Why momentum is the key to a higher ranking on bol.com and Amazon

Both bol.com and Amazon use ranking algorithms that look far beyond just “which product has the best title or the most keywords.” One of the heaviest-weighted factors is momentum: how well a product has performed recently, relative to comparable products. Understanding this lets you deliberately steer visibility instead of hoping it works out.

What “momentum” actually means

Momentum isn’t about total historical sales, but about recent sales velocity and trend. A product that shows a clear increase in orders over the past two weeks is treated differently by the algorithm than a product with the same total revenue but a flat or declining line. The platforms interpret a rising trend as a signal that customers currently find the product relevant — and reward that with more visibility, which can in turn drive more sales. This is a self-reinforcing effect, in both directions.

The factors involved

Conversion rate. Not just how many clicks a product gets, but what share of those actually turns into an order. High click volume without conversion doesn’t help ranking — it can actively hurt it.
Recent reviews and rating score. New, positive reviews carry more weight than old ones. A product with only old reviews loses relative ground to competitors actively bringing in new ones.
Stock availability and delivery speed. A product that’s frequently “almost sold out” or barely delivers on time is seen by the algorithm as less reliable than one with stable stock.
Advertising as an accelerator, not a substitute. Sponsored Products can temporarily drive extra traffic and sales to build momentum, but if the underlying conversion doesn’t hold up, the effect disappears once advertising stops.

How to deliberately build momentum

A focused approach works better than spreading budget thin and evenly:

Pick a limited number of products per period to build momentum on, rather than pushing the entire assortment at once.
Get the basics right first before deploying extra budget: solid product content, a competitive price, sufficient stock. Advertising on top of a weak listing accelerates nothing.
Plan around peak moments. Promotions, seasonal peaks, and release dates are natural moments when customer demand is already rising — deliberately leaning into that amplifies the effect.
Monitor the trend, not just the total. A week-over-week comparison of orders and conversion shows whether a product is actually building momentum, something a monthly total figure hides.

Translating this into practice

Ranking improvement is rarely the result of one isolated action. It’s the sum of a consistent product foundation, targeted advertising deployed at the right moment, and deliberately tracking which products are actually building momentum — so budget and attention go where they make a real difference.