Ecommerce Keyword Research: A Complete Guide to Driving Sales with the Right Keywords
In the competitive world of online shopping, ecommerce keyword research is the backbone of any successful SEO and digital marketing strategy. It involves identifying and analyzing the search terms that your potential customers use when looking for products like yours. By understanding which keywords are most relevant, you can optimize your product pages, improve search rankings, and attract the right audience to your online store.
When you rank for the right keywords, you make it easier for customers to find you, which increases organic traffic and ultimately leads to more sales. Without proper keyword research, you risk missing out on valuable search traffic and falling behind your competitors.
This blog will guide you through:
- Why ecommerce keyword research is essential.
- How to find relevant keywords that can grow your business.
- How to analyze, filter, and apply keywords effectively to your ecommerce site.
By the end of this guide, you’ll have a step-by-step framework to enhance your SEO strategy and capture more customers through search.
What Is Ecommerce Keyword Research?
Ecommerce keyword research is the process of finding and evaluating search terms that are directly related to the products you sell in your online store. These keywords are what people type into search engines when looking for products or services.
The goal of ecommerce keyword research is to identify the most relevant and profitable search terms, optimize your product and category pages for them, and attract potential customers who are actively searching for what you offer.
For example, if you sell organic dog treats, updating your product page to target keywords like “grain-free organic dog treats” can help you appear in search results when customers look for that specific product. This positions your store to attract ready-to-buy shoppers and drive targeted traffic to your website.
By focusing on the right keywords, you can increase your chances of being found by people who are interested in your products and are more likely to make a purchase.
Why Ecommerce Keyword Research Matters
Ecommerce keyword research plays a critical role in growing your online store’s visibility and sales. Here’s why it’s a foundational part of ecommerce SEO:
Increases Search Visibility and Sales
Targeting the right keywords helps your product pages rank higher in search engine results. Higher visibility leads to more clicks, more site visits, and ultimately more sales.
Helps Capture Market Share
When you find keywords that your competitors aren’t targeting, you can quickly capture traffic they’re missing. This gives you a competitive advantage and helps you gain more exposure in your niche.
Optimizes Ad Spend
Effective keyword research can uncover low-competition keywords that reduce your advertising costs. By focusing on these keywords in your search ads, you can generate more sales without overspending.
Improves User Experience
When your product pages match what users are actually searching for, they can quickly find what they need. This creates a better shopping experience, increases customer satisfaction, and encourages repeat visits.
Supports Business Strategy
Keyword research reveals valuable data about what your target customers are searching for. This helps guide product decisions, content strategies, and marketing campaigns, ensuring your store aligns with customer demand.
By regularly performing ecommerce keyword research, you can build a well-optimized store that consistently attracts, engages, and converts shoppers.
What to Look for in Ecommerce Keywords
When selecting ecommerce keywords, focusing on the right characteristics ensures you attract qualified traffic that is more likely to convert.
A. Commercial or Transactional Intent
Look for keywords that signal purchase readiness. These are search terms that people use when they’re either ready to buy or actively comparing options.
Example: “Buy yoga mat online” or “best budget yoga mat.”
B. Specificity
Target long-tail keywords that are more specific and cater to a particular audience or product need.
Example:
- “Grain-free dog treats” targets one niche.
- “Chicken-free dog treats” targets another.
Specific keywords attract highly motivated buyers looking for exactly what you offer.
C. Feasibility
Focus on keywords that have manageable competition and enough search volume to make them worthwhile. Keywords with low to moderate competition are often easier to rank for, especially for new or growing ecommerce stores.
D. Commercial Relevance
Only target keywords that are directly linked to your products. Choosing irrelevant keywords, even with high search volume, will not attract buyers.
Example:
- Relevant: “Organic dog treats.”
- Irrelevant: “How to groom a dog” (if you don’t offer grooming products).
E. Branded Keywords
Include branded keywords that feature your store or product names. These attract customers already familiar with your brand and ready to purchase.
By focusing on these five areas, you can build a powerful keyword list that supports your store’s growth and delivers qualified traffic.
How to Find Relevant Keywords for an Ecommerce Brand
Finding the right keywords starts with a structured process:
1. Make a List of Seed Keywords
Begin with broad keywords that describe your core products.
Example:
- “Yoga mat”
- “Yoga accessories”
- “Yoga equipment”
These keywords serve as your starting point for deeper keyword discovery.
2. Generate Keyword Ideas
Use keyword research tools, including Google Keyword Planner or other free or paid alternatives, to expand your seed keywords into a list of related search terms.
Look for variations, synonyms, and long-tail keywords that are highly relevant to your products.
3. Use Filters to Refine Your List
Narrow your list to find the best keywords by applying key filters:
- Relevance: Remove unrelated keywords that won’t attract your target audience.
- Keyword Difficulty: Focus on keywords with low to moderate difficulty to increase your chances of ranking.
- Search Intent: Prioritize commercial and transactional keywords that are more likely to lead to purchases.
- Search Volume: Choose keywords that have enough search traffic to make them worth targeting but are not overly competitive.
This filtering process ensures you create a targeted and achievable keyword list.
Build Your Keyword List
Once you’ve filtered your keywords, the next step is to build an organized keyword list.
- Select keywords that have the right balance of search volume, competition level, and commercial intent.
- Group your keywords by product type, category, or search intent. For example, you can create separate lists for yoga mats, yoga blocks, and yoga straps.
- Maintain your keyword list in a spreadsheet or keyword management tool for easy reference when creating content or optimizing product pages.
Having a structured keyword list will help you stay organized and ensure you consistently target the right terms across your ecommerce site.
Conduct Competitor Research
Understanding what keywords your competitors are ranking for gives you valuable insights and opens new opportunities.
How to Approach Competitor Research:
- Identify your top competitors based on shared products or market.
- Analyze which keywords they rank for that you don’t.
- Look for keyword gaps where your competitors are getting traffic but you are not.
Focus especially on commercial and transactional keywords your competitors are using to drive sales. These keywords represent valuable opportunities for you to close ranking gaps and capture more search traffic.
By adding these competitor keywords to your own strategy, you can start competing more effectively in your niche and even gain market share from other ecommerce businesses.
Identify Keywords That Drive Sales
Not all keywords bring equal value. To maximize your return on investment, focus on keywords that are most likely to lead to sales.
How to Identify Sales-Driving Keywords:
- Review your website’s past keyword performance to see which ones have historically led to conversions.
- Focus on transactional and branded keywords that suggest buyer readiness.
- Estimate the potential revenue of a keyword using a simple formula:
Traffic Potential x Estimated Conversion Rate = Revenue Potential
For example:
If a keyword has a potential of 1,000 visits per month and you estimate a 2% conversion rate, that could lead to approximately 20 sales monthly.
Prioritize keywords that offer the highest combination of traffic potential and conversion likelihood to get the most from your SEO efforts.
How to Optimize Your Site with Ecommerce Keywords
Once you have your keywords, the next step is to strategically place them across your ecommerce website.
Key Areas to Optimize:
- Product Titles & Descriptions: Include keywords naturally to improve relevance.
- Product Specifications: Use relevant keywords to help customers and search engines understand product details.
- Category Names & Descriptions: Optimize category pages with high-volume keywords to capture broader searches.
- URLs: Create short, clean URLs that include important keywords.
- Headings (H1 & Subheadings): Clearly outline the page’s focus with keyword-rich headings.
- Meta Titles & Descriptions: Improve click-through rates by writing enticing, keyword-optimized meta content.
- Image File Names & Alt Text: Optimize images for both SEO and accessibility.
- Blog Posts & Buying Guides: Use content to target informational and long-tail keywords, driving traffic during the research phase.
- Navigation & Internal Links: Guide users through your site using keyword-rich anchor text to strengthen internal SEO.
Optimizing these areas helps search engines better understand your content and ensures users can easily find what they need.
Track Keyword Performance & Adjust Strategy
Keyword research doesn’t end after implementation. You must consistently monitor and fine-tune your strategy.
How to Track Performance:
- Use tools like Google Search Console or other keyword tracking platforms to monitor your rankings over time.
- Analyze keyword performance across devices, especially mobile, since most shoppers now search on their phones.
- Focus on improving rankings for keywords not yet on the first page.
- Allow new pages to settle for a few months before making major adjustments.
- Re-optimize and expand content that’s underperforming.
- Continuously track conversions tied to each keyword to ensure you’re focusing on profitable search terms.
Regularly reviewing your keyword strategy helps you adapt to market changes, competitor movements, and evolving search trends.
Conclusion
Ecommerce keyword research is a powerful tool for growing your online store. It helps you find the search terms that will attract the right visitors and convert them into paying customers.
To succeed, it’s essential to:
- Target keywords that are relevant, attainable, and aligned with user intent.
- Balance search volume, competition, and commercial value.
- Continually track performance and optimize your pages to stay ahead.
Keyword research isn’t a one-time task—it’s an ongoing process that requires regular updates and adjustments. By applying the strategies in this guide and staying committed to improvement, you can build a strong ecommerce SEO foundation that drives consistent, high-quality traffic and boosts your sales.