When it comes to optimizing your product photos, you’ll need to think about the context in which they’re viewed. Not only do Amazon product images display on your main product page, but they also show up in search results, as thumbnails.

Get the complete guide to Amazon image size requirements for 2024.

Amazon image size requirements for 2024

When setting up new product pages or updating existing listings, you’ll need to meet the Amazon image guidelines and related technical requirements. If you don’t, Amazon won’t accept your listings and images, even if you have the best product images.

Technical requirements

Check out the technical Amazon product image requirements at a glance below, but remember it’s always best to check its site for the most up-to-date information and Amazon policy.

Other requirements to note for main product images include:

• Image size: Your Amazon picture sizes need to be at least 1000 pixels wide or tall, and 1600 pixels on the longest side. You can’t make your images bigger than 10,000 pixels on the longest side.
• Image frame: The product should fill 85% or more of the frame and not be cut off anywhere.
• Background color: ALL product photos should have a pure white background (RGB color values: 255, 255, 255).
• File format: You can upload JPEG, PNG, non-animated GIF or TIFF files. Amazon prefers JPEG.
• Color mode: Both sRGB and CMYK are accepted.
• File name: The file name must include the product identifier (this is your Amazon ASIN, JAN, EAN, 13-digit ISBN or UPC). After that, a period and a file extension (see accepted file types listed above). For example, 1234567890123.tif or A987654321.jpg. You may not include dashes, spaces or other characters in the file name.

You can also include up to eight additional photos to support your main photo.

Offer level images

If you’re selling used or refurbished products, an “Offer Level” or “Listing Photo” is also allowed on your product pages. This image displays on Amazon’s offer listing page, which helps customers differentiate your offer. To add your image, access your Amazon Common Template. Map the field termed as “Main Offer Image” and “Offer Images.”

Creative guidelines

Beyond adhering to Amazon product photography requirements, high-quality imagery will also make your products come to life for shoppers who can only view them through a screen. Some companies may opt to shoot their own product photos but there’s value in hiring a professional product photographer.

Using high-quality images for the main and child SKU images are particularly important for converting sales and receiving more clicks, but they’re also part of Amazon’s non-technical standards. These Amazon product images requirements are:

• Use real photos: The image must be an actual photo (or the cover art, in the case of music or books for example). Drawings, vectors and illustrations won’t be accepted as well as additional inset images, animated GIFs, graphics or text overlays. (Non-animated GIFs are acceptable.)
• Keep it simple: Anything in the frame that’s not directly related to the product risks becoming distracting to the potential buyer. Remove these from your Amazon product images.
• Aim for quality: Your Amazon product picture resolution should be high-resolution. Use sharp and well-lit product photos that look realistic. Pay special attention to how the colors look after they’re shot, as you don’t want any unpleasantly surprised customers.
• Be appropriate: Pornographic or offensive messages are prohibited from Amazon, so you’ll want to remove anything potentially risque from your shots. Check this tutorial to help you get rid of unwanted elements in Photoshop, Photomerge, or GIMP.

For shoes in particular, you’ll need to show only a single shoe, facing left at a 45-degree angle. No room for creativity here! Additionally, childrens’ clothing should be photographed flat without models, while apparel for adults should be worn and photographed on models.

Editing your Amazon product photos

If your photos require editing, you might consider hiring a professional photo editor, which can mean the difference between beautifully-detailed photos and Photoshop fails (which no business owner can afford).

Not sure if it’s time to outsource your photo edits or if you should keep doing them yourself? These are the 13 signs it’s time to get some outside help.

Here’s what can happen if you use an unreliable editing service, for example:

Source 1, 2, 3

Compare the images above to this professionally shot and edited image:

Source

It’s important for your images to be honest. In other words, don’t change the vibrance or saturation, because once your product gets to the customers, they’ll know you misrepresented the photos and description. Setting realistic expectations is very important, even critical, when selling online so your customers know what to expect.

Similarly, if you need to represent scale in your photos, make sure everything is realistic when photoshopping your images. It’s best, whenever possible, to put a ruler next to the item or simply put in the actual dimensions. Don’t enlarge any elements for products with multiple pieces.

What to avoid in Amazon images

Amazon requires all sellers avoid the following elements in the product images:

• Text, logos, borders, color blocks, watermarks, or other graphics covering the product or in the background for main product images
• Accessories that aren’t included with purchase
• Confusing props
• Mannequins

Here are additional resources from Amazon:

• Product Image Requirements
• Seller Central: Prepare product images
• Stores creative guidelines

Assigning image priority on the product page

It’s up to you to prioritize the images in the order in which you want them displayed. It’s a good idea to use all of the available image slots, rather than just two or three pictures. Doing so helps overcome one disadvantage that every online retailer faces: not being able to put the product in the hands of the customer.

Once you’ve uploaded your photos, you’ll want to prioritize and assign how each image appears on the page. This process determines the order of your images, so they show up in the correct sequence within the Amazon product search results as well as on your product pages. Consider arranging the images so customers experience the product (through photos) in a logical way.

Check out the example below from Loisa, which sells Latin-flavored spices and seasonings on its own ecommerce store and through Amazon. In addition to the straightforward white background shots, it angles the bottle of seasoning so customers can see the part of the label that lists the ingredients. It also showcases the product outside of its packaging so shoppers can better imagine cooking with it in real life.

Image source

Tips and best practices for Amazon product photos

Use lots of images

Use supplemental images to your advantage (and to help the customer make an informed decision). Give customers a detailed view of the item(s) from all perspectives. Not showing aspects of the product in detail can cost you a potential customer.

For example, this matcha powder from Golde is photographed in a few different ways. The main image gives you an idea of how it’s packaged, which sets expectations for when the product arrives. 

Image source

The supplemental images show how customers can use the product in drinks. It also gives you a glimpse into what the matcha powder actually looks like, which you can’t see when it’s in the packaging.

Show different angles

Try to imagine which angles the buyers would examine in person and then replicate that. You might also want to shoot your product from different angles.

If you’re not sure which angles your customers want to see regarding your particular product, go to a physical retail store and observe how shoppers interact with merchandise (if you can) or look around at objects in your home and pick them up as if they were displayed in a store. What would you look at or look for? The interior of handbags and wallets, for instance, are often photographed as there are important features customers would be interested in.

Incorporate models and people

Use a mix of images with people too. This can give products scale and help potential buyers imagine themselves in the model’s place.

Mind the lighting

You’ll also want to pay attention to the lighting of your photoshoot and how that affects the colors of your photos, especially because they need to look the same way in the photos as they do to the naked eye. Use an extra light source, and edit the photo afterward to really make it pop. A little bit of post-processing can go a long way.

Hire a pro

If your budget allows, consider hiring a product photographer. An experienced professional who specializes in your industry and type of products should know which angles to capture. Ask your network for recommendations and peruse directories like Shopify Experts, Guru, or Thumbtack.

A picture is worth 1,000 words—and sales

Never underestimate the value of optimized product images. Even though the search algorithm places some weight behind brand name, product title and description, optimizing your photos can certainly help boost your views.

Because a picture is truly worth a thousand words, ensure that your product photos help your customers see themselves with your product while also helping them make informed decisions.

Amazon image size FAQs

What size should images be for Amazon?

Your Amazon image size should be at least 1000 pixels tall or wide by at least 1600 pixels tall or wide. You can’t exceed 10,000 pixels. If your images are too big, you can resize them without sacrificing the quality.

How many listing images can you upload to Amazon?

You can upload one main product image and up to eight supporting product images on Amazon listings.

What are Amazon photo requirements for images other than the main first image?

Amazon has the same requirements for main images as it does for supplemental images. However, you should use these spots to showcase your product from different angles, contextually, and in different ways than it appears in the main image. Be sure to follow the Amazon product image size guidelines for all your photos.

The post Amazon Product Image Size Guidelines (Updated for 2024) appeared first on Path Edits.

The basics of digital image file formats

It’s important to understand the basic image file formats for your product photos because different uses have different needs. Ecommerce channels have different standards and requirements, and some file formats are better than others when it comes to user experience and website performance.

Here’s an overview of the main digital file formats out there: 

Raster images vs. vector images

Digital image files can be categorized as one of two types: raster or vector. The main difference is how the image is built—either from pixels (raster) or a mathematical grid (vector). 

Raster images: for ecommerce product photos

A raster image is a file created by pixels—tiny, individual colored dots that form the details of images or photos. The higher number of pixels an image has, the better the quality of the image. Raster images are well-suited for product photography because of their high quality and workability—they’re flexible to edit and manipulate as you can edit the pixels themselves. However, resizing raster images can affect the resolution and cause pixelation and blurriness.

Vector images: not for ecommerce product photos

A vector image uses fixed points on a grid created by mathematical equations, lines, and curves. They capture a lot more visual data than the pixels in raster images. Because of their numerical formulas, vector images don’t lose resolution when resized, no matter how big or small.

The visual information mathematically scales to size. Because they have more visual data, vector images are more difficult to edit and manipulate, and they’re also larger in size—they’re not really a good fit for product photos. Vector images are better for digital illustrations, logos, and complex graphics—you’d probably use a vector image if you’re selling a digital download containing image files.

Image compression

Image compression reduces an image file size by removing or grouping certain parts of the photograph. This is important in product photography because uncompressed images are large in size and negatively impact website performance and the ability to optimize images for omnichannel selling.

There are two image compression methods: lossy and lossless.

Lossy compression: for website product photos

Lossy compression significantly reduces the file sizes by permanently removing data from the image file. You can’t revert back to your original file. Lossy compression negatively impacts the image quality but not so much that it’s noticeable in most digital contexts. However, the smaller file optimizes your website performance.

Lossless compression: for specialized shots

Lossless compression slightly reduces file size by removing unnecessary data from the image. Unlike lossy compression, the changes are reversible. Plus, you maintain image quality and the details in your photos. This compression type is great for product photos with intricate details, such as pieces of jewelry, artwork, or stitching. You’ll also want to go lossless when editing animated GIFs.

Color models

A color model determines how the colors and hues in your image appear on different screens. The system creates a range of colors using a combination of three or four base colors. The two most commonly used color models in product photography are CMYK and RGB. 

When choosing a color model for your product photography, you need to know your file type and whether your photos will be digital or printed. Some file formats may only support one color model.

RGB: for digital product photos

RGB is red, green, and blue. This color model is ideal for any product photography shown digitally on a screen. RGB uses the light source from the screen to manipulate color saturation, vibrancy, and shading.

CMYK: for printed product photos

CMYK represents cyan, magenta, yellow, and key (or black). CMYK color model is best for printed materials. As the printer prints a photograph, the machine combines the colors to create the preferred color. You’ll want to use the CMYK color model if prepping product shots for printed catalogs, magazine ads, in-store signage, billboards, and other physical materials.

Which file types are used in product photography?

JPEGs and compressed JPEGs are commonly used in product photography, as well as PNGs, RAW files, and animated GIFs.

There are many digital file types available. The best one to use all boils down to how you’re using the image. In general, product photos are typically JPEG or compressed JPEG images.

JPEG/JPG

• File extension: .jpeg or .jpg
• Image type: raster
• Compression: lossy
• Color mode: RGB

A JPEG or JPG is probably the most commonly used file type for all images, product or not. The acronym stands for Joint Photographic Experts Group. JPEGs are universally recognized and compatible with most browsers, software, and apps.

As a lossy compression file, you can compress the image to a smaller file size, making it ideal for digital use. Typically, you don’t need highly detailed product images on websites or social media feeds, so losing some pixels won’t make a difference to the naked eye

Use JPEG format for:

• Product page and website photos: JPEGs are ideal for your website because you can compress them to be small in file size but high-quality enough for online shoppers to see all the details that matter to them. JPEGs have the least impact on page load speed, which is important for search engine optimization (SEO) and user experience (UX).
• Third-party marketplace listings: JPEGs are recommended for third-party channels like Amazon, eBay, Facebook, and Instagram. This is because they’re the most universal and those platforms will likely be able to process it.

Don’t use JPEGs for:

• Large, detailed images: Resizing JPEG images causes distortion and resolution issues.
• Printing product photos: JPEGs aren’t the best file format to print photos for signage or catalogs—instead, use a file format like TIFF.
• Transparent background images: JPEGs don’t support transparent backgrounds. You’ll want to use a PNG in this case. Some digital designs leverage creative backgrounds against which you want the product to render automatically.

Tips for using JPGs:

• If you’re taking your own product photos, be sure to shoot in RAW format to avoid unwanted banding, which can alter the gradation of the colors in your image and create rings or layers of separate colors.
• Avoid overcompressing the image—this will pixelate it and make your product images appear cheap and unprofessional, not the impression you want to make.

PSD

• File extension: .psd
• Image type: raster
• Compression: uncompressed
• Color mode: supports RGB, CMYK, and grayscale

A PSD is a Photoshop Document file—the default file type for any images you create in Adobe Photoshop. PSDs are commonly used in digital design work to edit images in Photoshop. They can store up to two gigabytes and can include several layers of different images or graphical elements. Many designers work with PSDs and then convert the finished image to a JPEG so it’s prepped for its intended use.

Use PSD format for:

• Editing product photos in Adobe Creative Cloud (CC) programs: Because a PSD file is compatible with Adobe tools, you can easily work with your images in other CC programs. For example, you can seamlessly import a PSD file to Premiere Pro if you want to create videos to highlight your products.
• Internal files for works in progress: You can keep unfinished images while you’re editing in Photoshop until you’re ready to convert, export,, and use them.
• Website and social headers and graphics: These scenarios involve putting text, call-to-action (CTA) buttons, and other design elements on your product photos. Using a layered PSD will allow you to easily edit for new designs or revert to the original.

Don’t use PSDs for:

• Editing with non-CC software: PSD files are only compatible with Photoshop and other CC platforms. However, you can open a view-only flattened image on specific apps and programs like Google Drive or macOS Preview.
• Listing your product photos on your website: PSDs are often large files which slow down your website’s load time and overall performance. This will also hurt your SEO.

Tips for using PSDs:

• You can override Photoshop’s default settings and save your image as a different file type, for example, a JPEG.
• If you want to print a product photo for brochures or signage, most printers won’t recognize the PSD format, so you’ll need to convert it to a TIFF or PNG.

TIFF

• File extension: .tiff
• Image type: raster
• Compression: lossless
• Color model: grayscale, CMYK, and RGB

TIFF stands for Tag Image File Format. Photographers and graphic designers commonly use this file type because of its superior quality and high resolution. The lossless raster image is popular for uses in desktop publishing software, photo printing, and design. TIFF files are almost universally compatible with operating systems.

Use TIFF images for:

• Printing product photos: Even though product images are mostly seen as digital listings, TIFF files are perfect if you need to print product images for physical use.
• Large, highly detailed images: You can use TIFF files when printing large, detailed images for products like artwork or signage. A TIFF file is a great option if you need to print a large poster showcasing your products.

Don’t use TIFFs for:

• Product photo listings: TIFFs are problematic for product photo listings because the large files will slow down your website. Use a compressed JPEG instead.

Tips for using TIFFs:

• Similar to a ZIP file, you can use aTIFF file as a container to store several smaller JPEG files in one master raster graphic. This can be helpful if you need to upload bulk product photos or share a large selection of product photos with an influencer or brand partner.
• If you need to print photos for signage or a shot list, make sure you select “Print All Pages” when printing a TIFF file because some TIFF files have multiple pages. 

PNG

• File extension: .png
• Image type: raster
• Compression: lossless
• Color model: grayscale and RGB

PNG stands for Portable Network Graphic. They are a lossless, patent-free, open format file type, meaning you can view and edit without a license with any image editing software. PNG files originally came about as an alternative to GIF image file formats because of GIFs’ limited color palette and patent license. PNG files are popular because they are compatible with a large range of programs and are high-quality.

Use PNG images for:

• Accurate product representation: Like the JPEG, the PNG supports over 16 million colors, which will correctly show the different hues of your products when you list them on your website or with other marketplace retailers.
• Websites with background graphics: If your ecommerce site doesn’t use a plain white background, white background images will render weird and interrupt the color or design you intend to display. Transparent background PNG files ensure those background graphics and colors come through.
• Changing the background of a photo: PNG files support transparent backgrounds, which means you can easily add or change backgrounds. 

A gridded background indicates an image with a transparent background.

Don’t use PNGs for:

• Animation: Unlike GIFs, PNGs are single-image files and don’t support animation.
• Printing product photos: If you need to print any product photos for things like signage or packaging, don’t use a PNG as they don’t support the CMYK color mode.

Tip for using PNGs:

• Edit the product photos in the PNG format to manipulate the background of your images, then convert them to a JPEG to use on your website or social media. 

RAW

• File extension: .raw
• Image type: raster
• Compression: lossless
• Color model: RGB

RAW files are uncompressed and unprocessed images taken on advanced cameras like compact, mirrorless, or DSLR. This file type produces high-quality photos that retain the original details that other file types don’t. A RAW file is lossless, so it won’t lose quality when compressed but it will take up a large amount of storage.

When you take product photos in this format, you have more control in the editing process. You can adjust white balance, exposure, contrast, saturation, and sharpness. You’ll need to convert RAW images to another format, like a JPEG, before publishing.

There are various RAW file formats, including the DNG and camera manufacturer-specific files. For example, images taken with a Nikon create a .nef file, and Canon cameras make a .cr2 file.

Use RAW images for:

• Retaining details in product photos: RAW files keep the intricate details and are great for items like jewelry or with close-up shots.
• Accurately showcasing the color of the product: RAW images are ideal for product photography that requires extensive color palettes. A RAW file can have up to 281 trillion color shades depending on the bit size of the file.

Don’t use RAW for:

• Universal compatibility: RAW files aren’t standardized for all operating systems, and some photo editing software can’t open the images from specific cameras.
• Quick editing process: Because of the extensive editing, compression, and conversions required to share RAW photos, the workflow will be longer.

Tips for using RAWs:

• You’ll need editing software, like Adobe Photoshop, to open a RAW file.
• If you take your own product photos, you can shoot in RAW + JPEG mode to help you learn the difference between the two formats. Most DSLR cameras will allow you to preset settings to either the RAW or JPEG format.

DNG

• File extension: .dng
• Image type: RAW
• Compression: lossless
• Color model: RGB

The Digital Negative file, or DNG, is a TIFF-like RAW file format and is helpful in the editing phase of product photography. Since most RAW files, like the NEF and CR2, need specific software to open and edit them, Adobe created the DNG as a standardized file type. Therefore, you can share, edit, and store your product photos without compatibility issues.

Use DNGs images for:

• Editing with Adobe tools: Adobe built DNG files to make editing RAW images easier. You can edit your product images across all Adobe software by converting a RAW file to a DNG file.

Don’t use DNG for:

• Fast turnaround when editing images: Converting a RAW file to a DNG file can delay workflow because it takes a long time.
• Editing with non-Adobe software: The DNG is compatible with Adobe editing software but not necessarily other software programs like Nikon’s Capture NX.

Tips for using DNGs:

• DNG files will open using your standard photo viewing programs like Microsoft Photos, Apple Photos, or Google Photos.
• You can shoot pictures in RAW format and convert them to DNG as you import them to your computer.

PDF

• File extension: .pdf
• Image type: vector
• Compression: lossless
• Color model: RGB and CMYK

A PDF—Portable Document Format—file displays images or documents accurately across any device, operating system, and web browser. While these files aren’t commonly used to upload product photos, PDF files are ideal if you want to embed downloadable documents with images on your website.

Use PDF images for:

• Product order management: You can collect electronic signatures, which is helpful if you need approval on order forms, quotes for customized products, or sign-offs in receiving.
• Creating a downloadable document for your website: Use a PDF if you have brochures or product sheets with images you want your customers to download or print. You even can include additional links, videos, or product images.

Charmed Jewellery, a South African jewelry company, offers shoppers a downloadable catalog in PDF format. People can click on the image of their preferred item to head directly to the product page where they can make a purchase. 

Don’t use PDFs for:

• Product photo listings: PDFs aren’t accepted for listings on websites or online marketplace retailers like Amazon and eBay.

Tips for using PDFs:

• If you need to convert images to PDF, you may need to use an online converter, like Adobe.
• Depending on your operating system and the original file type, you may be able to convert the image on your own. For example, Mac users can change a JPEG to a PDF by selecting Export as PDF from the File menu in Preview mode. 

Windows users have a few more steps to accomplish the same file conversion. Select Microsoft Print to PDF from the Print menu. Click the Print button. 

You’ll then see a new dialog box to change the file name. Select PDF Document from the Save as type dropdown. Click Save to complete the process. 

GIF

• File extension: .gif
• Image type: raster
• Compression: lossless
• Color model: RGB (contains 256 indexed colors)

A Graphics Interchange Format (GIF) file stores animated images. GIFs use lossless compression, which makes them great for detailed graphics. They use multiple related photos in the animation to create a flipbook effect to give the illusion of a video. The files have become a popular way to showcase products on websites and social media. 

Beauty company Rye Beauty uses a GIF to illustrate the process of applying its products. 

Use GIF images for:

• Promoting your products online: Animated GIFs are a popular image file type for social networks. You can feature your products in a series of images and combine them together to create a GIF for social media and other digital marketing channels.
• Repurposing product photos: If you have a bunch of product photos and want to maximize your investment, you can put them together to create an animated GIF. Maybe you outsource color change and highlight all the color variations of a specific product.

Don’t use GIFs for:

• Replacing a promotional video: Don’t use a GIF if you want to showcase products with intricate details in a video with audio. The file type doesn’t support sound and has limited colors with low resolution.
• Hero product images: Because of their degraded image quality, GIFs make it difficult to see product details. They are better as supplemental images and not as your main or hero product photo.

Tips for using GIFs:

• If you want to add sound, use video file formats like AVI, MP4, or WEBM which can run sound and images at the same time.
• Making a GIF is easier than you may think. You can upload your product photos to online platforms, like GIPHY or Photoshop.

BMP

• File extension: .bmp
• Image type: raster
• Compression: lossless
• Color model: RGB

The bitmap image file—BMP—is an uncompressed file designed to store and display high-quality images. BMPs can store a large amount of data because they are uncompressed images. Originally designed for Windows operating systems, the BMP files are compatible with Mac and Windows operating systems. These files may also be called a DIB or Device Independent Bitmap format.

Use BMP images for:

• Showcasing high-quality images: BMP files store images in great detail. However, they’re large files so they aren’t a good fit for product photography.

Don’t use BMPs for:

• Website or online marketplace listings: BMP files aren’t the best file type to use on websites due to their size. You can use a smaller file like a JPEG or PNG to optimize your website performance.

Tips for using BMPs:

• Because of their large file size, you shouldn’t use BMP files on your website, online marketplaces, or social media platforms. You’ll need to convert any product photos to JPEG before uploading the images.

SVG

• File extension: .psd
• Image type: vector
• Compression: lossless
• Color model: RGB

SVG files, or Scalable Vector Graphics, are perfect for logos and complex online graphics. The file is popular with web designers because of its ability to be significantly resized without losing quality. This means you can scale the image up or down without ever losing the quality of the image.

Use SVG images for:

• Images that need to appear in a range of sizes: Because SVG files don’t lose quality when resized, these files are perfect to use when you need images in various sizes. For example, if you want to print an image on a shirt, you can enlarge the image to cover the front or scale the same file down to fit on the pocket.

To highlight how an SVG file works, Etsy merchant Kottastore uses SVG files to create templates for print-on-demand merchandise. You can purchase a file like the one below and then use it to print on various items, including shirts, mugs, tote bags, and hats. 

Image source

• Turning product photos into graphics: With a little effort in Photoshop, you can turn your product photos into line drawings. You can then export the finished product into an SVG file.

Don’t use SVGs for:

• Accessing via older web browsers: Only modern browsers work with SVG files, and it can be hard to use if you’re using older browsers like Internet Explorer 8.
• Traditional product photography: An SVG file isn’t as rich in color as a JPEG or a PNG and won’t represent your products as well. They’re ideal for web graphics like illustrations, or logos.

Tips for using SVGs:

• Become familiar with XML (Extensible Markup Language) coding if you need to use SVG file formats. This coding is different from other file types and can be tricky for a novice user.

How to convert an image file format

Sometimes you’ll need to change the image file type to suit your project. Often, you can do this without downloading other programs or software—however, some file types require special conversion software or an external service.

On a Windows computer

On a Windows operating system, open your image in the program or application of your choice, click File > Save As, and select your chosen file type. 

Then, select the image type from the Save as Type dropdown menu. 

Most computer systems only offer the more common file types like the JPEG, PNG, and TIFF.

On a Mac computer

When on a Mac OS, you’ll use almost identical steps as when you save an image as a PDF. You’ll open your image in the program or application of your choice, and select Export from the File menu in Preview mode.  

You’ll then select your preferred file type from the dropdown menu. 

On a mobile device

Most devices have built-in features that allow you to export images and convert them to a new file format. The process on iOS and Android devices is very similar. All Apple devices automatically save images in a HEIC (High Efficiency Image Format) format. However, you can change your device’s settings to convert them to a JPEG. In fact, you can take photos in Apple ProRAW if you have an iPhone 12 Pro and later Pro models.

Here are the two steps to adjust camera the settings on an iPhone: 

Via online converter

There are a variety of online image file conversion websites you can use to convert your product photos. Many sites—like Convertio, Online-Convert, and XnConvert—are free to use and can quickly convert your images or videos. Adobe even offers a few free PDF file conversion tools.

Generally, the online conversion process is straightforward:

1. Upload your image
2. Select the new file format
3. Download your converted image file

Be sure to check the file size requirements to make sure you’re within limits.

Outsource to a professional photo editing studio

If converting your product photos is more complicated or requires a great deal of your time, outsourcing is a great option.

You can outsource vector conversions to our team of professional editors. We’ll turn your fuzzy graphics into sharp vector images you can use anywhere, starting at $4.99 per image. We can also provide other editing services like retouching, masking, and background removal to make your product photos web-ready. 

Compressed JPEGs win in product photography

Overall, a compressed JPEG is the best file type to use in product photography. Compressed JPEGs are small in file size and compatible with almost all websites, marketplaces, and social media platforms. They’re also easy to manipulate and edit for various uses.

The post How to Pick the Best Image File Type for Product Photography appeared first on Path Edits.

But when you’re selling on multiple channels, it can be challenging to remember how to optimize your product photos. That’s why we’ve put together this handy guide and chart to help you understand the product photography requirements across various online marketplaces. 

Product photo size requirements for third-party marketplaces

Amazon product photo size requirements

Amazon’s image requirements provide extensive specifications for every product detail page in your store. Each detail page must have at least one product image, which serves as the MAIN image and appears to customers when they search for products. The MAIN photo must include one view of a single product on a pure white background. Site standards for the MAIN image are particular, especially with the use of models and mannequins for apparel and accessories.

Additional specifications for Amazon images include:

• No text, logos, borders, color blocks, watermarks, or other graphics on top of a product or in the background.
• The image must show the entire product that is for sale and may not touch or be cut off by the edge of the image frame, with the exception of jewelry.
• Images should not show packaging boxes, bags, or cases unless they are an important product feature.

Amazon recommends uploading six additional variant images and one video to help the customer evaluate the product. These pictures may show the product in use or in an environment, different angles, and different features.

As an additional resource, Amazon offers an Image Style Guide to help optimize your product photos and provide examples of MAIN and variant images and file name specifications. 

Image source

• Maximum product photo file size: not specified
• Product photo file type: .jpg preferred; .tif, .png, and .gif also accepted
• Product photo image size: 500 px minimum; 1600 px or larger recommended for optimal zoom experience; 10,000 px on the longest side max
• Maximum number of photos: 7 images plus 1 video

eBay product photo size requirements

The eBay image guidelines state that sellers must have at least one picture to appear next to the title in the listing. However, you can upload up to 12 product photos per listing. If you are selling cars, parts, or automotive accessories on eBay Motors, you may upload 24 images. Copies of your photos are stored and will stay in a completed listing for up to 90 days. You may recycle the images if relisting the item or adding to a similar listing.

Other requirements include:

The product should fill 80%-90% of the image frame.

Borders, text, artwork, or logos are not allowed.

One difference from most other marketplaces is that eBay allows the product image background to be any hue between white and light gray similar to the images below. Photos with light shadows are acceptable, but mirror reflections aren’t allowed.

Here is an example of images with white and light gray backgrounds. 

• Maximum product photo file size: 7 MB, 12 MB if copying from web address
• Product photo file type: .jpg, .png, .tif, .bmp, and .gif
• Product photo image size: at least 500 px on the longest side; 800–1600 px on the longest side is recommended for best zoom-in functionality
• Maximum number of photos: 12 photos for eBay listing; 24 for eBay Motors

Etsy product photo size requirements

Etsy product photo guidelines allow you to upload up to ten photos with a resolution of 72 pixels per inch (PPI) for each listing in your shop. If the image colors look incorrect, they recommend converting to standard RGB (sRGB) color space using editing software before uploading.

The image orientation is an essential factor for your product listing. The first photo needs to be landscape or square so that the image’s focal point appears correctly in the cropped thumbnails. All additional listing photos should follow the same orientation to create a cohesive aesthetic for your store and a better customer experience.

Etsy provides several tips to optimize your listing images. Some of the recommendations include:

• Use Etsy’s crop tool to make sure the frame of your listing image is accurate.
• Capture images from a far enough vantage point with extra negative space around the product to give you room to crop your photo without losing parts of the item.
• Use an aspect ratio of 4:3.
• Take horizontally oriented images rather than vertical ones to have more cropping space.
• Use the Etsy placement tool when adding listing images to adjust the thumbnail.

Clay jewelry and accessories shop, Afton By Palm, uses a distant vantage point to allow for creative cropping that showcases the product in a unique way. 

Image source

Maximum product photo file size: larger than 1 MB may not finish uploading

Product photo file type: .jpg, .gif and .png. Transparent .png files are not supported

Product photo image size: 2000 px for the shortest side is recommended

Maximum number of photos: up to 10 per product 

Google Shopping product photo size requirements

The image size requirements for listing your products on Google Shopping are very straightforward. The Merchant Center will not accept the photos if they do not meet the conditions.

Google Shopping allows sellers to upload 11 full-size product photos. While the minimum dimensions are smaller, they recommend the images be at least 800 px square for the best results. Keep in mind that Google may automatically crop your image to find the best display for your product.

Additional requirements include:

• Images take up 75%–90% of the image frame.
• Text, watermarks, or borders are not allowed.
• Images must have a solid white or transparent background.
• Product staging is allowed, but staged images should not be the primary photo.
• Generic images, graphics, or illustrations are prohibited. Exceptions are allowed for hardware, vehicles and parts, and computer software.

Here is an example of how the image should fill the frame. 

Image source

• Maximum product photo file size: 16 MB
• Product photo file type: non-animated .gif, .jpg, .png, .bmp and .tif
• Product photo image size: At least 100 px square for non-apparel; at least 250 px square for apparel. Recommend images of at least 800 px square and up to 64 megapixels.
• Maximum number of product photos: 11

Find out how you can make your product photos SEO-friendly now

Product photo size requirements for ecommerce platforms

Shopify ​​product photo size requirements

Shopify’s product photo size requirements help retailers enhance the mobile and desktop shopping experience. Shopify suggests keeping the width to height ratio the same for every image to create a unified look among the products. The first image of the product is your feature image, and it will appear across your store – on the homepage, cart page, checkout page, and other collection pages.

Sellers can upload up to 250 photos per product in a variety of formats. The platform will automatically resize images to fit smaller mobile screens, but sometimes images will need additional manual editing. Shopify notes that square photos with the product centered both vertically and horizontally are best for cropping and are easier to edit for smaller screens. It is worth noting that your images must be more than 800 px square for the zoom function to work.

Men’s hair and beard care line Beardbrand uses images with the same measurements and cropping specs, creating a uniform look for all product photos. This approach makes it easy for shoppers to browse. 

• Maximum product photo file size: 20 MB
• Product photo file type: .jpg is recommended
• Product photo image size: 2048 px square recommended; 4472 px square max
• Maximum number of product photos: 250 per product

Adobe Commerce (formerly Magento) product photo size requirements

Adobe Commerce, formerly Magento, is a page builder that integrates Adobe products to manage multi-channel commerce from one dashboard.

An additional perk to the Adobe platform is that you have access to their resizing option, guaranteeing all images will match a specific pixel size. This tool can help images load faster, assist with zoom performance, and create a consistent look for all product photos.

Adobe Commerce requires one thumbnail and at least 2 product images per listing. Sellers can upload up to 15 product photos to display in the following roles:

• Thumbnail: 50 px square thumbnail images appear in the thumbnail gallery, shopping cart, and other blocks.
• Small Image: these photos appear on the category and the search results page listings. They also display the Up-sells, Cross-sells, and New Products List products. The image requirements for a small image is 470 px square.
• Base Image: this is the main image on the product detail page. The zoom function is activated once you upload an image that is 1100 px square.
• Swatch: the swatch shows colors, patterns, or textures and must be 50 px square.

When uploading your images to Adobe Commerce, you will select the role of each image. 

Image source

• Maximum product photo file size: 5 MB
• Product photo file type: .jpg and .png
• Product photo image size: 1100 px square max
• Maximum number of photos: 15

WooCommerce product photo size requirements

The WooCommerce plugin is available for any WordPress site and is fully customizable to fit your online store’s needs. Though WooCommerce recommends 800 px square images, they note that larger images are better for products with many fine details. This will create a better experience for shoppers who use the zoom function.

WooCommerce has three types of product images that serve different purposes on each product listing:

• Single Product Image: the largest image and the main photo on the product details page.
• Catalog Images: medium-size images that appear on related pages such as Product Category pages, Related pages, Up-sells, Shop pages, and Cross-sells.
• Product thumbnails: the smallest images used in the Cart, Widgets, and Gallery thumbnails under the Single Product Image.

WooCommerce recommends using a white background, especially on your main product photos. An example of acceptable product images is shown below. 

Image source

• Maximum product photo file size: not specified
• Product photo file type: .jpg and .png
• Product photo image size: 800 px square recommended
• Maximum number of photos: not specified

BigCommerce product photo size requirements

For multi-channel retailers, BigCommerce is an excellent solution. It offers pre-built integrations with Amazon, eBay, Google Shopping, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest, allowing you to sell from a single dashboard rather than multiple accounts.

BigCommerce’s product photo size requirements recommend 1280 px square. However, the theme of your website may suggest another size. When resizing your photos, it is important to understand the contrast in the image sizes.

Here is the difference between 5,000 pixels on the longest side vs. 1280 pixels. 

Image source

Large image files can slow down a site’s speed, so they recommend compressing your images to ensure a positive customer experience. Compressing will not compromise the quality of your photos. In fact, the compressed version of the image will load up to 5 times faster.

• Maximum product photo file size: not specified
• Product photo file type: .jpg, .gif, and .png
• Product photo image size: 1280 px square recommended, though this could differ depending on the store theme
• Maximum number of photos: not specified

Product photo size requirements for social commerce

Facebook product photo size requirements

Facebook Shops, allows businesses to operate as a single online store across Facebook and Instagram. The ecommerce platform gives merchants tools for promotion through ads like Facebook Product and Facebook Dynamic. It’s important to note the product photo size requirements vary between the advertising placements.

Facebook Shops product photo size requirements

All Facebook Shops images will display in a square 1:1 format. The minimum image size is 500 px square, but 1024 px square produces the best quality. One photo per product in your inventory is required. However, retailers should upload four or more images that show the product from different angles, including close-ups of texture or details.

Like other channels, Facebook recommends:

• Using a white background on product photos.
• The images must be the actual product itself and not a graphical representation.
• No text, offensive content, advertising or promotional material, watermarks, or time-sensitive information.
• The entire product must be shown.

In addition to regular product listings, Facebook Shops sellers can create collections and showcase certain items.

Coffee and tea brand BLK & Bold illustrates how businesses can use different angles and details to create variety within its Facebook Shop product listings. 

Image source

Facebook dynamic ads product photo size requirements

The minimum image size for Facebook dynamic ads is 400 px square, but 500 px square or higher will appear across Facebook, Audience Network, Messenger, and Instagram. The minimum sized image will only show on Facebook.

• Maximum product photo file size: 8 MB
• Product photo file type: .jpg, and .png
• Product photo image size: 1024 px square or higher recommended
• Maximum number of photos: 10 million per per catalog

Instagram product photo size requirements

Since Facebook owns Instagram Shopping, the platform has the exact product photo size requirements. However, there are several differences due to the platform’s capabilities.

You can select how your product images will be cropped on both platforms when it comes to editing. The settings will automatically apply to all of the products in your catalog. The crop settings will also apply only to the product pages on Instagram. The images won’t be cropped anywhere else in shops on Instagram.

As a seller, it will also be essential to know the guidelines for the various Instagram Ad options. There are three placement areas to promote your products: Instagram Feed, Stories, and Explore. All three content options require .jpg or .png files, at least 1080 px square resolution, and have a maximum 30MB file size.

Instagram automatically adjusts your product images for each step of the checkout process. 

Image source

• Maximum product photo file size: 8 MB
• Product photo file type: .jpg and .png
• Product photo image size: 1024 px square or higher recommended
• Maximum number of photos: unlimited; tag up to 5 products per single-image or video post; 20 products per multi-image post

Pinterest product photo size requirements

Shopping on Pinterest is unique because it uses data sources from your store website to create Product Pins, which indicates the product is a shoppable item. Therefore, the web builder dictates the image requirements for your Product Pins rather than Pinterest.

However, image standards are required when promoting Pins with ads or creating an individual Pin.

• Building a Pin: Pinterest recommends using a 2:3 aspect ratio or the built-in crop feature to resize your image.
• Create an ad: to produce ads images must have a 2:3 aspect ratio or 1000 x 1500 pixels. Pinterest will automatically trim the image if it exceeds the width-height ratio. So that means people will only see part of your Pin, not the whole thing.

Image source

• Maximum product photo file size: 20 MB
• Product photo file type: .jpg or .png
• Product photo image size: 1000 x 1500 pixels
• Maximum number of photos: unlimited; data sources will process up to 20 million products per URL, and products may be added manually

Resizing your product photos

Resizing your product photos for each platform can be an overwhelming process. However, you have several photo-editing options that produce high-quality results.

• Bulk resizing: this option is perfect when you need all of your images resized into a specific format. You can use an online tool like Adobe Lightroom to crop multiple images to a fixed size and certain pixel dimensions.
• One-by-one editing: you can resize your photos individually if time is not an issue. You will need to upload the image into the resizing tool, type in the dimensions, then download the resized image.
• Compressing: many online tools will help you reduce the file size of your image. Compressing an image can also speed up the file load time, enhancing the customer’s shopping experience.
• Outsourcing: hiring a professional to resize your photos can save you time and stress.

If you’re resizing the photos yourself, many of the platforms offer editing assistance and resources through their site help centers, so be sure to check those out as well.

Additional photo-editing for product photography

High-quality images lead to high conversion rates. So when tasked with photo-editing, ecommerce retailers need to address several key areas to produce the best image possible.

• Retouching: removes imperfections or unnecessary details like product numbers and expiration dates.
• Background removal: removing the background highlights the product. This common edit is beneficial since most multi-channel platforms require a white background.
• Brightness and exposure: this edit will enhance and sharpen the image if the lighting isn’t quite right on the original.
• Color adjustments: modifying the color in the photo is a crucial detail as it needs to match the actual product exactly.

Whether you’re looking to make simple or complex edits, you must decide to either edit the images yourself or outsource them to a professional. If you need fast and affordable photo-editing services, the experts at Path are here to help.

Find out how it works

The post Product Photo Size Requirements: How to Optimize Photos for Omnichannel Selling appeared first on Path Edits.

Not sure where to start? Let’s dig into the why and how of shooting Amazon product images with your smartphone:

The importance of Amazon images

What’s the first thing you notice when you’re shopping online? For many people, it’s the images. In fact, a Weebly survey found that more than 75% of online shoppers consider these images “very influential” to their purchase decision. The photos in your Amazon store are what draw consumers in so you want them to be as engaging as possible.

What role do the images play? They should stand out because your products will be listed among thousands of others. The photos should also complement your listing; buyers are more likely to be turned off if the pictures and description don’t match. You also want to make sure you provide an accurate visual of the product — you want what shows up at buyers’ homes to match what they ordered.

To catch people’s eye, you want to make sure your hero image is polished and all of the supporting images are appealing (and appropriately showcase the product and how it’s used). For example, Amazon merchant Yan Hou Tang tea features a crisp hero image and several lifestyle images and infographics — combined, the images give buyers a good idea of what they’re purchasing, background on the product and benefits of the product.

Shooting for Amazon vs. your website

You want high-quality photos for both your site and for Amazon, but Amazon has some specific product image requirements, both technical and aesthetic.

All of the photos you upload to Amazon must meet these requirements:

Technical

• Only these file types are allowed: TIFF, JPEG, GIF, and PNG.
• Your images have to be at least 1000 pixels or larger, either in height or width.
• The color mode should be sRGB or CMYK.

Naming convention

• All file names should consist of the product identifier, followed by a period and the file type.
• Spaces, dashes or additional characters aren’t allowed.

Main product image

• Your hero image must have a white background (RGB 255,255,255).
• Avoid illustrations, text or other objects in the frame (for example, product dimensions).
• The color of the product should be realistic, so stay away from extreme filters or editing.

Additional images

• You can use other objects or people to scale.
• Lifestyle and other backgrounds are allowed.
• You can add text and other graphics.

Pro tip: Amazon has special requirements for product descriptions, too, including parameters for length, format, and content. Learn more here about writing and optimizing Amazon product descriptions.

How to use a smartphone camera for Amazon product photos

Before you start snapping photos, get to know your phone and its camera settings. Ideally, your smartphone will have at least a 12-megapixel camera — in general, the higher the megapixel count, the better. Typically, the higher the megapixel number, the sharper the image. However, sensor technology, for example, can also affect resolution. Most newer phones are going to come with a 12- to 16-megapixel camera and have adequate software to match.

Once you know your phone’s camera is up to the task, it’s time to start creating product photos for Amazon:

• To make it easier to take quality product photos with your phone, consider investing in tools such as a tripod, a white backdrop, bounce boards, reflectors, etc.
• Take some time to learn basic lighting techniques. Proper lighting adds depth and contrast to the image. If you don’t have access to high-quality artificial lighting, daylight is the best alternative.
• Find the best angle for the product (e.g., eye-level vs. slanted). Keep in mind, the angle won’t be the same for every product. Professional photographer and educator, Jeanette Lendon, says you can stand on something to get a or crouch down to get a different perspective. She writes, “Maybe look at the shooting level to show texture. Try turning your camera upside down, lengthways, to get a different perspective too.”
• Plan to include at least one lifestyle photo. It encourages emotional connection by helping shoppers better imagine how the product will fit into their own lives.
• If possible, include a photo that shows the product packaging. This helps with authenticity — consumers will know what to expect when they place an order.

Image source

Start taking photos

Always use your back camera (it’s almost always higher quality than the “selfie camera”), and make sure you have ample storage room before you begin shooting.

Set your smartphone camera settings

Smartphone cameras aren’t quite the same as a DSLR camera, for example, but that doesn’t mean you’re limited to the automatic mode. You can manually adjust certain settings on your smartphone camera.

White balance

This setting balances the color temperature. It helps remove color casts so the white you see in person is the same in the photo.

Aperture

The aperture is the lens opening that light passes through. The larger the aperture (or opening) lets more light in. Aperture also affects the depth of field.

ISO

This controls the sensitivity of your camera’s sensor to light. Increasing ISO (International Organization for Standardization) will brighten the image, but if it’s increased too much, the photo will have noise (or be grainy).

Shutter speed

Much as it sounds, shutter speed controls the length of time the shutter is open (duration of exposure). For example, for action photos, you typically want to use a faster shutter speed to avoid blurriness.

Pro tip:The aperture, ISO, and shutter speed make up what’s commonly called the “exposure triangle.” Mastering these settings and how they work in relation to one another is essential for photographers.

To get to know your phone’s camera settings a little better, you can also check out these resources:

• Samsung Galaxy: Using Pro Mode on my Samsung Phone
  
• iPhone: 6 Advanced iPhone Camera Controls For Jaw-Dropping Photography
  

Editing your smartphone product photos

When it comes to smartphone photography, you’re likely going to need to do some work in post-processing to get it up to standards. That’s why it’s a good idea to always plan for photo editing after each shoot.

Some edits are better handled in-house, while others are suited for outsourcing. If you’re not sure how to make sure the background is the correct color white, for example, you may want to outsource your photo editing.

Smartphone photography tips

Morgan German, a photographer who shoots primarily with an iPhone, shares these tips for perfecting your smartphone photography:

• “Natural light is very important,” she says, noting that you shouldn’t plan on using the flash on your phone. While natural light is best, it’s not always attainable. In that case, you can refer to this guide to lighting for photography to make sure your shot is well-lit.
• “Don’t be afraid to move around at different angles,” German says. “It’s much easier to take that really cool photo with a phone in hand because digital cameras can be cumbersome!”
• Keep your smartphone product photos organized. “I like to have an album in my photos app specifically for @itookitonmyiphone photos. I recently started doing this, and it’s been a tremendous help.” You can also refer to this guide to digital asset management for in-depth tips at staying organized.
• Although it may seem obvious, “keep your phone charged.” Bring along a portable charger if you have one — or buy one if you don’t. You can get them at all price points.
• Get the product in focus. On most phones, you can touch to focus.
• Make sure your phone’s camera is clean. Dust and smudges will affect the image quality.
  Use the grid setting to help you center the product. (Note: Per Amazon requirements, the product should fill up 85% of the frame.)
• Want more crisp macro shots or a wide-angle image? Consider an external lens. There are plenty to choose from. If you decide to go this route, make sure the lens easily attaches and detaches and that the lens is suitable for your needs.

Things to avoid when shooting smartphone product photos:

• Zoom: Don’t use your zoom feature. Although most smartphones come with great cameras, the image quality gets worse the more you zoom. That’s because it’s not a true zoom — smartphones basically just crop the image. For a better picture, just move your phone closer to the product.
• Flash: Again, keep the flash off. The big burst of light will overexpose the image (and look horrible). Remember: You can lighten a darker photo with editing, but there’s little you can do for a washed-out image.
• Filters: Almost all cameras come with filters and other editing tools. Since authenticity is an Amazon product image requirement, keep the filters off for now.

Learn more with smartphone photography courses

If you want to improve your skills a little, there are tons of ways to do that online. You can find virtual classes, courses, and guides to learn more, specifically about smartphone photography.

Here are a few smartphone photography courses and resources to check out:

• Smartphone Photography for Instagram Success: Capturing Stunning Lifestyle Photos With Your Phone, Skillshare (free for new members): Photographer and teacher Sean Dalton focuses on virtual storytelling, fashion photography on your phone, and more.
• Mobile Photography iPhone and Android Complete Masterclass, Udemy ($19.99): You’ll learn about lens distortion, photographing people, and night photography — all on your phone.
• Smartphone Photography 101, Photography Concentrate (free): If you want a quick online guide that covers all the basics of smartphone photography, this resource is for you.
• Smartphone Photography Masterclass for Business, Jet Black Squares: Professional commercial photographer turned educator Jeanette Lendon creates custom smartphone photography workshops for businesses and corporations.

And if you prefer books:

• Smart Phone, Smart Photography: This book covers photography fundamentals and explores smartphone-specific techniques for taking great photos.
• The Smartphone Photography Guide: Learn the definitions of technical terms and get pro tips from photographer and author Peter Cope.
  

Or, go with a pro

If all of this seems overwhelming, you may be better off hiring a professional commercial photographer. Although this requires a bit of investment, online shoppers judge a product’s quality by the quality of the photos so it’s worth the cost.

Do your research when hiring a professional. You’ll feel more secure in your decision and will likely get better results. Here are a few questions you might want to consider the following questions:

• Do they have experience in your industry?
• Do they have a portfolio of Amazon-ready product photography?
• Do they have time for your project?
• What’s their average turn-around time?

Put your best foot and photos forward

Whether you’re using your smartphone until you can secure a pro or to supplement other product images, it’s so important to get it right — product photos are your first impression for buyers, and better photos mean more sales.

Amazon smartphone photography FAQs

Which smartphone takes the best pictures?

The following smartphones take the best pictures:

• Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
• Huawei Mate 40 Pro
• iPhone 12 Pro Max
• Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra
• Huawei P40 Pro
• iPhone 12 Pro
• Google Pixel 5

How do I take good pictures with my smartphone camera?

You take good pictures with your smartphone camera by adjusting the camera’s settings, making sure the lighting is right, and following the other advice in this post.

How do I take a photoshoot at home with my phone?

You take a photoshoot at home with your phone by dedicating a space to stage your products and shots. Set up your frame, get your camera, and start shooting. You can also use this guide to creating an at-home studio.

The post Amazon Product Photography: the Secret is in Your Smartphone appeared first on Path Edits.

Amazon SEO is a lot different from Google SEO. Though both are rooted in keyword research and on-page optimization, SEO is far more complex than that. And Amazon SEO has several commonalities with “regular” SEO, but there are also nuances unique to the ecommerce marketplace.

We’ll look at what Amazon SEO is and how you can do the keyword research and publish listings that will put you at the top of the search results.

What is Amazon SEO?

Amazon SEO is when a seller optimizes product listings to be easily found through Amazon’s on-site search tools. SEO is “search engine optimization” — when referred to as SEO, we’re talking about Google mainly, but Amazon SEO is specific to searches performed on the Amazon website. Optimizing your site for Amazon SEO involves keyword research and on-page optimization.

“I actually think Amazon SEO is one of the most overlooked tactics,” says Joe Sloan, marketing coordinator at Jurassic Sands. Jurassic Sands has doubled sales for the past three years, a large part, Sloan says, attributable to their Amazon SEO strategies.

Amazon’s A9 algorithm

Depending on how familiar you are with Amazon SEO, you may have heard of the A9 algorithm. A9 is what Amazon calls its search tool, and the algorithm is the “formula” the tool uses to judge a product page’s relevance to entered search terms.

“A9 helps customers find the best products, taking into account keywords that meet their preferences, past purchases, and includes possible upsells and cross-sells,” says Rohan Ayyar of SEMrush, a digital marketing toolkit for SEO, PPC and content marketing.

Like Google, Amazon doesn’t tell the entire story behind the algorithm, leaving sellers and marketers to do their own independent research to try and crack the code.

How to do keyword research

“The most efficient strategy able to significantly improve your metrics for Amazon listings is proper keyword research,” says Ayyar. “Examine the way Amazon users are searching for products and try to identify the most successful keywords in terms of enhancing your listings and actually making sales.”

“For this, you can use dig into Amazon’s own sponsored ads and customer reviews to get additional, relevant keyword suggestions,” he says. “You can also use SEMrush Keyword Overview for a list of related terms and Google Keyword Planner for a better understanding of search volumes.”

Here’s a list of a bunch of tools you can use to do keyword research for Amazon SEO:

• Keyword.io
• Scientific Seller
• MerchantWords
• Keyword Scout (from Jungle Scout)
• WordTree
• Sonar
• Soovle

See your competitor’s secrets in the source code

Looking for a little-known shortcut? “If you view the source code of an Amazon item page, and look for the meta-tag ‘keyword,’ you’ll be able to see what search keywords they’re including for an item,” says Flynn Zaiger, CEO of Online Optimism. “It’s a great way to get a leg up on the competition.”

Here’s how to find your competitors’ keywords by the source code:

1. Right-click anywhere on the product page and click View Page Source.

2. Conduct a search for “keyword” and make note of the terms used in these fields. Pay special attention to keywords associated with title tags, meta descriptions, the keywords tag, image title tags and image alt tags.

In this example, it looks like the following words are targeted:

• Men’s
• cozy
• fuzzy
• wool
• fleece
• memory foam
• slippers
• slip-on
• clog
• house shoes
• indoor/outdoor

3. Put the words together to form phrases. For this example, we might be looking at:

• Men’s cozy house shoes
• Fuzzy wool slip-on clog
• Indoor/outdoor fleece slippers

… among others. These are phrases and words you’ll want to incorporate into your on-page optimizations.

Amazon SEO tips: Optimizing your product pages

Once you’ve culled a list of keywords, Amazon specialist Shannon Roddy recommends picking to the top two or three in terms of search volume and relevance. “Place them in your title, and use all of them throughout your product features and descriptions,” he says. “This reinforces the relevance of the keyword to the customer and Amazon, while also helping your product rank on Google.”

And optimizing your product pages isn’t just good for your bottom line. “[It will] also allow your Amazon Sponsored Product Campaigns to run effectively with a higher click-through rate and lower ACoS,” Roddy says.

Here’s where you’ll want to make sure you incorporate your Amazon SEO keywords:

• Product title
• Product description and bullet points
• Product price
• Product images
• Seller name
• Hidden keywords
• Amazon reviews
• Categories
• Conversion rate
• Promotion

Product title

The product title is the first and foremost place to put your keywords.

David Mitroff, business consultant and founder of Piedmont Avenue Consulting, Inc., strategically used specific keywords in the title of his book, Online Business Growth Strategies: A Practical Nine-Step Guide to Digital Marketing.

“The main focus that helps books rank higher is putting keywords within the title. For example, in my title I have the words ‘business’, ‘marketing’ and ‘digital,’” he says. “These keywords help me show up higher in an Amazon search.”

Product description and bullet points

Next comes your actual product description. Here, you can get extremely specific and incorporate any long-tail keywords you’ve identified. “Be descriptive,” Sloan says. “Amazon has tons of fields to help answer customer questions so there’s no hang-up in making that purchasing decision.”

Zaiger echoes this advice, pointing out that Amazon doesn’t knock sellers for having lengthy descriptions. “By creating extra content, you’ll be able to include more keywords,” he says. “Most buyers won’t actually read that far into your product description (which is why Amazon includes the specific product features at the top).”

“Include more variations on how people talk about the product that you’re selling. This is key to getting the best results, increasing your search volume, and rising to the top of Amazon searches.” Flynn Zaiger, Online Optimism

Pay attention to your product title and bullet points. “Not only is it more descriptive for Amazon searchers, but Amazon’s search index is far more likely to recognize keywords that are placed here,” says Greg Bullock, marketing manager at TheraSpecs.

Product price

You can’t exactly incorporate keywords into your pricing on Amazon, but you can use pricing as a way to jump in the rankings. The lower you go, the higher you’ll show up when the page is sorted according to price.

Product images

Another Amazon SEO tactic that doesn’t involve keyword optimization is by creating engaging product photos for your listing. “Amazon works in a similar fashion as Google,” says Sloan. “The higher the click-through rate of your product, the more often Amazon will feature it.”

Seller name

If you have the option, include keywords in your seller name. This is especially useful if you operate in a specific niche. Jurassic Sands, for example, has “sand” in the name; and Sports Research sells fitness-related products.

Hidden keywords

“Some of the most overlooked items that we have seen help our clients grow in the rankings are much less visible and found in the other details of a product,” says Gabe Ray, VP of operations at Evolved Commerce. That’s where “hidden” keywords come in.

“We fill out as much information as we can in the Keywords and More Details sections of Seller Central,” Ray says. “Adding things like Target Audience, Subject Matter and even allowing for Gift Wrap and Messaging can … set you apart and shows Amazon that you’re actively searching for traffic and sales. The more you fill out, the more opportunities you have to be indexed and found in searches.”

Amazon reviews

Reviews are one of Amazon’s top ranking factors, says Jeff Martin, director of SEO at HealthLabs.com. But if you’re just starting out, you don’t have the luxury of tons of reviews. “Depending on your product and niche, one way [to get reviews] is to give a very large discount on your first dozen or so products in exchange for a review,” he says.

After you’ve gotten some traction, discounts aren’t going to be a sustainable way to grow your business. “Subscribe to a review service that sends follow-up emails which allow the customer to easily write a review of your product post-purchase,” Martin suggests.

Chris Hornak, owner of Blog Hands, a blog-writing service for small businesses and digital marketing agencies, agrees with this advice. “Once you have sales, you need to proactively ask for customer reviews because those will also help improve your position.” Hornak recommends JumpSend as a tool to execute this approach.

Categories

It’s important to correctly list and categorize your products. Though many sellers intentionally miscategorize to avoid higher dues to Amazon, this can actually hurt your search ranking.

“I’ve seen business that place their products in home and garden over children’s toys because Amazon takes a smaller percentage, but this can greatly affect being found and being placed alongside competitors,” says Sloan.

The listing below from Jurassic Sands is categorized under Toys & Games > Sports & Outdoor Play > Sandboxes & Accessories — instead of a home and garden-related category.

Conversion rate

Remember how we noted that improving your product photos would help conversion rates, which would signal to Amazon that your products are worth high rankings? Imagery isn’t the only element on the page to consider: You’ll also want to make sure your Amazon listing product descriptions are written to convert.

“Informative bullets can accurately present all product information and help turn a shopper into a buyer,” says Pam Galeone, director of brand marketing at Amify. “Enhanced Brand Content can differentiate your brand, depict your product feature/benefits and build brand equity. This all leads to an increase in conversion rate.”

Promotion

Still hurting for sales? Tried some paid promotional tactics to drive traffic to your product listings. This will then give those conversion signals to Amazon that help with SEO. Amazon Advertising is one great way to get started.

“One of the best ways to generate organic keywords for SEO on Amazon is to set up a Sponsored Products advertising campaign with automatic targeting,” says Bullock. “Run this type of campaign for at least a few weeks and then download the Search Term report; this will show you in exactly which searches and keywords your sponsored products appeared as well as which terms converted best. Once you have that data, you can choose to add the most relevant keywords to your titles and/or bulleted details in order to start showing up organically for those same searches.”

Beyond Amazon: More SEO tips

Optimizing for Amazon SEO is one thing, but that doesn’t mean you should throw Google to the wayside completely. In fact, focusing on Google’s organic search is one of the best and most-overlooked tactics in Craig De Borba’s opinion. “Although Amazon hasn’t disclosed what increases their Amazon Best Sellers’ Rank (BSR), as Amazon sellers we can extrapolate that increased traffic, sales and reviews does influence BSR,” says the Amazon SEO specialist at Onpoint Internet Marketing.

One way to do this is to generate backlinks from high-ranking websites and blogs. “As a seller we can drive traffic with Amazon PPC, but a better long-term traffic strategy is to rank the product in Google search,” De Borba says.

Mitroff uses this approach on his own website and social media channels, which you can do as well. “I write blog posts using SEO for my website that helps my company rank higher on Google,” he says. “At the bottom of these blog posts, I’ll write a small paragraph advertising my book along with a link to the Amazon page as well as a picture of the cover. Being consistent across all different media platforms helps with SEO and attracting more people to your content.”

“Remember, optimization is an ongoing process and needs your regular contribution,” says Ayyar. It’s all about testing, learning and optimizing, especially in an ever-changing digital commerce world.

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