January 29, 2025
When it comes to driving traffic to your eCommerce store, the keywords you target can make or break your success. The right keywords connect your products with the people searching for them, driving organic traffic that converts into sales.
But how do you find those perfect keywords? Whether you're launching a new online store or refining your SEO strategy, this guide will walk you through the essentials of eCommerce keyword research. You’ll learn how to uncover valuable search terms, optimize your product pages, and avoid common mistakes that could harm your rankings.
Let’s dive in and explore how strategic keyword selection can give your eCommerce brand a competitive edge.
Why Keyword Research Is Crucial for eCommerce SEO
Keyword research is the foundation of any successful eCommerce SEO strategy. Without it, you risk targeting the wrong audience or missing out on high-converting traffic. Here’s why it’s so important:
Matches Search Intent with Your Products
Effective keyword research ensures that your products appear in front of the right customers. For example, a user searching for “affordable leather jackets” is likely further along in their buying journey than someone searching for “how leather jackets are made.”
By aligning your keywords with search intent, you’ll attract visitors who are more likely to convert into paying customers.
Drives Organic Traffic Without Relying on Paid Ads
While paid advertising is a powerful tool, it’s not always sustainable for long-term growth. Keywords with high search volume and manageable competition can consistently drive organic traffic, reducing your dependency on paid campaigns.
Improves Product Discoverability
For eCommerce websites, most traffic doesn’t come to the homepage—it comes to product and category pages. Keywords help these pages rank higher in search results, increasing the likelihood that customers will discover your products.
Enhances Content Strategy
Keyword research doesn’t just benefit product pages—it also informs your content marketing efforts. By identifying questions and topics your audience cares about, you can create blog posts, guides, and FAQs that drive traffic and establish authority in your niche.
Provides a Competitive Advantage
Staying ahead in the competitive eCommerce landscape means understanding what keywords your competitors are targeting—and finding gaps they’ve overlooked. By analyzing their strategies, you can carve out opportunities to differentiate your brand.
Learn more about the importance of eCommerce SEO in our Complete Guide to eCommerce SEO.
How to Conduct eCommerce Keyword Research
Conducting thorough keyword research is the cornerstone of a successful eCommerce SEO strategy. Here’s a step-by-step approach to uncover the best keywords for your store:
Using Tools to Find Keywords
Keyword research tools can simplify the process of discovering high-value search terms for your eCommerce brand. Here are some of the most effective tools:
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Google Keyword Planner
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A free and beginner-friendly tool to identify keywords with high search volume and low competition. Use it to generate ideas based on your products or services.
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Ahrefs
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A robust SEO tool that provides insights into keyword difficulty, search volume, and competitor analysis. Its “Content Gap” feature shows keywords your competitors rank for that you’re missing.
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SEMrush
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Offers keyword suggestions, traffic estimates, and a competitive overview. Use it to identify transactional keywords relevant to your niche.
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Ubersuggest
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A cost-effective tool for finding keyword ideas, related phrases, and content suggestions. It’s especially useful for smaller budgets.
Pro Tip: Start by analyzing your competitors’ sites with tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to see what keywords they’re ranking for. This can help you discover valuable opportunities for your own store.
Long-Tail Keywords for eCommerce Success
While high-volume keywords like “women’s sneakers” are valuable, they are often highly competitive. That’s where long-tail keywords come in. These are more specific, lower-competition phrases that attract highly targeted traffic.
Why Long-Tail Keywords Matter:
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Higher Conversion Rates: Visitors searching for long-tail keywords are often further along in their buying journey. For example, someone searching for “best eco-friendly running shoes” has clear purchase intent.
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Lower Competition: Long-tail keywords are easier to rank for because fewer websites target them.
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Improved Relevance: They allow you to tailor your content to niche audiences, making your site more relevant to their needs.
How to Find Long-Tail Keywords:
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Autocomplete Suggestions: Use Google’s autocomplete feature to find popular long-tail variations of your primary keywords.
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“People Also Ask” Boxes: Check the “People Also Ask” section on Google search results to find related questions and phrases.
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Answer the Public: A free tool that generates common search queries in question form, perfect for understanding customer intent.
Example of Long-Tail Keywords:
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Primary Keyword: “women’s running shoes”
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Long-Tail Keywords:
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“best women’s running shoes for beginners”
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“lightweight women’s running shoes under $100”
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“eco-friendly women’s running shoes for marathon training”
By targeting these specific phrases, you’ll increase your chances of reaching ready-to-buy customers while minimizing competition.
Learn how to use these keywords effectively in our guide Optimizing Product Pages for SEO.
Optimizing Product Pages with the Right Keywords
Your product pages are the lifeblood of your eCommerce store—and properly optimizing them with the right keywords is essential for driving organic traffic and increasing conversions. Here’s how to implement keywords effectively across your product pages:
Use Keywords in Product Titles
Your product title is one of the first elements search engines and users see. Include your primary keyword naturally while keeping the title descriptive and engaging.
Example:
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Instead of: “Yoga Mat - Green”
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Use: “Non-Slip Eco-Friendly Yoga Mat - Green | Perfect for Home Workouts”
Write Unique Product Descriptions
Avoid using generic or manufacturer-provided descriptions, as they often result in duplicate content issues. Instead, craft unique, keyword-rich descriptions that highlight the product’s benefits and features.
Tips for Optimizing Descriptions:
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Include your primary keyword naturally in the first 100 words.
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Use secondary keywords and related phrases throughout the description.
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Focus on customer benefits: Why should they buy this product?
Example:
“For yoga enthusiasts who value sustainability, this eco-friendly yoga mat is made from non-toxic materials and features a non-slip surface for stability during workouts. Perfect for home practice or the gym, this lightweight mat is easy to carry and maintain.”
Optimize Image Alt Text and File Names
Search engines can’t “see” images, so optimizing alt text and file names helps them understand your content while improving accessibility.
Best Practices:
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Rename image files with descriptive keywords (e.g., “eco-friendly-yoga-mat.jpg”).
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Write alt text that describes the image and includes keywords naturally (e.g., “Green eco-friendly yoga mat with non-slip surface for stability”).
Incorporate Keywords in Meta Titles and Descriptions
Meta titles and descriptions are key for attracting clicks from search results. Ensure each product page has a unique, keyword-optimized meta title and description.
Example:
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Meta Title: “Eco-Friendly Yoga Mat – Non-Slip, Lightweight & Durable”
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Meta Description: “Shop eco-friendly yoga mats designed for stability and comfort. Perfect for home workouts, with non-toxic materials and a non-slip surface.”
Leverage Customer Reviews
Encourage customers to leave reviews, which often contain natural variations of keywords. User-generated content like this can boost your SEO while building trust with new visitors.
Example:
“This mat is incredible! The non-slip surface makes it perfect for hot yoga, and I love that it’s made from eco-friendly materials.”
Use Keywords in Internal Links
When linking to product pages from category pages, blog posts, or related products, use keyword-rich anchor text.
Example:
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Instead of: “Click here”
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Use: “Explore our collection of eco-friendly yoga mats.”
If you need expert guidance on implementing these techniques, explore our guide on SEO Services for eCommerce Websites.
Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing eCommerce Keywords
Even with the best intentions, choosing the wrong keywords can undermine your SEO efforts and limit your eCommerce store’s growth. To ensure your keyword strategy delivers the results you need, avoid these common mistakes:
1. Targeting Only High-Volume Keywords
The Mistake: Focusing exclusively on high-volume keywords without considering competition or relevance.
Why It’s a Problem: These keywords are highly competitive, making it harder for your pages to rank, especially if you’re competing against established brands.
How to Avoid It:
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Balance your strategy with long-tail keywords, which are less competitive and often have higher conversion rates.
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For example, instead of targeting “running shoes,” focus on “best trail running shoes for beginners.”
2. Ignoring Search Intent
The Mistake: Choosing keywords that don’t align with what your target audience is looking for.
Why It’s a Problem: You’ll attract traffic that doesn’t convert because your content or product pages don’t match what users expect.
How to Avoid It:
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Evaluate search intent for each keyword:
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Informational: “What are the best running shoes for flat feet?”
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Transactional: “Buy running shoes for flat feet online.”
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Focus on transactional and commercial intent keywords for product pages, while using informational intent keywords for blog content.
3. Overlooking Long-Tail Keywords
The Mistake: Relying solely on short-tail keywords without incorporating long-tail variations.
Why It’s a Problem: Short-tail keywords are too broad and competitive, while long-tail keywords are more specific and attract qualified traffic.
How to Avoid It:
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Use tools like Ubersuggest or Answer the Public to find long-tail keyword ideas.
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For example, instead of “yoga mats,” use “non-slip yoga mats for hot yoga.”
4. Neglecting Seasonal and Trending Keywords
The Mistake: Using the same keywords year-round without accounting for seasonality or trends.
Why It’s a Problem: You miss out on traffic spikes tied to specific seasons, holidays, or viral trends.
How to Avoid It:
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Research seasonal keywords ahead of time, such as “Christmas gifts for runners” or “summer workout gear.”
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Use tools like Google Trends to monitor keyword popularity over time.
5. Failing to Monitor and Update Keywords
The Mistake: Sticking with the same keyword list indefinitely.
Why It’s a Problem: Search trends evolve, and failing to adapt means your SEO strategy may become outdated.
How to Avoid It:
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Regularly review your keyword performance using tools like Google Search Console or Ahrefs.
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Update your strategy to incorporate new terms, especially as your product catalog expands.
6. Keyword Stuffing
The Mistake: Overloading your content with keywords in an unnatural way.
Why It’s a Problem: Search engines penalize keyword stuffing, and it creates a poor user experience that drives visitors away.
How to Avoid It:
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Use keywords naturally within your content. Focus on readability and providing value rather than forcing keywords into every sentence.
7. Not Considering Local Keywords
The Mistake: Ignoring location-specific keywords if you have a physical presence or offer regional services.
Why It’s a Problem: You miss opportunities to rank for searches like “buy running shoes in Los Angeles.”
How to Avoid It:
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Include location-based keywords in your strategy, especially if you have a local brick-and-mortar store or ship regionally.
By avoiding these common keyword mistakes, you’ll ensure that your eCommerce SEO efforts are targeted, effective, and aligned with your audience’s needs.
To learn more about how keyword research fits into your broader SEO strategy, visit our Complete Guide to eCommerce SEO.
Build a Winning SEO Keyword Strategy
Choosing the right keywords for your eCommerce brand isn’t just about driving traffic—it’s about connecting with the right audience, improving discoverability, and ultimately increasing sales. By conducting thorough keyword research, optimizing your product pages, and avoiding common mistakes, you’ll set your store up for long-term SEO success.
Remember, the most effective keyword strategy is one that evolves with your business. Keep refining your approach by monitoring search trends, analyzing performance, and adapting to your customers’ needs. As your eCommerce site grows, your keyword strategy should grow with it, helping you capture new opportunities and stay competitive in an ever-changing market.
Next Steps:
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Start with a keyword research tool to identify opportunities for your products.
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Optimize your product pages using the tips outlined in this guide.
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Revisit the Complete Guide to eCommerce SEO for a comprehensive strategy that covers every aspect of SEO.
With a thoughtful and well-executed approach to keyword research, your eCommerce brand can achieve better rankings, attract more qualified traffic, and build a loyal customer base.
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