Why Your Amazon Descriptions Might be Missing the Mark
Anyone who has ever dabbled in online sales is well aware of the clout associated with the retail giant Amazon. Indeed, it is somewhat difficult to put the true size of this conglomerate into perspective. Due in no small part to the recent global health situation, Amazon is expected to experience even more exponential growth in the coming months. Some recent figures will help to illustrate this point.
Consider the Numbers…
Were you aware that worldwide sales have risen by an astronomical 43.8 per cent when compared to figures compiled during the second quarter of 2020? It is also estimated that more than 35 orders are processed every second. This equates to a staggering 1.1 billion on an annual basis. There is no doubt that at least a portion of this meteoric rise can be attributed to the recent global pandemic and the willingness of consumers to turn to the online community when making digital purchases.
Now, try to imagine if you were able to fully capitalise upon these trends. This leads us to an important question. Why are so few businesses able to leverage the power of such a robust digital community? More often than not, they have failed to embrace the correct content marketing strategy. Have you been disappointed with your 2021 Amazon sales figures? Assuming that you are providing high-quality products, it is wise to turn your attention to the subtle art of content creation. Let us break this process down so that we can examine each facet in greater detail.
Getting to Know Your Customer
We will start off simple. Appreciating the needs of your target demographic is one of the core tenets of any content marketing system, and it is just as relevant within the world of Amazon sales. Some of the metrics which should be examined include:
- How much does the average buyer within your niche category spend?
- Does age play a role?
- How many are accessing the Amazon marketplace through a mobile device?
- What are their past spending habits?
However, we will immediately run into a problem. Unlike traditional website sales, Amazon owns your customer base. This is why it can be tricky to obtain the answers to the analytical questions mentioned above. Those who wish to obtain valuable insight should therefore utilise the power of Amazon Brand Analytics (ABA). These reports will contain vital data including (but not limited to):
- Education level
- Average customer age
- Level of education
- Household income
- Marital status
Those who wish to dig a bit deeper can likewise choose to access the transactional data made available with Amazon Marketing Web Services. However, keep in mind that you will first need to be registered as a brand owner.
Assuming that you have been able to collate valuable details in regards to your Amazon audience, the next logical step is to look at your current content marketing campaign in order to determine if and where any flaws exist.
Common Amazon Content Marketing Mistakes
The first step towards diagnosing an illness is recognising the symptoms. This is why we will briefly peruse some habitual errors that could be costing you dearly in terms of Amazon sales.
1. Content That Fails to Engage with the Reader
What makes your product stand out from its closest competitors? Why should a reader bother taking the time to appreciate what you have to offer? What problems are you trying to solve, and how do they relate to the potential buyer? The key takeaway point here is that your content needs to be engaging and highly descriptive. If not, it will never be able to present your products in the most amenable light. We will examine how to accomplish this a bit later.
2. Failing to Enact Inbound Marketing Campaigns
A report released by the analytical firm BloomReach found that 55 per cent of product searches are carried out from within the Amazon framework. This signifies that a massive 45 per cent are derived from other third-party sources such as blogs and social networking hubs.
Neglecting to address your inbound marketing campaigns is akin to baking a cake and leaving it on the counter to subsequently rot. If you hope to fully engage with your audience, obtaining quality inbound leads is essential.
3. Creating Sub-Par Listings
A picture speaks 1,000 words. However, Amazon marketing involves much more than snapping a few high-definition images of what you are offering. We need to remember the power of SEO in relation to your listings. For the sake of this article, we will be looking at what goes into a listing that catches the attention of the reader and adheres to Amazon guidelines.
Putting the Pieces Together: Fine-Tuning Your Approach to Amazon Content Marketing
Now that we have learned to appreciate the importance of creating a strong presence on Amazon as well as some of the mistakes which should be avoided, we can begin to look at some sure-fire strategies. The five suggestions outlined below will undoubtedly make a difference in terms of your inbound sales throughout the remainder of 2021, so let’s jump right in.
1. Amazon Titles
Amazon titles are essentially the digital “front doors” that clients will utilise to examine what it is that you are offering. So, make it a point to research the most relevant keywords and embed these within the title. As a general rule of thumb, it is wise to adhere to SEO standards in regards to the total length (between 150 and 160 characters).
However, there is another lesser-known method that can be exceedingly useful. Broad match types are an Amazon tool that allows you to cast the widest digital “net” possible over your advertising campaign. Broad matches enable you to place relevant or secondary keywords throughout the title in a readable manner. Let’s take a look at two titles that illustrate the same product in order to appreciate the difference that broad matching can make:
- Winter Jacket
- Large Green Winter Jacket for Children and Teenagers
Not only does the second title describe in greater detail what the product entails, but it has automatically narrowed down your target audience. As a result, those who click on your listing will be much more likely to convert into customers. Broad matches are excellent ways to provide a bit more digital “meat” to what you are offering.
2. Detailed Product Descriptions
This is arguably the most important point to address, as Amazon product descriptions are a crucial portion of the engagement process. It is nonetheless somewhat understandable why so many retailers fail to address their content. Many believe that imagery alone sells within the digital domain. Still, the fact of the matter is that a substandard product description will torpedo a sale from the very beginning.
Here are some important rules to always follow:
- Try to expand your vocabulary in order to create a sense of urgency.
- Utilise the appropriate keywords and phrases.
- Provide helpful and informative details as opposed to a mere description.
- When possible, use real-life references.
- Integrate sensory words into your content.
This final point warrants a bit more attention, as you may not be familiar with such a concept. Sensory words are used to enhance the descriptive nature of your content. For example, you can mention colours when selling a bundle of ball-point pens or use words such as “soft” and “fluffy” if you happen to be listing a winter down jacket.
3. Amazon Bullet Points
One of the benefits of selling within the Amazon marketplace is that you are often provided with five bullet points within the product description. Once again, a fair amount of SEO will come into play in order to highlight the strengths of your product.
Utilise a hierarchical approach when tackling bullet points. In other words, the first three should be devoted to the most important qualities of your product. These will be used to reinforce the overall description. When possible, incorporate keywords throughout these points (as long this does not begin to affect the overall level of readability).
Once again, make certain that your bullet points contain useful information as opposed to fluff. Place yourself in the position of the buyer. What qualities are the most pivotal before making a decision? Are there any game-changing features which are not offered by your competitors? What problems can the item solve? If you are able to present information that visitors can relate to, you will be much more likely to make a sale.
4. Making the Most Out of a Limited Description
Another important point to mention is that Amazon limits the length of a description to 1,000 characters (not including bullet points). 1,000 characters roughly equates to between 140 and 250 words depending upon the syntax. So, you will need to make the most out of the material. These strategies should always be employed:
- The first sentence should list the name of the product.
- The first paragraph will be devoted to its primary features.
- The remainder of the text should include uses, benefits and problems it can solve.
Some sellers believe that the recommendations mentioned above are not important, as the description itself is listed below the bullet points. However, there is a caveat to this observation. Keep in mind that those who access Amazon from mobile devices will be provided with a description before the bullet points. As this block of text is limited to 200 characters before it is cut off, it becomes even more clear why brevity is the soul of wit.
5. Keywords, Search Volume and Relevance
Depending upon the product that you are offering, you might encounter dozens of relevant keywords to employ within the content. So, why not simply embed as many words as possible within your 500-word text? Although this might seem like a sound strategy, it will actually cost you revenue in the long run.
We need to highlight that Amazon is essentially a merit-based sales platform. This is another way of saying that sellers will rise and fall within the results pages based upon their retail activity. Stuffing numerous keywords within a single block of text will attract a wide array of visitors to your page. The downside to this is that conversion rates are likely to remain low, as you are not targeting a niche market that is actually interested in your product.
Some sellers are not aware that Amazon keeps a very close eye on backend data. If it begins to notice that your page has a high clickthrough rate with few conversions, your rankings will begin to suffer as a result. So, be sure to determine the relevance of your keywords in order to ensure that you are receiving quality inbound visitors.
Practice Makes Perfect
The strategies outlined above may appear quite overwhelming if you are relatively new to the Amazon marketplace. Always remember that there is a learning curve associated with retail success, so patience is key. This is also why it could be a good idea to experiment with different content within the Amazon sandbox before publishing the listing. When in doubt, feel free to take a look at the top listings within your category in order to appreciate what approaches seem to work.
The team at Textbroker is fully capable of taking your presence on Amazon to the next level, thanks to our content curation services. If you are uncertain where to begin, our experts are only a click away.
About our author
Ron is a prolific author who regularly contributes to on-site blog posts. His passion for creativity combined with a client-centred approach has brought him a significant amount of success within this competitive marketplace. Writing for Textbroker since 2012, his hobbies include martial arts and bodybuilding.
No comments available