Foreword
Amazon is the world’s largest online marketplace with 1.9 million active sellers, who all compete against one-another for impressions, clicks, and purchases from the hundreds of millions of Amazon shoppers worldwide. As a result, the key to success on Amazon is ensuring that your products rank when buyers enter search terms relevant to your product and aren’t lost below a plethora of competitors’ listings.
Just as Google uses their own algorithm to rank its search engine results, Amazon uses their own Algorithm to rank Amazon search results, therefore by understanding Amazon’s algorithm you can utilise it to rank higher organically and achieve more sales. Amazon was previously utilising an algorithm called A9 until 2022, which has now been updated to A10.
‍
The primary function of Amazon’s A10 algorithm is to drive sales conversions, because Amazon wants the shopper make a purchase so that Amazon get their commission from the referral fee. As a result, listings with a history of strong sales, high conversion rates, and positive reviews will rank highly. This then creates a virtuous circle of ranking higher, which leads to more sales, which leads to a higher ranking and so on.
‍
Relevance - How closely your title, product description, key product features, and search terms match what the shopper has searched for.
Price - How competitively priced your listing is in comparison with competing listings. A product with average reviews can still appear on page 1 if it is much cheaper than competitors.
Stock Availability - Running out of stock often can harm organic ranking.
Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA) - Utilising FBA ensures fast shipping for customers, and it generates more revenue for Amazon, as a result listings offering this fulfilment method are preferred.
Click Through Rate & Conversion Rate - These indicate a listings appeal and relevance, so listings with higher CTRs and conversion rates will be favoured.
Reviews - Quality, quantity, and recency of reviews. A key change from Amazon's A9 algorithm to the updated A10 algorithm is that reviews are now more important than ever. A10 can more easily detect fake reviews, which makes authentic reviews a key factor to organic ranking.
Images & Videos - High-quality, compliant product images, lifestyle images, and videos all help improve organic ranking.
Seller Authority - A new addition to A10. Seller feedback rating, length of time selling on Amazon, handling of returns, and vastness of product catalogue all influence Seller Authority.
Offsite Traffic - Another new addition to A10. It's now just as important to drive shoppers to your product detail pages using offsite ads, such as Sponsored Display, as it is to utilise internal Amazon PPC campaigns such as Sponsored Products and Sponsored Brands.
‍
Keyword Research & Optimisation - Identify relevant, high-volume keywords from Amazon’s auto-suggest feature, keyword research tools, and competitor listing analysis. Titles, product descriptions, key product features, and search terms should be populated naturally with these.
Optimise Images & Videos - Images should be compliant (white background), feature the product from 3 angles, also include lifestyle images and product videos.
Monitor Pricing - Ensure product listings are priced competitively, as competitors will likely update their prices often.
Enrol in the Amazon Vine Program - Enrolling ASINs in Amazon Vine allows you to receive 30 high-quality reviews from trusted Amazon reviewers, this can increase sales by up to 30%. This is especially helpful for new product launches, as without any reviews, it will be very difficult to rank organically with the A10 algorithm.
Run Amazon Advertising PPC Campaigns - Utilise keyword research already completed to leverage Sponsored Products PPC Campaigns to increase impressions, clicks, and sales. Complement this campaign type with Sponsored Display to also advertise to audiences off Amazon to ensure offsite traffic is being driven to your product detail pages.
Track Performance - Monitor key metrics such as CTR, conversion rate, and recent sales – and make adjustments based on insights.
Utilise Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA) - Listings see on average a 30% sales uplift when using FBA, which showcases how it is favoured by both the A10 algorithm and shoppers.
Sell A Wide Range Of Products - Many Amazon sellers often feel uncomfortable expanding outside their category which they know well, but selling a wide range of products well across a number of categories signals to Amazon that you offer value to a diverse customer base, and now increases your Seller Authority which influences the new A10 algorithm.
Stay On Top Of Account Health - Ensure any compliance, suppression, or other errors are resolved as quick as possible to ensure stock availability and good account standing to avoid any negative impact on Seller Authority.
Keep Up To Date With New Features & Changes - Amazon's algorithm isn't static, as new features or changes are released these may impact Amazon’s A10 algorithm which may mean new optimisations are needed for listings.
‍
Ayko are experts in Amazon setup, listing, organic optimisation, integration, advertising, account health monitoring, and performance tracking. We can help your brand to setup or optimise listings in accordance with best practices for Amazon’s A10 algorithm to rank higher and as a result experience increased performance and sales.
