Curious about the factors affecting Amazon SEO over the years? Let’s dive into what matters most in 2024 to get your products seen and sold.
You’ve probably spent countless hours tweaking your Amazon listings, hoping to climb to the top of search results. But let’s face it: Amazon SEO is a complex beast.
You’ve got keywords, A+ content, and a million other things to worry about. The question is: What really matters?
Discover the proven strategies our Amazon agency uses to skyrocket our clients’ products to the top of Amazon search results. Keep reading to uncover the secrets to Amazon SEO success.
Table of Contents
What is Amazon SEO?
Amazon SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is about optimizing your product listings to be favored by the A9 algorithm and be seen on the first page of Amazon search results. Higher rankings mean more visibility to buyers and ultimately more sales. Here’s why it matters:
Why Sellers Should Care About Amazon SEO
- Boost Visibility & Sales
Amazon users search with buying intent, making higher rankings crucial for sales.
- Algorithm-Driven Rankings
Amazon algorithm prioritizes listings that meet key ranking factors.
- Constantly Evolving
What worked last year may not work now—staying updated is essential.
Discover the evolving factors that have influenced Amazon SEO over the years to develop effective strategies for improving your product rankings on the platform.
Factors Affecting Amazon SEO: 2024
2024 Amazon SEO And Selling Challenges Sellers Face
In 2024, Amazon sellers must adapt to new SEO dynamics, particularly with the introduction of AI tools like Rufus. This raises crucial questions about the balance between keyword optimization and creating engaging content.
Keywords vs. Context
Shift from keyword placement to contextually rich descriptions. Sellers must blend keywords with engaging storytelling.
Algorithm Complexity
Amazon search algorithm considers multiple factors beyond keywords, requiring sellers to align listings with the needs of both AI and human customers.
Customer-Centric Focus
Effective SEO requires prioritizing customer needs. Clear communication of product benefits is essential for visibility and conversion.
Evolving Market Dynamics
Increased competition from platforms like TikTok and Teemu demands innovative strategies in product selection and pricing to maintain market share.
Changing Buyer Behavior
The rise of Prime membership influences shopping habits, prompting sellers to adapt by prioritizing Prime shipping and promotions in their strategies.
Competition and Content Integration
As Amazon’s monopoly grows, competition from other platforms rises. Sellers has not fully utilized video content and influencer partnerships, leading to gaps in integrated content on the Amazon platform.
Logistics and Trust
Amazon’s logistics offer a competitive edge with reliable delivery, but rising fees and stricter restrictions require sellers to manage costs while preserving customer trust.
- Health Claims Restrictions
Sellers face strict limitations on mentioning health-related benefits. Even benign references can lead to listings being removed.
- Prohibited Keywords Issue
Keywords related to products on Amazon (e.g., “flower seed” in beauty products) may trigger category bans, causing frustration for sellers who don’t actually sell those items.
- High Account Drop-Off Rates
Approximately 80% of new seller accounts don’t last past 12 months due to challenges in launching products effectively.
- Limited Brand Awareness
Many sellers lack marketing knowledge and often come to agencies seeking help to improve their sales and brand visibility on Amazon.
Fear of Data Leverage
Sellers worry that Amazon might use their sales data to create competing products, risking market saturation and business loss.
Maintaining Visibility
Amazon’s search algorithm requires constant sales to sustain or improve organic rankings, leading sellers to rely heavily on paid ads for visibility.
Consumer Behavior Insights
Sellers must prioritize high ratings and reviews, as products with fewer than four stars are often ignored, necessitating quality product detail page and customer engagement.
Language Barriers
Language differences can hinder sales; listings in multiple languages, such as Spanish and English, can attract a wider audience and boost conversion rates.
Amazon SEO Factors in 2024
CTR (20%)
High CTR is crucial for improving visibility in search results.
Organic Sales (18%)
Strong organic sales contribute significantly to ranking.
Conversion Rate (14%)
Higher conversion rates enhance product visibility and sales potential.
180 Day Sales (14%)
Recent sales history impacts overall ranking.
Off Site Sales (9%)
Sales generated outside of Amazon can influence SEO.
PPC Sales (9%)
Pay-per-click sales help boost product visibility and rankings.
Reviews (8%)
Positive reviews improve credibility and attract more buyers.
Sales Internal (5%)
Internal sales metrics contribute to overall performance evaluation.
Impressions (3%)
Increased impressions can lead to better visibility, but they must be converted effectively.
Seller Authority (2%)
Established seller authority can enhance trust and influence rankings.
Amazon SEO Strategies To Rank Product Listing Higher In 2024
Our Amazon experts implement targeted SEO strategies designed to elevate your product rankings on Amazon. Here’s how we do it:
Keyword Optimization
We analyze search query performance reports to identify high-traffic keywords relevant to your product. These keywords are strategically integrated into your main image and other SEO fields to enhance visibility.
We ensure that all relevant keywords are strategically placed in product titles, bullet points, and descriptions to improve visibility. This includes using exact match keywords, misspellings, and even translations to capture a broader audience.
Key takeaways:
Keyword Optimization
Use Helium 10’s Cerebro to identify and incorporate high-volume keywords in your title, adjusting regularly based on performance.
Title Structure
Position your brand name at the end and focus the first five words on key descriptors to enhance product clarity and appeal.
Main Image Strategy
By incorporating keywords into the main image, we boost click-through rates (CTR). A compelling image not only attracts clicks but also increases conversion rates, further improving your product’s rank.
A+ Content Utilization
Our team maximizes the impact of A+ content by incorporating keyword-rich text and images, thereby enhancing searchability and conversion rates.
- Backend Keywords
We meticulously fill out backend keyword fields, also known as generic keywords or search terms, to ensure that no ranking opportunities are missed.
Backend keywords are hidden tags in Amazon product listings that enhance discoverability without appearing on the visible product page.
Why Backend Keywords Matter
They let you target synonyms and alternate terms, broadening your product’s visibility in search results.
Amazon’s algorithm factors backend keywords into rankings, helping your product appear in niche searches.
Using backend keywords effectively boosts visibility, especially for long-tail terms, improving your chances to rank and attract shoppers.
Incremental Indexing
Our phased approach to SEO allows us to rotate keywords, gradually improving product indexing and market share.
Ongoing Analysis
We regularly analyze competitors and adapt strategies based on performance metrics to continuously refine and enhance our clients’ listings.
Key Takeaways:
- Analyzing competitors’ sales performance can identify gaps and opportunities, revealing potential for growth where others may be achieving significantly higher sales.
- Agencies that leverage cross-brand strategies allow for innovative ideas and successful tactics to be shared, facilitating growth across multiple brands without compromising competitive integrity.
Dynamic Pricing Approaches:
Our experts utilize a flexible pricing strategy, adjusting prices to stimulate sales. Lowering prices temporarily can enhance Best Seller Rank (BSR), which we then leverage to gradually increase prices while maintaining sales momentum.
Amazon SEO and Rufus AI For Higher Ranking Amazon Product
With the recent launch of Amazon’s Rufus Shopping AI and expansion across Europe, Amazon sellers must adapt their SEO strategies to remain visible to shoppers utilizing this AI-powered feature.
Rufus enhances the shopping experience by allowing users to ask diverse questions, from camping gear essentials to laptop specifications, relying on Amazon’s vast product catalog, customer reviews, and community Q&As for comprehensive answers.
To effectively leverage Rufus for Amazon SEO, sellers should consider the following strategies:
Optimize Product Listings by providing clear and detailed information that answers common customer questions.
Use relevant keywords that relate to potential inquiries to increase the chances of appearing in Rufus responses.
Actively manage product reviews and Q&A sections to enhance visibility within the Rufus ecosystem.
Tailor listings to match the types of questions shoppers typically ask, which can help improve rankings and attract more traffic to product pages.
Amazon SEO Is A Recurring Task
Amazon SEO is a recurring task because Amazon’s algorithm and competition constantly shift. Regular adjustments keep products visible and competitive. My Amazon Guy’s 4-Phase SEO method addresses this by structuring ongoing optimization efforts into distinct stages:
1. Indexing
Ensures all keywords are recognized by Amazon. Without indexing, products won’t appear in search results.
2. Ranking
Focuses on moving the product up in search results page by optimizing keyword placement and using targeted Amazon PPC to boost relevance.
3. Conversion Optimization
Improves listings to increase sales, signaling Amazon that the product is valuable. This includes refining images, copy, and highlighting key benefits.
4. Iterative Improvement
Involves continuous testing, keyword adjustments, and trend monitoring to adapt to changes in Amazon’s algorithm and market trends.
Factors Affecting Amazon SEO: 2023
Amazon SEO Challenges and Mistakes in 2023
One-Time Optimization
SEO isn’t set-it-and-forget-it. Consistent updates and competitor monitoring are key to maintaining rankings.
Poor Inventory Management
Stockouts harm rankings, as Amazon prioritizes listings with steady availability to meet customer demand.
Skipping Competitor Research
Competitor analysis reveals gaps you can leverage. Target missing keywords and features to differentiate your listing.
Inaccurate Information
Incorrect listing details risk customer complaints and suspensions. Ensure each product description is accurate and clear.
Irrelevant Keyword Targeting
Focus on relevant keywords for your product. Avoid cluttering listings with unrelated terms that don’t boost ranking.
- Unoptimized Listings
Full product listing optimization — high-quality images, clear descriptions, and relevant keywords—drives better conversion rates.
Amazon SEO Factors in 2023
In 2023, several key factors significantly influenced an Amazon listing’s ranking:
Organic Sales (18%)
The volume of organic sales directly impacts visibility and ranking.
Click Through Rate (17%)
CTR is crucial in 2023. A higher CTR means more visibility, clicks, and sales on Amazon. By optimizing your listings, you can attract more customers and dominate the search results.
Key Takeaways:
- Improving CTR is easier than conversion rate optimization and can directly impact sales.
- A higher CTR signals product relevance to Amazon’s A10 algorithm, leading to improved organic rankings and increased sales.
Conversion Rate (17%)
A strong conversion rate signals effectiveness in converting views to sales.
180-Day Sales (14%)
Historical sales performance over the past six months contributes to credibility.
Off Site Sales (9%)
Sales generated from external sources enhance overall performance.
PPC Sales (9%)
Pay-per-click Amazon advertising results contribute to sales metrics and visibility.
Reviews (8%)
Positive reviews enhance trust and can improve rankings.
Sales Internal (5%)
Internal sales data impacts overall ranking strategies.
Seller Authority (3%)
The seller’s credibility influences consumer trust and ranking.
Impressions (2%)
Overall impressions affect visibility, though less directly than other factors.
Amazon SEO Strategies That Worked In 2023
Key Takeaways:
CTR is a Major Ranking Factor: Optimizing main images, titles, and pricing to attract more clicks can significantly improve search rankings.
Long-Term Sales History is Less Important: New products can now compete more effectively with established brands, making it easier to break into the market.
Click-Through Rate (CTR) has emerged as a major ranking factor, receiving the largest boost in recent months. By optimizing main images, titles, and pricing to attract more clicks, we’ve helped clients achieve top search positions quickly.
The influence of reviews on rankings has declined, reducing the need to gather large numbers of early reviews. Instead, we emphasize competitive pricing and high conversion rates to drive visibility in the initial launch phase.
Long-Term Sales History (180 Days) has seen decreased weight. This shift allows new products to compete effectively without being overshadowed by long-standing “legacy” products.
The brand story module allows for embedded image alt text with keywords, enhancing visibility and indexation. By using up to 100 characters in alt text, we boost keyword relevance directly within images.
We maximized keyword density in A+ Content with 500+ words and strategic image optimization. This boosts indexing and cross-linking, as proven by faster Spanish keyword indexing in alt text.
We revamped main images for clients to make products more appealing and informative. For a children’s journal, for instance, adding clear age indicators and a glimpse of the interior made it instantly recognizable, tripling its CTR and overall sales.
- We updated product keywords to more specific phrases, such as changing “Sage candles” to “Sage candles for cleansing house.” This strategy increased impressions and clicks by threefold for a specific ASIN within seven weeks.
- Our team analyzed keyword performance and consumer behavior data, enabling us to refine listings and improve how products are presented to potential buyers.
We encouraged cross-selling within clients’ brand stores, helping to drive internal sales that contribute to overall seller authority.
- We implemented targeted PPC campaigns to enhance product visibility, ensuring that high-performing products gained additional SEO juice from increased traffic and sales.
Amazon Ranking Factors: A Lookback at 2022
The Biggest Challenges Sellers Faced with Amazon SEO in 2022
In 2022, sellers encountered several significant challenges with Amazon SEO:
Increased Competition
More sellers entered the marketplace, making it essential to have high-quality listings to attract customers.
Importance of Visuals
The first image of a product became crucial, and subpar visuals no longer sufficed.
Quality Listings Required
Low-quality listings that failed to convert began to lose indexing, necessitating regular updates and improvements.
Indexing Loss
Sellers faced unexpected indexing loss for keywords, including their brand names, often due to Amazon A9 algorithm changes.
Neglecting Updates
Listings that weren’t updated for over a year lost visibility as competitors optimized theirs.
Strategic Launches
Sellers could no longer simply launch a product and hope for sales; effective keyword research and advertising were essential.
Amazon SEO Ranking Strategies That Worked In 2022
In 2022, Amazon SEO experienced major shifts that transformed keyword strategies and optimization techniques. Here are the strategies our Amazon experts implemented to adapt to these changes:
- Conducted competitive analysis to identify top-ranking keywords using tools like Helium 10’s X-ray and Cerebro. Refine keywords in titles, bullet points, and A+ content.
- Utilized Amazon Brand Story Module to add descriptive text and links, improving keyword indexing and boosting Average Order Value (AOV).
- Included crawlable text in A+ content rather than embedded text in images. Use alt text strategically to capture relevant search terms.
- Sorted keywords by competitor rank and search volume to prioritize valuable terms.
- Maximized the use of Amazon’s 250 bytes for the search term field, focusing on including more keywords without repetitions.
- Reverse-engineered high-ranking competitor keywords for backend use to enhance relevance.
- We maintained optimal search term length, using synonyms and avoiding prohibited terms.
- Utilized repeated exact matches of keywords across various listing components to enhance rank movement.
- Unparented listings to allow multiple variations to rank independently for unique keyword sets.
- Placed target keywords in titles, bullet points, A+ content, and alt text for effective indexing and rank growth.
Prioritized doubling traffic than conversion rates by optimizing click-through rates (CTR) with compelling main images.
- Regularly implemented keyword strategies in all listing components. Use tools like Helium 10 for ongoing SEO analysis and performance tracking.
Useful Seller Central Tools
Product Opportunity Explorer
Identify high-potential, low-competition products.
Growth Opportunities Section
Gain actionable insights (e.g., enrolling in Vine, FBA shipments).
Removal of the Phase 2 Pink Word Update
The retirement of the “pink keywords” tool affected how sellers identify key search terms, altering the approach to product listings during SEO Phase 2.
Key Adjustments:
- Incremental Indexing via Scribbles
Our Amazon experts utilized Helium 10 Scribbles for efficient indexing checks to prevent redundancy in search terms.
- Phased Keyword Refinement
Phase 1: Incorporated core keywords in titles, bullet points, and backend fields for quick indexing.
Phase 2: Replaced redundant backend keywords with new ones to enhance rankings.
Phase 3: Targeted keywords ranking between 20-50 for efficient organic ranking improvements.
Phase 4: Leveraged the Amazon Search Query Report to focus on high-performing keywords, enhancing optimization efforts.
Factors Affecting Amazon SEO FAQs
Empower Your Amazon Growth with Proven SEO Strategies
Amazon SEO in 2024 requires precise keywords, engaging content, and adaptive strategies. With evolving algorithms, staying visible demands ongoing listing optimization and expertise—it’s a continuous effort, not a one-time setup.
Ready to leave your Amazon SEO in expert hands? At My Amazon Guy, we know the strategies that get results, from optimizing keywords to enhancing CTR and conversions.
Let our team help you boost your rankings and maximize sales with proven tactics. Contact our Full Service Amazon Agency today and see the difference expert SEO support can make for your Amazon business.
