Finding Amazon Backend Keywords for Product Listings

Standing out among millions of products can be a challenge while selling on Amazon. While many sellers focus on visible aspects like product titles, descriptions, and images, one often overlooked but incredibly powerful tool is using Amazon backend keywords.

These hidden search terms play a pivotal role in boosting your product’s visibility without taking up precious space on your listing. By optimizing your backend keywords, you can ensure that your product is discoverable by customers using various search phrases, ultimately driving more traffic and increasing sales.

This ensures your product appears for a broader range of search queries, effectively maximizing your reach and converting more browsers into buyers in a marketplace where 70% of Amazon customers don't venture past the first page of search results.

In this blog, we’ll discuss the importance of Amazon backend keywords, how to find them, and the best practices for effectively using them to enhance your product listings.

What are Amazon Backend Keywords?

Amazon backend keywords are words or phrases that sellers use to optimize their product listings without displaying them directly to customers. These keywords are placed in the backend of the product listing, specifically in the "search terms" section of the seller’s Amazon Seller Central dashboard.

While these keywords don't appear on the product page, they are indexed by Amazon’s search engine, helping customers locate your products when searching with similar terms.

Backend keywords let you add extra terms that might not fit in your product title, description, or bullet points but are still relevant to your product. For instance, if you're selling a red leather wallet, you must include related terms like “genuine leather,” “men’s wallet,” “wallet for women,” or “small leather wallet” in the backend search terms.

Now, we'll examine how Amazon's backend keyword system works and why it's vital for boosting your product's visibility.

Why are Amazon Backend Keywords Important?

Amazon’s search algorithm, A9, uses backend keywords to determine the relevance of a product in response to a customer's search query. If your product listing contains the right backend keywords, it is more likely to appear in relevant search results. Hence, it will increase the chances of attracting potential buyers.

The importance of Amazon backend keywords can be understood in several ways, such as:

Increased Visibility: Properly optimized backend keywords can significantly improve your product’s visibility in search results, even for terms that aren't directly mentioned in your product description.
Maximized Listing Space: Unlike visible content, such as the product title and bullet points, backend keywords allow you to include additional search terms without taking up valuable listing space.
Better Targeting: By adding backend keywords, you can target a wider range of customer queries, which increases the possibility of being discovered by customers searching for similar products.
Cost-Effective SEO Strategy: Optimizing backend keywords is a cost-effective strategy compared to paid ads. It boosts organic search ranking, ultimately improving sales without the need for constant investment in sponsored ads.

Neglecting Amazon backend keywords is similar to fighting with one hand tied behind your back. In a marketplace teeming with competition, every advantage counts. By strategically utilizing these hidden search terms, you can access a secret pathway to discoverability, ensuring your product isn't lost in the digital shuffle.

Now that we’ve discussed the importance of Amazon backend keywords let’s discuss tips for identifying relevant keywords through extraction.

Tips to Find Relevant Keywords Through Extraction

Keyword research is the foundation of a successful Amazon listing. There are several methods you can use to extract relevant keywords for your backend. Here are some effective tips to find the right keywords for your Amazon product listings:

1. Understand Customer Intent

When searching for products, customers typically use specific phrases. Understanding customer intent will help you anticipate what search terms they might use. For example, someone looking for a small, high-quality leather wallet might search for terms like “small leather wallet” or “best leather wallet.” Be sure to include keywords that reflect not just the product features but also the way customers are likely to search for it.

2. Use Variations of Your Keywords

Amazon allows sellers to use a range of different terms to describe the same product. You can create variations of the main keywords, such as synonyms or regional spelling differences, to increase the possibility that your product appears in search results. For example, "phone case" could also be searched as "cell phone case" or "smartphone case."

3. Focus on Long-Tail Keywords

Long-tail keywords are longer and more specific phrases that customers are likely to use when they are ready to make a purchase. They usually have lower competition but higher conversion rates. For example, rather than just "fitness tracker," consider keywords like "fitness tracker for women" or "best fitness tracker for beginners."

4. Consider Negative Keywords

Some keywords may bring irrelevant traffic to your product listing. These are called negative keywords, and while Amazon doesn't offer a formal negative keyword tool, identifying irrelevant terms and excluding them can help prevent your product from appearing in irrelevant search results.

While Amazon lacks a dedicated negative keyword tool, SellerMate empowers you to take control. Its intelligent recommendation feature doesn't just suggest profitable keywords.

It actively identifies and highlights potential negative keywords, product targets, and search terms that could be attracting the wrong audience. Discover all negative keywords, product targets, and search terms with ease, preventing your product from appearing in irrelevant search results.

Mastering keyword extraction is a strategic advantage in the competitive Amazon marketplace. By investing time and effort into identifying the most relevant and impactful keywords, you're improving your search ranking and building a solid foundation for sustainable growth.

Also Read Starting and Improving Your Keyword Strategy for Amazon Ads

We will explore how to use Amazon to find keywords that customers are actually using to search for products.

Utilizing Amazon for Keyword Research

Search trends on Amazon are constantly shifting, reflecting the ever-evolving demands of consumers. In this dynamic environment, relying on outdated data would lead to missed opportunities. Beyond using external keyword tools, utilizing Amazon directly for keyword research is a smart move. Here's how you can do that:

1. Check Competitor Listings

One of the most effective ways to discover relevant keywords is by checking out your competitors’ product listings. Look for keywords in their product titles, descriptions, and bullet points that are relevant to your product. These can often provide insights into the keywords that are driving sales in your niche.

2. Examine Customer Reviews

Customer reviews are another goldmine for finding additional keywords. Often, customers will mention specific features of the product, which can reveal search terms you might not have initially thought about. For instance, if your product is a kitchen appliance, customers may mention specific features such as "easy to clean" or "space-saving," which could be useful keywords for the backend.

3. Automated Sponsored Product Ads

Using Amazon’s automated Sponsored Product ads is another way to discover relevant backend keywords. When you run an automated ad campaign, Amazon will automatically target the most relevant keywords based on your product listing.

After the campaign runs for a while, you can analyze the search term report to see which keywords triggered your ads and drove sales. You can then add those successful terms to your backend keywords.

Now, let's explore the process of adding backend keywords, which will improve your Amazon product's search ranking.

How to Add Backend Search Terms on Amazon?

Adding backend keywords to your Amazon product listings is a straightforward process. Follow these steps:

Log in to your Amazon Seller Central account.
Go to the "Inventory" tab and select "Manage Inventory."
Choose the product listing you want to update and click "Edit."
Navigate to the "Keywords" section of the listing.
Enter the relevant keywords into the "Search Terms" field, separated by commas.
Save your changes.

Keep in mind that Amazon has a character limit for backend keywords. As of 2025, this limit is 250-500 characters, so be sure to maximize the space by including a variety of relevant keywords.

Here’s an Amazon backend keywords guide if you are planning to utilize them this year.

Amazon Backend Keywords Guide for 2025

As of 2025, Amazon has made several updates to how backend keywords are handled, which every seller should be aware of:

No Repetition: Don’t repeat keywords in the backend fields. If a keyword is already used in the product title or bullet points, it doesn’t need to appear again in the backend search terms.
Use of Punctuation: Punctuation, such as commas or spaces, can be used to separate keywords. However, Amazon recommends that you do not include special characters (like "$" or "%") in your search terms.
Avoid Branding: Do not include any brand names that you do not own. Doing so could lead to your listing being flagged or removed.
Focus on Relevance: Ensure that the keywords you choose are directly related to your product. Irrelevant or misleading keywords can negatively affect your listing’s performance.

Amazon Backend Keywords: Things to Consider

Here are a few things to consider while selecting backend keywords:

Dos	Don’ts
Use all available character space (250-500 characters) for relevant keywords.	Do not use brand names that are not yours.
Include synonyms and common misspellings of your product.	Avoid using irrelevant keywords or keyword stuffing.
Include both general and specific keywords.	Do not repeat the same keyword in multiple fields.
Regularly update your backend keywords to reflect changing trends and customer preferences.	Don’t use long phrases or sentences—focus on individual keywords.

While AI and algorithmic changes will undoubtedly shape Amazon search in 2025, remember that the core of successful keyword optimization remains understanding the human element.

By combining data-driven insights with genuine empathy, you'll create backend keyword strategies that resonate with customers and drive meaningful engagement.

Finally, we will explore the fundamentals of keyword indexing and how it can help you sell more on Amazon.

The Basics of Keyword Indexing

Keyword indexing is the process by which search engines like Google or Amazon organize and store information about the content they crawl. When a search engine crawls a page, it analyzes the text, metadata, and other elements to identify relevant keywords.

These keywords are then added to the search engine's index, which acts as a massive database. When a user searches for a specific term, the search engine consults its index to find pages that contain those keywords and ranks them based on relevance and other factors.

Keyword indexing refers to whether or not Amazon has indexed your backend keywords. If your keywords are indexed, they can help your product show up in relevant search results. If they aren’t indexed, your product won’t appear for those specific terms.

How to Check Whether Your Keywords are Indexed?

You can check if your keywords are indexed by performing a simple search on Amazon. Use the following technique:

Go to Amazon and search for your backend keyword inside quotes (e.g., “best fitness tracker for women”).
If your product appears in the search results, it means your keyword is indexed.
If your product doesn’t appear, it likely means that Amazon hasn’t indexed your keyword.

This exploration of keyword indexing basics is just the starting point. With a solid understanding of how search engines organize and retrieve information, you can now delve deeper into advanced optimization techniques. Consider this your foundation upon which to build a robust strategy, ensuring the keywords for your product are indexed and ranked effectively.

Wrapping Up

Finding and optimizing Amazon backend keywords is a critical aspect of improving your product visibility and boosting sales. By understanding the importance of backend keywords, utilizing proper research methods, and following best practices, you can significantly enhance your product listings and attract more potential customers.

Remember, Amazon's search algorithm rewards relevance and customer intent, so always ensure that your backend keywords are both relevant and specific. By consistently optimizing your listings, you'll stay ahead of the competition and increase your chances of success on the platform.

Are you ready to boost your sales and dominate Amazon’s search results? SellerMate can help you drive qualified traffic to your listings, increase conversions, and maximize your ad spend. Book a demo today and let’s build a PPC campaign that propels your Amazon business forward.

FAQs

Q1. Are backend keywords the same as regular keywords?

Ans- While backend and regular keywords help with product visibility, but backend keywords are hidden from customers. They are specifically for Amazon's search algorithm to index and categorize your product based on terms that might not fit in the visible content of the listing.

Q2. Can I use my brand name as a backend keyword?

Ans- You can only use your brand name as a backend keyword if you are the owner of that brand. Using competitor brand names or trademarked terms is strictly prohibited and can lead to penalties or listing removal.

Q3. How often should I update my backend keywords?

Ans- It's essential to regularly review and update your backend keywords to reflect changing trends, seasonal demand, and competitor strategies. Monitoring your sales and keyword performance can help you identify which keywords drive traffic and which need replacing.

Q4. How do I know if my backend keywords are effective?

Ans- You can check whether your backend keywords are working by monitoring your product’s performance through Amazon’s search term reports. You can also manually search for those keywords in Amazon’s search bar to see if your product appears in the results. If your product shows up for relevant keywords, it’s effectively indexed.