When it comes to Amazon Handmade SEO, one of the biggest questions I'm asked is about how to brainstorm and find keywords to use in your listings.
Don’t skip the research step and just throw up any old keywords or phrases you think your customers will be searching for.
You might get lucky and choose the right keywords immediately, but it isn’t likely. You’ll be doing yourself and your business disservice by not putting the research time that is needed.
With keyword research, there is a little bit more of a process and thought behind it than just throwing up words off the top of your head. Though, wouldn’t it be nice if we could just wing it? But, nothing to do with search engine optimization is ever quick, or easy, right?
Amazon Handmade SEO - How to Find Keywords to Use:
There are many different ways you can brainstorm and find new or different keywords to use for your listings. We’ll chat about the 4 methods that work the best for Amazon.
1. Manual Research Using the Amazon Search Bar
Amazon shoppers tend to search for things in a different way or format versus Etsy customers. This is why using the Amazon search bar to do some manual keyword research is by far the best method. It’s specific to Amazon shoppers, how they think, and how they search.
Step 1: Go to Amazon.com
Step 2: Enter your search term in the search bar (for example, amethyst necklace)
Step 3: Jot down any suggestions that populate that make sense for your item
Step 4: After the words ‘amethyst necklace’ type the letter a, then see what pops up and jot down any of those suggested words that fit your item
Step 5: Rinse and repeat for the entire alphabet!
Step 6: Add alternate terms to find more keywords, such as purple amethyst necklace or amethyst gemstone necklace or amethyst jewelry
Now obviously, this is the most time-intensive option. Still, it's also usually the best and most authentic way to brainstorm keywords that are specifically for Amazon.
2. Use Amazon’s Advertising Campaigns
We all know how Amazon doesn’t provide us with a lot of customer-facing data, like what search terms all customers are using who view our items. The only way to gain any kind of information like that is to run an advertising campaign and utilize the reports function.
Your report will show you what customers entered to find your sponsored ad. This can be another invaluable way to find new keywords you might not have thought of yourself.
If you haven't run an advertising campaign yet, my best advice is to start with an automatic campaign, let it run for a few weeks, and generate a report. You can then use the report data for not only keyword research but also to create a new manual campaign.
Manual advertising campaigns take a lot longer to set up and require a lot more maintenance. That is why I recommend starting with an automatic campaign, with the goal of moving to a manual campaign once you have some useful data from your reports.
3. Put Pen to Paper and Brainstorm
Some of us love the pen and paper method!
It can work, too! You just have to make sure you aren’t still in the mindset of the creator or maker. We are familiar with more technical terms for our items that customers aren’t. So, if you want to sit down with a coffee or tea and brainstorm on paper, you need to think like your customer, not the maker.
Some questions you might consider when brainstorming keywords:
What color is my item? It's not just blue, it could be dark navy blue or light sky blue or dark maroon red. See what I mean? There is A LOT of different color terms your customer might be using. Color terms and alternatives are especially crucial for the apparel, accessories, jewelry, and home decor categories.
Who would like to receive my item as a gift? A mom, a daughter, a girl, etc.
What occasions could my item make a good gift for? Christmas, holiday, birthday, graduation, etc.
What size is my item?
What features does my item have?
What materials are used in my item?
What is my item used for?
What are some alternative terms for my item? For example, a travel mug is also a coffee or hot beverage cup.
4. 3rd Party Apps
There are several Amazon-specific 3rd party apps out there for SEO and brainstorming keywords, but I don’t have personal experience with them enough to recommend them.
One free app for brainstorming Amazon-specific keywords that doesn’t require connecting to your Seller Central account that can be helpful is KeywordTool.io.
Another tool, Keywords Everywhere, is a browser extension that, when installed, shows you the estimated average monthly search volume for any phrase on Amazon. Keywords Everywhere is no longer a free tool, though.
One question I get a lot from Etsy sellers is if Marmalead can help with Amazon SEO.
Well, it can! It is built for Etsy, yes. Still, basically, any tool that allows you to brainstorm keyword ideas and suggestions can be useful for your Amazon Handmade listing's SEO. It's just a matter of taking those keywords you've found using Marmalead and using them correctly within your title and search terms.
Final Thoughts
Keyword research and brainstorming is the most essential step for successful SEO on Amazon Handmade! If you are skipping this step or not putting much time into it, you could be missing out on a lot of sales, traffic, and success selling on Amazon.
You won’t regret spending your time doing the research!
But, I understand that SEO and keyword research isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, and I’ve worked with many sellers on Amazon optimize their listings and grow their businesses. I would love to work with you, too! Check out all the ways I can help or reach out to discuss your needs and my current availability.
