Amazon success is all about getting the details right, and one of the most overlooked details is adhering to the Amazon character limit restrictions in Seller Central.
Some sellers may not be aware of these limits, while others may not fully understand them. Even worse, these issues can impact performance, visibility, and create issues with Amazon. Today, we aim to clarify product listing character restrictions to help you avoid these easy-to-miss pitfalls and stay on the right track for success in the Amazon marketplace.
In this guide, we’ll break down the specific character limits for each part of your listing, provide tips to maximize your impact within those constraints and introduce tools to make the process easier. By the end, you’ll be equipped to craft optimized, Amazon-compliant listings that attract clicks and conversions.
Amazon Character Count Limits For Each Listing Element
Amazon sets specific character count restrictions for different parts of your product listings. While these character limits can get in the way of how sellers would ideally like to present their product, these restrictions assist Amazon in creating an easy, universal shopping experience for customers, which are both key reasons why Amazon remains the dominant force in e-commerce.
You can edit your product listing at any time in Seller Central, whether making a single tweak or setting up a new product.
While each category on Amazon comes with specific limits that may be unique from one category to the next, the table below offers general Amazon character limit restrictions for the marketplace as a whole.
| Content Field | Character Limit | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Product Title | Up to 200 characters | The maximum length for your product’s title, including keywords and essential details. |
| Bullet Points | Up to 500 characters per bullet | Individual concise feature descriptions listed in bullet form. |
| Product Description | Up to 2,000 characters | Full-length product description for providing detailed information and benefits. |
| Backend Search Terms | Up to 250 bytes | Invisible search terms used to optimize product discoverability on Amazon. |
| Image Alt Text | Up to 100 characters | Brief description of images for screen readers and SEO purposes. |
A common question regarding listings is, “Do character limits include spaces?” Yes, spaces do count, so you can imagine these characters can run out before you know it.
With all this in mind, let’s take a closer look at these elements and, consequently, how you can make the most of them.
Amazon Product Title Limits
The product title is widely regarded as the most crucial element of your listing, and for good reason. Titles account for up to 50% of a product’s search ranking weight, heavily influencing where your product appears in search results when customers search for keywords and phrases. Also, and perhaps more importantly, it’s the first thing a customer will read from your listing and determine if they click to learn more or add your product to their cart to purchase.
Amazon’s product detail policy states that product titles, including spaces, cannot exceed 200 characters. To find your Amazon title character limit, find your product category in the list below and click on the link to see your official Amazon content guidelines:
Category Style Guides
- Baby
- Beauty
- Clothing
- Coins
- Consumer Electronics
- Entertainment & Collectibles
- Eyewear
- Fine Art
- Gift Cards
- Grocery
- Health & Personal Care
- Home, Garden, and Pets
- Industrial
- Jewelry
- Lighting
- Luggage
- Shoes
- Sporting Goods
- Tools & Home Improvement
- Watches
From a strategic perspective, you’ll want to include your brand name at the start of your title, followed by your primary keyword. For example, the product listing shown below includes the brand name, followed by the exact product type, followed by more general and descriptive keywords that accurately describe the product.
Amazon Bullet Point Limits
Bullet points, or Key Product Features, allow sellers to present product benefits in a clear and structured way. A great bullet point balances functionality with benefits, like concisely explaining how a feature solves a problem for the buyer. Think of this section as your opportunity to address common buyer questions without overwhelming them with information, as the deeper levels of information can often be shown or explained in product images or the product description in greater detail.
To find your Amazon bullet point character limit, find your product’s parent category in the Amazon Product Title Limits section above and click into the PDF to find your recommended character limits. If your category style guide omits the character limit, we recommend keeping each bullet within 200-250 characters if afforded the space.
While bullet points are valuable for keyword indexation, overloading them can backfire. Research shows exceeding recommended character limits may trigger Amazon’s scanning algorithm, reducing control over indexation. Instead, aim for concise, impactful bullet points in the 50–250 character range.
Because our keyword and listing optimization strategies hinge on search data, we strongly encourage sellers to stick within the character length recommended for their category, as Amazon scanning your listing for keywords takes away some of the control you have over indexation. As a result, you may not index for important keywords included in your listing, even if you stick within the character limits allowed in Seller Central.
Amazon Product Description Limits
Your product description lets you dive deeper into your product’s value, providing detailed information to help customers make informed decisions. While it doesn’t hold much indexing weight, it isn’t to be overlooked, as it directly impacts your ability to convert clicks into sales.
Unlike the product title or bullet points where character limits may vary from category to category, the Amazon description character limit is 2,000 characters across all categories.
Your product description should be an extension of your bullet points, covering the features, benefits, and use cases to completion, with compelling marketing copy that completes the sale. If a customer is skimming through your description, it’s because they want to learn more about your product. Be sure you include as much detail as possible, answering potential questions so you don’t lose potential customers or risk negative reviews from customers purchasing without being given the full rundown on your product’s purpose and functionality.
Amazon Backend Search Term Limits
Though unseen by customers, Amazon’s backend search terms play a major role in your product’s searchability. From a strategic perspective, your backend search terms should be keywords that you could not fit in your title or bullet points, whether due to character count constraints or readability.
For example, I’ve written hundreds of product descriptions over the years, and it’s quite common for things such as misspellings and Spanish translations to appear in keyword lists. However, it might undermine the professionalism and readability of a listing if words were frequently misspelled or I just started speaking Spanish midway through a sentence.
Across all categories, the Amazon backend keyword limits are 250 bytes, which includes spaces and special characters. Prioritize high-impact keywords with search demand and avoid unnecessary repetition, as Amazon’s algorithm already accounts for variations like singular/plural forms.
We recommend stuffing your backend search terms as much as possible, as customers don’t see this space, but it impacts indexation, allowing you to rank for the keywords.
A+ Content (if applicable)
For sellers enrolled in the Amazon Brand Registry program, you’ll gain access to A+ Content, formerly Enhanced Brand Content. In essence, A+ Content replaces the product description, substituting the 2000-character text box with multimedia options that take your product listing beyond the basics.
Character limits for A+ Content can be tricky, as Amazon offers many options to showcase your product in various ways. Our chart below details these content types and the Amazon character limit for each one.
| A+ Content Type | Description | Character Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Single Left/Right Image | Image paired with text for simple storytelling. | Up to 300 characters per description box. |
| Multi-Feature: Four Image/Text | Four images with accompanying text blocks. | Up to 300 characters per quadrant. |
| Multi-Feature: Three Image/Text | Three images with shorter text sections. | Up to 200 characters per section. |
| Sidebar: Single Image & Sidebar | Image with sidebar text, ideal for features/specs. | Up to 400 characters for sidebar text. |
| Sidebar: Highlights | Image with key feature highlights (bullet points). | Up to 500 characters for bullet points. |
| Sidebar: Specs Detail | Image with technical details or specs. | Up to 400 characters for specs text. |
| Lifestyle/Environmental Modules | Image with light or dark text overlay. | Up to 300 characters per overlay. |
| Comparison Table | Table comparing product features. | Up to 200 characters per cell. |
| Complementary Product Sets | Carousel or curated product image with text. | Up to 150 characters per product. |
| Brand Story Section | Overarching brand description on product pages. | Up to 1,000 characters. |
We highly recommend enrolling in Brand Registry, as it unlocks plenty of protections for the benefit of your business. If you’ve done so, investing in premium A+ Content is one of the few options at your disposal to create a product detail page that stands out from the crowd.
Image Alt Text (Optional Field)
Alt text improves accessibility for screen readers and enhances your listing’s SEO potential.
- Character Limit: Up to 100 characters.
- Where to Find It: Locate the image alt text field in the A+ Content Manager or the listing editor.
- Tips for Success:
- Write clear, descriptive text that explains the image’s content.
- Be as specific and description as possible within the limit.
- Include relevant keywords where appropriate, but avoid keyword stuffing.
Although often overlooked because it isn’t mandatory and can be left blank, Amazon doesn’t have you fill out areas for no reason! Completing this field to the best of your ability may impact indexation, visibility, organic rank, and sales.
Tips and Tools Sellers Can Use to Manage Character Counts
Adhering to Amazon’s character limits doesn’t have to be a hassle!
For a streamlined process, consider using optimization tools like Viral Launch’s Listing Builder, which gives you almost everything you could ask for when writing your product listing. A sortable keyword list and text fields for your title, bullet points, product description, and backend search terms allow for easy organization and SEO mastery, all within a single tab. You can click on Settings and enter your personalized character count and our tool will update with every keystroke so you always know how much space is left for each field.
Plus, our optimization score tracks when you use keywords and crosses them off for you, so you can maximize efficiency no matter how small or large your character limits are for each section.
If you don’t feel great about your writing skills, no worries! LaunchGPT, our AI writing tool, uses your product information, keyword list, and Amazon listing optimization guidelines to craft an SEO-friendly listing within minutes.
These platforms not only help you stay within Amazon Seller Central listing rules but also assist with keyword optimization to maximize your listing’s visibility. Ultimately, the key to success lies in clear, concise language and a strategic approach to keyword placement. Avoid filler words and focus on compactly conveying the most essential information so that customers have no unanswered questions about what your product can and cannot do.
Pro Tip: Keep our Amazon Listing Optimization Checklist handy when crafting a draft or revising your listing to ensure you’re on top of your game and never miss a beat!
Final Thoughts on Character Count Limits
Mastering Amazon’s character limits may seem tedious, but it’s a small price to pay for success in the world’s largest e-commerce marketplace. By optimizing your listings within these guidelines, you not only enhance visibility and control but also create a seamless shopping experience that builds trust with millions of customers. The effort you invest in today can translate into long-term growth and profitability for your business.
At Viral Launch, we’re here to make this process easy. From tools to tutorials, we help Amazon sellers boost their performance and understanding of the Amazon marketplace. Ready to streamline your listing optimization? Sign up for a free 14-day trial to the Viral Launch software suite to sample the tools and access the data to take your Amazon business to the next level.
