How Video Age Affects Its Placement Performance on Amazon

Amazon’s video placement algorithm plays a crucial role in content discoverability. Videos that secure better placements in carousels are more likely to reach a broader audience, and thus earn more commissions. In this article, we analyze how the age of a video—from the day it is uploaded—impacts its placement performance on Amazon.

In our study, we have analyzed around 2 million videos and their performance in last 14 days. Bellow are our findings. In this study we only analyzed data from the amazon US marketplace.

Understanding Video Placement Metrics

Before diving into the data, it’s important to understand the placement scoring system:

• 0: The video does not appear in any carousel.

• 1: The video is placed in the bottom carousel.

• 2: The video is placed in the top carousel.

• 3: The video appears in both carousels.

Higher scores indicate "better" placement. These scores serve as a proxy for how prominently a video is featured on the platform.

Data Overview and Methodology

1. Correlation Analysis

We computed the Pearson correlation between the average placement score and video age (in days). The result was a correlation coefficient of 0.1123. Although this is a positive correlation, its negligible. Its small magnitude suggests that video age alone explains minimal portion of the variation in placement performance.

2. Bucket Analysis

We have grouped the videos into buckets based on age:

• 0-7 days

• 7-30 days

• 30-90 days

• 90-365 days

• 365 days+

For each bucket, the average placement score and the number of videos available to us were calculated.

Video Age Average Placement Video Count 0-7 days 0.94 9,776 7-30 days 1.25 82,741 30-90 days 1.23 207,544 90-365 days 1.18 944,495 365 days+ 1.19 746,955

Key Insights

1. Initial Underperformance

Videos in the 0-7 days bucket show the lowest average placement (0.9376). This suggests that newly uploaded videos may initially struggle to secure prominent placement. However, this is most likely caused by the video approval process.

2. Minimal Differences Beyond the First Week

While the 7-30 days bucket shows a slightly higher average placement (1.2521), the differences between the 7-30, 30-90, 90-365, and 365+ days buckets are marginal. The maximum variation is around 5%, which might well be within the error range caused by the arbitrary nature of the bucket ranges rather than a true performance difference. There is a possibility for an argument that videos perform slightly better in the first 1 - 3 months, however a further analysis would be required to confirm this, as other factors, like more videos being added to the product over time, creators getting better, thus making better quality content, and many others could be the actual cause behind this difference.

3. Implication of a Performance Plateau

Once a video moves past its first week, the average placement score tends to stabilize, indicating that video age beyond this initial period does not significantly influence its placement performance. In other words, after the initial underperformance, videos seem to reach a performance plateau regardless of whether they are 7-30 days old or much older.

4. Overall Weak Correlation

The overall correlation coefficient of 0.1123 between video age and average placement reinforces the idea that, outside of first 1-2 weeks, age is not a predictor of placement performance. Other factors such as content quality, viewer engagement, and relevance are likely playing more significant roles.

Implications for Content Creators

1. Plan for Approval Delays

Since videos in the 0–7 days bucket underperform—likely due to the approval process—creators should anticipate a delay before their content reaches peak performance. This means promotional efforts might be more effective if concentrated just after the approval period is complete.

2. Maximize Engagement Post-Approval

With performance stabilizing after the initial week, efforts should shift toward enhancing engagement and maintaining content quality. Since the average placement remains relatively consistent beyond the first week, investing in strategies that drive viewer interaction and satisfaction can yield better results.

3. Do Not Focus on Age

Given the negligible differences in performance among videos older than seven days, creators should consider other factors—such as video quality, relevance, and audience engagement—as key drivers of placement success.

Conclusion

The analysis shows that while videos initially experience lower placement scores in the 0–7 day period—likely due to delays from the approval process—thereafter, performance quickly reaches a plateau. The minor differences among videos aged 7–30 days and beyond suggest that video age is a less critical factor compared to other elements like content quality and engagement. For content creators, the key takeaway is to mitigate the initial delay through process improvements, while shifting focus to sustaining high engagement and relevance over the long term.

For questions or comments related to this article you can contact us at [email protected]