Amazon's search algorithm (commonly referred to as A9, with A10 describing more recent refinements) works differently enough from Google that "Amazon SEO" is really its own discipline — one focused almost entirely on conversion signals.
What Amazon's algorithm actually optimizes for
Unlike Google, which is trying to satisfy an informational or navigational intent, Amazon's search is explicitly optimizing to surface listings likely to sell — meaning conversion rate, sales velocity, and reviews weigh heavily, not just keyword relevance in your listing text. A perfectly keyword-optimized listing that doesn't convert will still lose ranking over time to one that does.
Where keywords still matter
Your product title, bullet points, backend search terms field, and description all feed into whether Amazon considers your listing relevant to a given search at all — this is the entry ticket, even though it's not the whole game. Front-load the most important, literal search terms buyers use, similar to how Etsy titles work.
Researching competitors for free
Read the actual titles, bullet points and Q&A sections of top-ranking competitor listings for your target keywords — this shows you exactly which features and search terms Amazon is currently rewarding for that query. Check the "Customers also bought" and "Frequently returned together" sections, which reveal how Amazon's own system is clustering your competitors relative to each other. Reviews are also public research — read what customers praise or complain about on competing listings; that's often a direct signal for what to emphasize (or fix) in your own listing.
What free tools can't replace here
Amazon doesn't publish search-volume data the way Google does, so precise keyword-volume research for Amazon specifically usually requires a paid Amazon-specific tool — general SEO keyword tools aren't built on Amazon's search data and won't reflect Amazon-specific search behavior accurately.
The bottom line
Amazon SEO is closer to conversion optimization than classic search engine optimization — the free research available (reading competitor listings and reviews directly) tells you a lot, but precise keyword volume for Amazon specifically is where the free options run out.
Try it yourself
Put this into practice with our SEO Tools.