Why Your Amazon Listing Isn’t Ranking – And What You Can Do About It

If your Amazon listings are not ranking, then you’re not alone. And nine times out of ten, it’s not just down to missing keywords or images. The real problem usually runs deeper, and in this video, I’ll break down actually what’s holding your listing back, and more importantly, what you can do to turn it around.

Sales Momentum Drives Rankings

Amazon doesn’t rank products based on keyword hacks or the number of images; those days are long gone. The one thing that consistently drives organic placement is sales velocity. A listing that sells steadily is far more valuable to Amazon than one that spikes briefly and then disappears. That’s because regular sales generate predictable fees, and Amazon rewards that behaviour with better organic positioning. To no surprise, the algorithm is profit-led. So, your focus should be on building consistent conversions, not chasing short-term traffic.

Listing Tools Are Just the Starting Point

Tools like Helium 10’s Listing Checker or Amazon’s LQS can help you spot the obvious gaps, but they don’t optimise your listing for you. Scoring 10/10 doesn’t guarantee results. It simply shows you’ve met the basics. What really matters is how your listing performs once it’s live. That means you need to test changes over time, adapt based on performance, and understand that optimisation isn’t a single task. It’s a process that requires regular review.

Competitor Research Should Guide Your Strategy

A common mistake is assuming that doing everything “by the book” will be enough. In reality, the best insights will always come from competitor analysis. If most top listings in your category use FBA, that’s a signal your customers expect Prime delivery. If their titles are short and direct, stuffing yours with keywords won’t help. Pricing, image formats, and even bullet layouts can all be guided by looking at what’s already ranking. Let your competitors show you what works and then build your own version that stands out for the right reasons.

Start With the Data

Conversion rate is one of the most valuable indicators of listing health. You can find it in your Business Reports under ‘unit session percentage’. If people are clicking but not buying, your listing isn’t doing its job and that’s a sign to rework your copy, images, reviews and in some cases, the product itself. Data should shape your optimisation decisions. If your ads aren’t converting, the listing is usually the problem, not the campaign. Work backwards from poor performance and keep testing.

Reviews Matter More Than You Think

Amazon doesn’t just look at sales; it weighs in quality too. If your product has a low review score or none at all, your ranking will suffer. Anything below 3.8 is likely to drag your listing down, both in search results and in conversions. Use Amazon Vine if you’re brand registered and selling FBA. You only need a handful of solid reviews to get started, and Vine provides a reliable, compliant way to generate them early on. Don’t wait to fix this. It’s one of the biggest levers you can pull.

Final Thought

Ranking on Amazon isn’t about ticking boxes. It’s about creating consistent signals that show your product deserves to be there. Strong conversion data, competitive positioning, and a clear customer proposition are what drive momentum. Start small with testing, use your data, and don’t be afraid to redevelop your product if the feedback shows it’s falling short. You can’t fake performance, so focus on building it the right way.

Chris is the managing director of Ecommerce Intelligence, a full service Amazon agency. He has over 13 years experience selling on Amazon and other marketplaces. Follow Chris on LinkedIn for daily tips and advice.

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