Marketplace SEO Guide: Amazon, eBay, and Etsy — Algorithms, Title Optimisation, and Ranking Factors

14 min read · Ecommerce Growth · Last updated July 2026

Quick answer: Amazon, eBay, and Etsy each have distinct search algorithms with different ranking signals. Amazon A10 heavily weights click-through rate and conversion rate; eBay Cassini prioritises seller performance and listing completeness; Etsy’s algorithm values recency, relevance, and customer experience score. One-size-fits-all listing optimisation fails on all three.

Introduction

If you’re selling on marketplaces, you’re playing in a game where the rulebook is different for every platform — and most sellers don’t know the rules.

Amazon alone has over 9.7 million active sellers. Etsy hosts more than 7.5 million active shops. eBay lists over 1.7 billion active listings. The difference between visibility and invisibility on these platforms is not product quality — it’s understanding how each platform’s algorithm works and optimising specifically for it.

Here’s the uncomfortable reality: a listing that performs brilliantly on Amazon may rank poorly on Etsy because the two platforms optimise for fundamentally different seller and buyer signals. A seller who copy-pastes the same listing across all three platforms is leaving significant organic traffic on the table.

This guide breaks down exactly how each algorithm works, what title format wins on each, where keywords should go, and how to think about ranking signals beyond the listing itself.

By the end, you’ll have:

• A clear breakdown of Amazon A10, eBay Cassini, and Etsy search
• Platform-specific title formulas with real examples
• Keyword placement rules for each marketplace
• Non-title ranking factors that most sellers ignore
• A listing optimisation checklist for each platform

Table of Contents

1. Why Marketplace SEO is Different From Google SEO
2. Amazon SEO: The A10 Algorithm Explained
3. Amazon Product Title Formula and Keyword Placement
4. Amazon Beyond the Title — Backend, Images, Reviews
5. eBay SEO: The Cassini Algorithm
6. eBay Listing Optimisation: Titles, Categories, Item Specifics
7. Etsy SEO: How Etsy’s Search Algorithm Works
8. Etsy Title and Tag Strategy
9. Cross-Marketplace Strategy — What to Prioritise First
10. FAQ

1. Why Marketplace SEO is Different From Google SEO

Google optimises search results to match user intent with the best content. Marketplace algorithms optimise search results to maximise platform revenue — which means surfacing the listings most likely to be purchased.

This is the fundamental difference: Google rewards content quality and relevance. Marketplaces reward conversion probability.

What this means practically:

• A listing with great keywords but a poor click-through rate will fall in rankings
• A listing with mediocre keywords but excellent conversion rate will rise
• External traffic (social, email, Google Ads to a marketplace listing) often provides a ranking boost because it signals demand
• Reviews, ratings, and order defect rates are ranking factors that don’t exist in Google SEO

The implication: marketplace SEO requires you to think like a buyer and optimise the full listing experience — not just the text.

Key takeaway: On marketplaces, ranking comes from conversion probability. Optimise for buyer experience first, keywords second.

2. Amazon SEO: The A10 Algorithm Explained

Amazon’s search algorithm (currently referred to as A10, though Amazon doesn’t officially name versions) has evolved significantly from the original A9. The core shift: A10 places more weight on organic and external traffic, seller authority, and conversion quality — and less on keyword stuffing.

Primary A10 ranking factors (in approximate order of weight):

1. Sales velocity — How many units are selling over the past 7, 14, and 30 days. The most powerful ranking signal.
2. Click-through rate (CTR) — What percentage of customers who see your listing click on it. Your main image and price drive this.
3. Conversion rate (CVR) — Of those who click, what percentage buy? This is driven by your listing quality, price, reviews, and images.
4. Keyword relevance — Are the search terms in your title, bullet points, backend keywords, and description?
5. External traffic — Clicks from off-Amazon sources (Google, social, your own email list) give a ranking boost. Amazon attributes external discovery to organic, giving your listing authority credit.
6. Seller performance metrics — Account health, order defect rate, late shipment rate, feedback score.
7. Review count and rating — More reviews + higher rating = higher ranking probability. Amazon also weights review velocity (recent reviews matter more).
8. Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) status — FBA listings receive a preferential ranking signal, especially for Prime-eligible orders. Non-FBA sellers must work harder on other factors.

What A10 penalises:
– Keyword stuffing (listing text that is not readable)
– Review manipulation (Amazon detects and suppresses these listings)
– Long shipping times
– High return rates

3. Amazon Product Title Formula and Keyword Placement

The Amazon title is the single most important piece of text in your listing. It tells the algorithm what you sell and tells the buyer whether to click.

Amazon’s character limit: 200 characters for most categories (80 characters recommended for mobile display — the first 80 characters show before truncation on most mobile devices).

Amazon Title Formula:

[Brand Name] + [Primary Keyword] + [Model/Product Type] + [Key Benefit/Feature] + [Material/Ingredient] + [Size/Quantity/Variant]

Real example — Yoga Mat:

✗ Bad: “Yoga Mat Non Slip Exercise Mat for Men Women Gym Workout Mat Anti-Slip Fitness”

✓ Good: “Manduka PRO Yoga Mat — 6mm Thick Non-Slip Surface, 71-Inch, Natural Rubber, Lifetime Guarantee”

Why the good one wins:
– Brand name first (builds brand recognition in search)
– Primary keyword early (yoga mat, non-slip)
– Specific differentiator (6mm thick, natural rubber)
– USP that converts (lifetime guarantee)
– Readable as a sentence, not a keyword list

Keyword placement hierarchy on Amazon:

Backend keyword rules:
– No repetition of keywords already in title or bullets
– No commas — use spaces between terms
– Include plurals, common misspellings, synonyms
– Include Spanish terms if selling in the US (bilingual shoppers)

4. Amazon Beyond the Title — Images, A+ Content, Reviews

Main image: Amazon requires a white background main image. But it’s the most important conversion driver. Invest in professional photography. A/B test with Amazon’s Manage Your Experiments feature if you’re brand-registered.

Secondary images should show:
– Product in use (lifestyle context)
– Close-up of key features
– Dimensions/sizing comparison
– Ingredients/materials callout
– Before/after (where applicable)

A+ Content (formerly Enhanced Brand Content): Available to brand-registered sellers. Adds image/text modules below the product description. Pages with A+ Content see an average 3–10% lift in conversion rates (Amazon internal data). Use it to tell your brand story, showcase differentiators, and include comparison tables with your own product line.

Reviews — the flywheel:
Getting initial reviews is the hardest part of Amazon SEO. Strategies:
– Amazon Vine programme (available to brand-registered sellers with 30 or fewer reviews)
– “Request a Review” button in Seller Central (sends an Amazon-branded review request email)
– Early Reviewer Programme (for qualifying sellers)
– Drive external traffic from your email list to the listing to stimulate sales and reviews

Never: Buy reviews, offer incentivised reviews, or use third-party services that create fake purchase patterns. Amazon’s detection is sophisticated and the penalty is listing removal or account suspension.

5. eBay SEO: The Cassini Algorithm

eBay’s search algorithm, called Cassini, has a different philosophy from Amazon. Where Amazon optimises for conversion probability, Cassini optimises for buyer experience — finding the right item as efficiently as possible.

Primary Cassini ranking factors:

1. Title keyword match — Cassini is heavily title-focused. Keywords in your title must match what buyers search for. eBay’s algorithm reads title text very literally.
2. Item specifics completeness — eBay’s structured data fields (brand, colour, size, material, condition, etc.) are powerful ranking signals. Incomplete item specifics are a major missed opportunity.
3. Seller performance metrics — Top Rated Seller status provides a significant ranking boost (estimated 20–25% boost in search visibility by eBay’s own disclosure).
4. Listing age and activity — New listings get a brief “new listing boost” in search. GTC (Good Till Cancelled) listings that have been active and selling are ranked above new inactive listings.
5. Return policy — Sellers offering free returns rank higher. eBay openly states this in its seller documentation.
6. Price competitiveness — eBay’s algorithm considers “Best Match” pricing — listings priced within competitive range for the category rank better.
7. Shipping speed and cost — Free shipping and fast estimated delivery improve rankings directly.

What Cassini penalises:
– Keyword spamming (repeating the same keyword multiple times in the title)
– Irrelevant keywords in the title (known as “keyword stuffing” on eBay)
– Poor feedback scores
– Listing violations

6. eBay Listing Optimisation: Titles, Categories, Item Specifics

eBay Title Formula (80-character limit):

[Primary Keyword] + [Brand/Make] + [Model] + [Key Spec/Condition] + [Secondary Keyword]

No punctuation — eBay’s search is word-based, and commas/dashes count toward your character limit without helping ranking. Use every character for keywords.

Real example — Vintage Camera:
✗ Bad: “Canon AE-1 35mm Film Camera”
✓ Good: “Canon AE-1 35mm Film SLR Camera Black Fully Working Vintage Manual Focus”

Item Specifics — the underused ranking lever:
eBay allows sellers to fill in structured attribute fields for every listing. Studies by eBay sellers (published in eBay seller community reports) consistently show that fully completed item specifics improve search impressions by 20–40%.

Fill in every applicable field, including:
– Condition (with detailed condition description)
– Brand, Model, MPN (Manufacturer Part Number) if applicable
– Colour, Size, Material
– Country of Manufacture
– Compatible models (for parts and accessories)

Category selection: Always choose the most specific category available. A camera in “Electronics > Cameras & Photo > Film Photography > Film Cameras” ranks better than one in “Electronics > Cameras & Photo.” Specificity helps Cassini match your listing to the right buyer search.

Description and HTML: eBay allows HTML in descriptions. While descriptions are less important for ranking than titles and item specifics, they improve buyer confidence and reduce questions, which helps conversion rates, which improves ranking indirectly.

7. Etsy SEO: How Etsy’s Search Algorithm Works

Etsy’s algorithm is the most nuanced of the three and the most buyer-experience-focused. Etsy openly publishes its ranking factors (a rarity among marketplaces), which makes Etsy SEO more predictable — if you follow the signals correctly.

Etsy’s official ranking factors:

1. Query relevance — How closely your listing title, tags, and categories match the buyer’s search query.
2. Listing quality score — Based on how often buyers click and purchase after seeing your listing. A new listing gets a “quality score boost” for the first 30 days.
3. Recency — Newer listings get a ranking boost (temporary). Renewing a listing (at a small fee) can temporarily re-boost ranking.
4. Customer and market experience score — A seller-level score based on reviews, sales completion, and disputes. High scores improve every listing’s ranking.
5. Shipping price — Etsy’s algorithm gives preference to listings with free or discounted shipping, especially to US buyers.
6. Translations and language — Listing in the buyer’s language. Etsy auto-translates but manual translations rank better.
7. Shop score — Overall shop health (policies filled out, payment methods accepted, high review rating, completed shop sections).

Etsy’s “exact phrase match” priority: When a buyer searches for “handmade silver ring,” Etsy first looks for listings that contain that exact phrase in the title or tags. This means your primary keyword phrase must appear verbatim — not scattered across the title.

8. Etsy Title and Tag Strategy

Etsy Title Formula (140-character limit):

[Exact Primary Phrase] + [Style/Category Descriptor] + [Material] + [Occasion/Use Case] + [Secondary Phrase]

Etsy real example — Handmade Ring:
✓ “Sterling Silver Ring for Women — Minimalist Band, Stacking Ring, Boho Jewellery, Gift for Her”

Why this works:
– “Sterling Silver Ring for Women” is the exact buyer search phrase
– Multiple secondary phrases cover different search intents (gift, boho, stacking)
– Natural language — Etsy penalises pure keyword lists
– Within 140 characters

Etsy Tags — your second SEO layer:

Etsy gives you 13 tags, each up to 20 characters. Use all 13. Key rules:
– Use multi-word phrases, not single words. “silver ring” is better than “silver” and “ring” as separate tags.
– Cover different buyer intents: material (“sterling silver”), occasion (“wedding gift”), style (“minimalist”), recipient (“gift for girlfriend”), use (“stacking ring”)
– Include long-tail variants: “boho silver ring,” “simple silver band”
– Avoid repeating exact phrases already in your title — diversify your keyword coverage

Etsy attributes vs. tags: Etsy’s structured attribute fields (occasion, colour, material, style) are separate from tags and directly affect search filtering. Fill in every applicable attribute — they don’t eat into your 13-tag limit.

9. Cross-Marketplace Strategy — What to Prioritise First

If you’re selling on multiple marketplaces, here’s the prioritisation framework:

Start with the marketplace where you have the most sales. Optimise your listings there first before spreading attention. A 20% improvement on your highest-traffic marketplace beats a 5% improvement across three.

Test listing variations one marketplace at a time. Because each algorithm weights signals differently, testing an Amazon title change simultaneously with an Etsy title change makes it impossible to attribute results.

Use marketplace-specific keyword research tools:
– Amazon: Helium 10 Cerebro, Jungle Scout Keyword Scout, Amazon’s own auto-suggest
– eBay: eBay’s Terapeak (free with seller account), Keyword Tool Dominator
– Etsy: Etsy’s own search suggest, eRank (free plan available), Marmalead

Cross-marketplace keyword overlap: Some keywords work across all three. Others are marketplace-specific. “Handmade” matters enormously on Etsy and is meaningless on Amazon. “Prime eligible” is Amazon-only. Build separate keyword lists for each platform.

Timing strategy:
– Amazon: List new products Tuesday–Thursday (when Amazon’s search boost for new listings coincides with peak shopping days)
– eBay: End fixed-price listings (or allow them to re-list) on Sunday evenings (peak eBay traffic time)
– Etsy: Renew listings on Thursday or Friday before weekend shopping peaks

FAQ

Q: Does Amazon index keywords from my product description?
A: Amazon indexes your title, bullet points, backend keywords, and the description. However, the algorithm weights title and bullet points most heavily. Description text is indexed but has lower ranking weight. Focus your primary keywords on title and bullets.

Q: Can I use the same listing content across Amazon, eBay, and Etsy?
A: You can reuse content as a starting point, but you should customise titles, keywords, and descriptions for each platform’s algorithm. The title formula, character limits, keyword placement logic, and banned terms differ across all three.

Q: How many keywords should I put in an Etsy title?
A: Etsy recommends a natural-language title, not a keyword list. Aim to incorporate 2–3 keyword phrases naturally. Your 13 tags are where you should cover additional keyword variations — don’t try to stuff all keywords into the title.

Q: Does eBay’s “Best Offer” feature affect search ranking?
A: Yes, indirectly. Listings with Best Offer enabled generate more buyer engagement and sales, which feeds positive signals into Cassini’s ranking factors. It’s a small signal but easy to implement.

Q: How important is the eBay item description for ranking?
A: Less important than the title and item specifics for ranking, but very important for conversion. A clear, well-structured description reduces buyer questions (which consumes your time and can slow response rates), builds trust, and indirectly improves your ranking by improving your sell-through rate.

Q: Does Amazon’s A10 algorithm give a boost to listings with Lightning Deals or coupons?
A: Yes. Promotional events (Lightning Deals, coupons, Prime Day deals) generate significant sales velocity spikes, which improve ranking both during and after the promotional period. Many sellers use strategic promotions specifically to generate the ranking boost that follows.

Conclusion

Marketplace SEO is not a single skill — it’s three distinct disciplines, each with its own ranking philosophy, its own title formulas, and its own non-title ranking signals.

Amazon rewards sales velocity and conversion quality. eBay rewards listing completeness and seller performance. Etsy rewards relevance, recency, and shop health. Knowing which signals matter on which platform — and optimising specifically for each — is the difference between obscurity and organic visibility on all three.

Start with your highest-revenue marketplace, run the full checklist, and measure ranking changes over 4–6 weeks. Then layer in the next platform.

If you want platform-specific listing audits for your products — including keyword research, title rewrites, and a full optimisation plan for Amazon, eBay, or Etsy — Ignited Nepal’s marketplace SEO team works with sellers across Australia, the UAE, Canada, and the US.

Written by the Ignited Nepal team. ignitednepal.com