How to Use Backend Search Terms to Boost Your Amazon Rankings in 2024

Amazon's marketplace is fiercely competitive, and gaining visibility for your products requires more than just listing them. Optimizing your product listings with the right backend search terms can dramatically impact your ranking. Amazon search terms, often overlooked by sellers, are essential for making your product more discoverable.

In this article, we discuss how you can leverage Amazon's backend search terms to boost your rankings in 2024 and grow your sales.

Improve Organic Sales on Amazon

At YourSeller, we are Amazon SEO experts with years of experience helping sellers grow their businesses while remaining profitable. By using the latest Amazon search term strategies, you can drive significant traffic to your product pages and improve your organic rankings.

Amazon SEO, like traditional SEO, revolves around using keywords to optimize for searches. However, Amazon's algorithm is slightly different, prioritizing customer intent and sales conversions. That’s why using proper backend search terms is crucial. It allows you to optimize for additional keywords without cluttering the front-end listing, ultimately increasing your product's discoverability.

New Amazon Backend Search Terms Limit

One of the most underrated sections of a product listing is the backend search terms field. This space allows sellers to input hidden keywords that can significantly influence product visibility without affecting the front-end product description or title. In 2024, Amazon's backend search terms have undergone changes that make them even more powerful.

Previously, sellers could use 250 bytes in backend search terms. However, Amazon has now expanded this limit to 2,500 characters. This provides you with five fields of 500 characters each, giving you much more room to input keywords relevant to your product. This increase in character count means you can target a broader range of search terms, including variations of keywords, misspellings, and synonyms that buyers might use to find your products.

What’s New with Amazon Backend Search Terms

This major update allows sellers to optimize their listings further and be more creative with their keyword strategy. The increase to 2,500 characters offers ample space to experiment with keywords that you might not have considered before, such as longer-tail search phrases and region-specific terms. This is especially helpful for international sellers who target various markets across the globe.

How to Optimize Amazon Search Terms

Optimizing Amazon search terms is essential for any seller wanting to stay competitive. With the recent changes to the search term limit, there is more opportunity than ever to fine-tune your product listing for greater visibility. However, choosing the right keywords requires a careful and strategic approach. At YourSeller, we use a combination of data sources such as Amazon Brand Analytics, Helium 10's Cerebro, and Frankenstein tools to craft highly relevant backend keywords. Here’s how you can optimize your backend search terms to get the best results.

Identify Competitors in Your Category

The first step to creating a winning backend keyword strategy is competitor analysis. Let’s assume you’re selling a water bottle. Start by identifying at least seven to nine competitors that are highly relevant to your product. Look for those that dominate your category in terms of sales and visibility. A good place to start is Amazon's Best Sellers page, where you can find top products in various categories.

This will give you a benchmark to understand what high-performing competitors are doing. By analyzing their strategies, you can identify opportunities for your listings.

Use Helium 10 to Generate Keywords

Once you’ve identified your key competitors, use their ASINs to dig deeper into the keywords they are targeting. Helium 10’s Cerebro tool is perfect for this. Take the ASINs of your competitors and input them into Cerebro. Helium 10 will generate thousands of keywords related to your competitors’ products.

Sort Keywords by Search Frequency

After you’ve generated the keyword list, sort the results by search frequency. This will give you a clearer picture of which keywords are being searched the most. Keywords with higher search volumes are essential for driving traffic, but you should also consider medium and low-volume keywords for a more well-rounded approach.

Export this list of keywords and save it for later, as you'll use it in conjunction with Brand Analytics data to build a comprehensive keyword strategy.

How to Use Helium 10 for Amazon SEO

Helium 10 is one of the most powerful tools for Amazon SEO. Its capabilities extend far beyond keyword generation, allowing you to track competitors, analyze keyword trends, and refine your listings for maximum visibility. Here’s how you can leverage Helium 10 for backend search term optimization.

Step 1: Add ASINs to Cerebro

As mentioned earlier, take the ASINs of your top competitors and plug them into Cerebro. This tool will help you uncover the specific keywords your competitors are ranking for. These insights will provide a foundation for your keyword strategy.

Step 2: Sort Keywords by Search Volume

Sorting keywords by search volume is crucial for focusing on the most important terms. While high-volume keywords are essential, make sure to look for a balance. Some of the lower-volume, long-tail keywords may be easier to rank for and can still generate significant traffic. Once sorted, export these keywords into an Excel sheet for further analysis.

Step 3: Use Brand Analytics to Refine Keywords

Helium 10 gives you a strong starting point, but combining it with Amazon’s Brand Analytics tool will give you an even better understanding of customer search behavior. Begin by searching for 100% relevant keywords. In our water bottle example, the keyword "water bottle" might be one of the most relevant terms.

Head over to Brand Analytics and search for this broad keyword. Amazon will show you data on how often it’s been searched, along with other relevant keywords. Export this list into another Excel sheet.

How to Use Brand Analytics for Amazon SEO

Amazon’s Brand Analytics tool provides direct insights into what customers are searching for. This makes it invaluable for crafting a keyword strategy that aligns with real search behavior.

Step 1: Search for Broad Keywords

After you’ve identified the most relevant terms, expand your search to broader but still relevant categories. For example, a water bottle might fit into broader categories like “Travel Essentials” or “Kitchen Essentials.” Keywords related to these broader categories can also drive traffic to your listing.

Search for these broad terms in Brand Analytics and export the data into another Excel sheet. This will give you a fuller picture of how your product fits into different customer searches.

Step 2: Filter Keywords for Relevance

Now that you have keyword data from both Cerebro and Brand Analytics, it’s time to filter. Not all keywords will be relevant to your specific product, so carefully remove any that are too broad or unrelated. This ensures the keywords you use are highly targeted and effective. Once you have a refined list, you’re ready to proceed with further optimization.

Step 3: Add Keywords to Frankenstein

Now it’s time to consolidate your keyword lists. Helium 10’s Frankenstein tool allows you to combine all your filtered keywords into a single list. Frankenstein will automatically remove duplicates, leaving you with a clean, concise list of unique search terms.

This process ensures every character in your backend search terms is used effectively, maximizing the space you have available.

Final Step: Add Keywords to Your Amazon Listing

With your list of optimized keywords ready, it’s time to implement them in your product listing. Head over to your Amazon seller dashboard and navigate to the backend search term fields. Remember, you now have up to 2,500 characters spread across five fields. Paste your keywords into these fields, ensuring you fill out all available spaces without exceeding the limit.

If you find you have more than 2,500 characters, prioritize the highest-volume keywords first. This will ensure your most potent search terms are indexed and ranked by Amazon’s algorithm.

Once you’ve added the keywords, save your listing. These backend search terms won’t be visible to customers, but they will play a significant role in your product’s discoverability and ranking on Amazon.

Capitalizing on Amazon's Backend Search Term Expansion

The recent expansion of Amazon’s backend search term limit provides a huge opportunity for sellers. Many sellers are not yet taking full advantage of the 2,500-character limit, which means you have the chance to gain a competitive edge by implementing this strategy early.

Whether you’re a new seller launching your first product or an experienced seller looking to improve your rankings, optimizing your backend search terms is one of the most effective ways to enhance visibility. By using tools like Helium 10 and Brand Analytics, you can craft a keyword strategy that targets the right audience and maximizes your product’s exposure.

Amazon SEO is an ongoing process, and staying updated with the latest changes is crucial. By leveraging the power of Amazon search terms and backend keywords, you can significantly boost your rankings, drive more traffic, and ultimately increase your sales. For a detailed walkthrough on optimizing your Amazon backend search terms, check out our video guide here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I include misspelled words in backend search terms?

Yes, including common misspellings of your primary keywords can be beneficial. Since backend search terms are hidden from customers, you can include alternate spellings or commonly mistyped versions of your product keywords to capture additional search traffic.

Are long-tail keywords important for backend search terms?

Absolutely! Long-tail keywords, though less competitive, are highly targeted and often result in better conversions. Including them in your backend search terms can help you rank for more specific searches that shoppers use.

How can I tell if my backend search terms are effectively driving traffic to my product?

To determine if your backend search terms are effectively driving traffic, regularly monitor your Amazon Seller Central account. Analyze your search term report to see which keywords are generating clicks and conversions. Look for keywords with high impressions but low sales, indicating they may not be relevant. If certain terms aren't performing well, consider replacing them with more targeted options. Professional Amazon SEO services such as YourSeller can provide additional insights and help optimize your listings further for improved performance.

How should I update my backend search terms when launching a new product?

When launching a new product, focus on identifying high-volume, relevant keywords from the start. Use tools like Brand Analytics and Helium 10 to research popular terms in your niche. Start with highly relevant, descriptive keywords, and gradually refine your backend search terms based on performance data and customer search trends. Regular updates can help your product gain momentum and improve ranking over time.

Unlock Higher Rankings with Expert Amazon Search Terms Optimization

Maximize your product’s potential by optimizing your Amazon search terms today. At YourSeller, our team of Amazon SEO experts in the USA is ready to help you dominate your category with the right keywords and proven strategies. Whether you're a new seller or an experienced one, our tailored approach to backend search terms will ensure your products rank higher, attract more customers, and boost conversions.

Get ahead of the competition by taking advantage of Amazon's 2,500-character limit for search terms. With our expertise and cutting-edge tools, you’ll unlock the full potential of Amazon's SEO to grow your business.

Contact us today at +1 510 648 3933 to start optimizing your listings with Amazon marketplace management services in the USA and watch your sales soar!