Amazon Advantage Book Review
A practical copywriting guide on how to write optimized listings for your Amazon products.
I first bought Amazon Advantage by Karon Thackston in 2014.
I have read the book several times and still go back to relevant parts of it when I create new Amazon listings or want to edit and improve existing ones.
Karon is a highly respected authoirty with years of experience in copywriting for advertising, ecommerce, websites, Amazon, eBay and SEO. She is president of Marketing Words (not to be confused with Merchant Words, which is a keyword tool!) and has been interviewed by many experts.
So I was flattered when she approached me to offer her book at $10 off to my blog readers :)
Instead of me writing about the book, I asked Karon if she would like to guest post an article as a way of introducing her book. I'm so happy she agreed!
Here's her guest article:
I have read the book several times and still go back to relevant parts of it when I create new Amazon listings or want to edit and improve existing ones.
Karon is a highly respected authoirty with years of experience in copywriting for advertising, ecommerce, websites, Amazon, eBay and SEO. She is president of Marketing Words (not to be confused with Merchant Words, which is a keyword tool!) and has been interviewed by many experts.
So I was flattered when she approached me to offer her book at $10 off to my blog readers :)
Instead of me writing about the book, I asked Karon if she would like to guest post an article as a way of introducing her book. I'm so happy she agreed!
Here's her guest article:
10 Keywords Types That Boost Traffic to Your Amazon Listing
"What would you search for if you were looking for this on Amazon?" Isn't that the question practically every seller asks (themselves or their friends) when doing Amazon keyword research?
From there, the rest is a mish-mash of clicking through competitors' listings and outright guessing about the terms to include. One reason for this is that the majority of sellers don't go past the obvious when conducting keyword research.
Today, that will change!
Yes, you do need to include search terms that are highly relevant and also have high search volume. Chances are excellent that your competitors will be using these also. That means, you also want to insert not-so-common keywords so you can show up in the search results for terms your competition isn't using.
How do you do that? By stretching the boundaries of the ordinary keyword research process. Below you'll find 10 different types of keywords to research so you can drive more qualified, targeted shoppers to your Amazon product pages.
From there, the rest is a mish-mash of clicking through competitors' listings and outright guessing about the terms to include. One reason for this is that the majority of sellers don't go past the obvious when conducting keyword research.
Today, that will change!
Yes, you do need to include search terms that are highly relevant and also have high search volume. Chances are excellent that your competitors will be using these also. That means, you also want to insert not-so-common keywords so you can show up in the search results for terms your competition isn't using.
How do you do that? By stretching the boundaries of the ordinary keyword research process. Below you'll find 10 different types of keywords to research so you can drive more qualified, targeted shoppers to your Amazon product pages.
1. Synonyms: This is the biggest and most important element in keyword research, in my opinion. Just because you refer to a product by a particular name doesn't mean everyone else does. Not every item will have synonyms, but 90% of them do. For example:
2. Features: What popular (even expected) features does your product offer that visitors will be looking for? Also, consider which not-so-expected features you can research that can usher customers to your page.
3. Benefits: In a similar fashion to features, the benefit-focused keywords you research might provide some high-volume terms that other sellers didn't think to look for.
4. Regional Differences: Did you know that people in the northern states of America typically refer to drinks including Coke and Sprite as "soda"? Those who live in southwest and northeast states prefer to call these beverages "pop." Still others say "soft drink" or "cola" or "soda pop." The names differ depending on which part of the USA you are in.
These regional discrepancies are a semi-common occurrence and deserve to be considered when you do your keyword research. If you aren't sure whether a product is called by various names, do an online search for something like "regional names for {type of product you're selling}."
5. Uses: What is your product used for? Plastic freezer bins can also come in quite handy for organizing kitchen or bathroom cabinets. Including "kitchen (or bathroom) cabinet organization" in your keyword research might reveal some brilliant new finds. Likewise, a skillet-related keywords shows results for "skillet for eggs," "skillet for induction cooktop," and more.
6. Users: Men, women, children, dogs, iguanas, senior citizens, construction workers, etc. Check your preferred keyword research tool for all the terms that might describe those who use your product.
7. Materials: Yes, "materials" absolutely includes general substances such as plastic, metal, or wood. But don't stop there. Be as specific as possible when doing keyword research for materials. Instead of just looking for plastic, search for the precise type of plastic (Tritan®, BPA-free, etc.).
Don't be satisfied with plain metal. If your product is stainless steel, aluminum, or something else, research those keywords.
You can even describe the texture of the materials used. Often words like "plush," "smooth," "mesh," and others draw in shoppers.
8. Ingredients: Whether you're selling gourmet popcorn or multivitamins, you can bet customers search by including ingredients. Check all the primary ingredients of your product when you do your research.
9. Problem-Based: Often, shoppers will try to find a resolution for a problem they are experiencing. Instead of typing in a specific product or feature, they look for a fix. As you can see from the screenshot below, "devices," "aids," and "solution" show up as highly searched terms with regard to snoring.
- Cell phone vs. mobile phone vs. wireless phone
- USB drive vs. flash stick vs. memory storage
- Curtains vs. drapes vs. window treatments
- Trash can vs. rubbish bin vs. waste basket
2. Features: What popular (even expected) features does your product offer that visitors will be looking for? Also, consider which not-so-expected features you can research that can usher customers to your page.
3. Benefits: In a similar fashion to features, the benefit-focused keywords you research might provide some high-volume terms that other sellers didn't think to look for.
4. Regional Differences: Did you know that people in the northern states of America typically refer to drinks including Coke and Sprite as "soda"? Those who live in southwest and northeast states prefer to call these beverages "pop." Still others say "soft drink" or "cola" or "soda pop." The names differ depending on which part of the USA you are in.
These regional discrepancies are a semi-common occurrence and deserve to be considered when you do your keyword research. If you aren't sure whether a product is called by various names, do an online search for something like "regional names for {type of product you're selling}."
- Pop vs. soda vs. soft drinks
- Jump rope vs. exercise rope vs. skip rope
5. Uses: What is your product used for? Plastic freezer bins can also come in quite handy for organizing kitchen or bathroom cabinets. Including "kitchen (or bathroom) cabinet organization" in your keyword research might reveal some brilliant new finds. Likewise, a skillet-related keywords shows results for "skillet for eggs," "skillet for induction cooktop," and more.
6. Users: Men, women, children, dogs, iguanas, senior citizens, construction workers, etc. Check your preferred keyword research tool for all the terms that might describe those who use your product.
7. Materials: Yes, "materials" absolutely includes general substances such as plastic, metal, or wood. But don't stop there. Be as specific as possible when doing keyword research for materials. Instead of just looking for plastic, search for the precise type of plastic (Tritan®, BPA-free, etc.).
Don't be satisfied with plain metal. If your product is stainless steel, aluminum, or something else, research those keywords.
You can even describe the texture of the materials used. Often words like "plush," "smooth," "mesh," and others draw in shoppers.
8. Ingredients: Whether you're selling gourmet popcorn or multivitamins, you can bet customers search by including ingredients. Check all the primary ingredients of your product when you do your research.
9. Problem-Based: Often, shoppers will try to find a resolution for a problem they are experiencing. Instead of typing in a specific product or feature, they look for a fix. As you can see from the screenshot below, "devices," "aids," and "solution" show up as highly searched terms with regard to snoring.
10. Solution-Based: The opposite of problems are solutions. This kind of keyword focuses on items that solve the problem instead of the general problem itself. "Stop snoring mouthpiece" or "stop snoring spray" would be good solution-based keywords.
The next time you wonder if you've missed out on any valuable keyphrases that might drive more traffic to your listings, click to this list for a few ideas.
Wondering about the best ways to create and optimize the title, bullets, and description of your listings? My ebook "Amazon Advantage: Product Listing Strategies to Boost Your Sales" is the go-to guide! Simple, easy to understand, and packed full of practical, useful ideas, it has become one of the most popular ebooks online about crafting Amazon listings that rank high and sell more.