6 Key Steps to Excel in Ecommerce Keyword Research

Strategic e-commerce keyword research is essential for reaching the right audience and boosting business outcomes. A common challenge for many businesses is low traffic to key revenue pages. Companies can drive more qualified traffic and improve conversions by identifying and targeting transactional keywords.

A clear, structured framework can help identify valuable keywords efficiently, optimising marketing efforts without unnecessary spending.

The Importance of Ecommerce Keyword Research

Keyword research offers a window into how potential customers search, think, and purchase online.

These audience insights can inform multiple areas of ecommerce growth.

Understand the Buyer Journey

Effective keyword research aligns content with buyer intent. It uncovers the mindset and readiness of consumers at each stage.

For example, a search like “benefits of running” indicates an interest in education, while “best running shoes for flat feet” shows intent to compare products. Businesses can attract, engage, and convert the right audience by targeting keywords at different journey stages.

Discover Micro-Seasonal Trends

Peak shopping seasons are often saturated, but keyword analysis helps identify overlooked micro-seasonal trends. These lesser-known patterns can present low-competition, high-return opportunities if acted upon quickly.

Timing and geography play key roles. For example, “back to school” searches trend in the U.S. from July through August.
Online retailers can tap into such moments with timely keyword targeting based on location and season.

Validate Product Opportunities

Keyword data also offers a way to assess interest in new products or niches. Spikes in specific search queries often indicate rising consumer demands or shifting preferences.

For instance, increased interest in “plastic-free activewear” may indicate a growing market segment. Evaluating search volume and keyword intent can help identify new opportunities and reduce product development risks.

Types of Keywords to Prioritize in Ecommerce

Before diving into a keyword research strategy, it’s essential to understand the core keyword types that guide users through the buying funnel. While various keyword categories exist, five types are particularly impactful: informational, commercial, transactional, navigational, and long-tail keywords.

Informational

Informational keywords target users in the early stages of their journey. These queries often revolve around learning or problem-solving and help increase brand visibility.

Examples include:

• How to choose running shoes
• Best skincare routine for oily skin
• Budget-friendly styling tips for small living room

Commercial

Commercial keywords indicate that a shopper is evaluating options. These queries are typically used to compare products and assess features before making a decision.

Examples include:

• Best laptops for gamers
• Top-rated eco-friendly winter jacket

Transactional

Transactional keywords show a clear buying intent. Users are ready to purchase and use language that signals immediate action, often including pricing or terms like “buy.”

Examples include:

• Running shoes under $100
• Buy a memory foam mattress
• Buy noise-cancelling headphones

These three keyword types align closely with the ecommerce funnel and play distinct roles in guiding conversions.

Navigational

Navigational keywords find a specific brand, product, or website. They reflect a user’s familiarity with that brand or product line.

Examples include:

• Peloton treadmill
• Zara winter collection sale
• Lululemon Align leggings size chart

Long-Tail Keywords

Long-tail keywords are more detailed search queries that cater to niche interests or particular product needs. Though lower in volume, they often reflect high intent and conversion potential.

Examples include:

• Top-rated camping tents for families with kids
• Affordable stainless steel cookware sets for small kitchens
• Best organic baby food brands for sensitive stomachs

How to Conduct Effective Ecommerce Keyword Research

The traditional method of purchasing a keyword tool, searching for high-volume queries, and placing them on landing pages is no longer practical for e-commerce success. This outdated tactic can waste both time and resources. Instead, follow a structured 6-step process designed to uncover keywords that attract qualified traffic and contribute directly to sales growth.

Step 1: Identify Core Terms and Customer Language

Before using a keyword tool, understanding how customers describe products is essential. There is often a gap between brand terminology and buyer search behavior. This gap can be narrowed by:

• Reviewing product reviews to find recurring language.
• Analyzing support tickets and FAQs for customer concerns.
• Monitoring social media comments for user phrasing.
• Tracking on-site searches to reveal exact user queries.

Step 2: Build a Broad List of Seed Keywords

Many ecommerce sites focus too narrowly on product-specific keywords. However, buyers use various terms based on their needs, preferences, and budget. Expanding seed keyword lists to include alternative names, product categories, and use cases can uncover untapped opportunities.

Example seed terms for “coffee maker” might include:

• Coffee maker
• Coffee brewer
• French press

Step 3: Categorize Keywords by Buyer Journey

Keywords vary in intent depending on where a shopper is in the funnel. Someone researching “how to set up a camping tent” seeks educational content, while a user searching for “buy lightweight camping stove” shows purchase intent. Matching content type to keyword intent increases engagement and conversions.

Step 4: Analyze Competitor Keyword Strategies

Evaluating competitor keywords reveals which terms are already driving traffic within your industry. Both direct and indirect competitors can offer insights into valuable opportunities. Tools like Semrush’s Keyword Gap feature allow comparison between multiple domains to identify high-ranking keywords others are targeting but your site may be missing.

Step 5: Prioritize Keywords Using Relevant Metrics

With a long list of keywords in hand, prioritize based on factors beyond just search volume. High-volume terms often come with high competition. Instead, target keywords with moderate search volume and clear intent. For instance, long-tail phrases like “best noise canceling headphones for airplanes” may offer higher conversion potential than broad terms like “wireless headphones.”

Step 6: Develop a Keyword-Driven Content Strategy

Every keyword should serve a defined purpose in the customer journey. Organize keyword clusters based on the funnel stage they address — from awareness to conversion. Align each group with suitable content types such as:

• Blog articles for informational intent
• Product pages for transactional queries
• Videos or comparison guides for commercial searches

Use your planning tool’s format columns to map content types accordingly.

2 Common Mistakes to Avoid in Ecommerce Keyword Research

Strong keyword research can still fall short if certain pitfalls aren’t avoided. Errors like keyword stuffing, targeting overly broad terms, or ignoring long-tail opportunities can limit SEO and sales performance. Below are two major issues to watch for:

Improper Keyword Mapping

Targeting similar keywords across multiple pages can lead to keyword cannibalization, where pages compete against each other in search results. This dilutes ranking potential and may confuse users by directing them to irrelevant pages. Avoid this by assigning each keyword to a specific intent and aligning it with the product hierarchy. For example:

• Use category pages for broad, commercial-intent terms like “camping tents.”
• Assign product pages to specific, transactional terms like “foldable 8-person cabin tent.”
• Reserve blog content for informational queries, such as “how to choose the right camping tent.”

Limiting Strategy to Only Transactional Keywords

Relying solely on transactional keywords is a common oversight in ecommerce SEO.

While a phrase like “buy board games for children under 10” may seem ideal, focusing only on such terms can result in missed opportunities across the full customer journey.

A more effective approach involves optimizing for various keyword types that guide users from discovery to purchase.

This includes:

• Informational queries such as “what are the top strategy board games”
• Commercial phrases like “best cooperative games”

Diversifying keyword strategy helps capture interest at different stages of the buying process.

Conclusion

In conclusion, an effective ecommerce keyword strategy involves targeting a variety of keyword types throughout the buyer journey. Relying only on transactional keywords limits potential traffic and growth. By incorporating informational and commercial keywords alongside transactional ones, brands can attract customers at every stage of the buying process. This holistic approach maximizes reach, drives sales, and enhances overall SEO performance.