By now, you’ve probably heard or read about “product listing optimization.”
It’s a fancy term for creating great Amazon product listings, which is what every Amazon seller wants. And since only a few sellers actually optimize their listing, you’re at an advantage if you do.
Why put all the effort into creating a great Amazon product listing? The benefits are two-fold:
- Helps your product rank higher on Amazon search, which increases the chances of customers finding your Amazon product listing and clicking through to your product detail page
- Improves the persuasiveness of your product listing page, which influences the customer’s decision to buy from you
Optimizing Your Amazon Product Listing for Higher Ranking
Amazon search works the same way that Google search does. It has an algorithm that continuously studies user data and traffic patterns to predict which product listings should show up for a certain query. Put simply, Amazon prioritizes product listings based on what it thinks users want.
So if you want your product to appear higher in the Amazon search, your product listing should be optimized for the searched keyword. That is, the right keywords should be included on your product page.
This may sound easy, but it isn’t as simple in real life. For one, you have to do a thorough research to find the best and most relevant keywords for your ideal buyer. This involves not just picking keywords that YOU think will work well but taking the time to understand your potential customers to learn which keywords they’re most likely to use during search.
After finding the keywords, you have to ensure that these appear in strategic places in your Amazon product listing. You should aim to include the relevant keywords in these important sections or components that make up an Amazon product listing:
- Title
- Images
- Features
- Description
- Reviews
Increasing Amazon Sales with Optimized Product Lists
Optimization isn’t all about the keywords though.
In fact, it would be a big mistake to equate optimization with merely stuffing keywords into your Amazon product listing.
A better way is to think of product listing optimization as a critical tool to making a really good first impression on shoppers and earning their trust. The goal of optimization is improving customer experience: aligning with their needs, their motivations, and their wants so they’re persuaded to proceed with the purchase. It’s also about shaping customer expectations of your product so they know what they’re getting from the purchase.
So how do you create Amazon product listings that help you sell more? Below we look at each aspect of the product listing, and provide some ideas on how you can improve each of them to encourage visitors to click the buy button.
Simple and Descriptive Product Title
The title is the first thing customers see when they look at the search results. This is, of course, assuming that they find your product there.
The product title has an enormous influence on visitors’ decision to click. It’s important that you pay attention to crafting a well-structured title that drives clicks to your product detail page.
Amazon allows you up to 250 words in the title area. However, the titles show only up to approximately 100 characters in the search results so you should make the most of it. Try to write simple titles that include the most important details first (brand, material, size, quantity) and the features that your ideal customers want.
In the search results below, for instance, you’ll notice how the titles are cut off in the search results page but visitors will still have a good idea of the product. A great title not only tells the visitor what the product is but contains descriptive, relevant keywords that also answers the questions that buyers have in their mind. In the examples, the visitor can instantly know what model the product would fit, what it’s made of, or how sturdy it is just by reading the title.
Now you can easily see why titles and keywords matter. If you were looking for an ipad case that can withstand rough handling by your kids, you won’t be interested in “premium leather” but would be more likely to click on the “shockproof” cover.
Accurate and High-Quality Images
Product images are crucial in e-commerce because they help shoppers visualize the purchase. Think of them as proxies to the experience of physically inspecting or touching the product.
People are also drawn to visuals. On Amazon, the product images are the first thing that visitors see. This is enough reason for you to use attractive, high quality images that provide an accurate, almost life-like picture of your product. By doing so, you’re helping the customer actually see and imagine using your product, which compels them to buy it for themselves.
Amazon allows up to 9 product images, so you should have a variety of them in your listing. Try various angles, and also include other objects that can serve as references for size or use case (ie. if you’re selling a watch, show it on a person’s wrist). In the example product below, you can see how the seller uses the secondary images to showcase the different features as well as how the actual product is used.
Product image quality is also a ranking factor in Amazon, which is more reason to focus on giving your product images your best shot. If you have the budget, it’s a good idea to invest in professional, high-resolution photos for both your main and secondary product images.
Clear and Unique Features
The features section is the next most important part of the product listing after the title and the images. This is where you get to list the key product features or unique selling points that differentiate your product from competitors.
Amazon allows you to highlight up to 5 key features in bullet points and each of these has a 1000-character limit. As with the title, you should focus on providing visitors with clear and concise information using relevant keywords.
Emphasize not only the feature but how it benefits the customer. In the example below, for instance, you can see how the features section doesn’t simply list down the functionality but tells the shopper what problem this specific feature solves for them.
Let your product features sell customers on the benefits of the purchasing. List the best and most significant features at the top so visitors are more likely to remember them.
Compelling Product Description
The product description may be located below the fold but that doesn’t mean you should neglect it. On the contrary, highly engaged visitors who are interested in your product will scroll down to check out the rest of your Amazon product listing.
You should think of the description as an additional opportunity to build up the value of your product. Focus on how the product is going to help the customer, what benefits can they have, etc. It would even be better if you can use this section to create an emotional connection with the buyer by describing how it can add to their lives or make things easier for them.
Take note though that you only have around 300 words to do this. Keep your description simple and readable, and don’t forget to include relevant keywords. Including images in the description can also make it more attractive and powerful, as you can see in the example below.
Genuine and Useful Reviews
There is no magic bullet that will make customers give you positive reviews all the time.
But since the review section is one of the most influential aspects of your Amazon product listing, you need to at least make sure that you’re not giving customers any reason to write negative reviews. This means taking steps that would let you consistently get positive Amazon product reviews such as:
- Writing accurate product listings
- Ensuring high product quality
- Providing exceptional customer service
Product reviews is a topic of its own, but you really need to make sure that you are maintaining high ratings. If you have negative reviews, answer customers on the page, try to make them remove the review or ask Amazon to do so.
Great Amazon Product Listings Equal Better Amazon Seller Performance
When you pay more attention to creating your Amazon product listings, you’re hitting two birds with one stone. First, you’re ensuring that your product can be found by shoppers by increasing its rank on the Amazon search page. Second, you’re increasing the odds that visitors will actually buy from you by convincing them that your product is the best fit for their needs.
A great product listing builds trust not only in your products but also in your brand as an Amazon seller. Over time, it can spell the difference between success and failure for your Amazon business.
