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What is the Amazon A9 Algorithm?

Amazon A9

With more than 353 million different product listings, coupled with more than 1 million small and medium-sized 1P and 3P resellers and vendors, Amazon is a remarkable e-commerce platform on all fronts. Amazon allows smaller resellers to reach new audiences while competing with global brands. Amazon’s platform is built around their proprietary A9 search algorithm to rank product results. Originally deployed in 2004, the A9 algorithm ranks products from most relevant to least relevant based on performance and relevance to what the customer is searching for. Like Google’s search algorithm, the A9 relies on these seven different factors to assign product rank:

  • Keywords: Amazon compares keyword relevancy and frequency on your listing to user search queries.
  • Pricing: Customers typically search for the most affordable deals.
  • Conversions: A high volume of sales conversions will send signals to Amazon, letting the tech giant know people were satisfied after visiting your PDP.
  • PDP Optimization: Completing every aspect of your product listing will deliver an information-packed experience for customers, answering all their questions.
  • Stock Supply: Amazon will not place your page in search queries if you don’t have any items in stock.
  • Sales Rank: High sales performances positively contribute to the product ranking on Amazon. The algorithm measures the volume of sales, the sales velocity, and the conversion rate of the products in their respective category.
  • Reviews: A9 typically assigns more weight to products that secure quality reviews. The highest-ranking products typically have 4.5/5 or 5/5 ratings, with a good ratio of positive reviews, and a high number of reviews.

Numbers don’t lie – 70% of Amazon customers never scroll past the first page of results. So, climbing to the top of those results remains paramount for any small business hoping to see substantial sales and BSR. Let’s examine two factors that hold a lot of weight in the A9 algorithm – sales conversions and keywords.

Why are Amazon Sales Conversions Important

The A9 algorithm focuses on sales conversions because it echoes Amazon’s mission statement: “to serve consumers through online and physical stores and focus on selection, price, and convenience.” Amazon’s A9 algorithm ranks products with high sales conversion rates higher on search results because these items are more likely to generate revenues for Amazon. The higher your conversion rates, the higher your listing can rank. You can calculate your sales conversion rate by using the number of conversions on your listing and divide that by the total number of visitors to your page.

How to Raise Amazon Sales Conversion Rates for 1P and 3P

Brands harness several methods to raise sales conversion rates, encouraging Amazon’s A9 algorithm to place their product higher in search queries. Putting clear keyword-rich descriptions into your product listing title and A+ content explaining your product and benefits can increase the probability of sales. Remember to list and explain the product’s functions, features, and unique selling points throughout the product descriptions. Taking the time to complete this essential step attracts more customers because A9 will penalize products that do not follow best practices. Furthermore, using strategic language – like lifetime warranty, 5+ million sales, hundreds of positive reviews – will entice customers to buy your product. Customers feel more inclined to trust your product based on other satisfied customers.

Along with text, the title, images, videos, and price are essential factors in raising your sales conversions rates. Most customers rely heavily on these factors (sometimes without reading about the listing). Therefore, you should optimize the images on your listing. Use images that show your product in lifestyle situations, that call attention to the product’s benefits, and mirror this value in your A+ content.

On top of optimizing your images and A+ content, pricing is critical. Compare your product price to other similar items sold on Amazon. The product with the lowest price often has higher sales. If your product is more competitive and advanced than other products, show the customer why the extra money is worth the investment.

Keywords Will Determine Your Success

The right combination of keywords can satisfy any search engine algorithm because they will drive discovery and attention to your listing. When consumers search for products, your page should have the relevant keywords that match a customer’s query. Incorporating long-tailed and short-tailed keyword combinations into your Amazon PDP page gives consumers a great chance at seeing your listing.

Long-tailed keywords contain three to five words and attract high-quality traffic since they target a more specific search. For example, if you are selling running shoes, instead of just saying “running shoes” use “best men’s Nike running shoes.” 57% of sales on Amazon come from long-tailed keywords, so be selective in your research. You can also use short-tailed broader keywords, but because they are highly competitive in rankings and cover a wide range of products, sticking with long-tailed keywords should be more proactive.

Consider the phrases your customer would use in a search, and then vary the combinations of keywords. Be sure that any keywords you use show high search volumes to avoid targeting irrelevant keywords. You want to avoid having sessions and views that do not convert.

How to Use Keywords in Your Product’s Amazon Title

After you researched which keywords best describe your Amazon listing, you will need to place them strategically in your text. The most beneficial use of your keywords will be found in your Amazon title. Use as many keywords as possible, making sure the title is coherent. When creating your product title, think like a consumer. In most cases, customers will look for the words they searched for at the beginning of the product titles that Amazon serves up. Thus, you should insert your most important keywords at the beginning of your product title. Customers typically look for the brand name, product type, key features, size, color, and quantity, so be sure to include these in your Amazon title.

Adding in some long-tailed variations of your primary keywords with lots of connector words can get all the necessary keywords in your Amazon product titles.

Keywords in Your Bullet Points & Product Description

After you create a title with your keywords, you need to focus on your bullet points and product description. In your bulleted copy, you can include up to five bullet points to list what makes your product unique and why it’s better than your competitor’s PDP. The bullet point section will show up in the “About the Product” section and provide an overview of your product.

In the product description, try adding keywords that you could not fit in your title as well as write a compelling description that will reinforce the benefits of your product. You can include more detailed product information with engaging language to help answer any easy questions the customer might think of while viewing your product. Answer the easy questions of how your product feels, what it can be used for, etc.

You can also describe your brand in the product description to gain the consumer’s trust and show them. Your description section should be informative and contain keywords that align with popular search terms.

Monitor Your Amazon Performance & Search Rank

As the seller, some key performance indicators (KPI) that you should be tracking are your inventory, order fulfillment and shipping, customer performance metrics, ratings and reviews, and sales conversion rate. You can monitor the performance of your listing by examining how your Best-Selling products rank under product information. The goal is to have a low Best Seller Rank (BSR) to generate higher sales!

If your Amazon ranking fails to improve after you made edits, it could be that your keywords are not matching what consumers are searching for. In this case, you must find new relevant keywords that match your product and then rewrite your title, bullet points, and product description to include these new keywords to improve your search rankings. If your keywords are not the issue, be sure to double-check your inventory, prices, product listing completeness, sales rank, and reviews.

Help Your Amazon Listing Dominate Search Queries

At Premiere Creative, our Amazon PPC specialists can help create titles, enhance optimized bullet points, produce keyword-rich descriptions, and more to help get your listing found by the A9 algorithm and rank higher in search results. Premiere also provides an Amazon image expert to harness additional content options, like enhanced Brand Content (EBC) and A+ Content. Our specialists will then devise a unique strategy to attract new customers and maximize online exposure on Amazon. Call (973) 346-8100 to connect with our team today!