Your quick guide to Amazon SEO & A10 algorithm

Every day, millions of shoppers turn to Amazon with credit cards ready. They type a few words into the search bar, scan the first page of results, and make their purchase decisions within seconds.

This is why Amazon SEO matters: 70% of Amazon shoppers never scroll past the first page of search results. If your products aren’t ranking, they’re essentially invisible. No matter how amazing they are or how competitive your pricing is. The difference between appearing on page one versus page two can mean thousands in lost revenue every month.

So how do successful Amazon sellers consistently claim those coveted top spots? They’ve mastered Amazon’s A10 algorithm, the complex system that determines which products appear in search results and in what order.

What is Amazon SEO & the A10 algorithm?

If you know anything about regular SEO, you’ll understand that it stands for Search Engine Optimization—the practice of tweaking your website to appear higher in search results. Amazon SEO works similarly, but with a critical difference: while Google focuses on providing information, Amazon’s search engine is entirely transactional.

When customers search for products on Amazon, they use a search engine powered by Amazon’s proprietary algorithm. In 2021, Amazon released their latest update, commonly referred to as A10. This algorithm determines which products appear in search results and in what order.

Let’s explore the factors that affect your ranking in Amazon search results.

Critical Amazon SEO ranking factors

Competitive pricing

Price is a primary driver of purchase decisions. Customers want the best deal, and Amazon’s algorithms work constantly to update product prices to remain competitive. 

In fact, in 2022, Quartz.com reported that Amazon changes the prices of its products more than 2.5 million times a day. All these pricing changes reflect real-time market conditions and are designed to drive sales. 

In short, the algorithm won’t surface your listing if the price isn’t competitive. But the answer isn’t simply to undercut everyone. 

The solution is to look for an app like SmartRepricer that can update your products based on a strategy of your choosing, giving you a competitive edge in Amazon SEO.

Optimized product listings

Just as Google’s algorithm favors useful websites, Amazon prefers product listings that clearly explain what’s being sold. The shopping experience includes scrolling through product pages, and Amazon wants its customers to have the best experience regardless of who the seller is.

Your title is the prime location for keywords. Amazon allows up to 200 characters, but the best practice is to use 60-80 characters for readability. Front-load your most important keywords in the title.

The rest of your copy should be easy to read, transparent, and informative. The A10 algorithm rewards clean, well-written content. Format your text into recognizable sections that help shoppers quickly find what they need. 

For bullet points, use 100-250 characters per bullet with a concise feature/benefit structure. And for your product description, since it has a 2,000-character limit, prioritize clarity and keyword diversity without keyword stuffing.

Seller authority & performance metrics

The A10 algorithm considers user behavior as part of a holistic approach to search results. Amazon monitors and analyzes these behaviors to determine what they mean for seller authority.

Several performance metrics impact your seller authority:

• Order Defect Rate (ODR): Includes negative feedback, A-to-Z claims, and chargebacks
• Late Shipment Rate: On-time delivery impacts ranking and Prime eligibility
• Pre-Fulfillment Cancel Rate: High cancellation rates lower authority
• Return rates and Negative Customer Experience (NCX) scores
• Overall account health via the Voice of the Customer dashboard

It can seem paradoxical. You want to rank higher so more people click on your listing, but you need more people to click on your listing to rank higher. You want more sales, but you need a higher conversion rate (more sales) first. But these external factors serve as checks against sellers who might game the system.

Product reviews & ratings

It’s probably a well-known fact at this point that positive reviews drive sales. After all, most shoppers read reviews before buying.

But on top of that, the more people interact with your product listing, the more the algorithm takes that as a sign you’re a seller worth recommending. If someone clicks on your listing, that helps your ranking. If they purchase after clicking, that’s even better. And if they leave a positive review? You’re definitely doing things right, and Amazon wants its customers to know about you.

As your good reviews accumulate, your seller authority increases—positively impacting SEO across all your products. Fortunately, there are tools like FeedbackWhiz Emails that help automate the process of requesting reviews from customers, boosting review volume without violating Amazon’s policies.

Seller feedback management

Though buyers often include thoughts about their buying experience in product reviews, seller feedback is a different beast altogether. Because A10 has made external factors more important, it raises the stakes for sellers to provide great service.

When a customer leaves negative feedback, it doesn’t just influence other shoppers—it influences the algorithm itself. A bad review damages your seller authority, creating a ripple effect across your listings.

When someone leaves negative feedback, especially if they’re rude, it might be tempting to engage in a keyboard war. Don’t do this. Public responses should be conciliatory if their complaint has merit, and the issue should be addressed with an eye toward resolution. Resolving problems is best done offline, away from public view.

Every negative review can be an opportunity. In what’s known as the “service recovery paradox,” customers who experience a service failure that’s later corrected often become even more loyal. FeedbackWhiz Alerts can help you monitor and get notified of this negative feedback so you can plan appropriately how to de-escalate.

Additional A10 ranking factors

Beyond the factors we’ve discussed, A10 considers several other important signals:

• Click-Through Rates (CTR): A10 rewards listings that attract clicks from search results. Your main image quality, title clarity, and pricing all affect CTR. High click-through rates signal that your listing is relevant and appealing to searchers.
• Conversion Rates: This is core to Amazon SEO—sales per page visit are tracked by keyword. Listings that consistently convert for specific keywords rise in rankings.
• Fulfillment Method (FBA vs. FBM): FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) generally ranks higher due to Prime eligibility, faster shipping, and better customer service metrics. FBM (Fulfillment by Merchant) can still rank competitively if seller authority and metrics are strong, but it faces challenges in crowded niches.
• Sales History & Velocity: Amazon tracks consistent sales over time as a trust signal. Sudden drops (like stockouts) can tank rankings. To maintain velocity, manage inventory proactively, run PPC campaigns during slow periods, and drive external traffic to listings.

How to implement your Amazon SEO strategy

Ready to put your Amazon SEO knowledge into action? Follow this step-by-step plan:

Step 1: Perform keyword research

Use Amazon search suggestions, competitor listings, and tools like Product Opportunity Explorer or Brand Analytics to identify short-tail keywords (broad, high volume) and long-tail keywords (specific, high conversion). Prioritize purchase-intent keywords that match customer search behavior.

Step 2: Optimize product titles 

Include primary keywords at the beginning of your title. Add brand, product type, and critical attributes like size, color, and material. Keep titles under 200 characters, ideally 60-80 characters for readability.

Step 3: Write compelling bullet points 

Highlight features and benefits using keyword variations. Use concise, scannable formatting (100-250 characters each). Emphasize unique selling points like durability, eco-friendliness, or multifunctionality.

Step 4: Write informative product descriptions 

Incorporate secondary keywords naturally. Expand on benefits, instructions, warranties, and differentiators. Keep content persuasive and customer-focused without keyword stuffing.

Step 5: Add backend search terms 

Use synonyms, abbreviations, and alternate spellings. Avoid duplicate words, brand names, or irrelevant keywords. Separate terms with spaces, not commas.

Step 6: Optimize product images 

Use high-resolution images with a white background for your primary image. Add lifestyle photos, infographics, and close-ups. Use alt-text with 1-2 keywords for indexing and accessibility.

Step 7: Ensure competitive pricing 

Monitor competitor prices to stay within market range. Use dynamic repricing tools like SmartRepricer to adjust automatically. Consider margin protection rules to avoid losses.

Step 8: Build seller authority 

Maintain excellent account health with on-time shipping and low return rates. Monitor the Voice of the Customer dashboard for potential suppressions. Encourage positive feedback through proactive customer service.

Step 9: Collect reviews & ratings 

Deliver high-quality products to reduce negative reviews. Use review request automation like FeedbackWhiz Emails. Analyze review trends for product improvement opportunities.

Step 10: Maintain sales velocity 

Use Amazon PPC to drive initial traffic and conversions. Prevent stockouts with smart inventory management. Supplement with external traffic from social media, email campaigns, and influencer referrals.

Turn Amazon’s algorithm into your profit engine

The Amazon marketplace grows more competitive every day. With millions of active sellers handling over 60% of Amazon’s total sales, standing out requires more than just good products—it demands mastery of Amazon’s search algorithm.

But remember: the A10 algorithm looks beyond keywords and prices to evaluate your entire operation as a seller. Every review, every sale, every customer interaction feeds into your visibility. The system rewards sellers who deliver exceptional customer experiences, just as Amazon promises in its own mission statement.

This is why Seller 365 has become essential for serious Amazon sellers. Instead of juggling multiple tools and subscriptions, you get one platform that has everything you need to take care of your Amazon business—from dynamic pricing that responds faster than Amazon’s own tool, to automated review collection that builds your seller authority, and real-time alerts that protect your listings from problems before they affect your ranking. 

Try Seller 365 today and turn Amazon’s complex algorithm from an obstacle into your greatest competitive advantage. 

Your competitors are already optimizing. Can you afford not to?