Differences between Google SEO and Amazon SEO:
For quite some time, Google optimization for both organic and paid search (SEO and SEM) has been a common feature in internet marketing. However, optimization on Amazon appears to be in its infancy: just a small percentage of Amazon merchants have begun to actively optimize their listings in order to enhance sales on the world’s largest e-commerce platform.
This highlights a significant disparity between Amazon’s high proportion of overall online retail sales and the minimal attention that Amazon optimization now receives, as demonstrated in most online retailers’ marketing mix. This disparity is exacerbated by a lack of understanding about the subject and the absence of a well-developed “ecosystem” that includes agencies, tools, conferences, and other resources.
We plan to gradually address some of these gaps, and the goal of this piece is to show and explore a few significant parallels and differences between Google SEO and Amazon optimization.
Google and Amazon Search Have 5 Big Things in Common:
1) The higher your rating, the more traffic and sales you will receive
While their primary focus differs, both Google and Amazon are fundamentally search engines. And the essential goal in both cases is to rank high for relevant keywords!
2) There are two types of searches: organic and paid
Both search engines show results from both organic and paid searches. By default, Google displays 10 organic and various paid results each page, while Amazon displays 16 organic and two sponsored results per page (14 organic results in the mobile app). On both search systems, there is opportunity for improvement.
3) It’s a “Black Box” algorithm
The workings and calibration of Google’s ranking algorithm are still unknown after years of experimentation (and change over time). The same can be said for Amazon’s algorithm, and there have been few experiments and tests thus far. This means that knowledge must be gained by trial and error for merchants, but it also means that significant insights gained by anyone in the marketplace can lead to long-term competitive advantages!
4) The ranking can be improved actively
For years, SEO for Google has been standard practice. There are chances for systematic optimization on Amazon as well, as we discovered by performing our own test scenarios.
5) Success takes time and requires nutrition
Rankings on Amazon, like Google, are subject to frequent change as a result of competition and changing customer preferences. This is why optimization must be long-term and examined on a frequent basis. After all, the highest positions aren’t reserved for just anyone!
3 Key Differences Between Google and Amazon Optimization:
1. Goals: Optimization must be focused on a variety of performance indicators
As previously said, Google and Amazon are both search engines, but they serve different purposes: Google is a general-purpose search engine, whereas Amazon is a product-specific search engine. This distinction is critical because the various types of search engines represent different stages of the purchasing process.
While a Google search represents the middle of the sales funnel (as shown in the diagram), Amazon searches indicate the last stages and the bottom of the funnel. Amazon is increasingly being used for the entire purchasing process, from product research through purchase and review (end-to-end marketplace).
This distinction has significant implications: Google cannot always tell which goals people are pursuing with a search and whether they were met on a website to which they were led. A user searching for “iPhone 6” on Google may want to purchase one, but they could also be seeking for reviews.
When a user clicks on a link, Google has no way of knowing if they discovered what they were looking for. This is due to the fact that Google does not know which metrics to measure in each case and, for technical reasons, cannot track everything. As a result, Google ranks results based on a number of variables in order to approximate relevancy (e.g., CTR of ads and organic listings, page loading time, structure and content of the landing page, time spent on page, external links, etc.). As a result, Google’s most crucial metric is CTR.
This is a unique situation for Amazon. Amazon always knows what a user’s goal is (purchasing) and whether or not they achieved it. Rather than only looking at a listing’s CTR for a certain keyword, Amazon additionally considers the conversion rate, sales volume, and a variety of other user-related data (CLV, shopping cart etc.). Conversion rate and CTR are extremely important on Amazon because the objective is always obvious (purchasing) and the achievement of the goal can be easily measured. Because of these distinctions, Google and Amazon optimization must concentrate on various goal indications.
2. Mechanics: Variations in maneuvering space
There are also significant distinctions in the types of adjustments that can be done to improve the target indicators. This section will go through the well-known SEO distinction between on-page and off-page optimization.
Structured Data vs. Unstructured Data: On-Page
There are almost no restrictions when it comes to creating your own website and optimizing it for Google search. Individuals can choose their own material, duration, and formatting. Aside from human capacity limits, there is no practical limit to the amount of content and landing pages that may be created. On Amazon, however, you are limited to a certain number of fields, a specific number of characters, or even pre-selected possibilities. As a result, on-page optimization is governed by Amazon’s structure rather than being as unrestricted as it is for Google search. However, Amazon optimization should not be considered a one-time adjustment, but rather should be reviewed and updated on a regular basis in terms of product titles, descriptions, and other factors.
Off-Page: The Influence of Indirect vs. Direct Influence
We can detect a significant change in the ‘directness’ of the influence with off-page optimization: While the amount and quality of external links are considered in Google’s ranking algorithm and thus have a direct impact on the ranking, they are not considered in Amazon’s ranking algorithm. Is this to say that Amazon has no off-page optimization at all? There is, but it works in a roundabout way. If you can improve your brand awareness, you can expect increased searches on Amazon that involve the brand name.
Because branded products are more likely to be clicked and purchased in response to this type of search query, CTR, conversion rate, and sales rank are all positively influenced. As a result, your rankings for other (non-brand related) keywords will improve. External connections are treated the same way: Additional sales may result from links to your products, which may enhance CTR, conversion rates, and sales rankings. This is why off-page optimization has an indirect impact on Amazon: Although links do not directly result in higher results, the additional revenues do.
3. Framework: Greenfield vs. large ecosystem
Over time, a thriving industry has sprung up around Google optimization. In comparison, the few Amazon optimizers that exist now are still working on a blank canvas with little data, tools, or relevant networks.
Unlike Google, which provides sellers with a wealth of data on traffic and users through Google Analytics, Amazon does not. This makes complete analysis and reporting difficult, and there haven’t been many tools available for active Amazon optimization – which, of course, has changed now that Sellics is here to help sellers.
It’s nearly impossible to optimize for Amazon sales performance without any tools for tracking and modifying the many aspects. We decided to give the required foundation for measuring all of these key figures and evaluating the effects of your optimization efforts with our analysis tool. The greenfield image also applies to agencies, communities, and third-party suppliers: there are extremely few touch points for exchanging knowledge and experiences compared to Google.
It’s become evident that Amazon optimization is currently not so better state than Google optimization. In fact, this could be a good thing. So far, Amazon’s optimization potential for third-party merchants has been underutilized. Because the majority of sellers aren’t optimizing at all, you can easily outperform them if you start with even a small amount of Amazon optimization. The returns for the first vendors to optimize are, on average, quite promising. Also, there isn’t a large amount of knowledge to catch up on right now. In this way, becoming an expert and securing a seat among the best Amazon optimizers is still rather simple in the long run.
Amazon optimization is still in its infancy. We hope that by steadily adding to the information base surrounding this exciting topic, we will be able to provide sellers with a better understanding of what Amazon optimization is all about and assist you in maximizing your potential selling on Amazon!
