazeLaw, a marketing platform built specifically for solo and small firms. Our mission is to make marketing a consistent, painless and fruitful habit for firms.
