The Fundamentals for Getting Set Up and Positioned to Win on Amazon
Now that we have learned how to find a great product to sell in Chapter 4 of Amazon Jungle, as well as in my previous blog Get it Made, Make it Cool, it is time to list it to sell! This blog will focus on setting up seller accounts, keyword research, and optimizing listings. Amazon is constantly changing, so it is crucial to launch-listen-learn (repeat!) in order to stay ahead of the game.
Getting Started
Let’s start with understanding the Amazon seller registration process. With the constant changes that take place on Amazon, the best way to get started in setting up your seller account is to follow the Amazon Services links for getting started online.
When registering as a seller, be sure you have a registered trademark certificate. Brand Registry is a MUST for Amazon success. It allows you to create a Brand Store on Amazon, add A+ content to your product listing, and advertising beyond what non-registered sellers will get. Registering your brand can be done with intellectual property (IP) attorney or through a new service Amazon now offers called Amazon IP Accelerator. This service is an easy way for third-party sellers to get started!
SEO is Key!
Getting people to look at your listing once it is there is mission-critical. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the key to getting visitors to your listing. Without utilizing SEO tools effectively, you will not close the sale. It won’t matter how great your listing looks.
The majority of clicks on your page will originate from an Amazon search, so making sure your product sticks out is important. The Search Results Page (SRP) is the gateway to your product. You can figure out if shoppers are seeing and liking your product on the SRP by looking at the CRT – the click-through rate.
Using best practices for SEO will help your listing rise to page 1 of the Amazon SRP. This means conducting competitor and keyword research. My team at Avenue7media does exhaustive and continual research of competitors’ products, as well as product categories. This helps our clients better position themselves for success on Amazon. This research helps ensure that shoppers can find your product! There are many tools available for identifying keywords to include in your product title, bullet points, and description.
Above the Fold
Another important factor in listing optimization is placement “above the fold”. In digital marketing and advertising, the fold is the part of your screen available without having to scroll down the page. This is a crucial location because the most important messaging about your product should be featured prominently on your Amazon Product Detail Page. This is the foundation of success on Amazon. If the “above the fold” imagery and messaging are bad, then nothing else will work.
Amazon A+ Content
This tool on Amazon, formerly known as Enhanced Brand Content, is a tool that enables brand owners to describe features of their product with added detailed descriptions, charts, high-quality images, and custom copy (your brand story). This is the area that lets you build a relationship with your prospective customers and strengthen your brand. The Amazon A+ Content is like your own product endorsement page! It is amazing to see how conversion rates improve when adding A+ content to a listing.
Once you have completed your A+ Content, next you’ll want to build your own Amazon Brand Store. I like to think of it like my own website on Amazon. This is an ideal landing page for customers. This will help show your brand in the best possible light – which is a win-win for Amazon, but also for you as a seller!
The next step is making sure you know exactly who your targeted audience is. This will help guide you in crafting a strong, effective, targeted message. Questions to think about:
- What kind of model should I use in the photos and videos I select?
- How should my copy read?
- Am I talking to an older audience or a younger group?
- Does my product appeal to active women or men (or both) ?
Once you determine the ideal customer, it is much easier to determine the lifestyle images that will compel them to want to learn more about the product.
What’s In It For Me?
I can’t stress enough – features tell, benefits sell. The features are not the most important part of the messaging. We want to always answer the shopper’s question, what’s in it for me before he or she even has to ask. Earlier in my book I shared about my epic foosball fail. I ran with a big idea for selling a foosball table before doing any market research. Eventually what sold the tables was our focus on the benefits of our tables, like bringing friends and family together. While our competitors focused on the thickness of the wood and types of rod steels used to build the product, we focused on the end result – fun and safety!
Maximize the benefits of your messaging with a focus on content with the end results in mind. Every word and image counts!
- Copy Matters – it is the copy that can persuade people to stick with you long enough to hear the offer.
- Read the reviews – read them all! A theme may emerge that can help you craft a more effective message.
- Cut to the chase with infographics – people don’t read as much as they used to. An infographic is a hybrid of text and image. They are a great way to call out information that might be overlooked.
- A picture is worth 1,000 words! Your first product image must be sharp, bright, and stand out on the SRP. But it is the additional images that close the deal. Look for images with people that look like the ideal happy customer interacting with the product.
The Power of Video
Video is the most effective way to appeal to people. It is also the key to building your brand. I won’t list a product on Amazon without one! Including a video on a landing page can increase conversion rates by 80%. When using a video, don’t be afraid to make changes if you are not getting the responses you hoped for. I find I am constantly fine-tuning my approach to every video I produce. Great video making can help form a winning message.
Launch. Listen. Learn. (Repeat!)
Nothing you sell on Amazon is “set it and forget it”. This goes double for the listings. Vigilance is required to thrive on Amazon. The work never stops. List your product, sell your product, receive feedback, and then revisit your listings and improve them!
“Every champion was once a contender who refused to give up.”
Rocky Balboa
What’s Next?
A better understanding of how your keywords work, the value of standing out on the search results page, and the use of strong copy, images, and video will help guide you in the creation of a compelling listing. Avenue7Media is a 30+ person team of Amazon experts running a proven process and delivering an average of 100% growth for our partners. Check out our website at https://avenue7media.com/ for more information.
In Chapter 6, and the next blog, I will encourage you to forget everything you know about retail business. Amazon listings are an investment. Hard work and an effective brand message that you control will pave the way to increased sales and greater awareness of your brand products.