[What is Yahoo Shopping search strategy? Thorough explanation of algorithm basics and scoring]

WRITTEN BY

Makoto Takimiya

Manager

Meets Consulting Inc.

When aiming to maximize sales on Yahoo Shopping, "search optimization (SEO)" cannot be avoided. In mall-type e-commerce, where many users search for products through a search window, search ranking is the most important KPI that is directly linked to the number of accesses and, ultimately, sales. In this article, we will systematically explain the mechanism of Yahoo Shopping's unique algorithm and the scoring elements that determine search rankings from a strategic perspective.

1. Definition and importance of Yahoo Shopping search measures

Yahoo Shopping search measures refer to all measures to display your company's products higher in the search results when users search for specific keywords. Yahoo Shopping's algorithm is designed with the idea of ​​displaying ``products that are most useful to users'' at the top, and there is a logic that goes beyond simple keyword matching.

Compared to Rakuten and Amazon, Yahoo Shopping has unique customer acquisition channels such as PayPay point redemption measures and collaboration with LINE. However, as many of the final conversions (purchases) occur via search, optimizing search rankings is the foundation of e-commerce operations.

2. “Static elements” and “dynamic elements” that make up the algorithm

Yahoo Shopping's search ranking logic is roughly divided into two axes: "static elements" and "dynamic elements." Understanding these in MECE (without omission or duplication) is the shortcut to effective countermeasures.

• Static Elements (Text Information)： Product name, catchphrase, product details, category ID, etc. These determine the 'Relevancy' to search keywords.IDRelevancy
• Dynamic Elements (Sales Performance & Store Evaluation)： Sales volume, sales amount, CVR (conversion rate), inventory status, review ratings, etc. These evaluate the product's 'popularity' and 'reliability.'CVR

In particular, growth in the number of sales over a short period of time (sales momentum) tends to have an extremely strong impact on search rankings.

3. 5 main items that affect scoring

As specific scoring elements (search scores), the following five items need to be improved with top priority.

1. Product Name (item_name)： The most important text element. The standard practice is to place important keywords on the left side, following the 'prefix match' principle.
2. Sales Performance： Recent 1週間〜1
3. In-Stock Flag： Stock-outs significantly lower the search score, and it takes time for rankings to recover even after restocking.
4. PR Option & Advertising： PRBy setting PR Option rates and utilizing Item Match, it is possible to forcibly boost the exposure score.
5. Premium Delivery： Products with the shortest delivery times benefit from enhanced algorithmic preference in search results, and the presence of the badge significantly affects click-through rates.

4. First step in search strategy: Tips for selecting keywords

When starting a search strategy, there is a risk that blindly packing in keywords will be considered "keyword stuffing." First, check the "suggested keywords" and "related search words" and analyze the user's search intent. A strategy that reliably aims for high rankings not only with big keywords but also with "long tail keywords" that combine 2 to 3 words is extremely effective for newly established stores and new products.