Did you know that half of all shoppers start their product search journey on Amazon? Amazon is the world’s largest sales channel and, therefore, it’s the ideal starting point for your e-commerce business. The Amazon platform gives you instant access to a thriving marketplace, excellent selling support and an easy-to-use interface.
That said, to sell on Amazon you will need to put in some work to make sure your products get optimal visibility. There are crucial steps to follow to ensure as many customers as possible are funneled into your product pages and away from your competitors.
To get the best out of Amazon selling from the get-go, here are some tips on how to promote your products and your Amazon store.
Contents
Before You Begin…
Prior to launching your Amazon store, you need to complete the following research and setup tasks.
- Conduct a competitor analysis.
Evaluating the Amazon product pages of your future competitors can give you a valuable head start. Of particular importance are the Q&A and review sections of the page. These can tell you what qualities customers are looking for in the product, what they value, and what they don’t appreciate.
Use competitor analysis to:
- Check keywords usage, including how they appear in titles
- Optimize listings by analyzing what competitors do well and what they don’t
- Evaluate product descriptions and the use of photographs and videos
- Check your pricing.
Along with convenience, pricing is a big draw for Amazon customers. People expect Amazon sellers to balance good value with convenient shipping options. This means you need to set your pricing to be competitive while remaining profitable. You need to check the current price points for your products. You can also review the price history using a free online tool.
Amazon Buy Box
The Amazon Buy Box is crucial to Amazon sellers. This is the box where customers click ‘Buy Now’ or ‘Add to Basket’. Only one seller gets to be in the Buy Box at any one time. If customers want to look for alternative sellers, these can be found in a nearby box. However, buyers frequently opt for the default Buy Box option.
To win a spot in the Amazon Buy Box, you must have:
- A healthy seller account that is compliant with Amazon’s product policies
- A good shipping record.
You should also know that, for Buy Box selection, Amazon prioritizes sellers that offer:
- New products.
- Competitive pricing.
- Prime delivery.
- Plenty of the product in stock.
- Positive reviews.
- Elevate your product pages.
Use what you have learned during steps 1 and 2 to build the optimal product pages that will beat your competitors. These pages should offer:
- The best possible pricing.
- High-quality images.
- Accurate, detailed, easy-to-read product descriptions with bullet points for busy shoppers.
- Relevant title with crucial information and keywords.
Your product page is like your store’s front window. It needs to look good and show off your stuff. Here’s how to make it great:
First, look at what worked well in steps 1 and 2. Use that info to make your page better than others. Your page should have:
- Clear, bright pictures that show your product from all angles. Take lots of photos and pick the best ones. If you can, add a video too. People love seeing stuff in action.
- Write a title that’s clear and has words people search for. Put the most important info first. For example, “Large Red Cotton T-Shirt for Men – Comfortable and Durable”.
- In your product description, talk about what makes your item special. Use bullet points to list the main features. Think about what questions buyers might have and answer them. For example, if it’s a shirt, talk about the fabric, how to wash it, and what sizes you offer.
- Add details that help people decide. If it’s a tech item, list the specs. For clothes, give exact measurements. The more info you give, the more likely people are to buy.
- Use good keywords throughout your page. These are words people type when they’re looking for products like yours. Put them in your title, bullet points, and description. But don’t overdo it – it should still sound natural.
If you can, get some customer reviews. Good reviews make people trust your product more. You can start by asking friends or family who’ve used your product to leave honest reviews.
Once You Are Up and Running…
You’ve put in the groundwork but there’s still plenty to do to promote your store and stay competitive.
- Use special promotions.
Special deals are like a big “Look at me!” sign for your store. They can help you sell a lot quickly and get people talking about your products. Here’s how to use them well:
- Try Lightning Deals. These are short, sharp discounts that last for a few hours. They show up on Amazon’s deal page, so lots of people see them. They’re great for selling a lot fast.
- Use coupons. You can offer a percent off or a set amount off. These show up as a little orange tag on your product, which catches people’s eye.
- Try “Buy One, Get One” deals. People love feeling like they’re getting extra value.
- Offer bundle deals. Put related items together at a discount. For example, if you sell phone cases, you could bundle them with screen protectors.
- Use seasonal promotions. Offer deals during big shopping times like Black Friday or Prime Day.
- Remember, the goal isn’t just to sell. These deals can help you:
- Get more reviews (more sales usually mean more reviews)
- Boost your seller rating (if people like your deal, they’ll rate you well)
- Improve your Amazon ranking (more sales can push you up in search results)
But be careful. Don’t discount so much that you lose money. And make sure you have enough stock – running out during a promotion looks bad.
Plan your promotions ahead of time. Think about your goals. Do you want to clear old stock? Get more reviews? Boost your ranking? Choose the right type of deal for what you want to achieve.
Short-term promotions like Lightning Deals are a great way to get noticed as well as sell large volumes fast. When you want to establish your Amazon store, attract reviews and improve your Amazon metrics, special promotions can help get you there quickly.
- Encourage reviews.
Ninety percent of consumers check product reviews and half do not purchase a product if there are no reviews, according to research by Intelligent Reach. Gathering social proof for your products is essential. Therefore, encouraging reviews needs to be a priority as soon as you are up and running.
Amazon’s algorithm loves reviews. Think of it as a big, smart computer that’s always watching what happens on the site. When your product gets more reviews, the algorithm sees it as popular and important. It’s like the product is raising its hand, saying “Hey, look at me!” The more positive reviews you have, the more likely Amazon is to show your product to shoppers.
But it’s not just about numbers. The algorithm also looks at how recent the reviews are, how detailed they are, and if they include photos or videos. Fresh, in-depth reviews with pictures can give your product a big boost. The algorithm also pays attention to the words people use in reviews. If lots of reviews mention “great quality” or “fast shipping,” Amazon might start showing your product when people search for those things.
Remember, the algorithm is designed to help customers find the best products. So, it rewards sellers who consistently get good, honest reviews. It’s not about tricking the system, but about genuinely making customers happy enough to leave good feedback.
Amazon has some strict guidelines about asking for reviews, and these include not demanding reviews or incentivizing positive feedback. This keeps Amazon marketplace a fair place for all. However, it is possible to email customers a link to share feedback, positive or negative, once a sale is complete.
Remember, however, the simplest way to get positive feedback. This is to supply an amazing product at a great price that people will love to shout about.
- Run sponsored ads.
You can increase your visibility on Amazon by running sponsored ads. Amazon advertisement offers an easy-to-use Sponsored Products service that allows you to control how much you spend on your ads. It is simple to measure your ads performance too so that you can monitor performance and optimize the way you spend your campaign budget.
Sponsored ads on Amazon offer good click-through rates (CTR) as well as low cost-per-click (CPC). Conversion rates are often 10-15%, which is much higher than other e-commerce sites.
- Promote your store on social media.
Direct consumers to your products on Amazon via social media. Create engaging videos, posts and stories on a variety of platforms. These could highlight your products or the latest promotion, for example. Then leverage opportunities to create powerful call-to-actions on your posts that take consumers straight to your products.
You can also take advantage of social media and Amazon integration. This enables you to share your Amazon product pages or your Amazon storefront directly with your followers
- Tap into influencers.
Social media influencers can often be tempted into linking to your Amazon products on their feeds and reels. This is because affiliate links offer them commission on sales of your products that come from their social pages.
Let’s talk about using influencers to boost your Amazon sales. This is like having a popular friend tell everyone about your cool stuff. Here’s how it works and why it’s smart:
First off, influencers are people who have lots of followers on social media or blogs. These followers trust what the influencer says. So, when an influencer talks about your product, it’s like getting a thumbs-up from a trusted friend.
Amazon has its own influencer program called Amazon Associates. It lets influencers create their own Amazon storefront where they can list products they like. If you can get your product on one of these storefronts, it’s gold.
But you don’t have to stick to Amazon’s program. You can reach out to influencers on Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok. Look for ones who match your product. If you sell yoga mats, find influencers who talk about fitness and wellness.
When you work with influencers:
- Give them a free sample of your product to try
- Ask them for honest feedback
- If they like it, see if they’ll share it with their followers
- Some might want payment, others might be happy with just free products
Here’s a cool trick: give influencers a special discount code for their followers. This lets you track how many sales come from each influencer. Plus, their followers feel like they’re getting a special deal.
Remember, bigger isn’t always better with influencers. Sometimes, smaller influencers with really loyal followers can give you better results. Their fans often trust them more and are more likely to buy what they recommend.
Influencers can also help you get those all-important reviews. Their followers might be more likely to leave a review if their favorite influencer asked them to.
Just be sure to follow Amazon’s rules about outside promotion. You can’t ask influencers to post reviews directly on Amazon, but they can encourage their followers to check out your product and share their thoughts.
Using influencers is like turbocharging your word-of-mouth advertising. It can help you reach new customers, build trust, and boost your sales on Amazon. Just remember to pick influencers who really fit with your brand and product. It’s about finding the right match, not just the biggest name. Reach out to relevant influencers with a large following who may wish to endorse your products to their followers.
Leveraging the Power of Amazon
Amazon offers an excellent marketplace in which to set up an ecommerce business. However, the platform is competitive. You must do research diligently before you begin and monitor once you are up and running to stay agile and react to market conditions. Make use of the many tools that Amazon offers, including Lightning Deals, social media integration, and sponsored ads, to promote your product. Amazon offers excellent support and advice for its sellers too. You can leverage external promotion methods too, including your own social pages and influencers. By implementing these tips and committing to regular review and refining of your strategies, you can maximize your success as an Amazon seller.
