As we learned in our previous article, Amazon represents one channel of many in your sales strategy. It has some huge advantages and opportunities but is also hampered by some limitations when compared to your own eCommerce store.

In part 3 of our Amazon and the Nordics Series, we’re going to launch into some practical advice for selling on the marketplace. With these actionable tips and tricks, you’ll have the tools and knowledge to start selling on Amazon if, and when the time comes.

Before exploring some key Amazon tactics, it’s useful to reaffirm the context in which you’d be operating on the platform:

You’ll be competing against a huge number of other merchants and you’ll also have very little control over how you display and advertise your brand.

It’s thus crucial that you address the following areas so that your products are discovered, sold and sold again!

Search optimization

When selling on Amazon, you must treat it like a search engine, à la Google. This means spending time and attention on optimising your landing page and product pages so that they become more visible for those searching.

Various US studies have demonstrated that a higher proportion of customers begin their search on Amazon rather than Google. For example, Adeptmind’s research found that 46.7% of users started a product search on Amazon, compared to 34.6% on Google.

However, Google still remains an important source of traffic, and needs to be kept in mind. A Searchmetrics study analysed 10,000 keywords for which amazon.com ranks with the number one organic result. Looking at Google Adwords, Images, Google Shopping and Organic Listings, the study demonstrates that Google (both organic and paid) holds value for Amazon sellers.

Amazon search

Typically, customers will use the search bar or navigate using the category tree. And in order for you to become ranked or indexed, you need to have the correct SEO and wording for specific search queries.

With a limited number of characters available, your title will need to include all relevant information (brand, type, size, colour, etc) while also accommodating target keywords. Just under your title is space for key features or bullets—you’ll want to exploit this section to include keyword-rich and informative features about the product. But remember, you cannot just list a load of keywords at random here. The copy still needs to be readable and easily digestible (and in-line with Amazon’s requirements).

Then in the product description itself, you can use this area to convey more of a story that customers can connect with plus some kind of call to action—hitting valuable keywords in the process.

And we can’t talk about SEO without mentioning Alexa herself. Voice search is on the rise and so it’s important to start thinking about how you can optimise your copy for voice search. Think of the implications when someone searches by speaking rather than typing. Would someone necessarily say the brand name, the size or the specific model when calling out to their Alexa powered Echo device? You need to consider the act of searching by voice, because although in its relative infancy, it’s an area that’s growing.

All of the above can be achieved organically. But if you want a little extra help, you can put your money where your mouth is. There are countless 3rd party services which can help you optimise listings for ranking in specific categories and sub-categories. You can also buy banner listings, banner ads, remarketing and run PPC campaigns.

Keep in mind, however, that just like Google, Amazon is its own ecosystem—with its own set of rules and quirks. So if you’d really like to invest in Amazon as a platform then this may mean hiring someone with Amazon-specific knowledge to manage this channel.

As a full-service digital commerce partner, Vaimo can help you reach and exceed your commerce goals. Whether related to Amazon or any other area of eCommerce, you can reach out to our team of experts who will advise on the best course of action.

Customer reviews and responses

In our previous article, we saw how little control you have of branding and marketing when selling through Amazon. And though true, something you can directly influence is your customer reviews and answered questions.

Strong customer reviews (and lots of them) will not only improve credibility but will also push you up the Amazon rankings—meaning more eyes on your product. It’s crucial that you track reviews, analyse customer feedback and adapt as necessary.

With Amazon, you might not have control over your customers, but the ‘answered question’ section is as close as you can come to directly influencing prospects. As your one direct communication line with customers, this is your chance to inject some personality, credibility and customer service into your profile. Use this section to build trust and transparency and grow your base of loyal and repeat customers.

Selling on Amazon is a science of its own. In this article, we’ve touched on a few of the key areas you need to consider when you start selling on the platform. But this is an area that’s growing and evolving all the time. If you want to succeed on Amazon, then you’ll need to direct resources, time, energy to maximise your performance (as with any new sales channel). There’s an awful lot to get right. But if you do, Amazon could represent a valuable sales channel alongside your eCommerce and physical stores.

Join us for Part 4 of Amazon and the Nordics, as we sum up, and assess Amazon’s role in your eCommerce strategy.