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The Ultimate Guide for Amazon Keyword Optimization [2023]

amazon keyword

Discoverability is the first step towards reaching more potential customers. After all, how can buyers purchase your products if they don’t see your listings? The right keywords can improve your listing quality and steer more potential customers toward your brand. 

Although it isn’t rocket science, Amazon keyword optimization is a complex marketing task simply because it’s ever-changing and never-ending. While manual listing optimization and keyword research are challenging and time-consuming, AI-driven automation can change an Amazon seller’s entire marketing process.

What is Amazon keyword optimization?

Amazon keyword optimization is a method of improving listings so products rank higher in searches. 

Amazon shoppers find product listings by entering a word or phrase into the search box. The marketplace platform then presents potential buyers with items relevant to the term by searching listings’ titles, descriptions, images, product features, and pricing.  

Keywords are the starting point of search engine marketing. You can increase your discoverability by developing your keyword database, and optimizing keywords is an ongoing campaign to uncover new opportunities and expand a brand’s reach. 

Your listing can stand out from the competition by utilizing appropriate terms or optimized keywords. Think of Amazon keyword optimization as a process to engage with the platform’s more than 300 million customers.  

Why is keyword optimization important?

Amazon uses a search engine algorithm that adapts to customers’ patterns to display the product listings they are most interested in finding. The data in the platform’s catalog allows the algorithm to provide tailored results. Sellers who incorporate keyword strategies can sharpen their competitive edge and increase sales

Almost all digital marketing strategies center around keyword optimization because it is an essential and high-returning tool to reach a brand’s audience. Keyword optimization – or search engine optimization (SEO) – tactics can boost brand and product visibility, drive more traffic to product listings, and improve conversions. 

A conversion rate is the percentage of buyers taking action, such as making a purchase, compared to the total number of listing visitors. Conversion rates are key performance indicators (KPIs) for measuring your optimization efforts. 

How to Do Amazon Keyword Optimization

An Amazon SEO strategy uses optimized keywords to improve elements that land listings higher in the search results – ideally on the first page. One of Amazon’s algorithm requirements is text-match relevance, and it intrinsically ranks listings with phrases that apply to the shopper’s keywords. 

But Amazon keyword optimization is more than simply writing paragraphs with what you think people want to read. And product listings oversaturated with keywords can actually backfire – especially if the content isn’t helpful or engaging for buyers. 

If you need help troubleshooting key optimization, below are the steps toward improving your Amazon listings. 

1. Keyword research

Start by composing a comprehensive list of words and phrases that potential buyers use when searching for your products. Think of the customer’s perspective and the terms they might use to find the desired item. 

Here are some bullet points on how to get started with Amazon keyword research: 

  • Type phrases in the search box and look at the drop-down suggestions
  • Explore the suggested and related items 
  • Check short-tail keywords for broader searchers to see what is already out there
  • Use the auto-complete feature to find more specific long-tail keywords

Shoppers use short-tail keywords when they are discovering items and information. These keywords usually result in lower conversion rates since the customer is still weighing options. “Short-tail” refers to the general words a shopper would use when starting their search for an item. 

Long-tail keywords are specific, targeted phrases. Long-tail keywords have a lower search volume and competition because the potential customer is more explicit with their search. This also means they have higher conversion rates. 

Keyword research tools help you connect with your customers and address their needs. They use AI and machine learning algorithms to provide a list of the most relevant keywords for your listing. They analyze Amazon’s algorithm that decides the order of sales results and then determines which keywords create the most effective product listings. 

Armed with that list, you can create compelling content that emphasizes how your product can solve their problem or improve their lives. Great keyword research can uncover important aspects of potential customers’ behavior and needs as well as missed opportunities to sell to them. 

2. Competitive research

Look at your competitors’ product listings to compare search terms, examine their products’ features, and evaluate their strengths and weaknesses. Analyze their frequently used keyword phrases and how they are using them. You can gain an advantage by gathering insights and strategies that work for others and improving upon them. 

Some Amazon seller tools can help with this. For example, Sellesta automatically identifies your direct and indirect competitors and tracks their BSR, prices, ranking, and listing optimization score – all in real time. 

Plus, their AI analyzes key tags and the emotional tone of key tags in reviews to break down what customers really think about your competitors’ products. Gain insights into why customers love (or don’t love) a competitor’s product, and how to adjust your product and listing accordingly. 

3. Product listing evaluation

Your performance in the marketplace relies heavily on how potential customers perceive your products. Misspellings and missing information can deter buyers.

Here are some bullet points on listing optimization to consider:

  • Photos should be well-lit, properly focused, easily recognizable, and occupy around 80 percent of the space. They should also match the product description. 
  • The product title should contain at least 80 characters with dashes or pipes (|) to improve readability. Good title descriptions include color, quantity, measurements, and relevant keywords.
  • The description and features of product listings are the advertising that tells shoppers factual information and highlights the essential features. But avoid time-sensitive or subjective terms, such as “on sale now” or “great value.”

Information should be easy to read. Bullet points simplify large paragraphs but limit them to no more than five points. 

4. Integrating keywords

You can improve your listing quality by adding keywords to multiple areas of your listings. The four areas to focus keyword optimization efforts include:

  • Product titles: This is the first opportunity to capture shoppers’ attention and Amazon’s algorithm with one or two choice keywords. Place the most relevant keywords at the beginning of the title. 
  • Key features (bullet points): Bullet points are more straightforward for shoppers to read and digest information. Each key feature should influence the customer’s decision to purchase the product and include a keyword not used in the title. 
  • Product descriptions: The description helps customers find and evaluate products, and is an excellent opportunity to feature long-tailed keywords with large search volumes. Again, use keywords not previously cited in other parts of the listing. 
  • Backend search keywords: This is your last opportunity to add optimized keywords. Since this area is not visible to potential buyers, it’s an excellent place to add awkward keywords that do not flow with your content. 

Make sure not to keyword stuff, repeat keywords, or add misspelled keywords. 

5. Optimize the rest of your listing

A solid Amazon SEO strategy considers more than just where you can place optimized keywords. Other opportunities for optimization include: 

  • Reviews: Positive reviews speak highly of your products and services. The best way to maintain good reviews is to follow Amazon’s best practices, which include writing accurate product descriptions, addressing customer service issues promptly, and fulfilling orders and returns according to the platform’s standards. In some cases, you may be able to ask Amazon to remove negative reviews. 
  • Sales: “Best Sellers” and “Movers and Shakers” are Amazon filters that show shoppers popular products and the biggest gainers by sale ranks. And the marketplace updates these hourly.  
  • Pricing: Your products’ costs influence conversion rates and sales growth, and price adjustments based on your inventory and your competition can keep your rank high. 

6. Use an Amazon keyword optimization tool

Are you feeling overwhelmed? Creating and maintaining a professional Amazon account can be challenging if you try to undertake all digital marketing tactics on your own. Fortunately, Sellesta integrates keyword search, listing optimization, competitor research, and review analysis all in one platform. 

Amazon Keyword Optimization Best Practices

Amazon has more than 300 million active users for a reason. The eCommerce company identifies what shoppers want and gives it to them. In addition to providing a vast marketplace of diverse products, the retailer has honed the best-selling practices to which shoppers relate and respond.

1. Don’t Keyword Stuff

Keyword stuffing is the practice of inserting too many keywords into the content, and it can land your listing and brand in trouble with Amazon’s algorithm. A few different kinds of keyword stuffing include:

  • Inserting words and phrases that are irrelevant to your product.
  • Unnaturally repeating keywords and disrupting the text flow.
  • Using blocks of keywords.

Keyword stuffing weakens the user experience of your listing. Overloading your listing with an excessive number of keywords can even make it unreadable.

2. Focus on the Customer

Shoppers like to read product information that is relevant to their search. You can differentiate yourself from the competition by producing customer-centric content that delivers greater value. Focusing on addressing their needs sets the foundation for meeting your business goals and achieving selling success. 

Customer-focused content answers questions like:

  • What are your target audience’s shopping goals?
  • How is your product the solution to their goals or problems?
  • What information do they need to complete the purchase?
  • What are the emotional triggers and other drivers behind their needs and actions?

You might be surprised that the answers to these questions are often in the keywords. For instance, keyword phrases can ask questions, like,  “What is the best product to clean grime?” Or, they allude to emotions and desires, such as “thoughtful gift for a first-time mom.”

3. Track Your Success

Your KPIs indicate your success, allow you to track data, and generate meaningful insights to align strategies with your short- and long-term goals, including: 

  • Acquiring new customers.
  • Generating new sales.
  • Building brand awareness
  • Launching new products
  • Getting more ratings and reviews
  • Selling in a new Amazon marketplace (think internationally)
  • Switching fulfillment methods (fulfillment by Amazon or by the merchant) 

Remember that optimizing product listings is not a set-it-and-forget-it task. Maintaining an optimized listing means tracking your rating and making changes as needed. You may need to update your listings every so often to keep up with the latest trends and stay competitive.   

Sellesta makes it easy to survey your listing score with a checklist that analyzes the factors Amazon uses to determine its value for millions of potential customers. The automated platform identifies and monitors your direct and indirect competitors – including the new ones entering the market – and tracks the best seller rank (BSR), prices, and important keywords to maximize organic traffic and improve sales. 

Then, with just a click, you can renew your listings directly with the latest insights and keywords. Sellest.ai also simplifies the copywriting process by discovering what your existing, new, and prospective customers think about your products.  

Best Amazon Keyword Optimization Tools & Services

Your business does not need to post Amazon optimization jobs to get sales-boosting services. Automation tools and applications can be cost-effective alternatives that push your listings to where potential buyers see them without the time-consuming efforts of doing the research yourself. 

Amazon keyword optimization tools and other Amazon seller apps can increase the discoverability of your listings simply by implementing words and phrases customers use to find products.  

1. Sellesta.com

Sellesta optimizes product rankings and improves revenue by evaluating product listings’ main aspects, including titles, descriptions, review counts, and tonality for Amazon sellers and agencies. The cloud-based solution maximizes sellers’ conversion rates and their return on advertising spending using an AI-driven listing optimizer that does not require the sellers’ manual input. 

The app finds top keywords to optimize listings and users can publish those performance enhancers in one click. It also generates a quality score and a checklist of Amazon’s best practices. It highlights missing indicators to ensure sellers have the best listing possible.   

Features: 

  • Listing scoring through an optimization checklist that evaluates the main aspects of listings, including product title, description, review count, and tonality.
  • Keyword search and integration of the most important keywords for your listing to maximize organic traffic and get more sales. 
  • Competitive analysis of your direct and indirect competitors to track their best seller rank, prices, ranking, and listing optimization score in real-time. 
  • Insights and review analysis of your customers’ thoughts and emotions about your and competitors’ products.

Pricing

  • Free to try out the main features with no credit card required 
  • $5 per month for everything you need to optimize your store’s listings
  • $39 per month for additional automation for professionals and enterprises

2. Amazon Sellers App

The Amazon Seller app helps sellers grow and run their accounts. Sellers can create and edit product listings and manage their inventory, pricing, and orders. It gives users everything they need for order fulfillment, including using their smartphones to scan barcodes, take professional-looking photos, and upload information and documents. 

The app provides basic product listing and advertising analysis and the ability to add backend keywords and search terms. It can even help sellers troubleshoot issues such as customer service inquiries and reviews. However, it does not have keyword optimization strategies. 

Features: 

  • Easy and remote access to Amazon store features for professional-quality creation, management, and analysis of product listings. 
  • Management of product campaigns and promotions to track advertising spending, impressions, and average cost-per-click. 
  • Additional management tools to evaluate essential metrics of account health and access Amazon’s Seller Support team. 

Pricing: Free

3. Repricer

Repricer.com automatically adjusts the price of sellers’ products using a strategy based on guidelines set by the user. Sellers can set rules based on their product’s current characteristics or performance and target their competitors’ prices. 

For example, the software can increase prices when competitors are out of stock or modify the charge formulated on the sellers’ available stock. Additionally, this can increase the number of sales by lowering the price to win the Amazon Buy Box spot. 

Features: 

  • Competitor analysis of your top competitors’ products, fulfillment methods, and average selling price. 
  • Access critical information and data analytics about your listings’ performance, including best fulfillment methods, flagging underperformers, and products making the most sales and revenue.
  • Flexible rules and intelligent pricing without pricing your products at a loss or competing with out-of-bound sellers.  

Pricing:

  • $85 to $105 monthly for up to 5,000 listings in the Express plan.
  • $259 to $309 monthly for up to 50,000 listings in the Plus plan.
  • $409 to $509 monthly for up to 250,000 listings in the Ultimate plan.
  • $1,249 to $1,549 monthly for up to one million listings in the Extreme plan. 

4. GeoRanker

GeoRanker is an Amazon SEO strategy tool that provides insights to improve sellers’ visibility by following and monitoring the search engine results for ranking the user’s account and targeted keywords. The software offers and continuously develops tools to track and improve a website’s SEO or search engine marketing (SEM) efforts from a local perspective.

The app offers advanced web scraping and database generation for raw contact data, regardless of location. It gathers data from advertisers, keywords, and organic information. GeoRanker also provides insights into marketing campaigns.

Features: 

  • Local rank tracker and heat map for geo-based information – including keyword discovery and Google image rank tracking – in targeted areas, which can improve your regional Amazon SEO strategy in more than 150 countries. 
  • Keyword suggestion tools to identify relevant keywords and get topics for content creation that interest your target audience. 
  • Keyword density tool to ensure your descriptions and other content is not over-optimized and negatively affected by search engines. 

Pricing

  • $99 monthly for the Pro plan to track 100 keywords in 50 locations.
  • $249 monthly for the Agencies plan to track 500 keywords in 50 areas.
  • $490 monthly for the Enterprise plan to track 1,500 keywords in 100 locations. 

Make Amazon Keyword Optimization Easier

Optimizing the keywords in your Amazon listing is critical to higher ranks, more traffic, and better conversions. 

With Sellesta, you’ll have a powerful multi-tool to optimize your listings, integrate essential keywords, analyze competitors, and generate content with AI!

Save time and effort, focus on your products, and engage your target audience with Sellesta.

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