Updated: Using AI to Optimize Amazon Listings

As an Amazon seller, you know the importance of optimized product listings. But for most resellers, investing time and money into listing optimization doesn't make sense when you may only sell a product for a few weeks. What if there was a way to get the benefits of an optimized listing without the usual costs? Enter the power of artificial intelligence (AI).

Last year, I conducted an experiment using ChatGPT to optimize Amazon listings. While the results were promising, the process was clunky and time-consuming. I had to input information piece by piece, and the AI struggled to maintain context. The output, while an improvement, wasn't quite ready for primetime.

Fast forward to today, and the AI landscape has evolved dramatically. Tools like those from Anthropic now allow you to provide a detailed explanation of your goals, which the AI then crafts into a detailed prompt. Suddenly, you don't need to be a prompt engineering expert to leverage AI effectively.

I decided to revisit my listing optimization experiment to see how far AI had come. The goal? Create a robust prompt that could take a product title, description, target keywords, and an SEO how-to guide, and spit out an optimized title and description.

Here's the simple statement I gave Anthropic:

You are an expert search engine optimization specialist focusing on optimizing Amazon product listings. I'm going to give you a product title, description, target keyword(s), and a how to guide. You'll return an optimized product title and description for me.

From this single sentence, the prompt generator generated a massive, detailed prompt, complete with variables for easy swapping of product info. In less than 10 minutes, I had a detailed prompt ready to tackle any listing.

Your task is to optimize the SEO for an Amazon product listing. I will provide you with the current product title, description, target keywords to rank for, and a guide on Amazon SEO best practices. Your goal is to use the information in the guide to create an optimized version of the title and description that will help the product rank as highly as possible for the target keywords.

Here is the current product title:
<product_title>
{{PRODUCT_TITLE}}
</product_title>

Here is the current product description: 
<product_description>
{{PRODUCT_DESCRIPTION}}
</product_description>

Here are the target keywords we want to rank for:
<target_keywords>
{{TARGET_KEYWORDS}}
</target_keywords>

Here is a guide on how to optimize Amazon listings for SEO:
<amazon_seo_guide>
{{AMAZON_SEO_GUIDE}}
</amazon_seo_guide>

First, carefully read through the Amazon SEO guide above to understand the most important factors and best practices for optimizing product titles and descriptions.

Then, brainstorm some ways to optimize the title and description provided. Think about things like:
- Including the most important keywords 
- Putting keywords towards the beginning of the title
- Keeping the title under 200 characters
- Using keywords naturally in the description 
- Including other relevant details like size, quantity, color, etc.
- Making the copy persuasive to improve conversion rates
Write your brainstorming inside <brainstorming> tags.

Once you've brainstormed, write your optimized version of the product title inside <optimized_title> tags. Remember to keep it under 200 characters.

Then write your optimized version of the product description inside <optimized_description> tags. Use the strategies outlined in the guide and your brainstorming to make the description both keyword-optimized and persuasive to buyers.

The output format should look like this:

<brainstorming>
Your brainstorming here
</brainstorming>

<optimized_title>
Your optimized title here
</optimized_title>

<optimized_description>
Your optimized description here 
</optimized_description>

Focus on applying the advice from the SEO guide to optimize the title and description as much as possible for the target keywords provided.

That's a massive change going from what I initially gave it. To take things further, I added what's called a System prompt, which is like giving the model a "personality." I'm essentially priming it to act like a specific type of person.

You are an expert in search engine optimization. Specifically, you have more than a decade of experience doing SEO for products on Amazon.com. 

Here's what that looks like in Anthropic.

To optimize a listing, I simply plugged in the product title and description from the existing listing, target keywords from a tool like Keyword Scout, and an Amazon listing SEO best practices guide from JungleScout.

I used the same Amazon listing from the previous experiment found here.

I hit Run, and voila!

Here is my attempt at optimizing the product title and description:

<brainstorming>

- Include main keywords like "smart BBQ smoker temperature controller", "wifi meat thermometer", "kamado joe accessories", "big green egg accessories" in title and description
- Put most important keywords towards beginning of title
- Keep title under 200 characters 
- Mention key features like patented variable speed fan, precise temperature control, WiFi connectivity, voice command compatibility
- Highlight easy setup and great customer support
- Explain benefits of app like monitoring pit and food temps, setting alarms, getting alerts
- Call out compatibility with popular kamado grills like Big Green Egg, Kamado Joe
- Use persuasive language to sell benefits
</brainstorming>

<optimized_title>
Flame Boss 500 WiFi Smoker Temperature Controller - Smart BBQ Thermometer w/ 2 Probes for Big Green Egg, Kamado Joe Grills & Smokers
</optimized_title>

<optimized_description>
Elevate your BBQ game with the Flame Boss 500 WiFi Smoker Controller, the ultimate smart thermometer for Big Green Egg, Kamado Joe, and other kamado grills and smokers. Our patented variable speed fan and software deliver precise pit temperature control, while WiFi connectivity and voice command compatibility provide unparalleled convenience.

Setup is a breeze with our simple configuration and top-notch customer support. The Flame Boss app lets you monitor your cooks remotely, view temp graphs, set alarms, and receive alerts when your food is ready.

With ports for up to 3 probes, you can track multiple meats at once without needing Y-cables. The Flame Boss 500 is compatible with Large and XLarge Big Green Eggs, Classic and Big Joe Kamado Joe grills, and many other popular kamado smokers.

Kit includes:

WiFi controller with blower and grill adapters
(1) high-temp pit probe
(1) high-temp food probe
(2) probe cord organizers
Power supply

Whether you're a competition pitmaster or backyard BBQ enthusiast, the Flame Boss 500 WiFi Smoker Controller will help you achieve smoked meat perfection with minimal effort. Take your cooks to the next level and enjoy more time with family and friends!
</optimized_description>

The results were impressive. In about 15 minutes, the AI had generated a significantly better title and description. Even better, it showed its work, demonstrating the advanced reasoning capabilities of the model. While not perfect, it was a massive leap from where we were just a year ago.

For example, here's the original title and description for a silicone baking mat:

Title: Smart BBQ Smoker Temperature Controller with Patented Variable Speed Fan, Flame Boss 500 Kamado WiFi with 2 Probes for Big Green Egg, Kamado Joe

Description: 

About this item
- Patented software and a variable speed blower, achieve precise temperature control like never before. Plus, enjoy the convenience of voice command compatibility.
- Say goodbye to complicated setups. Our device offers simple configuration paired with exceptional customer support, ensuring a hassle-free experience from start to finish.
- Keep tabs on your cooks with ease. Our Flame Boss app lets you view graphs of your cooking sessions, monitor both pit and food temperatures, and adjust pit temperature right from your smartphone or connected device. Set a meat alarm to automatically adjust the pit temperature when your desired meat temperature is reached, and even receive text message alerts when your meat is done cooking.
- Monitor up to three meat probes simultaneously, eliminating the need for Y-cables and allowing you to keep a close eye on your culinary creations.
- Compatible with a range of Kamado-style charcoal grills and smokers, including models from Kamado Joe, Primo Grills, Saffire Grill & Smoker, Vision Grills (Classic only), Broil King Keg, Char-Griller AKORN, Kamado, and Big Green Egg (all sizes).

Notice how the title is good, but has some structure issues. The description is where I think the most opportunity is—it's just a massive list of bullets.

And here's the AI-optimized version:

Title: Flame Boss 500 WiFi Smoker Temperature Controller - Smart BBQ Thermometer w/ 2 Probes for Big Green Egg, Kamado Joe Grills & Smokers

Elevate your BBQ game with the Flame Boss 500 WiFi Smoker Controller, the ultimate smart thermometer for Big Green Egg, Kamado Joe, and other kamado grills and smokers. Our patented variable speed fan and software deliver precise pit temperature control, while WiFi connectivity and voice command compatibility provide unparalleled convenience.

Setup is a breeze with our simple configuration and top-notch customer support. The Flame Boss app lets you monitor your cooks remotely, view temp graphs, set alarms, and receive alerts when your food is ready.

With ports for up to 3 probes, you can track multiple meats at once without needing Y-cables. The Flame Boss 500 is compatible with Large and XLarge Big Green Eggs, Classic and Big Joe Kamado Joe grills, and many other popular kamado smokers.

Kit includes:

- WiFi controller with blower and grill adapters
- (1) high-temp pit probe
- (1) high-temp food probe
- (2) probe cord organizers
- Power supply

Whether you're a competition pitmaster or backyard BBQ enthusiast, the Flame Boss 500 WiFi Smoker Controller will help you achieve smoked meat perfection with minimal effort. Take your cooks to the next level and enjoy more time with family and friends!

See the difference? The optimized listing has a more compelling title with key details and a description that really sells the benefits and features. Little tweaks like using "you" and painting a picture of how the product will improve their performance make it much more persuasive.

The implications of this are huge. In just 15 minutes, AI was able to drastically improve a single listing. Now imagine applying this to your entire catalog. Even a modest 10% sales boost across all products would be game-changing for most sellers.

But it could get much better. Picture a near future where AI is constantly working in the background, automatically optimizing your listings as you add products. This isn't just a time-saver - it's a complete paradigm shift.

This is why I believe Amazon agencies as we know them may not exist for much longer. When you can get the same or better results yourself for pennies on the dollar, the agency model just doesn't make sense. The agencies that thrive will be those that learn to embrace and integrate AI tools into their process.

As AI continues to evolve at a breakneck pace, it's the forward-thinking sellers and agencies that will come out on top. The age of the AI-optimized seller is here, and it's leveling the playing field for sellers big and small. If you're not using AI to optimize your Amazon listings, you're leaving money on the table. Period.

Imagine where we will be in another year.