“People tend to hold on to their first impressions – that’s why those first descriptions can be so important.” (Miranda July)
What goes into a good Amazon product title? What does an optimized Amazon product title look like? And how do you transpose a well-performing Amazon product title over to a European market? We asked our top translators at YLT Translations about their thoughts. We’ve condensed the best practices here for you. Read on to see if your EU title fits the bill!
The Do’s for an Optimized Amazon Product Title
Content 26 sums it up perfectly: “(Amazon titles) must be explanatory, without being overindulgent.” That means containing all of the pertinent features that customers need in order to click on an Amazon listing. Also, it means containing the keywords that will get your Amazon listing indexed. It’s both an art and a science.
Do: Put the Best Keyword at the Start
Start with the brand name, then follow with the best keyword. What’s your best keyword?
- Healthy search volume
- Highly relevant and descriptive of your product
- Long-tail
- Nothing too generic or you’ll get buried in the results
- Nothing too niche or you’ll limit how many customers are interested in your product
Do: Put the Details in the Middle
We like to put the important variables in the middle, like volume and dimensions. Then, we follow up with the less important variables that may change according to the child ASIN, such as color, size, and quantity. You’re lucky if these characteristics match a relevant keyword; chances are, they do not. Now is your opportunity to get creative with your copywriting. How can you interject keywords into your title, while balancing the relevant information, and avoiding keyword stuffing?
Do: Take Advantage of the Real Estate You’ve Been Given
In order for your title to fit perfectly into Amazon’s preset space, make sure your title has 199 characters at the most. Granted, not all categories allow for this many characters. Make sure you check the category restrictions before you try to upload a 199-character-long title; your category may not even allow for that many words!
The Don’ts for an Optimized Product Title
Step 1: check the competitors on page 1. What do their titles sound like? Of course, some of them aren’t optimized at all; ignore these. We’re talking of the optimized titles.
Nevertheless, many sellers make 1 of these 2 mistakes:
- They copy an optimized title. Don’t do this. Your competitor’s products are (hopefully) not identical to yours; and even if they are, your goal is to stand out to improve click through rate. Your title should sound different, or you simply won’t make the noise you need in order to get chosen by your target customer.
- They differentiate too much! Don’t go overboard, though. Recognize that your competitors’ titles are doing something right, or they wouldn’t be on page 1. What features are they including? Size, quantity in the set, use cases, etc.? These are the details that customers are looking for. Make sure you include those details in your title, so customers are assured that your product matches their search.
Don’t: Forget to Optimize for Alexa
Voice commerce is on the rise. If you’re selling products that a customer is likely to buy over and over again, such as lightbulbs, candles, office stationery, etc., optimize your listing for Alexa. According to MarketBeat, “With e-Commerce, an IoT-connected device will be able to detect when you are running low on a subscription item and will place an order for you.” Perhaps we’re a few years away from shopping without taking a look at product images, but it’s worthwhile to consider voice commerce when trying to optimize your listing.
Don’t: Include the Complicated Details of the Product
Are you questioning whether or not to put an important feature in the product? Ask yourself if (1) the feature can be described in 2-3 words, and (2) if the market will be enticed by the feature, or if its inclusion in the title is likely to raise more questions. If it’s the latter, then the feature is probably too complicated for the title, and should be introduced later in the listing. (If the feature isn’t a selling feature, and if its presence won’t cause negative reviews, perhaps it’s best left to product inserts.)
Keep it simple. Remember, the best way to make a good first impression is to be memorable. If you have too many things you’d like your customers to remember, you’re not making a good first impression.
Don’t: Be Too Salesy!
If your title sounds like it belongs in an infomercial from a home shopping TV channel, it’s probably not a good title. Do intrigue the buyer, though. Pique their interest. Think of your title as the carrot on the stick. You don’t want to relinquish your hold on the carrot until they’ve gotten to your A+!
And above all, use your common sense!
Upon close inspection, the same practices that work well in Amazon.com will work just as well in European marketplaces. It’s crucial to do your keyword research first. Our translators offer up this step-by-step advice:
- Perform good research on the competitors
- Perform good keyword research
- Perform a good analysis of the database, using the Relevancy and the Search Volume as an indicators
- But also, USE COMMON SENSE!
Here’s the number one rule for selling on Amazon: you are not your customer! When writing your titles, always consider what your customer wants to know. Don’t think about how amazing you think your product is; think instead of the buyer journey, and how your product can provide a solution to your customer’s needs.
These rules hold true no matter where in the world you may sell – but remember, your German customer’s reasons for buying your product may be completely different from your Spanish customer’s, so you must do your research before you start crafting your title.
Good luck!