Let’s face it, you want to become a millionaire. But you can’t achieve this if you’re not earning from your business. Yes, you’ve researched the best product to sell and have set up your store on Amazon in the hopes of becoming the next successful seller. You’ve even optimized your listing to make it relevant and visible. However, you’re still not making any sales. Don’t worry, because we’ll talk about Amazon listing optimization mistakes and how to fix them.
Starting a business is similar to planting a seed on the ground. You need to look for fertile soil, give it the right amount of water, sunlight, and care. It requires patience, love, and dedication. The same way with your Amazon store, you need to tend to it for it to grow. Mistakes are unavoidable, but they will help you learn. If you can watch out for these mistakes before they even start — like weeds — then your store will grow and bloom beautifully.
What Is Amazon Listing Optimization?
Magicians are amazing performers. They can pull a rabbit right out of a hat and levitate a sleeping woman in the air. But the truth is, they don’t have superpowers or magical abilities. Their amazing performances are a result of hours of practice and planning.
It’s the same way with Amazon listing optimization. To make a sale, you need to plan and apply everything you’ve learned. Amazon listing optimization is the process of improving a product listing to increase visibility and relevance. You will use keywords for your listing and pick high-quality photos. In this way, it will attract customers who will view your product and purchase from your store. In fact, this is one of the most important things you should do as a seller on Amazon. It is advisable to take services of a reputed Amazon agency for this purpose if you are new to Amazon business.
With Amazon listing optimization, you can increase your conversion rate. The keywords used in your listing can attract customers and urge them to make a purchase. It can also help create loyal customers and improve your Amazon PPC management.
Think of Amazon product listing optimization as the water and sunlight to your plants. Without these two factors, your business wouldn’t grow. So, listing optimization is an essential part of the growth and success of your business.
If you don’t properly take care of your plants, they will wilt and die. With your Amazon store, if you use the wrong keywords or do not optimize your listing, you won’t get any traffic and sales. It’s a good thing that we’ve listed the top five listing optimization mistakes you need to avoid, as well as how to fix them.
Mistake #1: You’re Not Using the Right Keywords for Your Listing
Keywords are some of the most important factors you need to consider when you optimize your listing. They need to be placed in different parts rather than in only one area. Also, many sellers use keywords that aren’t relevant to the product. You can’t use a keyword for electronics when your products are clothes.
Solution #1: Research on the Relevant Keywords
We can’t keep but stress the importance of keywords. Keywords help your listing rank high on Amazon. They tell you which products customers are interested in and how to get their attention. By researching the keywords that are getting a high volume of searches and purchases per month, you can tweak your listing to improve ranking.
To conduct keyword research, type in the Amazon search bar and check the keyword suggestions. You can also use an SEO tool to aid you in your keyword research. Keywords that are high in volume on Google can also be good for Amazon.
Solution #2: Avoid Keyword Stuffing
Keyword stuffing is shoving multiple and irrelevant keywords in your product listing. It will result in irrelevant traffic to your listing. Customers will also start leaving after clicking because your listing wasn’t what they thought it was.
If customers keep on bouncing off your page, then Amazon will demote your listing. Amazon only wants to display pages with high conversion rates. So, to avoid getting keyword stuffing and subsequent demotion, you need to properly place the keywords inside the listing.
Solution #3: Add Keywords to the Different Parts of the Listing
Once you are able to pick relevant keywords, it’s time to place them in your listing. The most important keyword should be placed in the title. If you’re selling a printer, make sure the word “printer” is in the title.
The second and third most important keywords will go in your product description and key features. Make sure you don’t repeat the same keyword because it doesn’t have any effect on your Amazon ranking. It’s best to use a keyword only once in the listing.
To avoid keyword stuffing, you can utilize backend keywords. Backend keywords are keywords that your potential buyers don’t see. Since the keywords are placed at the back of your listing, you can integrate additional keywords to increase Amazon’s ranking such as misspellings, translations, general keywords, etc.
Mistake #2: You’re Not Taking Your Product Description Seriously
Have you been just winging your product descriptions? If you have, then your customers probably aren’t getting the right descriptions they need. They’re probably constantly asking you to be more detailed, or have chosen other stores because they don’t know your product’s features.
A poorly written product description can affect your store. There is a chance that it will cause you to lose sales. To avoid this from happening, here are some solutions for you to improve the product description.
Solutions #1: Grab the Attention of Your Customers
A short and concise description that packs a punch is the best product description. Why? Because you only have a few seconds to grab a customer’s attention. Bombarding them with information isn’t advisable.
Oftentimes, customers scan the contents of the product description. So, focus on the results when using the product and the benefits the buyers will receive. Also, write the product description in bullet form.
Solution #2: Share the Benefits of Using the Product
Customers often look at the benefits they will receive instead of the features. They don’t often understand the features. For example, your grandparents won’t understand if an iPod has 32 GB. Instead, you can explain that an iPhone can let you listen to 1,000 songs on a tiny device.
Notice how the product description explains the benefits the users will receive. They’re more interested in what your product can do for them. When it’s clear to them what they’re getting from the product, they’ll get excited and purchase it.
Solution #3: Follow Amazon’s Guidelines
Don’t forget to follow Amazon’s guidelines when it comes to writing the product description. If you don’t, you may face sanctions, or even a suspension. For example, product titles must not have more than 200 characters, or product descriptions must be clearly written for customers to understand the product.
Mistake #3: You’re Using Low-Quality Images
In an online marketplace, a high-quality image is everything. Customers can’t physically inspect and see the product, so they rely on the product image. But if you use low-quality and blurry images, customers will pick another store. They may even think you are selling old and low-quality products.
Solution #1: Hire a Photographer
If you don’t have a camera or a studio to shoot your products, you can always hire a professional. A photographer has the necessary equipment to take a good product image. There are hundreds of local photographers you can contact.
Solution #2: Feature the Different Sides of the Product
It’s important to take photos of all angles of the product. In this way, customers can see the features considering they can’t physically inspect the product. It also helps boost your ranking on Amazon. So, take as many good photos and pick nine of the best to be uploaded on your listing.
Solution #3: Shoot High-Quality Images Against a White Background
Bright, clear, and high-quality pictures of a product enhance the conversion rate. It also increases the dwell-time in your listing because they are appealing to the eyes. So, shoot clear images under a bright light and white background.
Ideally, the image must be 1,800 pixels on the longest side. You can also try 3D rendering and add the zoom feature.
Mistake #4: Your Listing’s Product Rating Is Too Low or Non-Existent
There are a number of factors that lead to a low product rating. It can be due to poor customer service, low-quality products, or lengthy shipping time. The happiness of your customers should be at the forefront. Below are three ways to improve product rating.
Solution #1: Offer the Best Customer Service and High-Quality Products
Imagine receiving your parcel only to find out it wasn’t what you expected. It may look the same as the photos, but after using the product, it quickly broke. Now that is a big no. To avoid this scenario, you must test the product before selling it.
As for customer service, you need to be courteous and respectful to your buyers. Don’t argue with them or respond negatively when they have a concern about their order. Find ways to appease them.
Solution #2: Promote Your Listing Online
Perhaps you aren’t getting enough traffic because you aren’t promoting your business. To increase viewers and engagement, start promoting your product on your website or social media accounts. Most people are on social media, so utilize Facebook and Instagram ads.
Solution 3#: Try the Amazon Early Reviewer Program
The Amazon Early Reviewer Program is a good program you can utilize for your business. It helps you increase your reviews. How? Customers who bought your products are given incentives by Amazon when they leave a review on their purchases. Through the program, you can increase product reviews and product ranking.
Mistake #5: You’re Pricing Isn’t Competitive!
Price is everything! You can’t make a sale if you don’t break even. You need to price your listing competitively. This means it shouldn’t be too high or too low from the market price.
Solution #1: Study Your Target Market and Competition
For you to know how much you will price your products, you need to check the market. Look at your competitors. Take into account the average market price, too. List the prices in your laptop or notebook, then go back to the list after you have measured your costs.
Solution #2: Measure Your Costs
Before you start pricing your products, you need to measure the total cost of the product. It includes the price of the product, shipping, handling, and other fees. Then divide it by the units you are selling and think of how much you will price your products to gain profit. For example, each item costs $10 to produce, and you priced it for $20. You will receive a $10 income.
Solution #3: Offer Your Product Below Market Value
If you can offer your product below market value and still earn from it, then do so. Customers will often choose stores that have a lower price. Hence, it will help you increase sales.
Final Thoughts
We all want to gain success from selling on Amazon. Who doesn’t? This is why it’s best for you to correct these Amazon listing optimization mistakes before they negatively affect your business. Just don’t stress over perfection too much, because like planting a seed, you also need to have fun and love what you are doing.
