TAS 245 : NEW Optimization Updates - Avoid an Amazon SLAP and Best Practices to Rank Products and Convert with Karon Thackston

When dealing with a huge platform like Amazon you've got to expect that there will be places where confusion sets in. This episode is an example of that very thing. Karon Thackston is with us today to help us understand the new items within the Amazon terms of service. Not everything is coordinated and not everything makes sense but if you learn how to operate within the Amazon guidelines your products were ranked better and your sales will increase. Karon Is here to help us navigate the changes and make sense out of all of it.

Amazon says you should make sure your title is less than 200 characters. Period.

The rules have changed many times over the years but now Amazon has a new guideline when it comes to the length of your product title. 200 words is the new limit and you have to be careful because the back end will not stop you from putting in more characters. But if you do you could be subject to a suppressed listing or even worse, Amazon could change the title for you and not allow you to change it back to something of your choosing. You've got to hear this one to believe it, and you can hear it on this episode of The Amazing seller.

Be sure to watch the Amazon style guide for what is allowed. Nothing else.

You can take a few minutes to click around the Amazon website and find conflicting guidelines for how you should list your products on their platform. But today's guest, Karen Paxton believes that you should only pay attention to the Amazon style guide when you are trying to conform your listing to the Amazon standards. The things Karon shares on this episode are from the Amazon style guide and as you will see, are not all that simple. But Karon is a pro and can help you navigate it more simply, so be sure you listen.

Why you should contact seller support over and over when you have issues.

If you run into issues with any of your product listings and need to contact Seller Support it is likely that you will run into a support agent who doesn't know the facts of how Amazon runs. Why would we say that? Because it's absolutely true. You can call Seller Support and talked to two or three different agents and get two or three different answers to your questions. That's why our guest today, Karon Thackston,  recommend that you continue to call Seller Support until you get help with the things that you need. Eventually you will be able to talk to supervisor and get things straightened out.

You should be careful with those search term fields from now on.

 

It wasn't too long ago that Amazon increased the number of Search terms you could enter in the search type fields in your product back end feels. But now they have come out saying that the search term fields don't really need to be used at all as long as your keywords are included in your description and bullet points. But Karon Thackston doesn't believe you will be penalized if you leave words in the search term fields, and is not recommending that any more experienced sellers go through their listings to remove them. You can hear the entire fiasco on this episode of The Amazing Seller.

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE AMAZING SELLER

• [0:03] Scott’s introduction to this episode with Karon.
• [5:00] Karon’s summary of what she’s covering for you today.
• [8:15] Another reason to build a platform of your own off Amazon.
• [9:56] The issue of title suppression (titles over 200 characters).
• [13:45] Why you should contact seller support if your backend doesn’t reflect the 200 character limit.
• [20:40] The new guidelines for search terms to optimize your listings.
• [25:40] Is any aspect of the product listing weighted more than anything else?
• [27:33] Scott’s recent keyword test.
• [29:04] Amazon’s latest guidelines for keywords (to kill keyword spam?).
• [34:34] And Amazon still says you should not use commas in keyword fields.
• [38:02] What Karon recommends to sellers who have been around a while.
• [41:14] The importance of split testing to ensure what’s truly working.
• [44:05] Do not use competitive product names in your listing anywhere.
• [50:08] Overly long content in the description, etc. is not advised either.
• [51:02] Taking account of common abbreviations and plurals in descriptors.

RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THIS EPISODE

• www.TheAmazingSeller.com/86 and www.TheAmazingSeller.com/155 - Karon’s previous epsiodes
• The Amazon Style Guide
• www.Splitly.com
• www.TheAmazingSeller.com/optimize