The Ultimate Guide to Ecommerce Keyword Research and Tools for Success

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Learning how to conduct ecommerce keyword research is a great strategy for establishing your e-commerce platform. The proper keywords ensure your products reach various customers and improve traffic and sales.

This blog goes deep into ecommerce keyword research, different keyword research tools to use, and how to choose the right keywords or products that will fit your brand.

Hence, if you are pursuing a keyword research tool to help you with website optimization or need to know how to select the right secured e-commerce SEO keywords; we present the solution here. 

Why is Keyword Research Important for Ecommerce?

The success of many elements within your SEO strategy depends on your ability to identify and target the right keywords.

In the current world of e-commerce, it is all about visibility and gaining the customer’s attention. If you fail to conduct efficient keyword research, your website could easily be hidden underneath competitors.

From on-page SEO to content marketing, your optimization efforts will primarily revolve around integrating relevant keywords into your website’s pages.

Keywords serve as a signal for a page’s content, highlighting its relevance and value to both search engines and users. For example, using targeted e-commerce SEO keywords can:

  • Rank better in the search engines.

  • Improve your search engine ranking.

  • Attract high-quality traffic.

  • Increase your conversion rates.

  • Enhance user experience.

Best Practices for Ecommerce Keyword Research

1. Understand Your Audience

Before diving into tools, get to know your audience. Consider their:

  • Search intent: Are they looking for information, comparing products, or ready to buy?

  • Language: What terms do they use when searching for products like yours?

This foundation helps you identify relevant keywords for products that resonate with your customers.

2. Use Data-Driven Insights

Use analytics from your website to discover what keywords are currently being used when people search. Combine this with keyword research tools to discover fresh opportunities.

3. Focus on Long-Tail Keywords

Long tail keywords that represent certain types of search queries should also be used to boost the conversion rate because they can actually have less competition.

4. Analyze Competitors

  • Research your competitors’ keywords to identify gaps and opportunities in your niche.

  • Use competitor analysis tools to understand what’s driving their traffic.

5. Prioritize Commercial Intent Keywords

Target keywords with commercial intent, such as “buy,” “discount,” or “best,” which indicate users are ready to make a purchase.

6. Group Keywords by Themes

Organize keywords into themes or categories based on products, services, or user intent to streamline content creation and optimization.

Top Keyword Research Tools for Ecommerce

Top Keyword Research Tools for e-commerce SEO

1. Google Keyword Planner

Overview and Features

Google Keyword Planner is a keyword research tool that provides free access to Google’s vast collection of search data. It offers valuable insights into search volume, competition, and suggested keywords, making it an absolutely awesome beginner tool for e-commerce.

How to Use Google Keyword Planner for E-commerce

  • Start by entering a product category or specific item.

  • Filter results based on location, language, or device type to refine your search.
  • Use the “Top of Page Bid” data to estimate the profitability of targeting a keyword.

As an example, when you search for the keyword “organic dog food,” you can get a list of related searches in Google Keyword Planner, such as “best organic dog food brands,” “grain-free dog food reviews,” etc.

2. SEMrush

Overview and Features

SEMrush is a powerful all-in-one tool that combines keyword research, site audits, and competitor analysis. It’s “Keyword Magic Tool” gives you keyword suggestions, the “Domain Overview” function allows you to check out your competitor’s position.

How to Use SEMrush for Competitive Analysis

  • Identify keywords your competitors rank for but you don’t.

  • Analyze traffic trends and seasonality for better campaign planning.

  • Use the “Keyword Difficulty” score to prioritize low-hanging fruit with high ROI potential. With SEMrush, you can also discover keyword gaps in your niche, ensuring you’re always a step ahead.

3. Ahrefs

Overview and Features

Ahrefs is another powerhouse, known for its massive keyword database and backlink analysis capabilities. For e-commerce, the “Keywords Explorer” feature is particularly valuable, offering advanced metrics like “Clicks Per Search” and “Return Rate.”

Benefits for E-commerce Stores

Ahrefs shine when it comes to finding long-tail keywords and content ideas that match buyer intent. So for example, if you’ll be selling handmade candles, Ahrefs can reveal queries such as “eco-friendly soy candles” or “custom candle gift sets.”

4. AnswerThePublic

Overview and Features

AnswerThePublic is a unique tool that visualizes user questions and searches in a creative way. It organizes keywords into categories like “why,” “how,” and “where,” which is perfect for targeting informational content.

Using AnswerThePublic to Find Customer Pain Points

For e-commerce, understanding the questions customers ask is critical. If you sell fitness equipment, AnswerThePublic might reveal queries like “how to assemble a treadmill” or “why resistance bands snap.” Addressing these questions on your site can build trust and authority.

5. Keyword.io

Overview and Features

Keyword.io is a straightforward tool that pulls keyword suggestions from various platforms, including Google, Amazon, and YouTube. It’s ideal for finding niche-specific keywords tailored to product searches.

How to Utilize Keyword.io for Product Niche Discovery

For example, if you’re exploring new product ideas, Keyword.io can uncover less competitive keywords related to your industry. By targeting these niches, you can gain visibility without competing with established players.

6. Ubersuggest

Overview and Features

Ubersuggest, created by Neil Patel, is an easy-to-use tool for both beginners and advanced users. It provides keyword suggestions, search volume, CPC data, and even content ideas.

Why Ubersuggest is Ideal for E-commerce

  • Ubersuggest provides suggestions from Google’s autocomplete and SERP data.

  • Its “Keyword Overview” feature highlights search volume, SEO difficulty, and paid difficulty.

  • It also includes a content ideas tool to help you create blog posts or guides targeting specific keywords.

For example, an e-commerce store selling kitchen gadgets can discover phrases like “best spiralizer for beginners” and create content to capture that audience.

7. Moz Keyword Explorer

Overview and Features

Moz Keyword Explorer is a trusted tool among marketers, providing metrics like Priority Score, Difficulty, and Opportunity. It’s particularly useful for businesses focusing on organic search growth.

How Moz Keyword Explorer Benefits E-commerce

  • The Priority Score combines search volume, difficulty, and click-through rate (CTR) to help you prioritize keywords.

  • It also offers SERP analysis, showing how competitive a keyword is and which pages are ranking.

  • E-commerce brands can use it to identify keywords that balance competitiveness and opportunity, like “affordable men’s leather wallets.”

8. Keywordreddit

Overview and Features

Keywordreddit is a unique tool that repurposes keywords from Reddit discussions, giving you valuable insights on niche-related interests and customer complaints.

How Reddit-Specific Keywords Benefit Ecommerce Strategies

Reddit users are commonly talking about specific problems or interests, which makes reddit a goldmine for discovering user-generated keywords.  

For example, if you’re in the tech accessories business, you might find topics like “best laptop stands for home office setups” or “affordable noise-canceling headphones.”

By addressing these queries in your product descriptions or blogs, you can connect with an engaged audience.

How to Choose the Right Keywords for Your E-commerce Brand

1. Focus on Relevance

Make sure that all that the keyword selected corresponds with the products you are offering and the intent of the audience.

For instance, where the identity of the product is obvious, an online shoe store may use “buy running shoes online” rather than “buy shoes”.

2. Balance Volume and Competition

High-volume keywords are also competitive. Use them together with low competition high conversions, and long-tail keywords as part of an optimal keyword mix.

3. Optimize for Specific Product Pages

Each product page should target unique e-commerce SEO keywords. This prevents keyword cannibalization and improves rankings for individual pages.

4. Define Your Goals and Target Audience

The best approach is to begin with the goals and objectives and then identify a clear market or an audience. Understand consumers’ demographic, interests, and preferences to meet their needs and wants.

This knowledge will guide your choice of keywords that you need to use when developing content that meets the needs and expectations of these clients.

5. Consider search intent

Search intent relates to the rationale for a user’s search query, such as whether they want to learn, compare, or buy. Understanding search intent is crucial for selecting keywords that fit your audience’s needs and bring relevant traffic to your store. There are four major categories of search intent:

  • Informational: This type of search intent occurs when users are seeking information or answers to their questions. They aim to gain knowledge or a better understanding of a specific topic.

  • Transactional: Transactional intent refers to users who are actively seeking to make a purchase or take a specific action. These users are prepared to buy or complete a transaction.

  • Navigational: Navigational intent happens when users are looking for a specific website or web page. They already know where they want to go and are seeking the quickest route to reach it.

  • Commercial: Rather than showing explicit purchase intent, commercial intent is like the transactional intention but is slightly more specific to research stage of the buying process. There is not a single type of user coming to you for anything related to the web, be it products, services, reviews, or deals they are trying to offers before they buy.

How to Implement Keywords Effectively

1. On-Page SEO

Incorporate your keywords for products naturally in titles, meta descriptions, headers, and content. Avoid keyword stuffing.

2. Product Descriptions

Use engaging and keyword-rich descriptions that highlight features and benefits.

3. Blog Content

Develop blog articles that would include related keywords . For instance, ‘10 Advantages of Wearing Organic Cotton T-Shirts’ can help target “organic cotton t-shirts” but in a manner that is helpful.

Conclusion

Keyword research acts as the foundation for any successful e-commerce marketing strategy. With proper keyword research tools, proper focus on relevant keywords and proper optimization of your content, you will be able to develop your brand awareness and make those sales.

When choosing the ecommerce SEO keywords, or when you are looking for the best keywords to use for the products, always ensure that you are flexible, more especially when conducting your research. Begin your journey right now and see your e-commerce brand grow.

Content Team