How listing images impact the Amazon CTR is something often overlooked and yet a critical aspect to care for.
Yes, you can get good positioning by paying ads, focusing on traffic-driving keywords, or redirecting people from other platforms to your Amazon product page. But at some point, you will need to stop investing money to keep your listing up and let it grow organically so you can focus on sales and scaling and, of course, maximizing your profit.
Trends change – mostly because consumer behavior changes too. Algorithms change too, and that often leaves marketers and sellers very little time to adapt their pictures to new requirements.
Why is Amazon CTR so important?
First things first.
One of the most important metrics to measure a listing or an ad campaign’s performance is the Click-Through Rate, also known as CTR. It is a simple metric, and not the only one you should keep an eye on. But it’s very clear to show how much attention your listing is getting.
Basically, it’s the number you get when you divide the number of impressions by the number of clicks.
CTR = # of clicks / # of impressions
Rates higher than 3-4% are considered relatively good. Nevertheless, the number of views you get doesn’t necessarily translate into more sales, which is why you are on Amazon in the first place.
What does the Amazon CTR depend on?
Mostly your main image and your listing title.
Amazon’s main image is the first filter consumers go through. The human brain processes images in 13 milliseconds, and mobile is about to overtake e-commerce retail sales. Little more needs to be said. Should you need more arguments, take a look at our Amazon’s main product image post.
A listing’s title is what they will read immediately after IF the listing’s main image suits and shows what they are looking for. Don’t forget the world is more visual than ever, and time is increasingly precious.
Amazon main image
Having said the above, Amazon’s main image must be different and unique to accomplish its mission: instantly capturing its viewer’s attention.
The downside is that, if you don’t manage to get enough organic traffic and sales to remain on the top positions, your Amazon CTR is likely to be dramatically lower – it decreases as you scroll down. Thus, you might need to change it, especially when your competitors adjust theirs to the top-sellers’.
Let’s face it: imitation plays a very important role in evolution, and that goes from the simplest human activities to Amazon listings.
Your Amazon title
Amazon’s title requirements demand lots of words. You’ve probably noticed how many listing titles try to say it all; well, your viewers notice too. And let’s be honest, it’s rather uncomfortable to read. Keep your title clean and easy to read, use the keywords correctly so your product remains clear and there’s no room for hesitation. It’s all about how the product benefits users, not the algorithm itself.
What you can do to increase your Amazon CTR
Since your main image and your title are the only two things that actually depend on you, it is absolutely critical to get them right. Amazon’s algorithm tries to keep main listing images clean and unambiguous. And the conditions are strict:
- Use White background photography
- It should cover at least 85% of the total photography space
- High Quality
- A unique angle
- Avoid logotypes, text or illustrations.
- See your listing as a story where the first image is powerfully captivating. All of the rest can be said and shown on the following pictures or in the video.
- A/B test the images you think that best explain your product at a glance. Every picture is made for a purpose and a target audience. Find the images that best reflect your product’s USP’s to your public and compare how they do over time. There are tons of options to perform A/B tests, like Pickfu or Amazon’s Manage your Experiments.
- Your main listing image should make your product speak for itself. If your package is your main listing image, it is a good idea to edit the original picture and make relevant information like size or weight easy to read. The algorithm detects characters, and you should avoid at all costs the risk of adding text on the background or the product. Package text remains safe, as seen on listings #1 and #3 above.
- Some products are better understood with models showing them in action. In fact, showing products in action makes them relatable and makes them speak for themselves.
- Consider a 3D render if your product is made of shiny or transparent materials. Make sure it looks realistic though, which is critical.
- Display all pieces, components and important aspects included. That lets consumers know exactly what they will get: connection types, number of heads, package, etc.
- Make your packaging visible in the picture (if there’s something nice about it and, of course, if it fits in it). If you need a couple of insights on the importance of your product’s packaging, take a look at our post.
BONUS: How to find what is NOT working?
Metrics give lots of insights and interpreting them correctly can tell you exactly how you can improve your listing. Here are a couple of examples:
- You may have a high Amazon CTR but a low Conversion Rate, meaning there are people clicking on your listing, but not actually buying your product.
- If you’re paying for ads or Sponsored content, your Acquisition Cost of Sale will probably be the metric to focus on in order to find out what doesn’t work. Remember you pay for impressions, and not converting those impressions into sales can be an expensive headache.
Usually, these cases reveal there is something in your listing that fails to be compelling. It could be an insufficient product description, poor photography, other content-related issues, or things like an uncompetitive price.
If you find your product listing in one of these scenarios, it is worth taking a deeper look at your metrics and fixing it ASAP to get it on the right track. At Content2Sell we specialize in creating UNIQUE entire Amazon listings, product photography, videos, and animations to highlight products’ value.
Just schedule your call and get your Amazon listing audited FOR FREE.
