The selling reality: marketplace SEO determines product visibility

Marketplace SEO is the difference between your product being buried in the depths of Amazon or showing up right where buyers are looking. If you’re selling online, mastering it isn’t optional—it’s essential.

Selling on a marketplace without SEO is like opening a shop in a massive mall with no signs, no window displays, and no way for customers to find you. Your products might be amazing, but if they don’t rank well in search results, they might as well not exist.

You have options, of course. You could pay for ads (which can get expensive fast), hire a marketplace SEO expert (not cheap), or try to figure it out yourself (which is where most sellers struggle). But before you throw money at the problem, wouldn’t it make sense to understand how marketplace SEO actually works?

That’s where this guide comes in. By learning the basics, you’ll be able to:

• Optimize your listings so customers actually see (and buy) your products
• Avoid common mistakes that tank rankings and sales
• Make smarter decisions when outsourcing SEO or running paid promotions

Let’s break it down.

Marketplace SEO explained (no-fluff)

Here’s the essential breakdown of marketplace SEO without the industry jargon or unnecessary complexity. If you’re looking for the straightforward, actionable version that actually delivers results, you’re in the right place.

WTF are we talking about here? (definition)

Optimizing product listings and seller profiles within online marketplaces (e.g., Amazon, Etsy) to increase visibility, rankings, and sales within those platforms’ internal search engines.

What’s this  trying to accomplish? (goals)

Increase product visibility, improve product rankings within marketplaces, drive higher sales and conversions.

What actually works? (best practices)

• Keyword-rich product titles and descriptions
• High-quality images and videos
• Accurate product categorization and tagging
• Competitive pricing
• Gathering and managing positive customer reviews
• Utilizing backend keywords strategically

Where do most people get it wrong? (common mistakes)

• Ignoring keyword research specific to marketplaces
• Low-quality or duplicate product content
• Misusing product categories or tags
• Failing to manage negative reviews effectively
• Violating marketplace guidelines (leading to penalties)

When should you focus on marketplace SEO? (use cases)

• Selling products on Amazon, Etsy, eBay, or Walmart Marketplace
• Launching new products to gain initial traction
• Increasing visibility for under-performing listings

How much will this move the needle? (impact on rankings)

High impact within marketplace search results; moderate impact on external (Google/Bing) rankings.

How long until I see some movement? (timeframe for results)

Short to medium-term (typically days to weeks for initial improvements; sustained optimization for lasting results).

What should be in your SEO toolkit? (tools + software)

• Helium 10
• Jungle Scout
• SellerApp
• AMZScout

How do you know if it’s working? (metrics to track)

• Product visibility/rankings
• Click-through rates (CTR)
• Conversion rates (CVR)
• Sales velocity
• Customer reviews and ratings

Who’s crushing it with marketplace SEO? (examples of successful implementation)

An Amazon seller optimized product titles and backend keywords, achieving increased organic visibility and doubling sales in three months.
Etsy sellers leveraging detailed descriptions and keyword optimization, leading to a 60% increase in sales.

Who should you be listening to? (experts)

• Casey Gauss (Amazon Marketplace specialist)
• Danny McMillan (Seller Sessions host, Amazon SEO expert)
• Sharon Even (Marketplace optimization strategist)

Is this something you can DIY? (difficulty level)

Intermediate difficulty.

What’s this going to set you back? (cost considerations)

Moderate budget (typically includes costs for marketplace SEO tools, content creation, professional photography/videography, and occasional consultation or training fees).

Marketplace SEO: Where to go from here?

You’ve got the marketplace SEO basics down, but the search landscape changes faster than Google can update its algorithm.

Stay ahead with deep dives from the Loganix blog:

Or if you’d rather spend your time growing your business instead, get in touch with our team. We’ve helped hundreds of businesses just like yours climb the rankings with proven strategies.