Originally published on November 11, 2020, updated August 25, 2021
Menu
Join Our Email List
- Receive our monthly newsletter.
- Stay up to date on Amazon policies.
- Get tips to grow your business.
Aside from being the world’s largest online marketplace, Amazon also has a side hustle as a pretty successful search engine. It won’t help you find cat pictures or identify that spot on your back, but Amazon’s search engine is one of the most popular when it comes to product searches. The exact numbers are debated, yet it’s likely at least half of all US product queries online start on Amazon.
Although there was no official release, Amazon’s recent updates are referred to as the Amazon A10 algorithm, a newer version of the previous A9 algorithm. While not everything has changed, if your marketing strategies involve the Buy Box, keywords, or PPC campaigns, you’ll want to pay attention to what’s new.
The Amazon A10 algorithm may appear similar to the A9 algorithm, but you can really see the differences in these areas specifically:
One of the biggest changes in Amazon’s algorithm update is the increased significance of seller authority. Your standing and history as an Amazon merchant greatly affect not only how your products appear in search results, but also how frequently you win the Buy Box.
Specifically, seller authority factors in these fields:
If you want to improve your chances of winning the Buy Box or just rank higher in search results, focus on optimizing the above areas. Using FeedbackFive to request seller feedback and product reviews can boost your seller authority to make a stronger impression on the algorithm.
Want to get a higher ranking in Amazon search results? Compared to the Amazon A9 algorithm, the Amazon A10 algorithm puts even more emphasis on your product page’s impressions, conversions, internal sales, and click-through-rate (CTR). Here are some helpful definitions for these terms:
While these areas all improve with better sales tactics and products, you can still take measures to boost them individually.
For one thing, using a top-quality product photo as your main image tends to improve CTRs. Your main image is the one displayed in search results pages, so the better the image, the more people want to click on it.
Likewise, you can revise your Amazon SEO strategy to include only keywords that are relevant to your product. If your product is showing up in keyword searches that are irrelevant, no one will click on it and that hurts your CTR.
As for impressions, improving your external campaigns helps with that, as explained in the next section.
You know who else wants more traffic to your product pages, besides you? Amazon. The more people visit your product pages, the more people visit Amazon. That’s why they’re incentivizing sellers to bring external traffic to them.
Amazon’s A10 algorithm gives extra priority to product pages that bring in external traffic. This is pretty much all visitors who do not find you on Amazon.
The easiest way to take advantage of this A10 update is to post links to your Amazon pages anywhere you can. Social media, other websites you own, guest posts on friendly websites — all of these will contribute to your off-site sales. Just keep your conversion rate in mind: people who complete purchases will boost your ranking more than visitors who bounce the second they land.
PPC campaigns still matter — don’t misinterpret this. However, in the Amazon A10 algorithm, they just matter less.
Previously, Sponsored Links were a consistent driving force of sales. What’s changed in A10 is the consistency — Sponsored Links still give an initial boost when first launched, but that boost tapers out quickly. Those who’ve used it liken it to a “spike” in popularity that’s over as soon as it starts.
To compensate, try moving some of your PPC ad budget into other areas, such as driving external traffic, or improving product quality. That initial spike can still be useful, though, so don’t give up on PPC campaigns altogether.
Have you noticed that the A10 updates seem to favor successful sellers? If you want help growing your business, eComEngine’s suite of Amazon seller tools can improve both your search results rankings and your total sales.
Originally published on November 11, 2020, updated August 25, 2021
This post is accurate as of the date of publication. Some features and information may have changed due to product updates or Amazon policy changes.
These Stories on Amazon
We Are Virtual!
But you can still send us mail:
14321 Winter Breeze Drive
Suite 121 Midlothian,
VA 23113
Call us: 800-757-6840
Copyright© 2007-2023 eComEngine, LLC. All Rights Reserved. eComEngine®, FeedbackFive®, and RestockPro® are trademarks or registered trademarks of eComEngine, LLC. Amazon's trademark is used under license from Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.
Comments (1)