Selling on Amazon can feel like a battlefield, but understanding Amazon ranking algorithms is your greatest weapon. With millions of products competing for attention, mastering the shift from Amazon's A9 to the more advanced A10 algorithm is the key to gaining a competitive edge.
The move from A9 to A10 means a stronger emphasis on factors like user experience, external traffic, and engagement, which can directly impact your product's visibility and sales. By mastering these changes, you can seize the opportunity to put your products front and center in front of millions of shoppers.
Let’s explore how you can unlock the full potential of Amazon's ranking algorithms to elevate your brand's success.
What is the Amazon A9 Algorithm?
The Amazon A9 algorithm was the cornerstone of Amazon's search engine, responsible for deciding which products appeared when customers searched for something. Understanding how A9 worked was essential as a seller because it determined whether your product appeared on the first page of search results or got lost in the sea of competition. Simply put, A9’s role was to connect buyers with the most relevant products, which ultimately influenced your visibility and sales.
To fully grasp how A9 shaped product rankings, let’s explore the key factors that mattered most—sales conversions and product relevance—and how they stacked up against traditional search engines like Google and Bing.
Importance of Sales Conversions and Product Relevance
The A9 algorithm prioritized two main factors: how well your product sold (sales conversions) and how relevant it was to the customer's search query (product relevance). Both of these factors worked hand-in-hand to decide how high your product ranked.
Sales Velocity
High Sales = Higher Rankings: The more frequently your product is sold, the more A9 favors it. Sales velocity showed Amazon that your product was in demand, leading to higher rankings in search results.
Consistent Sales Over Time: While a sudden spike in sales was beneficial, what mattered was maintaining steady sales over time. Products with consistent sales were ranked higher because A9 valued long-term performance rather than short-term bursts.
Product Relevance
Strategic Keyword Placement: Keywords were crucial for A9. Placing relevant keywords in your product titles, bullet points, descriptions, and backend search terms helped Amazon understand what your product was about, making it easier to match it with customer searches.
SellerMate.ai’s custom reports can assist in finding and optimizing these crucial keywords for better results.
Accurate Categorization: Properly categorizing your product ensures it appears in the correct search results. Misplacing your product in the wrong category could severely limit its visibility.
Customer Intent Alignment: A9 ranked products that closely matched what customers were looking for. By tailoring your listings to reflect common search terms, you increased the chances of your product being seen as highly relevant.
Listing Quality
Descriptive Content: Detailed product descriptions played a vital role in improving relevance. A well-written description helped A9 understand your product better and provided customers with the information they needed to make a purchase decision.
High-Quality Images: Beyond text, the quality of images you used had a significant impact. High-resolution images that showed multiple angles increased engagement and conversions, which A9 rewarded with higher rankings.
Comparison with Other Search Engines
Now that we’ve seen how A9 worked, it’s important to understand how it differed from other popular search engines like Google and Bing. While both types of algorithms aimed to provide users with the best results, their approaches were very different.
Criteria | Amazon (A9) | Google/Bing |
Conversion vs. Information | Focused on converting searches into sales, ranking products likely to be purchased. | Aimed to deliver the most informative content, valuing depth and authority. |
Sales Metrics vs. Backlinks | Used sales history, conversion rates, and customer reviews for ranking. | Ranked pages by backlink quality and authority. |
Keyword Optimization | Required precise keyword matches in product titles and descriptions. | Handled keyword variations, ranking pages based on context, not just exact matches. |
User Engagement Metrics | Relied on metrics like click-through rates (CTR) and time on page for engagement. | Measured engagement via bounce rates and time spent, focusing on content interaction. |
What is the Amazon A10 Algorithm?
The Amazon A10 algorithm is the secret sauce behind how products get ranked and displayed on the platform. Unlike its predecessor, the A9 algorithm, A10 places a stronger emphasis on customer behavior and product relevance. It’s not just about keywords anymore—it’s about how much customers engage with your product and how well it meets their needs. Sellers who understand the A10 algorithm can significantly boost their product visibility, leading to higher sales and better rankings. Mastering it means aligning your product strategy with what customers truly want and how Amazon measures that value.
To better understand what makes A10 different, let's break down how it shifted focus toward customer experience and how sellers identified these changes through their observations.
Focus Shift Towards Customer Experience
One of the biggest changes introduced by the A10 algorithm is its emphasis on customer experience. Unlike A9, which is mostly centered around sales, A10 considers several other factors that influence a shopper’s decision-making process.
External Traffic Matters More
Greater Weight on External Traffic: A10 gives more importance to external traffic sources, meaning sellers who drive traffic from social media, blogs, and other websites see better rankings. Amazon recognizes that products popular outside its platform are more likely to meet customer needs.
Impact on Organic Rankings: As a result, sellers who invest in external marketing efforts, such as social media ads or influencer partnerships, gain an advantage in ranking higher.
Customer Engagement Metrics
Click-Through Rate (CTR): A10 values how often customers click on your product listing when it appears in search results. Higher CTRs indicate that your product is relevant and appealing to shoppers, boosting its ranking.
Time Spent on Product Page: The more time a customer spends on your product page, the more A10 interprets this as an indication of interest, which can positively impact your ranking.
Sales Consistency Over Time
Long-Term Sales History: While A9 prioritized sales spikes, A10 rewards products that have demonstrated consistent sales over time. This shift means that having a steady sales record is more valuable than occasional bursts of sales activity.
Returning Customers: A10 also takes note of repeat purchases, favoring products that create loyalty among shoppers.
Derived from Seller Observations Without Official Announcement
Interestingly, Amazon never officially announced the A10 algorithm update, leaving sellers to figure out the changes through their own experiences. Here’s how sellers pieced together the shift:
Change in Search Rankings
Sudden Ranking Fluctuations: Many sellers noticed that products that relied solely on internal Amazon traffic saw a drop in rankings, while those driving external traffic experienced a surge.
Emphasis on Long-Term Performance: Listings with steady sales history and customer engagement began ranking higher, signaling that Amazon’s algorithm was prioritizing different metrics.
Shift in Advertising Performance
Sponsored Product Ads: Sellers observed that PPC (Pay-Per-Click) campaigns didn’t impact organic rankings as significantly as before, indicating A10's focus had shifted more toward genuine product interest and engagement.
Organic Visibility: Products with increased external traffic saw improved organic rankings, suggesting that the A10 algorithm rewards sellers who actively market their products beyond Amazon.
To gain a deeper understanding, watch this informative video: Amazon A9 vs. A10 Algorithm Explained.
Key Differences Between A9 and A10
The shift from A9 to A10 has changed the way products are ranked on Amazon, making it important for sellers to adapt.
Let’s look at a table of key differences to see how this evolution affects your product listings.
Criteria | A9 Algorithm | A10 Algorithm |
Performance & Relevance Emphasis | Focused on sales numbers and exact keyword matching. High-selling products ranked higher. | Prioritizes customer intent and experience. Products with reviews and genuine matches rank better. |
Customer Search & Experience Focus | Prioritized products with strong ads are not necessarily the best fit for customers. | Values customer engagement—88% of buyers read reviews before purchasing. |
Organic Product Search vs. Paid Ads | Relied heavily on paid ads for ranking positions. | Ranks based on organic sales; listings with more organic sales see up to 30% better ranking. |
Seller Authority & External Signal Inclusion | Limited emphasis on seller credibility or external traffic signals. | Emphasizes seller reputation (4.5+ stars) and external traffic, with a 40% boost from outside sources. |
Factors Influencing Amazon's A9 and A10 Algorithms
To rank higher on Amazon, you need to understand the factors that influence the A9 and A10 algorithms. While some factors have remained the same, others have evolved to prioritize a more customer-focused approach.
Sales Conversion Rates
Sales conversion rates are a key driver for both A9 and A10 algorithms, but A10 places even greater emphasis on them.
Why It Matters: The conversion rate indicates how many visitors turn into buyers, signaling product relevance and customer satisfaction. Products with a conversion rate above 10-15% generally have a higher chance of ranking on the first page, as they indicate strong customer demand.
Impact on Rankings: Under A9, paid advertising could still push products with lower conversion rates to the top. However, A10 heavily favors products that convert organically, meaning you need to ensure your listing is optimized to close the sale.
How to Improve It: Use high-quality images, detailed descriptions, and clear benefits to persuade potential buyers. Make sure your pricing is competitive, as it directly affects conversions.
Keyword Relevance
Keywords remain a crucial element, but A10’s approach to them has become more sophisticated.
Why It Matters: Keywords help Amazon match your product to search queries. While A9 primarily looked for exact matches, A10 now considers how naturally keywords are integrated into your content and how well they align with customer intent.
Impact on Rankings: A9 often favored listings with exact keyword stuffing, even if they weren’t fully relevant. A10, however, penalizes keyword stuffing and rewards listings that use keywords in a way that feels natural and adds value to the customer.
How to Optimize: Incorporate long-tail keywords that reflect how customers search, ensuring they flow naturally in your title, bullet points, and description.
Sales Velocity
Sales velocity refers to how quickly your product sells over a specific period and is a major ranking factor for both algorithms.
Why It Matters: A high sales velocity signals that your product is popular. Amazon wants to show products that are already proven to sell, so maintaining steady sales is important.
Impact on Rankings: A9 was more focused on short-term sales spikes, but A10 looks for consistent, long-term sales trends. This means quick sales boosts from promotions are less effective unless they result in ongoing sales growth.
How to Maintain It: Use strategies like discounts, deals, and external marketing to drive continuous sales, ensuring your product remains relevant.
Customer Reviews
Customer reviews are more influential than ever under the A10 algorithm.
Why It Matters: Reviews act as social proof, influencing purchase decisions and demonstrating product quality. Products with an average rating of 4.5 stars and 150+ reviews rank significantly higher because they build trust with both Amazon and potential buyers.
Impact on Rankings: While A9 considered the total number of reviews, A10 focused on review quality and recency. A consistent flow of recent, positive reviews boosts your product's ranking, while a series of negative reviews can quickly drag it down.
How to Encourage Reviews: Follow up with customers via Amazon's messaging system or include a polite request for a review in your packaging. Always respond to negative reviews to show that you care about customer satisfaction.
Seller Authority
Seller authority has become a more prominent factor in the A10 algorithm, reflecting your credibility and reliability as a seller.
Why It Matters: Amazon wants to feature sellers who provide a great customer experience. Factors like your seller rating, order defect rate, shipping performance, and responsiveness all contribute to your authority.
Impact on Rankings: A9 didn't weigh seller authority heavily, but A10 takes it very seriously. Sellers with a high authority score not only rank better but also stand a higher chance of winning the Buy Box.
How to Boost Authority: Keep your seller rating high by responding promptly to customer inquiries, minimizing order cancellations, and ensuring timely deliveries. Enroll in Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) to improve your shipping efficiency. Track and enhance your seller authority seamlessly using advanced tools from SellerMate.ai.
Optimizing Listings for A9 and A10 Algorithm
To rank well on Amazon, it's essential to optimize your listings for both the A9 and A10 algorithms.
Here’s how to make your product listings stand out:
Keyword Research and Integration Strategies
Proper keyword research is the foundation of a successful Amazon listing.
Finding the Right Keywords: Use a tool like sellermate.ai to identify high-volume, relevant keywords. Focus on a mix of broad and long-tail keywords, as they capture different stages of the buyer journey.
Integrating Keywords: For A9, exact keyword matches were more effective. However, A10 prefers natural integration. Avoid keyword stuffing and ensure that your keywords flow naturally within your content.
Tip: Include high-converting long-tail keywords (3-5 words) that reflect what your ideal customers are searching for, as these often have less competition and attract more targeted traffic.
Once you have your keywords, it’s time to place them strategically in your product listing.
Writing Optimized Titles, Bullet Points, and Descriptions
Creating compelling product listings is vital for both visibility and conversion.
Product Titles: For A9, titles needed to be keyword-heavy, but with A10, you should strike a balance. Include your main keyword within the first 80 characters, but make sure the title is readable and makes sense.
For example, “Stainless Steel Water Bottle – BPA-Free, Double-Walled, Keeps Drinks Cold for 24 Hours” is both descriptive and keyword-rich.
Bullet Points: Focus on the top 3-5 features and benefits. While A9 only looked at keyword relevance, A10 considers how well your bullets convey value and match customer intent.
Product Descriptions: Use your description to tell a story about your product. A10 values engaging, informative descriptions that enhance the customer experience. Aim for 300-500 words, incorporating secondary keywords naturally.
Now that your content is optimized, you must also focus on the visual elements of your listing.
Importance of High-Quality Images and Visual Content
Images are crucial for making a strong first impression and driving conversions.
Primary Image: Amazon requires your primary image to be on a white background and at least 1000 pixels on the longest side to enable zoom functionality.
Additional Images: Include multiple angles, lifestyle shots, and infographics showing product dimensions or features. These help customers visualize using your product, which is particularly important for A10’s focus on customer experience.
Videos: If possible, add a short video demonstrating your product. Video content engages customers more effectively.
Role of Backend Keywords, Reviews, and Competitive Pricing
These elements work behind the scenes to improve your Amazon SEO and influence your product's rank.
Backend Keywords: Amazon allows up to 250 characters for backend keywords. Include any relevant terms that didn’t fit in your title or description. Don’t repeat keywords you’ve already used, and avoid using commas, as Amazon automatically separates terms.
Customer Reviews: Reviews significantly impact both A9 and A10 rankings. Products with more than 50 reviews are 2x more likely to rank on the first page. Encourage reviews by following up with customers or using Amazon’s “Request a Review” button.
Competitive Pricing: A9 favored products with competitive prices, and A10 is no different. Pricing impacts your conversion rate, so regularly monitor your competitors and adjust your pricing accordingly.
Importance of Sales Metrics
Sales metrics play a pivotal role in determining your product’s ranking on Amazon. Both the A9 and A10 algorithms heavily rely on sales data to assess a product's popularity and relevance. Understanding these metrics can help you improve your product's visibility and conversion rates.
Influence of Sales History and Velocity
Your sales history and velocity are among the most important factors that influence Amazon's algorithms.
Sales History: Amazon evaluates your sales history over time to determine how reliable and consistent your product is. Products with a strong sales record are seen as trustworthy and relevant, making them more likely to rank higher.
Sales Velocity: This refers to the speed at which your product sells. If your sales spike within a short period, Amazon's algorithm takes notice and boosts your ranking. For example, during peak seasons like Black Friday, products with high sales velocity often experience a jump in rankings, even if it’s temporary.
To achieve this, it’s important to have strategies that consistently drive sales and maintain momentum.
Strategies for Maintaining and Boosting Sales
Maintaining and boosting sales is crucial for ranking higher and staying competitive on Amazon.
Run Promotions and Discounts: Offering limited-time deals can significantly boost your sales velocity.
Use Amazon Sponsored Ads: Paid advertising helps increase your product's visibility, leading to more sales. Although A10 puts more emphasis on organic sales, running targeted ads can still help attract potential buyers and improve sales velocity.
Monitor Stock Levels: Ensure you have enough inventory to handle increased demand, especially during promotions or peak seasons. Running out of stock can negatively impact your sales history and ranking.
Consistently boosting sales not only improves your overall sales performance but also directly affects how your product ranks for keywords.
Impact of Sales on Keyword Ranking and Visibility
Sales performance has a direct impact on your product’s keyword ranking and visibility on Amazon.
Sales and Keyword Relevance: The more sales your product generates, the more relevant Amazon considers it for the keywords in your listing. For instance, if customers frequently buy your product after searching for a specific keyword, Amazon will rank you higher for that term.
Better Visibility Leads to More Sales: As your product ranks higher, it gains more visibility, which attracts more clicks and sales.
Sales and the Buy Box: Winning the Buy Box is another way sales metrics impact visibility. Sellers with higher sales metrics are more likely to win the Buy Box, which accounts for up to 82% of all Amazon sales.
Why It Matters: Your sales metrics essentially create a positive feedback loop—more sales improve your ranking, and better ranking leads to even more sales.
How to Drive Growth with Amazon PPC and External Traffic
To maximize your product's visibility and sales on Amazon, it's essential to leverage both Amazon Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising and external traffic sources. Combining these strategies ensures you reach a broader audience and improve your product’s ranking within Amazon’s algorithms.
Importance and Strategies for Amazon Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising
PPC ads can significantly boost your product's visibility, especially for new listings that haven’t built up organic ranking yet.
Effective PPC Strategies:
Start with Automatic Campaigns: Automatic campaigns let Amazon choose the best keywords for your product, helping you identify which search terms are driving sales. This is a great starting point for gathering data.
Transition to Manual Campaigns: Once you have data from automatic campaigns, switch to manual campaigns to target high-performing keywords. This gives you more control over your ad spend and helps you bid more effectively on keywords that convert.
Optimize Bids and Budgets: Regularly monitor your PPC campaigns to adjust bids and budgets based on performance. Increase bids for high-converting keywords and reduce spending on underperforming ones.
Boost Your Amazon PPC with Sellermate.ai
Sellermate.ai simplifies and optimizes your Amazon PPC campaigns with:
Smart Automation: Adjusts bids and budgets automatically for optimal ad performance.
AI Recommendations: Suggest the best keywords to target or adjust for improved efficiency.
Keyword Transition: Easily shifts top-performing keywords from automatic to manual campaigns.
Performance Tracking: Monitors key metrics, enabling quick, data-driven adjustments.
Leverage Sellermate.ai to streamline your PPC strategy and maximize your ad spend.
Generating External Traffic via Social Media and Blogs
Amazon's A10 algorithm prioritizes listings that generate traffic from multiple sources, seeing them as more credible and popular.
Effective External Traffic Strategies:
Social Media Marketing: Promote your product on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok. Create engaging content, run ads, or collaborate with influencers to reach a wider audience. For example, Instagram ads can result in a 20% increase in click-through rates for e-commerce products.
Blog and Content Marketing: Write informative blog posts or articles about your product or niche. Incorporate your product link within the content and share it on platforms like Medium, LinkedIn, or your website. This not only drives traffic but also boosts your product’s SEO.
Email Marketing: Use email campaigns to drive traffic to your Amazon listing. Offer exclusive discounts or updates to encourage your subscribers to check out your product.
While both Amazon PPC and external traffic are effective in boosting your product's visibility, striking a balance between organic and paid traffic is key to achieving sustainable growth.
Balancing Organic and Paid Traffic for Maximum Visibility
Amazon's algorithms reward products that show consistent sales from both organic and paid sources. A mix of traffic signals that your product is popular and in demand, leads to better rankings.
Tips for Balancing Traffic:
Optimize Your Listing for Organic Traffic: Ensure your product title, bullet points, description, and backend keywords are fully optimized to capture organic search traffic. This strengthens your product's foundation and helps maintain visibility even when ad budgets fluctuate.
Monitor Your PPC Campaigns: Use PPC ads to boost your listing’s visibility and drive initial sales. Gradually reduce your reliance on ads as your organic ranking improves.
Track Performance Metrics: Regularly analyze metrics like conversion rates, click-through rates, and sales to identify which traffic sources are performing best. Adjust your strategies accordingly to maintain an optimal balance.
Conclusion
Mastering the Amazon ranking algorithm is key to standing out in a crowded marketplace. The shift from A9 to A10 places more focus on user experience, external traffic, and engagement—factors that directly affect product visibility and sales. By adapting to these changes, you can position your products to reach more shoppers.
For an extra edge, try SellerMate.ai. Boost ad performance and reduce ACOS with AI-driven insights. Book a demo today and take your Amazon strategy to the next level!
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