Amazon Backend Keywords Guide
Backend keywords are search terms you want to rank for but couldn’t fit naturally into visible listing elements like your title, bullet points, or description. They’re hidden from shoppers but indexed by Amazon’s search algorithm. Backend keywords are your last resort for capturing search traffic on relevant terms that don’t appear elsewhere in your listing.
What Are Backend Keywords?
When a shopper searches for a product on Amazon, the search algorithm considers multiple places where keywords might appear: your title, bullet points, description, A+ Content, and backend search terms. If a keyword doesn’t appear anywhere in your listing, you won’t rank for that search.
Backend keywords are a field in Seller Central where you can add search terms that are relevant to your product but that don’t appear elsewhere. These keywords are indexed by Amazon’s algorithm but are completely invisible to shoppers. You can include up to 250 bytes of backend keywords (typically 8-15 keywords depending on keyword length).
Backend keywords are important because they fill gaps. Maybe your title and bullets focus on primary keywords like “silicone baby spoon”, but you also want to rank for “infant feeding” or “first spoon” or “easy-grip utensil”. If these don’t fit naturally in your title or bullets, you add them to backend keywords.
Keyword Research Methods
Finding the right backend keywords requires research. Here are five proven methods:
1. Use Your Market Knowledge
You know your product category better than anyone. What search terms do your customers use when asking about products like yours? What problems does your product solve? What alternative names exist for your product type? Write down the search terms you naturally think of. This is your foundation.
2. Analyze Your Own Website Keywords
If you have an ecommerce website or blog, analyze the keywords you’ve optimized for. These same terms likely have search volume on Amazon. Your website SEO research translates directly to Amazon keyword strategy. Include keywords your website ranks for in your backend keyword list.
3. Use Amazon Autocomplete
Amazon’s autocomplete feature is powered by search volume data. Go to Amazon.co.uk and start typing a search term. Watch what autocomplete suggestions appear. These are high-volume search terms with real demand. For example, if you sell baby spoons, type “baby” and watch what completions appear. You’ll see “baby spoon”, “baby feeding chair”, “baby clothes”, etc. The completions that appear have real search volume.
This is one of the most valuable free research tools available. Systematically autocomplete variations of your primary keywords and note all the suggestions that are relevant to your product.
4. Study Related Items on Competitor Listings
Find top-selling competitor products in your category. Look at the “Customers who viewed this item also viewed” section at the bottom of their listings. These suggestions are based on actual shopper behavior and search patterns. The products shown here indicate related searches and customer interests. Use this to identify keyword opportunities.
5. Analyze Competitor Product Titles
Study the titles of your top 10 competitor products. What keywords do they emphasize? What features do they highlight? Their titles are optimized based on their own keyword research and sales data. Extract relevant keywords from their titles and add them to your research list.
6. Use Keyword Research Tools
Tools like Helium 10 and Jungle Scout provide keyword research data for Amazon. These tools show search volume, competition level, and longtail keyword variations. They automate much of the keyword research process and can identify opportunities you might miss through manual research. If you’re serious about Amazon selling, these tools are worth the investment.
Organizing Your Keywords
Once you have a list of potential keywords, organize them by priority and relevance:
Primary Keywords (5-6 keywords)
These are your highest-priority keywords. The ones with the most search volume and relevance that you absolutely want to rank for. List these first in your backend keywords field. Examples for a baby spoon: “silicone baby spoon”, “infant feeding spoon”, “weaning spoon”, “ergonomic baby utensil”, “easy-grip feeding spoon”.
Secondary Keywords (longer list, lower volume)
These are more specific, lower-volume keywords that are still relevant to your product. Include them after your primary keywords. Examples: “first spoon baby”, “dishwasher safe baby utensil”, “toddler feeding”, “baby led weaning”, “silicone utensils infant”.
You’re limited to 250 bytes total, so you can’t include an unlimited list. Prioritize high-volume keywords above niche keywords. If you must choose between two keywords and space is limited, choose the one with higher search volume.
Backend Keyword Best Practices
Include Longtail Keywords
Longtail keywords are longer, more specific search phrases. “Baby spoon” is a broad keyword. “Silicone baby spoon for weaning” is a longtail variant. Longtail keywords typically have lower search volume but also lower competition. Include both broad and longtail variations in your backend keywords.
Include Misspellings (But Not Common Plurals)
Amazon automatically corrects for plural and singular forms. If a shopper searches “spoon”, they’ll see results for both “spoon” and “spoons”. You don’t need to include both. However, Amazon does NOT automatically correct misspellings. If shoppers commonly misspell your product type, include the misspelling. For example, if some shoppers search “shelix” instead of “shallots”, include the misspelling in your backend keywords.
Keyword Frequency Doesn’t Matter
Amazon doesn’t count keyword frequency. Including “spoon” five times in your backend keywords doesn’t help you rank better for “spoon”. In fact, keyword stuffing wastes your limited character space. Each keyword should appear only once in your backend keyword list.
Capitalization and Position Don’t Matter
Amazon treats “Spoon”, “spoon”, and “SPOON” as the same keyword. Capitalization doesn’t impact ranking. Similarly, the order of keywords in your backend list matters slightly (primary keywords first) but isn’t as critical as it is in your title. Focus on including the right keywords rather than achieving perfect order.
Don’t Duplicate Keywords Across Fields
If a keyword already appears in your title, bullets, or description, don’t repeat it in backend keywords. It’s already indexed. Use your backend keywords for NEW search terms you want to capture. If you use all your backend keyword space repeating keywords already visible elsewhere, you’re wasting opportunity.
Placement Priority
Backend keywords are your last resort. Here’s the proper hierarchy for keyword placement in your listing:
- Title: Most important location for keywords. Front-load your primary keywords here.
- Bullet Points: Secondary placement. Incorporate keywords naturally in your five bullet points.
- Description: Longer-form placement. Keywords should appear naturally as you explain the product.
- A+ Content: For brand-registered sellers, incorporate keywords naturally into A+ Content modules.
- Target Audience field: If you’re a vendor (not a seller), use the Target Audience field to specify demographics.
- More Details field: Include relevant product specifications that contain keywords.
- Backend Keywords: Only use for keywords that don’t fit naturally elsewhere.
This hierarchy prioritizes readability while maximizing keyword coverage. Never sacrifice the readability of your visible listing elements to include keywords. Instead, use backend keywords for overflow.
Real Example: Backend Keyword List
Here’s a real example of a well-constructed backend keyword list for a silicone baby spoon product:
toddler silicone utensils fork feeder infant set bottle first bowls travel training hot items free teether eating safety plastic weaning rubber dispenser easy case mesh fruit dispensing newborn product trainer essentials temperature beginner guard
Notice:
- Primary keywords appear first: “toddler”, “silicone utensils”, “fork”, “feeder”, “infant”
- Related product types are included: “spoon”, “bowl”, “fork” (variants)
- Customer pain points: “travel”, “easy”, “safety”
- Use case descriptors: “weaning”, “feeding”, “training”
- Age-related keywords: “toddler”, “infant”, “newborn”
- No keyword repetition
- Mix of broad and longtail keywords
Connecting Backend Keywords to Your Broader Strategy
Backend keywords work in conjunction with your other listing elements. Your product title contains your most important keywords. Your backend keywords fill gaps for secondary search terms. Your PPC campaigns bid on keywords from both sources.
For comprehensive keyword strategy, also review your Sponsored Products campaigns, which should bid on both title keywords and backend keywords. And reference your search terms data from Sponsored Products to identify new keywords you’re currently missing.
Reviewing and Updating Backend Keywords
Backend keywords aren’t static. As your product gets reviews, you’ll see Q&A questions from shoppers. These questions often reveal keywords and pain points you hadn’t considered. Update your backend keywords quarterly based on:
- New customer questions you see in Q&A
- Common search terms driving traffic (from your advertising campaigns)
- Competitor product updates and new competitors
- Seasonal keyword trends
- Search volume data from your keyword research tools
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Amazon backend keywords and why do they matter?
Backend keywords are search terms you want to rank for but couldn’t fit naturally in visible listing elements. They’re hidden from shoppers but indexed by Amazon’s algorithm. They allow you to capture search traffic for relevant terms not appearing elsewhere in your listing.
What are the best methods for keyword research for backend keywords?
Effective methods include: market knowledge, website keyword analysis, Amazon Autocomplete, competitor product analysis, related item research, and keyword research tools. Combine multiple methods for comprehensive keyword coverage.
Does keyword repetition or pluralization matter for backend keywords?
No, Amazon handles plural and singular automatically. Keyword frequency doesn’t matter either. However, common misspellings are NOT corrected, so include misspellings if shoppers commonly misspell your product type.
How should I prioritize and organize my backend keywords?
Organize into primary keywords (5-6 high-volume, highly relevant) and secondary keywords (lower volume, more specific). Place primary keywords first. Prioritize high-volume terms, include longtail variations, and include misspellings if applicable.
Where should backend keywords be placed relative to other listing e
Need Expert Help with Your Amazon Business?
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Need Expert Help with Your Amazon Business?
VendLab provides hands-on Amazon consulting for brands and sellers at every stage. Whether you need help with account setup, listing optimisation, advertising strategy, or international expansion, our team has the experience to help you grow.
Get in touch with VendLab | Explore our Amazon consulting services
Go Deeper: How to Grow Your eCommerce Business
This article draws on insights from How to Grow Your eCommerce Business by Trevor Ginn, founder of VendLab. The book covers everything from product sourcing and listing optimisation to advertising, international expansion, and building a sustainable multi-channel online business.