Amazon Editorial Recommendations: Crack the Code to Get More Sales for Your Product

Arnab Ghosh

September 25, 2023 10 mins to read

As a seller on Amazon, getting your product on the first page of search results can feel like a never-ending battle. With a plethora of competitors vying for attention, it’s tough to stand out from the crowd.

While running sponsored ads is one way to get your product on top, it can be expensive. Aiming for a high organic ranking is not always easy to achieve either.

In fact, only four of the first twenty products that shoppers see on Amazon search results are organic.

So, how can you get your product on that coveted first page?

Introducing Amazon editorial recommendations – a winning strategy to boost product visibility and maximize sales.

This guide explores everything you need to know about Amazon editorial recommendations and how to get your product featured.

Whether you’re a seasoned seller or just starting out, you’ll find tips and insights to help you take your Amazon game to the next level.

Let’s dive in.

A quick peek into the article:

What are Amazon’s editorial recommendations?
How do Amazon editorial recommendations work?
Benefits of Amazon editorial recommendations
What are the requirements for Amazon editorial recommendations?
How to get featured in Amazon editorial recommendations
Who should use Amazon’s editorial recommendations?
Can I buy editorial recommendations on Amazon?
Final thoughts

What are Amazon’s editorial recommendations?

Editorial recommendations are the holy grail of product promotion on Amazon, appearing right on the first page of search results when a shopper searches for a product.

These Editorial Recommendations are a part of the Onsite Associates Program, an extension of the Amazon Affiliate program. Usually, a hand-picked group of reputed third-party publishers writes these recommendations to promote products directly on Amazon and earn a commission on referred sales when a shopper makes a purchase from the recommendations.

It’s important to note that Amazon does not endorse any of the content written by these third-party reviewers. Instead, the content is syndicated from reputable third-party websites such as The New York Times, Wirecutter, Best Reviews, and CNN Underscore, which are invited to participate in the program.

What is amazon editorial recommendation system?

If your product gets featured in one of these editorial recommendations, it receives a prominent spot on the first page, improves the perceived value of the product, and generates more sales.

How do Amazon editorial recommendations work?

Creating editorial recommendations starts when a product is introduced to a publication. If they like the product, they would write an article featuring it.

Once the article is published, Amazon utilizes various factors, such as location, time of day, and previous searches and purchases, to determine the type of shoppers that will see the editorial recommendations banner.

This level of personalization ensures that each shopper sees recommendations tailored to their unique preferences, resulting in improved engagement.

As shoppers browse the search results page, they will find the editorial recommendations banner labeled “EDITORIAL RECOMMENDATIONS” about one-third of the way down. Typically, the banner features three to five products, along with a brief description and a link to read the full article. You can look at the previous image for a better understanding.

Shoppers can either read the article to learn more about the products or directly click on the products to go to the product listing page and purchase from there.

The frequency of the editorial recommendations can vary depending on certain factors. For instance, if the recommended product is not generating decent sales volume in a specific duration, Amazon will stop showing editorial recommendations for that product.

Nevertheless, this feature remains a highly effective way for Amazon to showcase products that are likely to resonate with their customers and boost sales.

Recommended read: Why It’s Important To Vet Your Customers?

Benefits of Amazon Editorial Recommendations

Similar to positive customer reviews and running sponsored ads, editorial recommendations can greatly enhance the profitability of your business.

Amazon editorial recommendation requirements

Here are some direct benefits of products getting featured in Amazon editorial recommendations:

Increase product visibility

Editorial recommendations usually appear on the first page of Amazon SERP for relevant keywords. This means your product gets more exposure to high-intent buyers who are searching for products like yours.

Boosts sales

Amazon claims that the products featured in editorial recommendations see an average sales lift of 10% and more. This is because editorial recommendations can drive more traffic to your product pages and increase your conversion rates by providing social proof and trust signals to potential buyers.

For instance, this example shows that editorial recommendations can significantly improve the conversion rate.

Amazon CVRs: Below shows my conversion rate for a product on Amazon this year. This product was shown in an ” Editorial Recommendation” from Feb 18th – March 29th. As you can see the CVR improvement was DRASTIC. I don’t have any advice on how to get there, just find it…. pic.twitter.com/qdVEef5bPv
— Michael Patrón (@michaelpatron0) September 13, 2021,

Improve brand authority

Having your products endorsed by reputable publishers can enhance your brand image and reputation. Customers are more likely to trust and buy from sellers who are promoted by well-known publishers in their field. This also helps you build customer loyalty and retention over time.

Streamline search process

Amazon Editorial Recommendations help shoppers save time and effort in researching and comparing products. These recommendations provide shoppers with unbiased and expert opinions to help them make informed purchase decisions.

Increase share of voice

Editorial recommendations also help sellers stand out from their competitors and gain a larger share of voice in the category. By being featured in these articles, sellers can showcase their product’s unique selling points and differentiate themselves from other sellers who offer similar products.

Recommended read: Who can participate in the Amazon Launchpad program?

Boost PPC campaigns efficiencies

Since editorial recommendation shows up on the first page of the search result and increases organic traffic, it automatically increases organic sales. It reduces your reliance on running paid ads, thereby reducing ACoS and improving the overall ROI of the business.

Combat fake reviews

One of the challenges that sellers face on Amazon is dealing with fake or negative reviews. Editorial recommendations help sellers overcome this challenge by providing authentic and positive feedback about a product from well-known sources. Customers are more likely to trust editorial recommendations than reviews from unknown or unverified users.

Aids in Amazon SEO

Getting Amazon editorial recommendations can boost SEO signals since Amazon uses editorial recommendations as one of the factors to decide a product’s ranking in Amazon search results.

Drawbacks of Amazon editorial recommendations

Now that we’ve discussed all the benefits of Amazon editorial recommendations remember that it also has some drawbacks, such as

Active engagement in the Amazon community

You must be active in the Amazon Seller community to get Amazon editorial recommendations. This requires participating in forums, answering questions, and engaging with other members. In addition, you must have healthy account performance metrics and receive good customer feedback to be eligible for editorial recommendations.

Note: New sellers on Amazon or sellers with low sales volume may not qualify for editorial recommendations.

Uneven product visibility

Amazon generally allows one product per category to get featured in the editorial recommendations. That means if you have two or more products in the same category, only one will be featured. It can lead to uneven visibility on some of your products.

Despite these drawbacks, it’s crystal clear that the benefits of Amazon editorial recommendations outweigh the disadvantages, and it’s an excellent way to increase the sales and visibility of your products.

Requirements for Amazon editorial recommendations

To ensure that your product meets Amazon’s editorial recommendations requirements, it must fulfill specific criteria. For instance, the product

Must have at least 100 reviews with a rating of 4 stars or higher,
Should be among the top 20% of best sellers in its category on Amazon,
Have monthly sales of around $30,000
Should not be related to religion, drugs, or sex
Should not make any medical claims
Sellers should maintain high inventory levels to sustain the demand.
Finally, the product should perform exceptionally well on relevant keywords.

By meeting these criteria, your product will have a greater chance of being featured in Amazon’s editorial recommendations. However, there are some additional tips we’ve talked about in the following section to help you get featured.

Tips to get featured in Amazon editorial recommendations

Since publishers inside the Onsite Associates Program can choose any product they want to write about, you can directly reach out to these publishers and request a product review.

However, consider the following tips to increase your chances of getting an Amazon Editorial Recommendation:

Optimize your product listing

Your product listing must meet specific requirements to be eligible for Amazon editorial recommendations. Make sure your listing is well-optimized and fulfills all the necessary criteria.

Read more about it from the product listing optimization guide.

Get reviewed by third-party content creators and influencers

Reviews from content creators or influencers on platforms like Instagram or YouTube can boost your chances of getting an Amazon editorial recommendation. Publishers may organically discover your product or be interested in trying it out because of these external reviews.

Be an active member of the Amazon community

Amazon values sellers who engage with their community by participating in forums, answering customer questions, and more. Increase your visibility to publishers by taking an active part in the Amazon community, and improve your chances of getting an editorial recommendation.

Follow these tips correctly, and you’ll be on your way to getting your products featured in Amazon editorial recommendations.

Can I buy editorial recommendations on Amazon?

The short answer is no.

Editorial recommendations are not paid placements or advertisements. They are independent and unbiased opinions of the publishers, who select products and write the articles based on their own usage, expertise, and opinion.

Amazon does not influence or interfere with the editorial process or content of the publishers.

However, some third-party agencies can help you get editorial recommendations on Amazon in exchange for a fee. They generally have a pool of reputable publishers, and they help your product get in front of the publisher without much hassle.

How much do Amazon editorial recommendations costs?

If you work with an agency, they usually charge you a one-time fee or a commission based on the sales made through editorial recommendations.

Prices range between $500 – $1000 or more, depending on the category and placement.

Final thoughts

In conclusion, editorial recommendations are an excellent way to persuade high-intent shoppers to visit your listing over the competitors.

Not just that, they also give your products external endorsement from reputable publishers, improving brand awareness and visibility.

Therefore, Amazon sellers and retailers who aspire to improve their product’s visibility, reduce advertising costs, and enhance their business’s bottom line should aim to get their products featured on Amazon’s editorial recommendation placement.

But why stop there? At SellerApp, we offer comprehensive services to help e-commerce brands like yours take their Amazon selling to the next level.

With the help of our experienced PPC experts and cutting-edge AI-powered tools, we’ve already helped thousands of brands achieve significant growth and ROI, including major players like Philips and Samsung.

Don’t settle for mediocrity – schedule a call with us today and see how we can help you achieve long-term success and profitability on Amazon.

Recommended read:

Which one should you choose – EDI or API?

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Post Written by:

Arnab Ghosh Arnab Ghosh is a certified eCommerce and SaaS content marketer with 3 years of experience. His area of expertise includes improving organic growth with in-depth content creation and distribution.