Did You Know: You Can Hide Keywords on Amazon

Did You Know: You Can Hide Keywords on Amazon

I’m sure you’ve heard of optimizing copy in product descriptions, but did you know there’s an entire section on Amazon to hide keywords in the backend of your product listings to optimize them for search?

What are Amazon Backend Keywords?

Backend Keywords are the terms, words, or phrases added to the backend of your product listing on Amazon that are invisible to buyers.

How do they help?

Backend Keywords help your product’s organic ranking and make campaigns more effective. They are equally, if not more important for Amazon’s A9 algorithm to pick up and show your listings to customers. Backend Keywords can assist in directing buyers to your products, especially when they are searching for a broader spectrum of items.

How do I optimize my backend keywords?

1. Separate each keyword by spaces — not commas
2. Write in lowercase
3. Use all the backend keyword space available (250 characters, 250 bytes, approx. 40 words)
   • 1 character = 1 byte
   • Anything above the 250-character limit will not get indexed
4. Don’t use complex characters (stick to a-z, 0-9, and A-Z)
   •  Complex characters like foreign languages take up 2-4 bytes per character, decreasing your optimization space (don’t worry… space and punctuation aren’t included in overall character count)
5.  Avoid placing frontend keywords in the backend. This is an ineffective practice known as keyword stuffing. Find new and relevant keywords not in your current listing.
6. Respect Amazon’s guidelines:
   • Stay under the length limit
   • Include synonyms
   • Include spelling variations, no need for misspellings
   • Include Abbreviations and alternate names
   • You can use all lower case
   • You don’t need punctuation, such as: “,” “;” “‘“
   • Separate words with spaces
   • Don’t repeat words within the Search Terms field
   • Don’t include your brand or other brand names in Search Terms
   • Don’t include ASINs in Search Terms
   • No need for stop words such as “a,” “an,” “and,” “by,” “for,” “of,” “the,” “with,” and so on
   • Use singular or plural, no need for both
   • No temporary statements such as “new,” or “on sale now”
   • Don’t use subjective claims, such as “best,” “cheapest,” “amazing,” and so on
   • Don’t add abusive or offensive terms

Now you know how to add Backend Keywords, the next challenge is picking the right keywords.

How do I pick my Backend Keywords?

For starters, don’t place frontend keywords (the words in your product description) in your backend optimization strategy. This is ineffective, and a harmful practice known as keyword stuffing. To find the best and most relevant keywords not in your current listing, find a software that can generate new trending words and phrases, or come up with your own that are not already listed. Sometimes, it’s better to have more longtail phrases in the backend, so they don’t clutter up your product detail page.

Next Steps

Need help optimizing your Amazon content? Request an audit here, and we’ll review one of your Amazon Product Detail Pages at no cost! Geneva Supply is your 360 solution to building a brand strategy and powerful supply chain for Amazon and other E-Commerce platforms. Contact us today so we can build a partnership (and friendship) that grows your business.

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