Listing Audit Checklist: 20 Points You Need to Check

A bad listing is the most expensive mistake on Amazon. You can have the best product and the biggest ads budget, if your listing doesn’t convert, you’re burning money. Here are the 20 points I check in every audit.

Title (5 Points)

1. Main keyword upfront: The most important 2 to 3 keywords are in the first 80 characters. Mobile cuts off the rest.

2. Readability: The title is written for humans, not algorithms. No keyword stuffing.

3. Brand first (with Brand Registry): Your brand name is at the beginning, followed by the product name and the most important attributes.

4. No special character tricks: No emojis, no excessive capitals, no misleading claims.

5. Under 200 characters: Amazon recommends 150 to 200 characters. Longer gets cut off and can trigger suppression.

Images (5 Points)

6. At least 7 images: Use all available slots. Every missing image is a missed opportunity to convince.

7. Main image stands out: Compare your main image with the top 10 results for your main keyword. Does it stand out?

8. Infographics present: At least 2 to 3 images show features, dimensions, usage, or comparisons, not just the product.

9. Lifestyle images: At least 1 to 2 images show the product in use. People, environment, context.

10. High resolution (above 1600px): So the zoom function works on desktop. Below 1000px, there’s no zoom at all.

Bullet Points (5 Points)

11. Benefit-first: Each bullet point starts with the benefit, not the feature. „Never cold coffee again“ instead of „Double-wall insulation.“

12. Keywords integrated: The most important secondary keywords are naturally woven into the bullets.

13. Scannable: Bold text at the start, short paragraphs. Customers don’t read, they scan.

14. Address objections: At least 1 to 2 bullets address common questions or concerns.

15. All 5 bullets used: Every empty bullet point is wasted space.

Backend & A+ (5 Points)

16. Backend keywords filled: 250 bytes, no repetitions, spelling variations, and synonyms.

17. A+ Content present: At least one A+ Content module with a comparison table or feature overview.

18. Brand Story activated: The Brand Story appears above the A+ Content and provides additional space.

19. Subject matter filled in: The „Subject Matter“ fields in the backend are often forgotten, but they’re indexed.

20. Product type correct: The wrong product type can cause your listing to land in the wrong category or miss attributes entirely.

How These 20 Points Connect to Your Ranking

This checklist isn’t a box-ticking exercise, every point feeds into one of the ranking levers I cover in Amazon SEO: The 5 Levers That Actually Matter. Title and backend keywords work on keyword relevance. Images and bullet points work on conversion rate and CTR. A+ Content works on both at once.

A listing that scores poorly on this checklist also eats into your ad budget. A weaker conversion rate means a higher ACoS for the exact same clicks, regardless of your bidding strategy. I explain how to read ACoS and TACoS correctly while you improve your listing here.

How to Use This Checklist

Go through the 20 points for your top 5 ASINs. Score each point 0 (missing), 1 (partial), or 2 (excellent).

Score	What It Means
Below 20 points	Urgent action needed
20–30 points	Significant optimization potential
30–40 points	Solid foundation, room for fine-tuning

Running this checklist before a product launch saves you expensive rework in the first few weeks. I show how listing optimization fits into the first 30 days of a launch in my 90-day plan for Amazon product launches.

Bottom Line

A listing audit isn’t a one-time exercise, it’s a recurring check, ideally every three to six months, or any time conversion rate or ACoS unexpectedly gets worse.

This exact checklist is where I start every Marketplace Audit I run for Amazon brands.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Listing Audit Checklist

How often should I audit my listing?

Every three to six months as routine maintenance, plus any time conversion rate or ACoS noticeably worsens or a competitor visibly overhauls their listing.

What’s the fastest lever if my score is low?

Usually the main image and the first three bullet points, since they most directly affect CTR and conversion rate and can be swapped out without long approval processes.

Do I really need A+ Content?

Yes, if you have Brand Registry. A+ Content demonstrably lifts conversion rate and is now also relevant to Amazon’s indexing, not just the visual presentation.

How do I know if my main image is good enough?

Compare it side by side with the top 10 results for your main keyword on a phone screen. If it doesn’t immediately stand out, it’s not good enough.

What counts as a good checklist score?

30 out of 40 or higher gives you a solid foundation. Anything below shows concrete, prioritizable optimization potential, title and images first.

Does this checklist work for Vendor listings too?

Yes, all 20 points apply the same way on Vendor Central. The one difference: A+ Content and backend fields are managed slightly differently for vendors, but the principle stays the same.

What should I fix first if I score below 20?

Title and main image first, those two carry the most weight on CTR. Only after that move to bullet points and A+ Content, which act on conversion rate.