If you’re selling on Amazon, you’ve probably heard of both Amazon SEO and Amazon PPC. Typically, these are discussed as separate marketing strategies: SEO for organic traffic, and PPC for paid exposure. However, what many sellers overlook is that strategic use of Amazon PPC can significantly boost your organic rankings—meaning better SEO—without having to invest in expensive tools or shady tactics.
This article explores how you can use only Amazon PPC to increase your visibility in organic search results. Done correctly, it’s a powerful and sustainable way to enhance your Amazon SEO.
Understanding the Amazon Algorithm
Amazon’s A9 algorithm ranks products based on two primary factors: relevance and performance. Relevance includes elements like keywords in your title, bullet points, and backend search terms. Performance depends on metrics like click-through rate (CTR), conversion rate (CR), and sales velocity. PPC can directly impact both—here’s how.
Using PPC to Drive Traffic and Test Keywords
One of the main benefits of Amazon PPC is the ability to test various keywords quickly and effectively. By running automatic and manual campaigns, you get detailed insights into which search terms are generating clicks and conversions.
- Automatic Campaigns: Let Amazon find relevant search terms for your product. These can reveal unexpected keywords customers are using.
- Manual Campaigns: Focus on high-performing keywords and get better control over bidding.
Once you’ve identified high-performing keywords, incorporate them into your product listing. This enhances your listing’s relevance, which directly improves your organic ranking over time.
Boosting Sales Velocity
The more your product sells, the better it ranks. Amazon sees strong sales as a sign of customer demand and satisfies that demand by placing your product higher in organic search results.
By targeting your most relevant keywords in PPC campaigns, you can increase sales velocity. Listings with high conversion rates and solid sales history will slowly move up the organic rankings—even after a PPC campaign ends.
Improving Click-Through and Conversion Rates
PPC campaigns offer valuable insights into how well your product page is performing. For instance, if your ad is getting impressions but few clicks, your title or main image might need improvement. If people click but don’t buy, your price or listing content could be the issue.
Here’s how improving CTR and CR boosts SEO:
- CTR: A strong title, main image, and price will attract more clicks, signaling to Amazon that your product is relevant.
- CR: If those clicks turn into purchases, Amazon will reward your listing with better placement in search results.
Winning the Buy Box and Gaining Reviews
Running PPC campaigns can help you win the Buy Box more often, especially if you’re competing with other sellers for the same listing. Winning the Buy Box increases your chances of getting sales—and positive reviews.
Reviews are a strong performance indicator. The more verified reviews you gain through increased PPC-driven sales, the more trust Amazon (and shoppers) place in your product, thereby enhancing your rankings organically.
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Retargeting and Defensive Advertising
Besides offense, PPC can play defense. Sponsored Display campaigns allow you to retarget customers who viewed your product but didn’t buy, giving you another shot at conversion. You can also place ads on your own listings to prevent competitors from stealing your traffic.
Both of these approaches keep your sales steady, which helps maintain and improve your organic rankings over time.
Set Up for Long-Term Success
To use Amazon PPC effectively for SEO, follow these steps:
- Run automated campaigns to discover new keywords.
- Move top-performing search terms into manual campaigns.
- Optimize your listing by adding high-converting keywords.
- Track performance regularly and adjust your bids to maintain profitability.
Remember, SEO gains don’t happen overnight. By consistently using PPC to drive targeted traffic and increase conversions, your product’s organic visibility will grow over time—often with longer-lasting results than PPC alone.
Conclusion
Amazon PPC is more than a tool for immediate sales—it’s a strategic weapon for improving your long-term organic search visibility. By focusing on keyword testing, sales velocity, and conversion optimization, you’re not just paying for clicks—you’re investing in higher organic rankings.
In competitive markets, this dual-use approach gives you the edge to outrank your competitors and boost overall profitability. So, next time you’re setting up a PPC campaign, don’t just think ROI—think SEO.
