The A9/A10 algorithm explained
Amazon's algorithm does not seek to inform, it seeks to sell. Where Google ranks pages according to their relevance and authority, Amazon ranks products according to their probability of generating a sale. This difference changes everything. Your listing does not climb because it is well written, but because it converts better than the others on a given query.
Historically named A9, the engine has evolved toward what the community calls A10. This version gives more weight to real buyer behavior, perceived relevance and the external traffic you direct to Amazon. But the core has not shifted: sales performance remains the dominant factor.
The three pillars of ranking
Three families of signals determine your position. Relevance rests on the keywords indexed in your listing. Sales performance combines conversion rate and order velocity. Trust relies on the volume and quality of reviews. None of these pillars is enough on its own.
Amazon keyword research
Amazon keywords are not Google keywords. On Amazon, the intent is always transactional: the user wants to buy, not to learn. So you are not targeting questions, but precise product phrasings, exactly as a buyer types them just before ordering.
The most reliable source is Amazon itself. The search bar suggests, in real time, the most-typed queries in your category. These suggestions are worth their weight in gold: they reflect real demand, not an estimate. Supplement this with specialized marketplace tools like Helium 10 or Jungle Scout to obtain volume and competition level, then examine the top-ranked competing listings to spot the terms you have not yet covered.
Index without stuffing
Amazon indexes each word only once. Repeating a term in the title, the bullet points and the description reinforces nothing and wastes space. The logic is different from classic SEO: cover the maximum number of relevant terms once each, then use the hidden backend search terms field for the variants, misspellings and synonyms that have no place in the visible text. This indexing discipline is as demanding as a real keyword strategy run by an SEO agency on Google.
The evolution from A9 to A10 reinforced the weight of external traffic and real customer behavior. Driving qualified traffic to your listings, from a blog or social media, becomes a ranking lever in its own right.
Optimizing a product listing that converts
A high-performing Amazon listing fulfills two functions at once: being indexed on the right keywords and convincing the buyer to purchase. These two objectives do not oppose each other, they reinforce each other. Each element of the listing has a precise role in this mechanism.
The title carries the heaviest SEO load. Place the main term and the decisive attributes there — brand, model, size, quantity — in an order that is readable by a human. The bullet points translate features into benefits: do not list specs, explain what they change for the buyer. The description develops the use case and removes objections. Finally, the images weigh as much as the text on conversion.
The elements you must never neglect
Main term first, key attributes next. Neither keyword stuffing nor a vague title. Clarity increases the click-through rate.
Five bullets that turn each feature into a concrete advantage. This is the decision zone for the rushed buyer.
Main view on a white background, then usage photos, details and infographics. The visual converts as much as the text.
If you are enrolled in the Brand Registry, leverage A+ Content to enrich the description and reduce returns.
Fill the hidden field with synonyms, variants and frequent misspellings, without repeating what is already visible.
The same principle of adapting to the channel applies everywhere: optimizing for Amazon has nothing to do with optimizing for another platform, exactly as ranking on TikTok responds to its own rules of discovery.
The decisive role of reviews
Reviews are the most powerful trust factor on Amazon, and therefore a direct ranking lever. A product that accumulates many positive reviews converts better, and conversion is the number one signal of the algorithm. Volume and rating are not a simple sales argument: they feed the loop that drives your listing upward.
The mechanism is cumulative. The more you sell, the more reviews you gather; the more reviews you have, the more you reassure the next buyers; the more you reassure, the more you convert and climb. Conversely, a product without reviews starts with a heavy handicap, whatever the quality of its listing.
Collect without breaking the rules
Amazon prohibits incentivized or purchased reviews and harshly penalizes these practices. The authorized levers remain effective: the Vine program for new products, automatic review requests via the official button, and above all a product that keeps its promises. Respond to negative reviews seriously: a buyer who sees a responsive seller is more inclined to order. This logic of reputation and trust signals matches the one governing visibility off the marketplace, as in voice search optimization where the reliability of the source conditions the selection.
The 6-action optimization plan
Optimizing an Amazon product follows a logical sequence: first relevance, then conversion, finally trust. Roll out these actions in order, listing by listing, starting with your products that have high margin and demand potential.
| Criterion | Google SEO | Amazon SEO |
|---|---|---|
| Goal of the algorithm | Inform and answer | Sell and convert |
| Search intent | Varied, often informational | Always transactional |
| Keyword indexing | Density and semantics | One occurrence is enough, backend for variants |
| Ranking signal #1 | Relevance and authority | Conversion rate and reviews |
Cross-reference Amazon suggestions, a marketplace tool and competing listings to build your list of priority terms.
Main term first, decisive attributes next. Readable for the human, complete for the algorithm.
Five clear benefits that answer purchase objections. This is your conversion zone.
Flawless main image, usage photos, infographics. The visual carries the decision.
Synonyms, variants and frequent misspellings in the hidden field, without duplicating the visible content.
Vine program at launch, official follow-ups afterward. Never purchased reviews.
Before investing in optimizing an entire catalog, measure where you stand. Our AI Visibility Score evaluates your brand's visibility beyond Amazon, where buyers now compare before purchasing: on ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google's AI Overviews.
Request a free GEO audit. We analyze your visibility on search engines and AI answers, and identify the levers your competitors are not yet exploiting.
Questions fréquentes
What is the difference between Amazon's A9 and A10 algorithm?+
A9 was the historical version, heavily centered on keyword matching and direct sales performance. A10 refers to its current evolution, which gives more weight to relevance for the buyer, real customer behavior and the external traffic you drive to your listings. The fundamentals remain the same: conversion and trust come first.
How do you find the right keywords for Amazon SEO?+
Start with the Amazon search bar and its auto-suggestions, which reflect the real queries of buyers. Supplement this with marketplace-dedicated tools like Helium 10 or Jungle Scout, which provide volume and competition. Also analyze the listings of your top-ranked competitors to identify the terms you are missing.
Do reviews really influence Amazon ranking?+
Yes, directly and indirectly. A high volume of positive reviews increases the conversion rate, the most powerful signal of the A10 algorithm. A good rating also reinforces trust and visibility in the results. Reviews are not just a sales argument: they are a ranking factor in their own right.
How long does it take to rank a product on Amazon?+
Generally count on several weeks to a few months depending on the competition in your category. A new product must first accumulate sales and reviews to gain velocity. A listing that is perfectly optimized from launch, supported by external traffic and a few first sales, clearly accelerates this start.
