Keyword research plays a crucial role in every e-commerce SEO strategy, providing important guidance on optimization priorities and uncovering valuable insights for scaling your online business. This process grants a comprehensive view of the search landscape, shedding light on the exact terms customers use to locate your website online. This knowledge, in turn, enables the discovery of fresh growth prospects.
Analyzing the keywords that Google favours brings you closer to the apex of search engine results pages (SERPs), ultimately enhancing your online presence, driving more traffic to your business website, and improving conversion rates.
In this guide, we will explore the process of conducting keyword research tailored specifically to the e-commerce business.
Keyword Research For E-commerce Websites
Prior to embarking on e-commerce keyword research, it’s important to grasp the multitude of factors involved in selecting the most suitable keywords. Here are several key considerations to keep in mind:
-
Search Volume
This is known as average monthly searches and represents the total count of monthly searches conducted for a specific keyword phrase. The aim is to target keywords with substantial monthly search volumes, indicating significant user interest in that particular term.
Nevertheless, it’s important to note that high search volume often signifies heightened competition for ranking. While it’s possible to target these more competitive keywords with top-tier content and the acquisition of backlinks, achieving success may require a longer and more challenging journey.
It’s worth highlighting that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all “magic number” for search volume, as the ideal volume varies based on your website’s specifics. A general guideline for keyword selection suggests that any term surpassing 20 monthly searches should merit consideration, provided it demonstrates potential for attracting qualified leads.
Multiple free keyword research tools are available to determine search volume, although the author highly recommends the paid tool Ahrefs.
-
Search Relevance
Search relevance assesses the proximity between the search query and the ensuing search results.
Even if you identify a keyword with substantial search volume, if the results it generates do not align with the content on your page or the products you offer, your chances of achieving meaningful goals or conversions are slim.
To provide context, garnering 10 qualified prospects from an organic search carries more value than attracting 1,000 visitors who swiftly bounce away due to an inability to locate what they sought on your page.
-
Keyword Difficulty
Keyword difficulty, often referred to as SEO difficulty or keyword competition, is a numerical rating ranging from 0 to 100. This score provides an assessment of the challenges one might encounter when attempting to secure a high ranking on Google for a specific keyword.
A higher keyword difficulty score indicates a more arduous path to contend with established search results. In the end, your website’s caliber, standing, and the quality of content crafted for each targeted keyword are the determining factors in this competitive landscape.
Ahrefs offers a valuable tool to gauge your position by interpreting authority signals through what they term “domain rating,” which is influenced by your current backlink profile. Typically, for a new website, it’s advisable to target keywords with lower difficulty scores.
How To Conduct Keyword Research For E-commerce
Find Your Ranking Position in Relevant Searches
Prior to making well-informed choices regarding your keyword strategy, it’s essential to set benchmarks. This process will provide direction for deciding whether to focus on generating new content or enhancing existing material.
If you’ve commenced building your e-commerce website and have integrated SEO keywords, it’s important to use a keyword ranking tracker to ascertain your position in relevant searches. Once more, Ahrefs offers this capability through its Rank Tracker feature, in addition to the functionalities mentioned earlier.
Alternatively, you can access valuable data for free by linking your website to Google Search Console (GSC).
- Google Search Console: It oversees the general well-being and performance of your site in relation to Google search. This tool keeps tabs on the keywords for which your website is currently achieving rankings, allowing you to assess your position and identify which keywords merit optimization or targeting. Utilize this valuable information to enhance your content.
Consider Search Intent
Nowadays, understanding search intent is paramount to attracting your target customers to your website.
In the past, Google’s algorithm placed a premium on keyword placement and the quantity of backlinks pointing to your site. This is why much of the keyword research advice advocated the use of long-tail keywords. However, as low-quality backlinks and keyword-stuffed content proliferated, Google’s algorithm evolved to prioritize semantics, intent, and relevance. Consequently, keyword research strategies had to adapt accordingly.
Nevertheless, some SEO practitioners may still disregard the importance of search intent, which happens to be one of the most significant SEO blunders one can make. Neglecting search intent can result in webpages ranking for inappropriate keywords or attracting an audience that doesn’t align with your goals. Both scenarios translate into missed opportunities and squandered resources.
In e-commerce keyword research, you can discern keyword intent by examining hints such as specific identifier words or the types of e-commerce pages associated with them. For instance, informational keywords are often linked to blog or FAQ pages, while commercial keywords tend to be connected to product pages. Alternatively, you can streamline the process by using a keyword intent tool like Semrush, which can automatically categorize intent.
Another approach to measuring keyword intent in the e-commerce context is by analyzing the cost-per-click (CPC) metric within your preferred keyword research tool.
Informational Intent: Individuals in search of answers typically engage in informational searches. These inquiries typically do not result in immediate sales but represent potential customers at the initial stages of their buying journey or at the top of the sales funnel. Such keywords can frequently be discovered on:
- The homepage.
- FAQ pages.
- Blog pages.
According to Google’s Search Quality Rater guidelines, keywords associated with informational intent are categorized as “I want to know” search intent. They typically address questions like:
- How.
- How to.
- What to.
- Where to.
Optimizing your content for informational intent offers the additional advantage of positioning your content for the coveted featured snippet (position zero) in relation to your target keywords.
Featured snippets are displayed prominently at the top of a search engine results page (SERP), even if your site is not otherwise competitive with the domains currently ranking for this type of content.
Informational intent keywords are particularly valuable for establishing yourself as an authority, which holds special significance when promoting informational products such as online courses and ebooks.
Commercial Intent: Commercial searches occupy a space between informational and transactional queries, typically employed by searchers situated midway through the sales funnel. At this stage, potential customers are acquainted with your product but have not yet committed to it. They engage in further exploration, comparing product attributes and pricing, while also seeking out complimentary offers, trials, or discounts.
Certain keyword indicators for this intent category include terms like:
- Compare.
- For men.
- For women.
- Alternative.
- Review.
- Best.
To optimize content for these keywords, it’s essential to craft material that persuades potential customers of your superiority over competitors. You can incorporate these keywords into listicles, comparative articles, and product reviews.
Navigational Intent: Navigational searches are initiated by users seeking a particular brand, website, company, or geographic location. For instance, when individuals seek a website, they often opt for a speedy Google search rather than manually entering the URL.
Navigational intent keywords are strongly used in e-commerce. Nonetheless, from a marketing standpoint, securing a presence in the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) for your brand can hold significance. However, it’s essential to remain attentive to any search trends that could potentially lead to an unfavourable user experience.
Transactional Intent: Transactional searches, often referred to as high commercial intent keywords, indicate a strong inclination on the part of the searcher to take concrete action. This action could encompass making an inquiry, completing a purchase, or even simply gathering information that could potentially lead to a future sale.
Examples of transactional intent keywords encompass terms like:
- Sale.
- For sale.
- Buy.
- Where to buy.
- Discount.
- Coupon.
- Price.
Additionally, transactional intent can manifest in various forms, including product keywords (e.g., “winter clothing,” “coffee maker”), branded keywords (e.g., “HubSpot,” “Ahrefs,” “Semrush”), and specific product names (e.g., “iPhone 13,” “Samsung S22,” “Macbook Air M2”). These all signify a clear inclination toward taking immediate action.
These transactional keywords are best utilized on product pages or pages where users can swiftly engage in a desired action. It’s also advisable to identify keyword opportunities through competitor analysis.
The Importance of Bottom Of Funnel Keywords In SEO for Brands
Furthermore, it’s prudent to keep an eye out for semantic or contextually relevant keywords, as these provide search engines with a deeper understanding of your page’s content. These keywords can be judiciously incorporated into product descriptions.
To tie it all together, a well-structured editorial calendar should be crafted, aligning with a strategy that optimizes for each type of intent, catering to your most important audience segments.
Importantly, the focus should extend beyond optimizing solely for transactional intent. By creating high-quality content that addresses various types of intent, you can construct a more comprehensive sales funnel that reaches individuals at diverse stages of the buyer’s journey.
Find Target Keywords
There are two approaches to finding your target keywords: conducting your independent research and delving into competitor analysis. I strongly recommend using both strategies.
To find a comprehensive list of keyword ideas for your online store, you can leverage Google’s tools such as Autocomplete, People Also Ask, and related searches. Additionally, consider exploring Amazon, the world’s largest e-commerce platform, as it can serve as a catalyst for your brainstorming efforts.
Once you’ve accumulated a list of keywords, embark on a refining process to select your primary keyword. Keep in mind that e-commerce keyword research entails numerous factors, necessitating the validation of your chosen keywords with data.
Tools like Ahrefs and Semrush prove invaluable for assessing:
- Search volume.
- Search relevance.
- Keyword difficulty.
- Search intent.
Once you’ve identified a few target keywords, explore the possibility of incorporating long-tail variations, particularly when developing product pages and blog content for your e-commerce website. While these queries may attract a smaller audience, they often consist of more determined consumers who possess a heightened purchasing intent.
Tools: Google Autocomplete, People Also Ask, and Related Search
When seeking long-tail keyword suggestions, Google Search’s built-in tools offer an excellent starting point. By combining insights from Google autocomplete and related searches with Surfer’s complimentary Keyword Surfer Google Chrome extension, you can access valuable data like estimated monthly search volume and cost per click (CPC).
Spy On Your Competitors
The final phase of e-commerce keyword research entails assessing your competition’s rankings. This step is important for measuring the level of effort required to secure a prominent position and for refining your keyword research strategy.
In the context of e-commerce, ranking anything less than first place directly equates to missed conversion opportunities. For instance, if you find yourself in second place while your competitor claims the top spot, you risk forfeiting half of the potential traffic for a particular query.
When conducting competitor research, pay close attention to the following factors:
- The specific keywords they are targeting.
- The number of backlinks they have acquired.
- The sources of their backlinks, whch can provide insights for potential guest posting and collaborative opportunities.
- The content’s subject matter, its quality, and any overlooked openings that you can capitalize on.
For comprehensive competitor research encompassing both SEO and PPC endeavours, the Semrush keyword tool stands out as one of the most effective options. It equips you with the means to dissect all the aforementioned components of the competitive landscape.
Semrush Keyword Tool
The Semrush keyword tool proves invaluable for tracking and investigating your e-commerce website. SEO professionals also hold it in high regard for its capacity to spy on competitors.
A great point of entry is its Domain Overview feature.
Simply input a URL, and the Semrush keyword tool will furnish you with a range of metrics, including:
- Organic search volume.
- Historical organic traffic trends.
- Paid search volume.
- Count of backlinks.
- Referring domains and IP addresses.
- Traffic distribution by geographic channels.
These statistics are accessible for both desktop and mobile searches, encompassing Google’s indexes in various countries. Additionally, you have the capability to conduct regional searches tailored to the specific areas you cater to.
Semrush goes a step further by providing a compilation of related keywords and phrase match keywords. These are variations of the keywords users enter into the search bar, aiding in the identification of websites closely aligned with yours, based on shared organic keywords. This feature proves especially valuable when you’re uncertain about your closest competitors.
Furthermore, Semrush offers a tool enabling you to view common and unique keywords for up to 5 domains. Additionally, it provides a tool that measures the difficulty of ranking against keywords used by your competitors.
But Semrush’s offerings don’t stop there. It also boasts the Keyword Magic Tool, which grants you access to an extensive pool of over 2 million keyword ideas.
In essence, Semrush functions as an all-encompassing solution for competitor analysis. However, it’s worth noting that Ahrefs also offers numerous similar features if you prefer to stick with a single monthly SEO tool subscription.
Ideally, you should consider experimenting with both before making a final decision based on which aligns best with your specific requirements.
In Conclusion
Conducting thorough keyword research for your e-commerce business is a fundamental step in shaping your SEO strategy. When executed effectively, it not only assists in identifying appropriate keywords but also offers valuable guidance on which tactics and strategies to implement within your e-commerce store.
Would you like to read more about the guide to keyword research for E-commerce Websites related articles? If so, we invite you to take a look at our other tech topics before you leave!
Use our Internet marketing service to help you rank on the first page of SERP.
