Key takeaways: 

1. Write customer-focused, conversational content that answers common buyer questions, highlights product benefits, and includes real-world use cases to improve discoverability in conversational searches.
2. Use Amazon search suggestions, competitor analysis, and keyword research tools to identify high-value primary, secondary, synonym, and long-tail keywords that improve both organic visibility and PPC performance.
3. Incorporate relevant keywords across your title, bullet points, product description, A+ Content, and backend search terms while staying within Amazon's 250-byte backend keyword limit and avoiding duplicate or unnecessary terms.
4. Analyze your Amazon Search Terms Report to identify high-converting keywords, eliminate irrelevant search terms, and improve conversion rates.

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Amazon has evolved from a simple online bookstore into a vast marketplace with millions of products across various categories. 

With such a wide array of options available to consumers, standing out in the crowd requires strategic optimization of your product listings.

One of the most important aspects of Amazon SEO and listing optimization is choosing and optimizing your Amazon search terms. Without an effective keyword strategy, your products may receive less visibility, waste advertising spend, and miss valuable sales opportunities. 

In this ePlaybooks guide, we will walk you through essential steps and tips to effectively optimize your Amazon search terms to increase visibility and sales on Amazon.

What is Amazon Search Terms Optimization? 

Amazon search terms are the words that customers type into the Amazon search bar when looking for products. These terms are crucial for Amazon's A10 algorithm, which matches customer searches with relevant keywords in product listings and compiles relevant products for search results. 

If you're selling a night face cream, search term examples could include “face night cream”, “hydrating face cream”, “anti-aging face night cream”, etc. 

Amazon search terms optimization involves improving your product listings with relevant keywords in your product title, bullet points, and product description, as well as in the backend search terms field to attract potential customers and drive conversions. 

Optimizing your Amazon search terms ensures that your products get listed for as many search term combinations as possible. This increases the likelihood of being found by customers using those search terms. 

Why is Amazon search terms optimization important? 

Here are a few reasons why Amazon search terms optimization is important: 

Improves your product’s discoverability 

With Amazon search terms optimization, your products become more relevant to what customers are searching for, increasing the chances of your products appearing in search results for those terms. 

Also, Amazon's search algorithm relies heavily on the keywords used in product listings to determine which products to display in response to a user’s search query. Optimizing your Amazon search terms ensures that your products are considered relevant by the algorithm. 

Improves your sales performance 

Optimizing your Amazon search terms can significantly increase the visibility of your products, making it easier for potential customers to find them. 

Also, by targeting the right keywords, you can attract potential customers who are genuinely interested in your products, ultimately leading to higher conversion rates and sales. 

Competitive advantage 

With nearly 2 million active sellers on Amazon, standing out from the competition can be challenging. Effective Amazon search terms optimization helps your products appear at the top of search results, giving you an edge over your competitors. 

Maximizes ROI of PPC campaigns 

By integrating optimized search terms into your PPC campaigns, you can make your advertising efforts more targeted and efficient, leading to a better return on investment. 

As you test and analyze various search terms, you can identify which keywords deliver the best results, and allocate your budget more effectively.

How does the Amazon A10 Search Algorithm work?  

Ever wondered how Amazon’s search algorithm works? Well, let's look a bit into how Amazon ranks products on its marketplace.

Amazon A10 algorithm is the latest iteration of Amazon's proprietary search engine technology. It enhances the accuracy and relevance of search results for customers by leveraging artificial intelligence and natural language processing to sort products by factors such as performance history, consumer behavior, relevance, pricing, customer reviews, and more. With this technology, the algorithm analyzes search queries and matches them with the most relevant products.

Amazon's search system has become significantly more semantic than in previous years. Rather than relying primarily on exact-match keywords, Amazon increasingly uses natural language processing (NLP), machine learning, and the COSMO semantic matching framework to understand customer intent and product relevance. This means Amazon can recognize relationships between words, synonyms, product attributes, and shopping intent. 

As a result, sellers should focus on comprehensive, natural-language product content rather than repeating exact-match keywords. Listings that clearly explain product features, use cases, benefits, and customer intent tend to perform better than those relying on keyword stuffing alone.

Tips for Amazon Search Terms Optimization 

Optimizing your Amazon search terms is crucial for improving the visibility and sales of your products on Amazon. Here are some practical tips for Amazon search terms optimization: 

Carry out keyword research 

Successful Amazon keyword research starts with understanding who your ideal customers are and the language they use when searching for products. Next, you want to research keywords and phrases that accurately represent your product and its features. You can use third-party Amazon keyword research tools like Ahrefs and Amazon’s search bar suggestions to get a pool of keywords relevant to your product. 

You also want to examine what keywords your competitors are using and how they are using these keywords in their product listings to gain relevant insights. 

Choose the best keywords. 

After getting a list of search terms and keywords, you want to carefully select the most effective and profitable keywords for your product. Pick main keywords that directly relate to your product and secondary keywords that complement them. We advise that you expand your list with synonyms and related terms to increase your discoverability. Ensure your keywords are relevant and straightforward. Avoid using filler words that make no real sense for search engines. 

Incorporate your keywords 

Next, use the selected keywords in your product title, description, bullet points, and backend search terms to make your listing more searchable.

For your product titles, include the product type, brand name, and descriptive information like color or size in your product title. Keep the title concise and compelling, and aim for no more than 200 characters. Use the most relevant and popular keywords at the beginning of the product title to improve your click-through rates. In the bullet point area, portray the product's key features and benefits using any keywords you haven't already included in the product title. 

Also, incorporate relevant keywords into the product description to further increase your visibility in search results. Make sure the description is informative and engaging, providing customers with a clear understanding of your product.

You also want to incorporate keywords that didn't fit naturally in your product listing page at the backend. 

Rather than repeating the same keyword multiple times, focus on semantic relevance. Include naturally related phrases, product attributes, common customer questions, and real-world use cases throughout your title, bullet points, description, and A+ Content. Amazon's COSMO semantic matching system can associate these related concepts with relevant customer searches, improving discoverability.

Be careful not to overstuff your listing with keywords, as this can lead to penalties from Amazon and negatively affect your listing's ranking.

Include synonyms 

One way to reach a broader audience and expand your Amazon search terms is to use synonyms. Customers may be using search terms similar to the product that you may be missing. For example, if you sell “sports shoes”, you may want to use synonymous keywords like “running shoes”, “jogging shoes,” “sneakers”, etc.  

Include long-tail keywords

Incorporating long-tail keywords into your Amazon product listings is a strategic move to enhance visibility and attract highly targeted traffic. They are more specific, detailed, and niche search terms that are more targeted compared to generic search terms. 

Include the most relevant long-tail keywords early in the product title to catch the eye of users scanning search results. You can also incorporate long-tail keywords in your bullet point section, product description, and even backend.

Long-tail keywords are also excellent for your Amazon advertising as they can attract more qualified traffic and increase your chances of sales.

Optimize for Alexa for Shopping and AI-powered search

Amazon's AI shopping assistant, Alexa for Shopping, has changed how many customers discover products. Instead of typing short keyword phrases, shoppers increasingly ask conversational questions such as: "What's the best stainless steel water bottle for hiking?"

Or "Show me a lightweight laptop backpack for travel."

Alexa uses the same semantic understanding that powers Amazon's modern search system, meaning your listing should answer customer intent, not just include keywords.

To optimize for Alexa for Shopping:

• Write bullet points that answer common buyer questions.
• Include product benefits alongside features.
• Use natural language rather than awkward keyword phrases.
• Add use cases (office, travel, camping, school, etc.).
• Use descriptive A+ Content that reinforces your product's purpose.

The better Amazon understands what your product does and who it serves, the more likely Alexa can recommend it for conversational shopping queries.

Track performance and iterate 

Lastly, you want to track the performance of your keywords to ensure they are still used by shoppers and are profitable for your Amazon listing. In fact, irrelevant keywords can affect your visibility and product ranking. Regularly review your keywords and remove irrelevant keywords. Some of the best tools for Amazon keyword ranking include Helium 10, Jungle Scout, SellerApp, and AMZScout, all of which can help monitor keyword positions, discover new opportunities, and measure listing performance over time.

Mistakes to avoid with Amazon Search Terms Optimization 

Here are some key mistakes to avoid when optimizing Amazon search terms for your product listings: 

Keyword stuffing

Avoid stuffing your listing with repeated exact-match keywords. Amazon's search system places greater emphasis on contextual relevance than keyword repetition. Instead of repeating the same phrase several times, use naturally related terms, product attributes, customer use cases, and descriptive language that helps Amazon understand your product.

Using prohibited terms 

Avoid using terms restricted by Amazon, as using them can lead to penalties. Always check Amazon's guidelines for keywords that are allowed.

Focus more on descriptive and relevant keywords that accurately represent your product.

Repetition

Avoid repeating keywords that are already in the product title, description, or bullet points, as this can affect your ranking.

Instead, ensure your keywords are unique and cover different aspects of your product without redundancy.

Punctuation

Amazon's algorithm doesn't consider punctuation marks like semicolons, commas, colons, periods, and hyphens. Using them unnecessarily can clutter your listing.

Instead, you want to keep your keywords clean and straightforward. 

Using ASINs

Including Amazon Standard Identification Numbers (ASINs) in your search terms is against Amazon's guidelines and can result in penalties.

Stop words

Another mistake you want to avoid is using stop words such as "an," "a," "and," "by," "for," "of," "the," "with," etc. Amazon's algorithm doesn't recognize stop words, so they won't help your search ranking.

Subjective statements

Avoid using terms like "best," "cheapest," "greatest," etc., as this can be seen as exaggerated claims and may result in penalties.

Instead, use objective keywords that accurately describe your product's features and benefits.

Promotional tone

Avoid using promotional words or phrases in your Amazon search terms. Amazon may perceive words like "discount," "limited-time offer," and "newly launched" as spammy.

Maintain a professional tone by sticking to descriptive and relevant keywords.

Amazon Search Terms vs Backend Keywords 

Amazon search terms and backend keywords serve distinct purposes in optimizing your product listings. Search terms are the words or phrases that customers put into the Amazon search bar when searching for products. They reflect real customer inquiries and show you what potential buyers are searching for. 

Targeting and using the right search terms is essential for improving your product's visibility and attracting more organic traffic to your listings.

On the other hand, backend keywords are hidden from customers but are visible to Amazon's algorithm. They are used to inform Amazon about additional keywords relevant to your product that haven't been incorporated into the visible listing content. They are entered in a dedicated field in your Amazon Seller Central account. Amazon currently allows up to 250 bytes (not 250 characters) for backend search terms. Since the limit is measured in bytes rather than characters, you should use concise, unique keywords and avoid wasting space with duplicate words, punctuation, stop words, or terms already included in the visible listing. Backend keywords are crucial for targeting a wider range of search terms without cluttering your product listing with excessive keywords. 

While search terms are based on actual customer searches and are integrated into the visible aspects of your product listing, Backend keywords are hidden from view and are used exclusively to inform Amazon's algorithm about additional relevant keywords. Both work to improve your product's visibility in Amazon's search results but operate differently. Search terms directly match customer queries, while backend keywords provide a broader set of keywords to Amazon's algorithm without affecting the listing's appearance to customers.

Analyzing your Amazon search term report

Amazon's ranking systems increasingly reward products that demonstrate strong conversion velocity. If customers consistently click and purchase your product after searching certain terms, Amazon receives a strong signal that your listing is highly relevant for those searches. 

Your Amazon Search Terms Report isn't just useful for PPC optimization. It also provides valuable insights that can improve your organic rankings. Here's a simple guide to effectively analyze and utilize this report:

Access your search terms report

Log into Amazon Seller Central and navigate to the “Analytics” section

Select "Advertising reports" to see your search terms report. 

Review key metrics 

Amazon search reports provide insight into important metrics like: 

• Impressions: This refers to the total number of times your ad was shown.
• Clicks: This metric shows the number of times your ad was clicked.
• Cost: The amount spent on clicks.
• Conversion rate: This shows the percentage of clicks that led to a sale.
• Sales: The number of units sold as a result of clicks.

These metrics will help you see how well customers are interacting with search terms on your product listing and ads. 

Look out for high-performing keywords.

Identify keywords with high impressions and clicks but relatively low costs per click (CPC). These are often your most cost-effective keywords. Pay attention to keywords with a high conversion rate and look out for search terms with high click-through rates but low conversions that may require listing improvements.

Identify irrelevant keywords

Search terms that generate clicks but do not lead to sales can indicate irrelevant keywords. These might be broad or unrelated terms that attract traffic but fail to convert.

Consider these as potential negative keywords to exclude from your future campaigns.

Go deeper with third-party tools. 

Consider using third-party tools like SellerApp to simplify your search term analysis process and gain deeper insights into your search term performance.

Monitor trends and adjust accordingly. 

Regularly review the report to observe changes in consumer trends and behavior and identify opportunities for improving your Amazon conversion rate. If shoppers consistently click your listing but don't purchase, the issue may not be your keywords. It could be your images, pricing, reviews, A+ Content, or product copy. Adjust your ad campaigns and listings in response to these changes to ensure you stay relevant and competitive.

See also: The Ultimate Guide to Amazon FNSKU for US Sellers

See also: The Ultimate Guide to Amazon Partnered Carrier Program

See also: How to Optimize Amazon Listings for Alexa for Shopping (formerly Rufus)

Conclusion

Amazon Search Terms are a powerful tool for improving the visibility of your products in Amazon's search results. By understanding how to use them effectively and following best practices, you can significantly improve your product's visibility, traffic, and potential for sales on Amazon.

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If you're looking for expert help with your Amazon keyword strategy or other aspects of your Amazon business, consider reaching out to ePlaybooks. Our team of Amazon experts can provide the guidance you need to optimize your Amazon presence and drive more sales.