More than half of Ozon shoppers order from the first page of search results. That is why sellers work hard to stand out and push their product cards higher. Here is how ranking works and what you can do about it.
What affects where a product appears in search
Ozon weighs several signals:
- Popularity. The more often shoppers view a card, add it to favorites or to the cart, the more "popular" the marketplace considers it.
- Text relevance. Keywords in the description need to match the search queries of your target audience precisely.
- Sales. More sales mean more promotion from Ozon. Both total units sold and the views-to-purchase ratio count.
- Price. Both the regular price and the size of your discounts are taken into account.
- Rating and reviews. A higher rating and more positive reviews drive promotion and build trust with buyers.
- Delivery. The faster the delivery and the closer the product is to the customer, the more likely the card is to appear in search.
- Personalization. Ozon shows a product to a shopper who has bought it before or shown interest in the category.
- Additional uplift factors. Promotions, price index and express delivery.
- Paid promotion. Cards with paid search promotion rank above competitors. Depending on the tool, the card can appear in different places where a potential buyer will see it.
Ranking depends on both the seller and the buyer, so a seller cannot control every factor. The job is to maximize the ones you can influence.
Step 1. Build a strong card with quality content
Whatever else you do, this step matters most. Before launching any promotion, package the card as well as possible:
- Full and accurate product information
- Quality photos from every angle
- Infographics (the same photos with the key product details overlaid)
- Video reviews and usage recommendations
- A sensible price, based on competitor analysis and your own purchase cost
Step 2. Collect good reviews
Many shoppers open a card and go straight to the reviews. They want to know whether the product matches the specs and photos. Ratings and reviews form the product rating.
A practical tip: always respond to every review, including negative ones, and to product questions. Personalize each reply instead of using a template.
You can also motivate customers to leave ratings, for example by awarding points for reviews in your settings. This helps you collect positive comments faster and improves loyalty.
Step 3. Use free promotion tools
- Merging products into one card and into a series. The card then shows the full size range, color options and related products, which lifts conversion from view to order.
- Sales and promotions. When a seller sets a discount, Ozon promotes the product in search, adds it to promo selections and newsletters at no cost. The trade-off is the margin you give up through the discount.
Step 4. Add paid promotion tools
Paid marketing tools help you climb in search and increase views from potential buyers:
- Templates (placement packages). The product appears in search results, the catalog, the cart, promo selections and recommendations for the target audience.
- Search promotion. The product rises in search results and appears in recommendations, which increases card views and, in turn, orders.
Ozon's algorithms take many of the factors above into account. Your task is to get everything you can control right. That is why I recommend combining paid and free promotion rather than relying on one.
