In 2025, Amazon handles more than 4 billion product searches every month. This makes it the world’s second‑largest search engine behind Google. This makes it essential for C-suite executives and analytics decision-makers to have a deep understanding of Amazon’s algorithm so they can optimize their brand’s visibility and profitability.
In this article, we’ll break down what drives Amazon’s search engine today and how you can turn this into a lasting competitive advantage.
From A9 to a Machine‑Learning Powerhouse
The engine once known as A9 has matured into a live learning network. The algorithm was initially introduced in 2003 and was primarily designed to streamline product discoverability based on user queries. However, today’s algorithm uses sophisticated machine learning and artificial intelligence to better interpret complex search intent, customer behavior, and broader digital signals. A sellers success now depends on coordination across content, pricing, inventory, advertising, and external promotion.
Amazon Ranking Factors That Move the Needle in 2025
While many factors play a role, we’ll discuss five core drivers that consistently impact your position in search results:
Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)
Amazon heavily favors listings that convert well. A high conversion rate signals strong alignment between what the shopper is looking for and what your listing delivers. Optimized images, compelling copy, and strategic keyword integration all play a role. For example, a well-crafted listing that consistently converts at 20 percent or more will often outrank competitors, even if it has fewer reviews.
Sales Velocity and Sales History
If you’re selling consistently it signals your product is reliable and that there’s market demand. Products that maintain steady sales velocity, especially after initial launch, typically climb faster in rankings. This is why launch strategy and ongoing promotional efforts (like deal timing or ad bursts) should be tied closely to your SEO roadmap.
Keyword Relevance
Keyword relevance isn’t just about including keywords, it is about strategically placing them where they make the most impact. Amazon prioritizes listings where high intent search terms appear in the title, bullet points, and backend search term fields. DataHawk helps track important keywords and even provides AI-generated keyword ideas so you can ensure that your most valuable terms are placed in the right sections and aligned with how customers search.
Customer Engagement Metrics
Amazon’s algorithm focuses heavily on shopper behavior metrics. This means that listings that earn more clicks, longer time on page, and repeat purchases have a better chance of ranking higher. These are signals that customers find the product engaging and relevant. For instance, high click through rates from search results suggest strong visual and copy resonance, two areas that can be tested (A/B Test) and optimized regularly.
Pricing and Inventory Stability
Amazon prioritizes listings that are competitively priced and never run out of stock. Even a brief stockout can cause significant ranking drops. Brands should coordinate closely across pricing, supply chain, and advertising teams to ensure stability, especially during the higher volume periods like Prime Day or Q4’s holiday season.
External Traffic and Brand Authority
Bringing in traffic from outside Amazon, whether through influencers, paid media, or email, boosts visibility and credibility. It tells the algorithm your product is in demand beyond the marketplace. Amazon’s Brand Referral Bonus and attribution tools now make this easier to measure, tying off platform campaigns directly to organic lift.
Differences Between Amazon SEO vs. Google SEO
Enterprise decision-makers need to be able to recognize how Amazon and Google SEO fundamentally differ. You’re in luck, in the sections below, we’re going to break down some of the key differences:
Amazon’s Conversion-Focused Approach
Amazon’s algorithm is heavily focused on transactions. It tends to measure success by conversions and prioritizes products that are most likely to generate sales. Metrics such as sales velocity, return rates, and customer reviews have a significant influence on the ranking algorithm.
Google’s Relevance and Authority Focus
In contrast, Google’s algorithm focuses on delivering content relevance, authority, and user experience. Metrics like bounce rate, backlinks, content quality (EEAT), page speed, user engagement and search intent are critical. This fundamental distinction demands that your Amazon keyword strategy be uniquely tailored to conversion-centric metrics rather than traditional SEO metrics.
The Importance of Amazon Keyword Research
Effective keyword research can increase visibility, improve rankings, and drive more sales. Without it, even strong products can remain buried in Amazon search results (SERPs). A strong keyword strategy helps you identify customer demand, analyze competitors, and make smarter, data-backed decisions. In the sections below, we’ll break down how to use keyword insights to gain a competitive edge and grow your brand on Amazon.
Competitive Intelligence
Understanding competitor keyword strategies helps you identify market opportunities and areas where you can differentiate. You can leverage Amazon-specific tools such as DataHawk to dissect competitor activity and enable data-driven decisions that capture untapped demand. With the ability to monitor trends across brands and categories you’re able to anticipate market shifts and adapt more effectively.
That’s where DataHawk comes in. It uses AI to pull keyword ideas directly from your competitors’ listings, so instead of guessing, you’re working from a list of terms that are already performing in your category. It filters out the noise, like brand names or sizes, and scores the rest based on how competitive and valuable they are. That way, you’re not just tracking your competitors, you’re turning their strategy into your own growth playbook.
Increased Product Visibility
Effective keyword research ensures your products surface at the exact moment shoppers are searching. Visibility hinges on identifying and integrating the right keywords throughout your listings to maximize discoverability in Amazon’s search algorithm.
And with DataHawk, you can actually track how well you’re showing up. It tells you what keywords you’re ranking for, how your rankings change over time, and even where those keywords live in your listings (e.g. title or bullets). So instead of blindly stuffing in keywords, you’re making smart, targeted decisions that help your products rise to the top of search results.
Increased Conversion Opportunities
Once shoppers find your product, conversion depends on how well your listing communicates relevance and value. Aligning copy with consumer intent through precise, insight-driven language increases the likelihood of purchase.
What’s really powerful is how DataHawk helps you fine-tune your messaging. It shows you which keywords are already driving traffic to your listings, so you can double down on what’s working. Then it helps you see if those keywords are showing up in the right places, so your content doesn’t just attract clicks, it actually connects with shoppers and drives them to buy.
How to Perform Keyword Research on Amazon
Step 1: Identify Seed Keywords
Begin with broad terms related directly to your product. These terms form the basis of deeper research. For instance, if selling office accessories, “desk organizer” may serve as a primary seed keyword.
Step 2: Leverage Amazon’s Built-in Tools
Amazon’s own search bar is a treasure trove. Just head to Amazon and begin typing your product’s name. The autocomplete suggestions and related searches that pop up are gold. They show you what real shoppers are actually looking for. It’s a quick and easy way to expand your keyword list with phrases people are actively searching right now.
Step 3: Competitor Analysis
Next, you can dig into your top competitors’ strategies. What keywords are showing up in their titles, bullets, and backend content? Are there patterns across multiple listings? That is where tools like DataHawk come in handy. They give you a behind the scenes look at how competitors are optimizing, track their listing changes over time, and show which keywords performance insights so you can spot gaps and opportunities they might be missing.
Step 4: Utilize Advanced Keyword Research Tools
Once you have a solid base, it is time to go deeper. With advanced tools like DataHawk, you can see real keyword metrics behind each keyword including search volume, how competitive it is, and estimated sales potential. You will know which terms are worth chasing and which to skip, so you can build a keyword strategy that is driven by data, not guesswork.
Optimizing Product Listings with Keyword Insights
You have the data. Now it is time to turn those insights into an effective strategy. Here is how leading brands, agencies, and data analysts can apply keyword intelligence to build stronger listings and drive results across Amazon.
Product Titles
Titles are one of the most important signals for Amazon’s ranking algorithm. Strategic use of primary keywords in the title helps improve visibility and contributes directly to organic performance. You also need to ensure titles must remain clear, compelling, and user-friendly. The optimal range tends to be between 100 and 200 characters for both SEO and readability.
Bullet Points and Descriptions
Bullet points are where shoppers validate product value. They should highlight benefits and key differentiators while incorporating secondary keywords naturally. Product descriptions provide an opportunity for deeper storytelling and keyword reinforcement, aligning with broader intent and driving higher engagement.
Backend Keywords
Backend keyword fields serve as a crucial supplement to visible content. This space should be used to capture relevant terms that may not fit naturally in front-end copy. To maximize efficiency, avoid redundancy and stay within the 249 character limit, including spaces.
Continuous Performance Monitoring and Optimization
In high-velocity marketplaces like Amazon, static SEO strategies become obsolete quickly. Ongoing testing, ranking analysis, and competitor tracking are a necessity.
With DataHawk, teams gain visibility into how listings are performing across critical keyword segments. You can track organic rank shifts, understand which keywords are driving sessions, and monitor competitive movements at scale. These insights allow for agile adjustments that protect and grow your share of voice in priority categories.
Strategic Grouping and Keyword Prioritization
Keyword strategy should be segmented and prioritized based on business objectives and return potential:
- High ROI Keywords: These terms deliver immediate revenue impact and should be prioritized in high-visibility fields.
- Strategic Opportunity Keywords: These offer moderate volume and lower competition. Ideal for capturing incremental growth with less media pressure.
- Exploratory Keywords: These represent early signals of emerging demand. Tracking and testing them supports innovation and long-term positioning.
This framework helps performance and content teams focus on initiatives that map directly to pipeline contribution and long-term brand equity.
Integrating Broader Market Signals from Google
While Amazon data is critical, it is not the entire picture. Google Keyword Planner data provides an outside-in view of broader market demand and consumer search behavior. Integrating these signals with DataHawk’s Amazon-specific insights enables more accurate trend forecasting, cross-channel alignment, and better content planning across paid and organic.
Final Thoughts: Win in the Data-Led Era of Marketplace Commerce
For enterprise brands, marketplace success in 2025 and beyond will depend on the ability to activate insights, scale decisions, and adapt quickly. Keyword strategy is no longer a tactical function. It is a growth lever.
By pairing structured Amazon keyword data with tools like DataHawk, leaders and decision makers can equip their teams with the intelligence required to stay competitive, drive higher return on media and content investments, and deliver sustained growth. Book a personalized demo today!
