There are certain hidden fields on Amazon that few vendors are aware of. The Subject Matter field is one of several Amazon Secret Fields. Amazon Sellers seldom use this field because they don’t realise it’s there, or if they do, they don’t know what it’s for, how to use it, or whether they should be using it. Those vendors who do not use it are missing out on a chance to make their product listings more attractive to buyers.
What is the Subject Matter Field?
The Subject Matter field may be found on Amazon Seller Central, under the ‘Keywords’ tab, in the product listing. You’ll see many text boxes on the ‘Keywords’ page where you may add more information about your product. The third field from the bottom of this page is the ‘Subject Matter’ text box.
You may add up to 50 characters to any of them by clicking the ‘Add more’ option. Choose which terms you want to be indexed and those you are unable to include in other areas such as the title, product description, or bullet points.
The Subject Matter fields are a set of five text boxes that you fill out to make your Amazon listing stand out. Each area is limited to fifty characters, so you’ll have plenty of room to explain your product.
Why is the Subject Matter Field so important?
It’s not a smart plan to rely on Amazon for your top keywords now that the back end search phrases have been restricted to a 250-byte restriction. That is why, the Subject Matter Field, which is also referred to as a Hidden Field, is so useful to sellers.
While Amazon will generally enable you to index and rank for distinct phrases if you index for each term separately, it will not always do so, and it will not always have the same ranking as the whole phrase. The Subject Matter Field comes to your rescue in such cases that has up to 5 keyword fields.
How to become a Subject Matter expert on Amazon?
Although Amazon’s ranking algorithm is unknown, we’ve been advised that include keywords in the content text boxes is the most crucial and effective strategy to improve your ranks. Keywords, rather than bullets or backend search phrases, are what readers and prospective customers will notice first.
As a seller on Amazon, you might be doing everything right, getting all the boxes ticked, but sales are still not kicking off. Ever wondered why this could be happening? Perhaps, by not utilizing the hidden Subject Matter Field, you are restricting your Amazon account from performing up to its true potential.
Don’t worry. Here are some tips for you to implement in the Subject Matter Field that might get you where you ought to be:
Use your top phrases
Going by the name ‘Subject Matter’, these fields are provided distinctly for the purpose of classifying your products into the right category. So, you must be using your most preferred and most relevant phrases as keywords in this field.
Use 6-8 long tail keywords
There are five subject matter keyword fields, each with a maximum of 50 characters. Based on your product information, fill them up with your top 6 to 8 search terms, which must be, long tail keywords.
Only use terms that are relevant to your product
Make sure that the words that you use are relevant and appropriate as per the characteristics of your product. Relevance does play a role in Amazon’s keyword ranking system, so keep that in mind when choosing the keywords for the Subject Matter field. It’s critical to rank for keywords that are relevant to your product so that people who are most inclined to buy it may find it.
Keep 2 questions in mind while filling in
There are two questions that you need to keep in mind while filling in the Subject Matter Field – ‘What is the product’s subject?’ and ‘What is the product’s purpose?’.
Long tail keywords used should be appropriate
Make sure that you are using long tail keywords in your Subject Matter Field. These long tail keywords should describe the product in its entirety; however, they should not be so broad that it fails to narrow down the product’s usability. Long tail keywords used must also have a high search volume. Keywords having a search volume of 1000, or more are ideal.
Repeating keywords is okay
Don’t be afraid to repeat keywords. Remember, we’re targeting our top phrases, which almost always means 1 or 2 keywords will appear in nearly every phrase.
Don’t exceed the limit allotted
Be careful not to exceed the 50-character limit given in the Subject Matter Field. Otherwise, your input won’t be accepted.
Brand names should not be used
Refrain from using brand names at all costs in your Subject Matter Field. This is because brand names are not indexed by Amazon. So even if you put in the name of a popular brand like Nike or Converse, it will add no value to your listing as Amazon does not index them. It shall only be a waste of characters.
Use less-important keywords here
In case you have certain keyword phrases that you could not fit into your main product description, incorporating them in the Subject Matter Field is a very good idea.
Don’t use phrases that are completely unrelated
Be careful not to use words that are completely unrelated to your product. For example, if a person searching for ‘pickles’ ends up finding your product listing of a glove on their search results, it is highly unlikely, and quite absurd that they will end up buying a pair of gloves while craving for some pickles. This also fairs badly upon your selling reputation.
Conclusion
You might be losing out on having your product listing index for even more keywords if you don’t use this Amazon Secret Field. This means you’re missing out on possibilities to appear in even more Amazon consumer searches. Make sure you include some keywords in the Subject Matter section for each of your product listings.
At first, it might seem like a lot of extra effort on top of your regular keyword inputs for your product description. But only when you consistently fill up your Subject Matter Field and make it into a practice, you will see a gradual but steady rise in your sales and visibility.
This extra effort that you put in is bound to make you realize the importance of these Hidden Fields and what they can do for your listings. So hurry, up – now that you are adept with the do’s and don’ts of filling up the Subject Matter Field, don’t waste any more time to create a well-written product listing for yourself.
