In the highly competitive Amazon marketplace, standing out from the crowd is crucial for success. Amazon Editorial Recommendations (ER) have emerged as a powerful tool for sellers looking to increase product exposure and drive sales. These professionally written articles by third-party experts provide valuable credibility and visibility that can significantly impact consumer purchasing decisions.
The Power of Expert Endorsements
In today's e-commerce landscape, where reviews heavily influence buyer behavior, expert recommendations carry exceptional weight. Amazon's review system has evolved through various iterations—from Top Reviewers to Vine Voices—but editorial content from industry professionals remains among the most persuasive forms of product validation.
ER articles are created by independent content creators, including industry experts, bloggers, and professional writers. Their established audiences and authoritative voices can dramatically increase product exposure. When conversion rates remain steady, this heightened visibility naturally translates to increased sales.
Frequently Asked Questions About Amazon Editorial Recommendations
Q1: What are the benefits of Editorial Recommendations?
ER articles enhance product visibility through expert-written content, potentially increasing sales. In Amazon's review ecosystem, professional endorsements carry high credibility that can significantly influence purchasing decisions. Beyond boosting exposure, these articles also strengthen brand perception and consumer trust.
Q2: Can products with less than 4-star ratings apply for ER?
Products with strong search rankings (appearing on the first two pages for major keywords) may qualify even with sub-4-star ratings. While higher-rated products have better chances, Amazon also considers market potential demonstrated through search ranking performance.
Q3: Does Amazon prioritize review quantity or quality during evaluation?
The platform emphasizes verified reviews with written comments, typically requiring 100+ such reviews. Detailed customer feedback provides more valuable insights into product quality and user experience.
Q4: How should sellers select keywords for content creators?
Provide the top three converting keywords from your Sponsored Products campaigns. These typically relate to core product features and target audiences. Note that Amazon's algorithm ultimately determines which search terms will display the ER content, based on relevance, search volume, and competition.
Q5: For ASINs sold across multiple stores, do all stores need linking?
Yes, linking all stores enables comprehensive GMV tracking for the ASIN. However, ER-generated orders aren't segmented by store—the data reflects overall performance across all linked stores.
Q6: Can multiple articles be created for one ASIN? Is order data separable by article?
Multiple articles can be bundled for increased exposure, but order attribution only distinguishes between on-Amazon and off-Amazon sources. Sellers can't track performance for individual articles, only the collective impact.
Q7: When ER and Sponsored Products both reach customers, does Amazon double-count orders?
No. Only purchases made after clicking through from an ER article count toward ER metrics. Amazon's attribution system ensures each order is counted only once and assigned to the proper source.
Q8: What's the data attribution timeline? How frequently does information update?
Attribution occurs daily. Complete monthly data for both on-Amazon and external order contributions becomes available around the 20th of the following month.
Q9: How does Amazon attribute orders for parent/child ASINs?
Regardless of whether you submit parent or child ASINs, order details correspond to the specific variant ASIN that generated the sale, allowing precise performance tracking for each product variation.
Q10: Where can sellers view ER-generated sales?
After publication, visit the ER service section and select "Recommended Conversion Orders" to see data. This displays all conversion orders from every article for each child ASIN.
The interface also shows ER Recommended Terms—keywords that currently display your ER content in Amazon search results. These terms (available only for US and CA markets) indicate active article visibility during its publication period. Clicking any term reveals additional metrics like traffic share and organic ranking.
Understanding Amazon's ER Display Algorithm
Amazon's system for displaying ER content follows observable patterns:
- Review quantity carries the most weight, followed by ratings and sales velocity—similar to organic ranking factors
- Products with special badges like Small Business or Climate Pledge Friendly often receive additional visibility
For keyword targeting, ER placement performance correlates with keyword indexing. Products initially index for one term, then gradually expand to others based on sales performance and listing optimization.
Competitive Research for ER Placement
To identify competitors occupying ER positions:
- Search core keywords across different locations and time periods
- Note any editorial content appearing in results
- Multiple authors/media outlets may recommend different products for the same keyword, with Amazon prioritizing higher-performing items
Amazon Editorial Recommendations offer sellers a powerful method to enhance product visibility and sales. By understanding how the system operates and strategically implementing these insights, businesses can gain a competitive advantage in the crowded Amazon marketplace.