Explaining Amazon Sales Rank and How to Improve It

Amazon sales rank, also known as best sellers rank (BSR), is a numerical score representing a product’s popularity in both its main category and subcategories. Every item on Amazon gets a ranking for its subcategories, but not all receive a ranking for their main category.

BSR can range anywhere from 1 to 1 million+, with a numbering system similar to that of a golf score – the lower the number, the more popular the product.

Why Is Your Amazon Sales Rank Important?

Your sales rank isn’t just some number Amazon assigns based on past performance. It is a critical metric you should care about for the following reasons:

It Shows Trust

Having a low Amazon sales rank is vital to success since it defines product popularity within a specific genre. Consider it as a vote of confidence in your product.

Provides a Competitive Edge

Amazon sales rank also provides insight into your competitors. Knowing the high-performing products in your category can help you reassess your own campaign so you can optimize your listing and marketing strategies accordingly.

Helps Increase Sales

Customers are more likely to purchase a product that others have also bought. A good sales rank helps boost your credibility.

Improves Brand Awareness

If your products are ranking at top positions in your category or subcategories, customers will notice, and therefore be more familiar with your brand.

How Is the Amazon Sales Rank Calculated?

Amazon doesn’t exactly reveal how the sales rank is calculated. What we do know is that several factors influence and contribute to the sales rank of your product. These factors are generally related to sales, both current and historic, as well as price changes and promotions.

How to Improve Amazon Sales Rank?

Here are a few tips on how to boost your Amazon sales rank/BSR:

Proper Keyword Research

Conducting thorough keyword research is the foundation of any marketing campaign on Amazon, and identifying the right keywords for your product is therefore critical to success. As you craft your Amazon listings, make sure to include as many relevant keywords in your titles, bullets, and descriptions. Sprinkle these terms throughout your listings to ensure more searchers see your listing, which will in turn increase the likelihood that your products will be bought.

Write Good Sales Copy

Attract customers with a strong sales copy. While keywords are important, you should never overwhelm your titles or string together hard-to-read sentences in an effort to insert as many keywords as possible. Write thoughtful sales copy for each of your product listings, always focusing on the benefits of your product and what makes it stand out.

Check out this three-part guide to learn how to write great Amazon product listings.

Promote Your Products

One effective strategy to increase product visibility on Amazon is to invest in sponsored product ads. Having an effective PPC advertising strategy is essential for Amazon businesses; a properly optimized campaign will help you reach the desired number of customers over an extended period, thus yielding more sales. You can learn more about PPC management strategies here.

Use Your Social Channels

Harness the power of your social channels to get your products seen by more buyers. There are a few strategies you can try to get your Amazon listings noticed:

• Host a giveaway or contest
• Share content with a link to your Amazon listing
• Offer a social media promo code

Offer a Lightning Deal

Tap into customers’ impulse buying tendencies by offering a “Lightning Deal.” These are time-sensitive deals that can be found in Amazon’s “Today’s Deals” section. This type of promotion is popular because it creates a sense of urgency for customers to jump on a special offer. Participating in this promotion won’t just increase your sales, but also inevitably boost your Amazon sales rank.

Offer Competitive Prices

Price is another major factor customers consider when choosing which seller to buy from. It’s also something Amazon takes into account when awarding the Buy Box, so you must offer good prices for your products to stay competitive. You can manually check how your competition is doing, or use software to automatically modify the product prices based on other brands. Check out our tips on Amazon pricing strategies.

Use High-Definition, Engaging Images

No matter how much effort you put into the other elements in your listing, if you lack clear and compelling images, you’re never going to increase sales. Poor quality product images can have a negative impression on buyers as they won’t be compelled to purchase. Do not let not your money, time, and work go in vain – invest in great product imagery, and of course, always adhere to Amazon’s image guidelines to avoid listing revocation.

Answer Questions That Customers Have

Some customers post questions on product listings, which appear in a section that comes after the product features and description. Make sure to address important questions to help interested buyers make their informed decision to purchase. You can also list all the concerns your potential prospects might have and then update your sales copy to answer them.

Takeaway

Now that you understand the many factors that affect your Amazon sales rank, it’s time to optimize your listings for better conversion, and product visibility is a great place to start. Book a call with us and let’s discuss how we can help boost your sales, as well as drive your sales rank up!