When you search for an answer online, you probably look at the first few results and rarely scroll further. The same applies when your customers use Amazon — if your item isn’t at or near the top of search results, you miss out on sales opportunities. If you’re trying to learn how to rank on page one on Amazon, you need to understand how Amazon SEO works.

Ranking on the first page can bring a host of benefits, including increased visibility, more traffic, and, ultimately, more sales.

In this blog post, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about Amazon SEO, from what it is and how it works to the different strategies you can use to achieve page 1 ranking. We’ll also provide guidance on how to choose the right strategy for your business and how to implement it.

Amazon SEO: What is it and how does it work?

Amazon SEO is the process of optimizing your product listing on Amazon to rank higher in Amazon’s search results.

To rank higher, you’ll need to choose the right keywords, optimize your product title, images and descriptions, follow best practices, and deliver exceptional customer service. 

It’s important to keep track of your Amazon SEO rankings and measure your progress over time. Many different tools and services can help with your Amazon SEO efforts by tracking and managing your products and providing valuable insights.

What factors does Amazon consider for ranking?

Amazon’s ranking algorithm, A9, differs from other search engines.

A9 considers the exact keywords used in the search query and their variations, so it’s important to populate your listings with the most relevant keywords. Price, availability and sales history along with the information provided in the title and description will influence your ranking as well.

There isn’t a simple solution that automatically moves your product to the top of page one, but there are many steps you can take to improve your product ranking on the marketplace. Amazon’s rankings are largely based on factors such as sales performance, product availability and seller ratings. This means that product optimization and Amazon keyword research are just a few of the many components to a successful Amazon ranking. 

Addressing some factors, such as sales performance and seller ratings, will be unique to your business and products. However, following best practices and valuable tips can improve many other critical elements, helping your products rank higher and improving visibility.  

Here are some of the other most important factors to consider when planning how to rank on Amazon.

Amazon Sales Rank 

The Amazon Sales Rank, commonly known as the Best Sellers Rank (BSR), displays the 100 best-selling products within each product category and sub-category on Amazon.

The BSR provides useful information to compare your sales with competitors. You can use a Chrome extension, like Jungle Scout, to view BSR data and other relevant stats directly from Amazon’s search results pages. 

Amazon’s algorithm also uses a product’s BSR when deciding its search ranking, as products with more sales are more likely to be a good choice for buyers. However, BSR numbers aren’t everything. A product ranking can appear low in a category with millions of products and still be included in the top 1%.

Customer reviews 

The number of satisfied customers you have is a great indicator that your product is worthy of holding the top spot on Amazon’s search results.

In reality, Amazon needs to be convinced that you will provide exceptional service to the potential buyer they recommend your product to.

This is why product reviews understandably play an important role in determining your search position. But it’s not the only reason customer reviews influence where you rank. Amazon cares about conversions, and the better feedback you receive as a seller, the more sales you make and the greater chance you have of appearing on the first page.

CTR and conversion rate 

Your click-through rate (CTR) is a measure of the number of clicks a link or ad receives divided by the number of times it was displayed, then multiplied by 100, and expressed as a percentage. For example, if an ad was served 100 times but only clicked once, it would have a CTR of 1%. 

While clicks don’t necessarily translate to sales, a higher CTR can indicate that your message resonates with your audience, potentially leading to more sales.

Along with your CTR, this can increase your conversion rate, which shares a similar formula. This rate is calculated by measuring the number of your conversions divided by the number of interactions, then multiplied by 100 and expressed as a percentage.

More people clicking through from the Amazon search results page to your product tells Amazon that your listing is relevant to the specific search query. In turn, this plays a huge role in Amazon deciding your overall rank.

This in itself isn’t enough, though. Amazon needs to be sure that you‌ convert customers once they land on your product page, which is why your conversion rate is another huge Amazon ranking factor.

Relevancy 

We’ve already discussed the role of keywords in Amazon SEO. But when it comes to the most important ranking factors, text match (specifically, the keywords used in your Amazon title), product description, and featured bullet points, all play their part.

The more relevant your keywords are (particularly the ones you use in the title), the better chance you have of securing a higher search position.

Price 

Amazon knows that its customers tend to seek the best deals, which is why one of the biggest factors it considers is pricing. Price also is considered when Amazon selects products for the Buy Box, another great opportunity for winning more sales.

Amazon constantly monitors the prices of products sold on the marketplace, so it’s important to keep your pricing competitive. This can help to not only improve your Amazon ranking but also capture a higher number of conversions. 

Avoid changing prices too much, however, as this could lead to confusion and a poor customer experience. For this reason, price consistency is another one of Amazon’s ranking considerations.

Amazon fulfilled products 

While Amazon doesn’t explicitly state that products fulfilled through FBA rank higher, you only need to search for something on Amazon to see that “Prime Eligible” listings are quite often at the top. 

In fairness to Amazon, this isn’t because it necessarily favors those who use its fulfillment service. Instead, Amazon knows that by using Fulfillment by Amazon, the seller will be reliable regarding delivery times while also offering exceptional customer service.

Something worth keeping in mind, however, is that you don’t have to use FBA to be Prime-eligible. There’s also the option of Seller Fulfilled Prime.

The benefits of ranking on Page 1 on Amazon

Ranking on the first page of Amazon can have a significant impact on your sales.

More traffic to your product listing means more potential customers will see your product, which can lead to more sales. In addition, ranking highly on Amazon can help build your brand and establish you as an authority in your industry or niche.

Increased visibility

One of the strongest benefits of ranking well on Amazon is, of course, increased visibility.

This means it’s easier for your business to attract more customers and boost sales. Because more users will see your products, you’re much more likely to convert a larger piece of that audience into customers. 

Greater credibility

Having your product near the top of search results can lead to greater credibility among your customers and prospects. When customers see a product ranked highly, they often view that as a sign of trustworthiness, especially because Amazon is such a large, well-known company.

Better brand recognition

Along with visibility, ranking well can help improve your brand recognition as a wider-range of customers can see your offering with greater frequency.

This also can lead to increased engagement, such as on social media, as shoppers may be more likely to share content related to a brand that appears on the first page of Amazon.

Competitive advantage

Outranking your competitors on Amazon is one of the most effective ways to develop a competitive advantage on the marketplace.

Customers are more likely to purchase from top results, which also can result in stronger brand recognition and loyalty. It can be valuable to regularly review the rankings of your business and your competitors to ensure you’re not missing opportunities by losing your position.

Stronger sales

Of course, sales are the primary reason your business listed products on Amazon in the first place.. Appearing on page one of Amazon’s results, in combination with all of the other benefits of effective Amazon SEO, plays a major role in determining your sales performance.

Keep in mind that it takes time and effort to rank higher on Amazon. But if you’re willing to put in the work, it can be a great way to boost your sales and build your brand.

3 key Amazon SEO strategies

There are three main Amazon SEO strategies: on-page optimization, off-page optimization and pay per click (PPC).

On-page optimization

On-page optimization is the process of optimizing your product listings for relevant keywords. This includes choosing the right keywords and using them throughout your product title, images and descriptions.

Off-page optimization

Off-page optimization is the process of building backlinks to your Amazon product listings. Backlinks are links from other websites that point to your listing. The more backlinks you have, the higher your listing will rank in Amazon’s search results.

Pay-per-click

Pay-per-click (PPC) is a paid advertising campaign where you bid on keywords relevant to your products. When someone searches for one of your keywords, your ad will appear in the search results. You only pay when someone clicks on your ad.

Which strategy you use depends on your goals and budget. If you’re just starting, on-page optimization is a good place to begin because it’s free and doesn’t require a lot of time or effort. Off-page optimization can take more time and effort, but it can be worth it if you want to rank higher in Amazon’s search results. PPC can be effective if you’re looking for immediate results and are willing to spend money on ads.

No matter which strategy you choose, it’s important to track your progress and adjust your approach as needed. By regularly monitoring your progress and making changes as needed, you can ensure that you’re always moving closer to your goal of ranking page one on Amazon.

Understanding the value of each SEO approach

There are a few different things to consider when choosing the right Amazon SEO strategy for you.

The first is your budget. If you’re working with a limited budget, you may want to start with on-page optimization since no cost is involved. If you’re willing to spend money on ads, then pay-per-click may be a good option for you.

It’s also vital that you keep your goals in mind and maintain strategic alignment. What are you hoping to achieve by ranking higher in Amazon’s search results? If you’re looking to increase sales on Amazon, then ranking higher can lead to more conversions and help build your brand. If you just want more traffic to your listing, then any of the strategies could work for you.

You also need to consider how much time and effort you’re willing to put into ranking higher on Amazon. On-page optimization doesn’t require a lot of time or effort, but it may take longer to see results. Off-page optimization can take more time and effort, but it can be worth it if you’re looking to rank higher in Amazon’s search results. PPC can be effective if you want immediate results.

Image quality

Pictures are worth a thousand words, and your product images can make or break a sale on Amazon. With eight image slots available for each listing, it’s crucial to use this space to convey all of your important product information and to use high-quality images.

It’s important to showcase your products in the best light possible, too. This includes displaying products from different angles, using high-resolution images that enable Amazon’s zoom function, and demonstrating how the product is used to help potential buyers visualize the benefits.

Product title

Your product title is a crucial element in attracting potential customers on Amazon. Along with the main product image, it’s the only chance you have to grab their attention. To maintain high marketplace standards, Amazon provides specific guidelines for creating your listing titles, including the requirement for all words to be capitalized, grammatically correct and free of punctuation.

It’s important to keep in mind that all Amazon titles should start with the brand and product name, but you also should incorporate the keywords you’ve identified to improve search visibility.

By following these guidelines and putting effort into crafting a compelling product title, you can increase the chances of capturing the attention of potential customers and making a sale.

Featured bullet points

With 1,000 characters to use across five or more bullet points, you need to ensure that you address your product’s key features. If you’ve already conducted keyword research, you should have a better understanding of what your customers want to know. Use this insight, along with key information you think they need to know, to structure these bullet points.

This also is a good opportunity to address any common objections and questions that arise. Remember, you can (and should) update this regularly to highlight any new questions customers ask you.

Product description

Use the product description to elaborate on the key points and features you included in your bullet points along with more specific information, such as dimensions, care instructions and warranties.

Use descriptive language and persuasive messaging to help convince customers to take action. It’s important to remember that you cannot include company-specific information anywhere in your product description or listings.

You also should incorporate backend keywords — search terms that aren’t visible on your product description but which Amazon uses to help categorize and rank your product. For example, you can include phrases, synonyms, abbreviations or alternative product names to make it easier for customers to search for your products. 

Amazon Sponsored Products

Amazon’s pay-per-click advertising option, Sponsored Products, lets you boost the visibility of your listings through ads that will display next to the search results for the keywords you’re targeting.

All you need to do is select the product(s) you want to promote, choose your keywords and set bids for how much you want to spend.

This can be a great option for companies that want increased exposure and improved rankings without the knowledge or resources required to achieve those results organically. Another benefit of Amazon Sponsored Products is that it can improve your organic listings, which could‌ help drive sales even after your campaign ends. 

Relevant category information

To maximize your success, it’s essential to list it in the correct category. Amazon tries to direct you to the most relevant category when searching for a product, such as by pointing a search for “candle” to the “Home & Kitchen” category.

Listing your product in the wrong category can lead to missed sales opportunities. For example, if you sell a candle and don’t list it in the “Home & Kitchen” category, your product won’t be visible to anyone who searches or selects “candles in Home & Kitchen.” 

If you have a product that could fit into multiple categories, choose the most common one. You can determine this by searching for a similar product and looking at the order of categories listed on the left side of the page.

Once you’ve selected your category, Amazon will ask for specific information about your product. Completing this information will increase your chances of appearing in relevant filtered searches and help potential buyers find you easily.

Managing an ongoing Amazon SEO strategy

By understanding how Amazon’s search engine works and following these best practices, you can increase your chances of ranking highly in Amazon’s search results. Remember, Amazon SEO practices focus on long-term success rather than immediate results. 

While there are opportunities to improve your ranking and drive sales, you should include this process as part of your overall ecommerce strategy. Regular review and continuous improvement are key to making the most of your efforts. With careful planning and effective implementation, you can improve the visibility of your products and connect with more customers to drive growth. 

Making your products easy to find by ranking well on Amazon is just one way to offer a convenient shopping experience for your customers.

For your business to thrive, it’s important that you adapt to evolving consumer needs and expectations. Find out what your customers expect from the future of ecommerce.