They’ve got massive budgets, thousands of reviews, and the algorithm’s trust. But what if we told you there’s an Amazon SEO tactic that gives small to mid-sized sellers a serious edge—and it’s hiding in plain sight?
Today, we’re revealing the one optimization strategy that has helped our listings leapfrog big brands on page one. It’s simple, it’s free, and almost no one is doing it right.
Let’s dive in.
The Tip: Optimizing Backend Search Terms Like a Pro
While most sellers obsess over their titles and bullet points (which matter!), backend search terms are often neglected or stuffed with irrelevant keywords. That’s a huge mistake.
When used strategically, backend search terms can:
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Help your product index for long-tail keywords
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Improve your ranking without keyword cannibalization
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Boost relevance for low-competition, high-converting queries
Big brands often skip this step or repeat the same keywords, wasting valuable SEO real estate.
What Are Backend Search Terms?
Backend search terms live in Seller Central under the “Search Terms” field. They’re hidden from customers but used by Amazon’s A10 algorithm to match your product to shopper searches.
You get 249 bytes to describe your product—so every character counts.
How to Use Backend Search Terms the Right Way
Here’s our tested 5-step process:
1. Start with Keyword Gap Analysis
Use tools like Helium 10 or DataDive to find keywords your competitors rank for but you don’t. These are gold for backend targeting.
2. No Repetition
Don’t repeat words already in your title or bullets. The A10 algorithm is smart enough to understand overlap. Use this space for new terms only.
3. Think Like a Shopper
Add misspellings, slang, regional terms, and alternate product uses.
Example: “yoga mat for men,” “non-slip mat,” “pilates floor pad.”
4. Remove Stop Words
Words like “for,” “and,” “the,” etc. waste space. Stick to raw keyword strings.
5. Use All 249 Bytes
Don’t stop at 100 characters. Use every byte. You can check byte usage with free tools like ByteCounter.
💡 Bonus Tip: Target Long-Tail Gold
You won’t beat Nike on “running shoes.” But you can outrank them for:
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“lightweight running shoes for women”
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“trail running sneakers size 7”
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“non-slip running shoes with arch support”
Long-tail keywords are less competitive, convert better, and often ignored by big brands.
📈 What Results Can You Expect?
One of our clients, a mid-tier supplement brand, implemented backend keyword optimization on just 5 SKUs. In 30 days, they saw:
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24% lift in organic sessions
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19% increase in keyword indexation
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A jump from #14 to #4 on a core search term—without increasing ad spend
It works. Especially when big brands get lazy.
❌ Common Mistakes to Avoid
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Including brand names (against Amazon policy)
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Using keywords already in the title
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Leaving the backend field empty
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Stuffing keywords in unnatural formats
Amazon SEO is not about jamming every term into every field. It’s about using the right keyword in the right place.
💬 Final Thoughts
If you’re a smaller seller trying to compete with giants, this is your edge. Backend search term optimization is underrated, underused, and incredibly effective when done right.
Think of it as your secret SEO weapon—because sometimes, what’s not visible to shoppers is what makes all the difference to the algorithm.
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