What Does Indexing Mean for Amazon Search?

Listen up, handmade sellers! I know sometimes it can feel like we are talking in another language when it comes to some jargon. And especially when it comes to SEO (search engine optimization). I'm here to break it down a bit more for you!

When someone talks about indexing in terms of SEO, are you scratching your head, wondering what the heck that means? If you're a new seller, you might be in that boat. Navigating the e-commerce world can be a challenge sometimes!

What is Indexing?

When it comes to Amazon's search bar, Amazon's algorithm system needs to read your new listings to index them within search results. Or, in other words, it's how your items are added to search results.

When you add a new listing, it can take some time for Amazon to actually index it in their search engine. This is entirely normal and is true for any search engine, like Etsy or Google. It can sometimes be index within a few hours, other times it might take a few days.

What Are Some Reasons My Item Isn’t Indexed on Amazon?

There are definitely a few reasons why an item isn’t indexed and isn’t showing up properly on Amazon. The most common reasons are:

1. You’re over the character count for your title or search terms. This would only be for an older listing since now Amazon won’t let you save a listing if you are over the characters.
2. A website glitch. With a site as massive as Amazon, glitches happen. There are so many items and listings that sometimes things happen that can cause your listing not to be index properly.
3. Your item is out of stock. As soon as an item is out of stock, it is removed from the search engine results, and when it's back in stock, it might need to be re-indexed.
4. You recently made title or search term changes to your listing. Most updates take 15 minutes to be visible on Amazon. Still, if you're changing keywords in your titles or search terms, it can take even longer than that for your item to be re-indexed for the changes.

How Do I Know If My Listing is Indexed?

If your item is indexed, it’s indexed. The best method is by copying and pasting your entire title into the search bar and making sure your listing comes up. You can also enter your ASIN number (starts with a B) + [keyword] that is in your listing’s SEO.

For example, if I wanted to make sure one of my spring wreaths was correctly indexed, I would search:

ASIN#+spring wreath

If your item comes up, the item has been indexed.

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Do you have any questions about the Amazon search and how it works? Make sure you read my Amazon SEO guide here and join my email list for even more Amazon-related tips and tricks!