What are Amazon backend keywords?

Amazon Backend Keywords are seller-defined keywords applied to your product listings ‘behind the scenes’ and can be thought of in terms of product tags for SEO in your ecommerce site. Amazon’s A-9 algorithm works similar to Google’s, so optimising your backend keywords can significantly improve search relevance and conversion.

Adding and optimising your backend keywords allows you to include search terms, phrases, queries and related keywords that could not/did not get included in your front end content. You can add keywords for “Search Terms,” “Intended Use,” “Target Audience,” “Subject Matter,” and “Other Attributes”

Why spend time on backend keywords?

The purpose of adding backend keywords to your products is to improve your chances of being indexed in the Amazon search results without the need to have messy, unreadable product content. The more relevant keywords your product can be indexed for, the better chance you have of ranking higher in search and ultimately, of making a sale. 

It cannot be understated how important it is to your success on Amazon to carefully research, populate and regularly optimise your backend keywords. There is a high likelihood that you are competing with multiple other sellers offering the same or similar product as you, so to continue scaling your business on Amazon and to differentiate your products from your competitors, every detail matters.

The great news is, you can manage all of your backend keywords directly from Codisto!

Amazon backend keyword fields (all available in “extra fields” menu):

• Search terms: Keywords that are closely related to your product
• Subject matter: Keywords that provide more context to your product and what it actually is, what is it about? Phrases work well here
• Intended use: Keywords that describe what activities, scenarios, circumstances, conditions the product is used for
• Target audience: Keywords describing WHO your product is for, WHO will be using it?
• Other attributes: Keywords that describe your product’s other attributes, such as generalised features, properties, benefits

Amazon’s tips for optimizing your search terms:

1. Stay under the character length limit (max. 250 bytes/characters)
2. Include synonyms
3. Include spelling variations, NOT misspellings
4. Include abbreviations and alternate names
5. You can use all lower case
6. You do not need to use punctuation, such as : ; , “ ‘
7. Separate words with spaces
8. Don’t repeat words within the search terms field
9. Don’t include your brand or other brand names in search terms
10. Don’t include ASINs in search terms
11. No need for stop words such as “a”, “an”, “and”, “by”, “for”, “of”, “the”, “with”, and so on
12. Use singular or plural, no need for both
13. No temporary statements such as “New” or “on sale now”
14. Don’t use subjective claims such as “best”, “cheapest”, “amazing”, and so on
15. Don’t add abusive or offensive terms

Adding backend keywords in Codisto

Adding backend keywords for your products in Codisto is a simple process but can take quite some time to perfect, depending on how many products you have.

Before updating your backend keywords:

• Enable all backend keywords fields noted above from the extra fields menu.
• Your existing website product tags will not be sent to Amazon and are a good place to start
• Remember, there is no need to repeat keywords. Any keywords in your frontend content have already been indexed and do not need to be repeated.

2 ways to manage your backend keywords in Codisto 

1. Enter a hard-coded value (free text) in each of your keywords fields
1. This method is ideal for updating individual products but is not suitable for merchants with a large product catalog - particularly when listing on multiple Amazon platforms.
2. Use Codisto’s attribute mapping functionality. If you prefer to control your keywords from within your website product pages, you may like to create a custom attribute/meta-field in your website e.g. “Amazon search terms” or “Amazon intended use 1”. Using attribute mapping you can map these fields to the grid. 
1. *note* attribute mapping applies to ALL products so you must populate an “Amazon search terms” meta field for each product in your website before mapping. Once mapped, the field is “locked” from editing
2. This method can save you a lot of time when setting up on additional Amazon platforms by allowing you to map your existing keyword meta-fields.