If you sell on Amazon, you need to know what buyers type into the search bar if you want to rank high. Search volume tells you how many times shoppers look for a term. You use it to choose the right keywords, plan your content, and set your ad budget. You can get search volume using APIs. In this guide, we’ll show you how.
What “search volume” means on Amazon
On Amazon, “search volume” is the count of searches for a query in a time range. It’s a measure of demand for that keyword. Higher search volume = more people are looking for products related to that keyword. Lower search volume = fewer people are searching for it.
Sellers and advertisers use search volume to:
– Target ads
– Estimate demand for products.
– Optimize listings to rank higher.
– Drive sales by using terms people actually search.
What Is an API?
API stands for Application Programming Interface. That means a tool that lets one computer talk to another. In this case, an API lets you ask for data from Amazon (like keyword search volume) instead of typing in your browser.
You can write a small program or use a ready-made tool that uses this API. Then you get data you can use. You don’t have to use complicated code. Many services offer user-friendly ways to use Amazon’s API.
Two Main Options for Getting Amazon Keyword Data
You have two options:
– Use Amazon’s own data via Amazon APIs
– Use third-party tools or services that offer Amazon search volume data
Option 1: Amazon’s Advertising API (Sponsored Products API)
Amazon provides APIs for advertising clients. If you have an active seller account, you can request access to the Advertising API. This API may return keyword data, including estimated search volume or impressions.
Keep in mind, setting up the official API can involve:
– Registering as a seller or brand
– Getting approval to access advertising API
– Managing every API request in code or via third‑party tools
How to Use Amazon’s Advertising API
Amazon Advertising API is one of the best ways to get keyword-level data. It doesn’t give you exact “search volume” numbers like Google does, but it provides impressions and performance metrics that you can use as a strong proxy for search demand.
Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of how you can use it:
Step 1: Get Access to the API
You must be an active Amazon seller, vendor, or agency partner with advertising privileges. Go to the Amazon Advertising Console and request API access through Amazon’s developer portal. Once approved, you’ll get credentials: a client ID, client secret, and refresh token. These are what you’ll use to connect your tool or software to the API.
Step 2: Understand What Data You Can Get
The Advertising API does not show you raw search volume. Instead, it gives you data through reporting endpoints, such as:
– Search Term Report – shows the customer search terms that triggered your ads.
– Impression Data – shows how many times your ad appeared for a keyword.
– Click Data – shows how many clicks those impressions generated.
– Conversion Data – shows if searches led to sales.
Tip: Impressions can act as your “volume indicator.” The higher the impressions, the more people are searching for that term.
Step 3: Set Up Reports
Amazon allows you to request reports through the API. For keyword-level analysis, the most useful are:
– Sponsored Products Search Term Report
– Sponsored Brands Search Term Report
Steps to get a report:
– Choose the type of report you want (e.g., search term report for Sponsored Products).
– Send a request to the API with the date range and campaign details.
– The API generates a file (often in JSON or CSV format) with your keyword and performance data.
– Download and save the report for analysis.
Step 4: Analyze the Results
Once you have your report:
– Look at impressions per keyword. Keywords with higher impressions are likely searched more often on Amazon.
– Check click-through rate (CTR). This shows if shoppers are engaging with your ad for that keyword.
– Review conversions and sales.
Step 5: Refine Your Keyword Strategy
Use the API data to:
– Identify high-impression keywords and add them to your listings.
– Spot irrelevant terms and mark them as negative keywords.
– Test long-tail keywords with moderate impressions but high conversions.
– Track seasonal trends – run reports across different months to see how keyword impressions change over time.
Option 2: Third-Party API Services
Type 1: No Coding Needed
Some third-party tools, like Helium 10, give you keyword search volume data without writing any code. They often provide dashboards, monthly pricing, and bulk export. They connect to Amazon’s API or scrape data. They show actual numbers or volume ranges, depending on the service.
Here’s how to use tools like Helium:
– Log in to the tool’s site.
– Enter one or more keywords.
– View search volume.
– Export results to CSV or Excel.
Type 2: Requires Coding
Other tools, like Jungle Scout or Ahrefs, need you to use code to access keyword data. Each API works slightly differently, but all require an account, an API key, and a paid plan.
Here’s how to use tools like this:
Step 1: Pick a known provider. Ensure it offers search volume estimates and an API.
Step 2: Create an account. Subscribe to a plan that includes API access (usually higher-tier plans). Get your API key. This is a unique code that identifies you when you send requests.
Step 3: Learn the API Documentation. Each provider has a developer documentation page. This tells you:
– The base URL (the address where you send requests).
– The endpoints (different functions of the API, such as /keyword/searchvolume).
– The parameters you must include (keyword, marketplace, language, etc.).
– The response format (usually JSON, sometimes CSV).
Step 4: Now make your first request. You can use tools like Postman, cURL, or even your browser (if the API supports it).
A request might look like this:
https://api.example.com/keyword/searchvolume?keyword=wireless+headphones&marketplace=US&apikey=YOUR_API_KEY
And the response could look like this:
{
“keyword”: “wireless headphones”,
“search_volume”: 28500,
“competition”: “high”,
“trend”: [
{“month”: “2025-01”, “volume”: 26000},
{“month”: “2025-02”, “volume”: 27500},
{“month”: “2025-03”, “volume”: 28500}
]
}
This tells you that:
– The keyword “wireless headphones” has an estimated 28,500 monthly searches.
– Competition is high.
– Volume is increasing month over month.
Tips to Make This Work
– Always check terms of use of any API.
– Don’t hard-code your API key or credentials in public code.
– Cache results. Don’t make the same query over and over. Save response for some time.
– Respect rate limits. APIs often restrict how many requests you can send per minute or day.
– Be accurate in your logging. Record what keyword and market you queried.
Summary
You can get Amazon keyword search volume data by using either Amazon’s Advertising API or a third-party keyword API. If you already run ads, Amazon’s API may give you insight. If not, or if you need volume numbers easily, third-party APIs serve well.
At Enso Brands, we help Amazon sellers cut through the guesswork. From keyword research to PPC strategy, our team knows how to use the right data to grow your sales. Instead of wasting time testing tools, let us show you what works.
