A Guide to Understanding SFR (Search Frequency Rank) on Amazon

There's no great mystery to becoming a top seller on Amazon. After all, isn't it simply a question of providing a superior product with superior service at a superior price?

If you believe that, you wouldn't be reading this post right now. The truth is, Amazon closely guards much of its secret formula.

Whether it's annual sales or their own internal A9 algorithm, Amazon's mysteries can seem all but decipherable to many sellers—particularly when it comes to improving visibility.

But just because they can seem indecipherable doesn't mean they are.

What's All the Fuss About Search Frequency Rank?

Search frequency rank (SFR) is the perfect example. At its most basic, there's actually not much difference between SFR and SERP indexing from traditional search engines. Much like SERP indexing, search frequency rank changes as often as... well, consumers change search terms.

And understanding just how SFR is calculated can make all the difference when it comes to strategically marketing your brand on Amazon in the USA and internationally.

What is SFR (Search Frequency Rank)?

Simply put, search frequency rank is a specific numerical rank of a specific search term's popularity compared to other search terms during any given time period (typically 30 - 90 days.)

It's a particular Amazon brand analytics tool that's found in your search terms report which helps you understand just how customers are finding your product in comparison to your competitors. It not only gives you insight into their search queries—it gives you insight into their needs.

And it's also one of the keys to maximizing your conversions on Amazon

Why Search Terms Matter

The number of search terms consumers explore can vary wildly. Some may can be frustratingly vague but popular search terms, while others can be so specific that any marketing insights can be virtually indecipherable.

But with an estimated 53 percent of US consumers initiating their search for a purchase on Amazon, understanding just how Amazon search terms operate is something you've probably overlooked in your marketing campaigns.

Search frequency rank is just one key that can help you get a better overview of the average Amazon consumer. And it's likely something you've overlooked as well.

How Do I Find My Search Frequency Rank?

In order to obtain your search frequency rank, brand owners must first meet the eligibility requirements of Amazon's Brand Registry program, including

• Maintaining an active registered trademark in each country you're hoping to sell in.

• Providing the trademark registration number is registered with that country's Intellectual Property office.

• Providing an accurate list of product categories for your brand.

• Verifying the countries where your product is manufactured and sold in

Why Does Search Frequency Rank Matter?

SFR informs you in aggregate of how customers are discovering your product listing and can be used to understand and compile a robust keyword list that better maximizes your visibility.

More importantly, it helps you compare just how effectively you're marketing yourself on Amazon with your competitors.

There are numerous providers of Amazon keyword research tools on the market which claim to help you make the most out of your keyword list.

We can't vouch for their credibility. But just how well do they know keyword research? How well do they understand how keywords can reflect your brand? Do they have access to Amazon's internal A9 algorithm? Or are they second-guessing a keyword's popularity?

Remember that search term frequency can change at any given week. And in order to understand it effectively, you're going to need accurate data.

But Amazon doesn't share that data with just anyone.

How Can I Get the Most Out of Understanding My Search Frequency Rank?

Understanding just how SFR works can help you understand two critical points to your product listing

• Click share, or the number of times a customer clicked on your listing after searching for a term as well as the total number of times they clicked on a competitive product.

• Conversion share, or the number of times a customer actually bought your product after searching for a given term—as well as the number of times they purchased a competitive product.

Both click share and conversion share are important to the discovery of your brand. But which one is more important to its longevity?

SFR: How Much Data is Too Much Data?

But just how deep of an insight can SFR give you?

Let's put it this way: brand analytics can offer up to 1.1 million rows of search terms for a listing, including frequency of search and alternative keywords.

That's almost half a million more rows than the average spreadsheet can process.

In case you can't tell, trying to make sense out of 1.1 million rows isn't going to be as easy as you think. The most important keywords in your campaigns should ideally be search terms that rank highest because of the sheer frequency.

But keyword frequency isn't always easy to maximize properly. In fact, Amazon has a few quirks about search term reports:

• Search terms for the top three ASINs are only ranked on click shares and not actual conversion shares.

• Search frequency ranking doesn't always measure variants and misspellings, which can sometimes lead to some surprising discoveries about keyword rates.

• Search frequency ranking only measures the numeric ranking of a search term. It doesn't take into account a physical date, which can be frustrating for seasonal merchants.

• Organic results for search terms can have up to 140 characters for search terms, while mobile searches will be much shorter by default; typically a maximum of only 60 characters for a title.

But the greatest advantage to understanding SFR? Keyword marketing.

Keyword Marketing On Amazon With SFR

Keep in mind that Amazon isn't just an eCommerce site. It's a search engine as well. And the strength of any search engine based marketing campaign will always be driven by keywords.

• Avoid keyword stuffing at all costs. Not only is it completely unprofessional, Amazon's algorithm will actually penalize you for it.

• Search term performance is never a static phenomenon. Consider experimenting with competitive keywords and test synonyms to find out how the right pooling keywords can help maximize your sales.

• Your keyword research strategy needs to take into account both back end search terms and more structured data to focus on your particular product category and sub-category.

• Experiment with both single keyword campaign as well as a variable pool of long-tail keywords. A/B testing can be critical to narrowing down top performing search terms.

• Frequently audit your search terms report to discover just how consistently your keywords are performing.

• Pay-Per-Click management can bring an ROI of up to 200 percent. While Amazon offers PPC solutions, managing them is never an easy task. Consider working with an outside agency who can optimize and manage your PPC campaigns effectively and with proven results.

Are You Getting The Most Out of Your Search Term Frequency on Amazon?

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Color More Lines can help you make sense out of your search frequency rank—and how t o maximize its potential. Find out more at Color More Lines.