Ranking high in search results on Amazon is key to scaling your business and attaining sales. Amazon sellers are always competing for real estate on the first page of search results, considering that shoppers are more likely to purchase from the first search results they’re presented with. In order to rank your products higher, it is essential that you understand how the Amazon algorithm works. Amazon has its own specialized algorithm that determines which products rise to the top of the search results and which ones fall short. This algorithm is called the A10 Algorithm. Prior to the A10 algorithm was the A9 algorithm that Amazon used, and while they both are very similar there are some notable differences you should be aware of as a seller on Amazon. In this blog, Black Caiman Media is going to break down the key differences between their A9 and A10 algorithms. Are you ready? Let’s dive in!
Key Differences Between the A9 & A10 Algorithms:
The first thing worth mentioning about the Amazon A10 algorithm is that it weighs buyer searches more strongly and relevantly than it did previously with the A9. This means that the focus has shifted towards giving shoppers more accurate, “on the mark” findings rather than encourage shoppers towards more profitable choices. This component of the new Amazon algorithm may be put up to their “customer obsession”, where the customer is at the heart of everything they do at Amazon.
Another difference you’ll see in the A10 algorithm is that sponsored links don’t generate as much value as they did with A9. Things like pay per click campaigns will be harder to navigate successfully, not to say that it is impossible or irrelevant, but you will need to be more strategic with your marketing approach.
The A10 algorithm also puts more weight on seller authority when it comes to the search results. Simply put, seller authority is the reputation of an Amazon brand. It considers the sales history, seller feedback rating, performance, account health metrics, product catalog, brand history and more to determine whether or not the seller is authoritative. This makes it even more important to hustle after receiving positive feedback than it was before with the A9 algorithm. Furthermore, the age of your Amazon brand, the amount of products you have in your catalog, your return rate and how you have handled your returns are also impertinent.
Another aspect of seller authority is the depth and breadth of your inventory. Having a broad array of products tells Amazon you can appeal to more users because you can meet more needs.
A different way of looking at a varied inventory is how many categories your products can fit into. This doesn’t mean you should be putting toothpaste in Electronics, but rather seeing how many uses or commonalities your product has. For example, items that can be bundled together, like laundry detergent and fabric softener, can help you rank higher with A10.
Another great way to come up on top of the new Amazon A10 algorithm is by utilizing other platforms (blog, message boards, social media, websites, etc.) to drive traffic to your listings via your Amazon link. The A10 puts more value on shoppers coming from outside of the Amazon platform to purchase your products, so make sure you add your Amazon links to other platforms you’re utilizing!
Finally, your goal should always be to maintain a strong sales history, and this is even more critical with the A10 algorithm. The new Amazon algorithm views considers a strong sales history very highly when it comes to search rankings. On the other hand, having organic sales and traffic is also important. Finding a balance of both is a great way to scale your business and get your products to the top of the search results on Amazon.
