Amazon SEO: How to Rank Your Products Higher in 2026
Amazon's search algorithm decides which products buyers see first. This guide explains how Amazon search works for both FBA sellers and Merch on Demand creators, what optimization factors matter most, and how MagicTags generates Amazon-specific keywords from live search data.
Amazon SEO is the process of optimizing your product titles, bullet points, descriptions, and backend search terms so Amazon's search algorithm ranks your listing higher. Amazon weighs conversion rate and sales velocity heavily alongside keyword relevance. MagicTags generates Amazon-specific keywords by analyzing what top-ranking Amazon listings actually use.
How Amazon's Search Algorithm Ranks Products
Amazon's search algorithm is built to maximize purchases — not just relevance. It matches buyer queries against your title, bullet points, description, and backend search terms, then ranks results based on keyword relevance, conversion rate, sales history, and pricing competitiveness.
- Amazon matches keywords across title, bullets, description, and backend search terms
- Conversion rate and sales velocity are primary ranking factors
- Price competitiveness and Prime eligibility influence rankings
- Backend search terms are indexed but invisible to buyers
- Amazon enforces stricter title requirements: no ALL CAPS, no promotional phrases
Writing Amazon Titles That Rank and Sell
Amazon titles have a maximum of 200 characters for most categories, though Amazon recommends keeping titles to 80–100 characters.
- 200-character maximum for most categories (80–100 recommended)
- Front-load the most important keyword in the first 80 characters
- Follow the category formula: Brand + Key Feature + Product Type + Size/Variant
- No ALL CAPS, no promotional phrases
- Don't repeat the same word more than twice (2025 policy update)
Title Optimization for Amazon Merch on Demand
Merch on Demand titles are more constrained. The title field is typically limited to 60 characters.
- Merch title limit: approximately 60 characters
- Keep titles natural and descriptive
- Include the most important keyword phrase + a descriptive element
Writing Amazon Bullet Points That Convert
Bullet points are indexed by Amazon's search algorithm and appear prominently on the product page.
- FBA sellers: Up to 5 bullet points, 255 characters each
- Merch on Demand: Typically 2 bullet points
- Bullet points are indexed for search — include relevant keywords naturally
- Lead with benefits, support with features
- Don't repeat keywords already in your title
How to Use Amazon Backend Keywords
Backend search terms are a hidden field in Seller Central that Amazon indexes for search but doesn't show to buyers. The limit is 250 bytes.
- 250-byte limit — exceeding it can cause all backend terms to be ignored
- No commas needed — spaces between words are sufficient
- Don't repeat words already in your title or bullets
- Include: misspellings, synonyms, abbreviations, and alternate product names
- Use lowercase only — capitalization doesn't affect indexing
Amazon Product Descriptions
The product description field allows up to 2,000 characters.
- 2,000-character limit for product descriptions
- Use natural, descriptive language
- For Merch on Demand: describe the design honestly
Key Differences Between Amazon and Etsy SEO
Amazon and Etsy have fundamentally different approaches to search.
- Amazon weighs conversion rate and sales velocity far more than Etsy
- Amazon has a dedicated 250-byte hidden keyword field; Etsy does not
- Amazon follows strict title formulas; Etsy is more flexible
- Etsy uses 13 discrete tags; Amazon uses bullet points + backend keyword string
- MagicTags adjusts output for each platform when you select your marketplace
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Select Amazon as your marketplace and MagicTags searches Amazon's own product results, then generates keywords optimized for Amazon's search algorithm.
You shouldn't. Amazon and Etsy have different search algorithms and listing structures. MagicTags generates platform-specific keywords for each marketplace.
Backend keywords are a hidden field in Seller Central (250 bytes) where you can add search terms that Amazon indexes but buyers don't see.
Merch on Demand typically allows 2 bullet points per product. Standard FBA sellers get up to 5.
Very. Amazon's algorithm promotes listings that convert at high rates.
Rank Higher on Amazon With Real Marketplace Data
MagicTags generates Amazon-specific keywords from live search results. Optimize your titles, bullets, and backend keywords with data buyers are actually searching for.
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