Why Ecommerce Keyword Research Is Different
Standard keyword research advice focuses on informational content. Ecommerce keyword research is different because you need to balance three types of intent:
Getting this balance right determines whether your SEO efforts drive revenue or just vanity traffic.
Step 1: Map Keywords to Your Store Structure
Before researching specific keywords, understand where each type belongs:
| Page Type | Keyword Intent | Example |
| Product pages | Transactional | "buy handmade leather wallet" |
| Collection pages | Commercial | "men's leather wallets" |
| Blog posts | Informational / Commercial | "best wallet for front pocket" |
| Homepage | Brand + broad | "premium leather goods" |
Your Keyword Architecture
``
Homepage: Broad brand keyword
├── Collection: Category keyword
│ ├── Product: Specific product keyword
│ └── Product: Specific product keyword
├── Blog Post: Informational keyword --> links to collection
└── Blog Post: Commercial keyword --> links to products
`
Step 2: Find Your Seed Keywords
Start with keywords you already know, then expand:
Source 1: Your Product Catalog
Write down what each product is, who it is for, and what problem it solves.
Example for a candle store:
Source 2: Google Search Console
If your store has been live for a few months, Search Console shows what queries are already driving impressions. Look for keywords where you rank on page 2 -- these are quick wins.
Source 3: Competitor Analysis
Find 3-5 competitors and analyze the keywords they rank for using Ahrefs or SEMrush. Focus on keywords where competitors rank but you do not.
Source 4: Amazon and Shopify Search
Type your product category into Amazon's search bar and note the autocomplete suggestions. These reflect real buyer language.
Step 3: Evaluate and Prioritize Keywords
Not all keywords are worth targeting. Evaluate each one on:
Search Volume
How many people search for this monthly. Ignore keywords with fewer than 50 searches unless they have very high purchase intent.
Keyword Difficulty (KD)
How hard it is to rank on page one. For newer stores (DR under 30), target keywords with a KD under 20.
Commercial Value
Does this keyword indicate someone is ready to buy? Prioritize keywords with commercial or transactional intent over purely informational ones.
Relevance
Does this keyword match products you actually sell? Ranking for an irrelevant term drives bounce traffic, not revenue.
Prioritization Matrix
| Priority | Volume | Difficulty | Intent | Action |
| High | 200+ | Under 15 | Transactional | Target on product/collection pages |
| High | 500+ | Under 20 | Commercial | Create a blog post or buying guide |
| Medium | 100-500 | Under 30 | Informational | Blog post with product links |
| Low | 50-100 | Under 10 | Informational | Blog post if related to products |
Step 4: Assign Keywords to Pages
Create a keyword map spreadsheet:
| Keyword | Volume | KD | Intent | Target Page | Status |
| soy candles | 12,000 | 35 | Commercial | /collections/soy-candles | Optimized |
| best soy candle brands | 1,200 | 12 | Commercial | Blog post | To write |
| vanilla soy candle | 800 | 8 | Transactional | /products/vanilla-soy-candle | To optimize |
| how to make soy candles | 6,500 | 15 | Informational | Blog post | To write |
Rules:
Step 5: Optimize Your Pages
For Product Pages
For Collection Pages
For Blog Posts
Use the ecommerce SEO audit to check your optimization across all pages.
Advanced Tactics
Find Content Gaps
Search your top 5 competitors in Ahrefs' Content Gap tool. It shows keywords they rank for that you do not -- these are immediate content opportunities.
Target "Best [Product] for [Use Case]" Keywords
These keywords have high commercial intent and moderate competition. Examples: "best candle for stress relief," "best laptop for graphic design," "best running shoes for flat feet."
Build Topic Clusters
Group related keywords into clusters and create interconnected content:
`
Pillar: "Complete Guide to Soy Candles"
├── "Soy vs Beeswax Candles"
├── "Best Soy Candle Scents"
├── "How Long Do Soy Candles Last"
└── "Soy Candle Care Tips"
``
Link every cluster post to the pillar and to each other.
Tools for Ecommerce Keyword Research
| Tool | Best For | Price |
| Ahrefs | Complete keyword data + competitor analysis | $99/mo |
| SEMrush | Keyword magic tool + position tracking | $129/mo |
| Google Search Console | Existing keyword performance (free) | Free |
| Google Keyword Planner | Search volume estimates | Free |
| Obsess AI | Automated keyword targeting in content | From $9/mo |
Your Action Plan
Want AI to handle content creation for your keyword targets? Try Obsess AI free for 7 days and generate optimized blog posts automatically.