Where products rank in search results on retailers’ sites directly impacts a brand’s eCommerce success. If a shopper can’t find your product, that shopper can’t buy your product. Findability is fundamental.
Search is also a driver of the now-famous “flywheel effect” at Amazon and other online retailers: products that place well in search results tend to sell more, and products that sell more tend to place better in search results. Success breeds success, creating a moat for competitors and rewarding those that move early and decisively to win.
Retailers’ websites and apps—particularly Amazon’s—are increasingly the starting point for shoppers’ product searches. A 2016 BloomReach study showed that 55% of online product searches start directly on Amazon, compared to 28% that begin on a traditional search engine like Google or Bing.
When shoppers search directly on retail sites they are typically closer to the purchase decision. Given the stakes, forward-thinking brand manufacturers should aim to optimize their products to rank higher in search results for the most relevant and frequently-searched keywords.
For further guidance, download our recent eBook Maximizing Discoverability through On-Site Search and Category Placement or join one of our upcoming webinars:
May 9 2017, 11am EST/4pm BST: Maximizing Discoverability through On-Site Search and Category Placement presented by Ryan Jepson, Senior Strategy & Insights Analyst, Profitero
May 10 2017, 1 20pm EST: Spring 2017 LEAD Marketing Conference: Dominating eCommerce Search presented by Keith Anderson, SVP Strategy & Insights, Profitero