Ecommerce Keyword Research Guide: Tips and Strategies for 2025

Having trouble getting your ecommerce store in front of the right customers?

You’re not alone. With millions of online stores competing for clicks, showing up in search results requires a solid SEO strategy—and it all starts with the right keywords.

This guide explains everything you need to know about keyword research for ecommerce—how to find, analyze, and use keywords that drive traffic and sales.

What is ecommerce keyword research?

Ecommerce keyword research is the process of finding and analyzing the search queries people use when looking for products online. The goal is to find the most relevant terms and add them to your store’s content such as product pages, category pages, and blog posts.

This increases your site’s chances of appearing in search results for those queries and driving more visitors and sales.

Let’s say you run an online store specializing in home office equipment. A potential buyer might search for “heavy duty monitor arm” on Google:

If your website is optimized for that phrase, you’ll have a better chance of ranking in search results and attracting ready-to-buy shoppers (like the listings shown in the screenshot above).

By knowing what people are already searching for, you can tailor your pages and content to match their intent and drive more sales.

Why is keyword research important in ecommerce?

In ecommerce, every search represents a potential sale. Keyword research helps you understand what your customers are looking for and how they search for it.

When done right, keyword research does the following:

Drives high-intent traffic to your store

Keyword research helps you identify search terms with high buying intent. 

“There’s a big difference between someone typing ’hospital bed’ and someone searching ’best home hospital bed for elderly with arthritis.’ The first could be anyone—perhaps a student working on a project. The second is almost definitely a caregiver ready to buy,” says Kyle Sobko, CEO at SonderCare. 

By targeting high-intent keywords like these, you attract shoppers who are actively looking to make a purchase, not just browsing.

Improves your product visibility

If you sell eco-friendly water bottles, optimizing your product listings with relevant terms like “BPA-free water bottle” or “reusable gym bottle with straw” helps you appear in more specific and relevant searches.

Guides your content strategy

Keyword data helps you plan content that matches your audience’s search queries. For example, if you notice consistent monthly searches for “running shoes for flat feet,” you could create:

• A product comparison highlighting the top five running shoes for this condition, featuring your product
• A guide on how to choose the right running shoes for flat feet
• A product category page optimized for the keyword, featuring your bestselling options

You can promote these pages using platforms like Google Ads or Meta Ads to drive sales.

Reveals market demand

Keyword trends show what people care about and what they’re willing to pay for. A spike in searches for “collagen supplements for skin” may signal growing demand in that niche.

Reduces ad spend waste

Running ads without proper keyword research can quickly deplete your budget. 

“I use Google Ads to test which terms and landing pages bring in the best conversion rates, so I don’t waste time optimizing for keywords that might bring visitors but don’t drive sales,” says Victor André Enselmann, founder and SEO strategist at Modeva. “In my experience, long-tail queries like ’noise-cancelling headphones under $200’ tend to have better conversion rates because they capture more specific intent. Whereas broad terms like ’headphones’ generate more traffic but can also attract a lot of window shoppers.”

Ecommerce keyword research: the basics

Before you start researching keywords, understand these key concepts. They’ll help you identify which terms are worth targeting—and why.

Search intent

Search intent is the reason behind a user’s search query. Understanding intent helps you target the right keywords on the right pages. There are four main types:

Focus on keywords that are commercially relevant for your store—ones that will drive sales when you rank for them.

Keyword specificity

• Seed (short-tail) keywords: These broad terms have high search volume and high competition. Since their intent is unclear, they typically have lower conversion rates. Use these for broad category pages (like “shoes,” “coffee,” or “laptops”).
• Long-tail keywords: These specific phrases (like “waterproof hiking boots for men” or “fair trade organic coffee beans”) have lower search volume but less competition and clearer intent. They usually convert better. Use these for product pages and specific sub-category pages.

Read more: Long-Tail Keywords Strategy for Ecommerce SEO

Keyword metrics

Consider these two key metrics when deciding if a keyword is worth targeting:

• Search volume: The average number of monthly searches for a keyword. This indicates potential traffic.
• Keyword difficulty: An estimate of how competitive it is to rank for that keyword.

Ideally, look for keywords with high search volume and low competition. But the reality is more nuanced.

A high-volume keyword might seem attractive but could be too competitive for a new store. Meanwhile, a low-volume, long-tail keyword might bring fewer visitors, but those shoppers are often closer to purchasing.

Along with search volume and competition, consider search intent, relevance, and your site’s authority when analyzing which keywords are feasible for your store.

Keyword categories

Common ecommerce keyword categories include:

• Product keywords: Relate directly to specific items you sell (like “sony wh-1000x headphones” or “levi’s 501 jeans”).
• Category keywords: Describe the types of products you offer (like “noise cancelling headphones” or “men’s jeans”).
• Brand keywords: Include your brand name or competitor brands (like “[Your brand] running shoes” or “alternatives to [competitor brand]”).
• Problem/solution keywords: Terms people search when looking for solutions your products provide (like “shoes for flat feet” or “quietest coffee grinder”).

This classification helps you map keywords to the right pages and structure your site effectively.

How to do keyword research for ecommerce businesses

1. Brainstorm seed keywords for your niche
2. Expand your keyword list
3. Prioritize keywords based on keyword data
4. Map keywords to different content types
5. Create a content calendar
6. Use AI tools to predict emerging trends
7. Keep updating your keyword list

Here’s the step-by-step process:

1. Brainstorm seed keywords for your niche

This initial brainstorm helps define the scope of your research and ensures you don’t miss major product areas or different ways customers might search for what you sell.

Here’s how to get started:

• Make a list of broad terms related to your products and categories (like “running shoes,” “organic tea,” or “handmade jewelry”). 
• Outline key features (like “waterproof shoes”), benefits (like “fat burning tea”), and use cases (like “study table lamp”) of your products. Also identify the problems your products solve (like “anti-slip gym shoes”).
• Think like your customer. How would they search? Consider synonyms, related terms, and different ways to describe your products. Someone might search for “gym shoes” instead of “training shoes.”

Now you have a foundation of seed terms and topics directly related to your ecommerce business, which sets you up for the next step.

2. Expand your keyword list

Use your seed keywords to find relevant keyword ideas related to your niche with these techniques:

Use ecommerce keyword research tools

Keyword research tools help you find variations, gauge search demand, and evaluate competition. 

Start with Keyword Planner—a free tool within Google Ads. While it’s primarily designed for paid search campaigns or search engine marketing, you can also use it for your organic search (SEO) efforts. 

Enter a seed keyword into the tool. It will generate a list of related keywords along with metrics such as average monthly searches and competition (more on this later).

For more thorough keyword research, use professional SEO tools like Ahrefs or Semrush. They provide deeper insights on search volume, keyword difficulty, trend data, search engine results page (SERP) features, and competitor information.

Here’s a snapshot of related keywords and their metrics from Semrush’s Keyword Magic Tool:

You can also learn about your competitors’ SEO and keyword strategy using these tools. 

For example, if you’re an organic pet supplies brand and your main competitor is Only Natural Pet, enter their website URL into Semrush’s Domain Overview tool to find the keywords driving their product and category page traffic.

Collect the relevant keywords from all these reports and add them to your list.

Read more: How to Run a Competitor Keyword Analysis

Go through customer conversations

One of the most effective ways to identify high-impact keywords is by listening to your customers. They often tell you exactly which search terms they use.

Look for recurring terms, pain points, or descriptive phrases in these places:

• Product reviews
• Q&A sections
• Support tickets
• Live chat transcripts
• Emails
• Social media comments
• Customer support and sales calls

For example, if multiple reviews mention “fits well for wide feet,” that could be a keyword worth targeting.

“An underrated tactic we find useful is analyzing customer-generated content for keyword ideas,” says Teresha Aird, director of search marketing at Custom Neon. “These sources reveal the different languages customers use when describing our products, their uses, or problems, often uncovering long-tail keywords that standard tools may miss. For example, analyzing reviews might show phrases like ‘custom neon sign for gaming room’ that reflect specific intent and can be targeted for high-conversion pages.”

Explore search engine features

Finally, explore these Google features to find additional queries, phrases, and questions related to your seed keyword:

• Autocomplete: Start typing your main keyword and note the suggestions Google offers.

• People Also Ask (PAA): You can target these common question keywords in your blog posts and FAQs.

• People also search for (PASF): You’ll see these suggestions at the bottom of search results. They show other related topics people commonly explore.

Collect all the relevant keyword ideas you find from above tools and sources and add them to your keyword list.

3. Prioritize keywords based on keyword data

Next, use keyword data to focus on terms that are both relevant for your business and realistic to rank for based on your website’s domain authority.

Analyze keywords based on these key factors:

Relevance

This is the most important factor. Does the keyword align with a specific product, category, or content on the page you’re planning to optimize? 

If you run an online office furniture store, ranking for “best single beds for small rooms” won’t benefit your business—even if it brings traffic. That traffic won’t connect with what you sell. Make sure your target keywords directly relate to your products.

Search intent

Does user intent align with the goal of your target page? For example, someone searching for “best laptop backpacks under $200” is likely looking to compare options, not buy immediately. That’s what search results reflect:

To rank for this keyword, a product comparison post would work better than a product page.

Search volume and keyword difficulty

Find a balance between these factors. A high-volume keyword like “mountain bike” might seem attractive, but if your website is new and the keyword is highly competitive, ranking for it would be challenging.

A long-tail keyword like “mountain bike under 1000” with moderate volume and low difficulty could bring in highly targeted, ready-to-buy visitors:

“One factor I always consider is business intent alignment,” says Marcus Clarke, owner and lead SEO at Searchant. “A keyword might have great volume and low difficulty, but if it doesn’t align with what we sell or the stage the user is in, it’s a distraction. I also look at SERP behavior. Does Google show shopping ads, local packs, or forums? That tells me a lot about user intent and whether we can compete meaningfully.”

Consider all these factors when prioritizing your target keywords to improve your ranking chances and attract qualified traffic. 

4. Map keywords to different content types

Think of each page on your site as a solution to a specific user query. Your goal is to match each keyword (or group of related keywords) with the most relevant page type based on search intent.

Use this table to understand how to assign keywords to different content types:

Assign one primary keyword and a few secondary/related keywords to each important page on your website (your home page, category pages, product pages, and relevant blog posts). Make sure the assigned keywords align with the page’s content and purpose.

5. Create a content calendar

Once you’ve mapped keywords to content types, schedule your content production. A content calendar helps you:

• Cover keywords across different intent levels (informational, commercial, transactional)
• Align content with product launches, seasonal campaigns, or events
• Publish consistently to build SEO momentum and audience trust

Your content calendar should include:

• Date of publication: When the content will go live
• Platform/channel: Where it will be published (blog, Facebook, YouTube, etc.)
• Content format: The type of content (blog post, video, infographic)
• Topic/title: The title or subject of the content
• Target audience: Who the content is for
• Owner: The person responsible for creating it
• Status: Progress tracking (Planned, In Progress, Ready for Review, Published)
• Keywords: The terms you’re targeting for each piece
• Call to action: What you want readers to do (subscribe to newsletter, visit website, etc.)

Here’s an example content calendar for an ecommerce sports store:

6. Use AI tools to predict emerging trends

AI tools can help you spot keyword trends before they peak. These tools analyze search patterns, social conversations, and content engagement data to find keywords that are just starting to gain traction.

For example:

• Exploding Topics and Google Trends can show rising interest in terms weeks before they go mainstream.
• Tools like GWI Spark and Trendalytics can automate your market research and identify emerging product trends.
• AI assistants like ChatGPT or Gemini can help you brainstorm trending phrases based on new product categories or consumer behavior shifts.

By identifying these early stage keywords, you can create content, optimize listings, or launch products that ride the trend—not chase it after it’s saturated.

“I use AI to simulate buyer personas,” explains Marcus. “I prompt ChatGPT with a customer profile: ‘You’re a 35-year-old golfer looking for waterproof trousers in the UK’ and ask what they’d search for, how they’d phrase questions, and what objections they might have. It gives me more natural, high-intent phrases than most keyword tools, especially for long-tails. I still cross-check with data from traditional tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush, but AI helps me uncover the why behind the search.”

7. Keep updating your keyword list

Keyword research isn’t a one-time task. Search behavior changes. New competitors enter the market. Product lines evolve. You need to update your keyword list regularly to stay competitive and capture new ranking opportunities.

“We revisit our keyword strategy quarterly for a full audit and make monthly tweaks based on performance data,” says Teresha. “If a page’s rankings or conversions drop (tracked via Google Search Console/Analytics), we re-evaluate keywords for relevance or competition.”

Track your keyword rankings regularly and monitor the traffic they bring using tools like Google Search Console and Google Analytics. Keep adding relevant keywords to your list as you discover them.

How to optimize your website with ecommerce keywords

To help your site rank higher in search engines and attract more qualified traffic, place your target keywords in these strategic locations:

• Product titles and descriptions: Incorporate primary keywords naturally into product titles, descriptions, and specifications. This helps search engines understand what each product page is about and its relevance to search queries.
• Category pages: Use broad, high-intent keywords in category names and descriptions to organize your site and improve navigation for both shoppers and search engines.
• Headings (H1, H2, H3): Include target keywords in your main heading and subheadings. This helps search engines understand your page content better and improves user experience.
• Meta titles and meta descriptions: Write unique meta titles and descriptions featuring your target keywords. This improves click-through rates from search results.
• URLs: Create clean, descriptive URLs that include relevant keywords for each page.
• Image alt text and file names: Use your target keywords in image file names and alt text to improve SEO and accessibility.
• Internal links and navigation: Link related products and categories using keyword-rich anchor text. This helps distribute link equity and guides users to relevant pages.

“In early 2023, our product page ‘Aura Premium Hospital Bed’ wasn’t converting like it used to,” explains Kyle. “Traffic numbers were fine, but fewer people were taking action. 

“After reviewing transcripts from customer support calls and emails, one phrase kept showing up: ‘hospital bed for elderly parents with arthritis.’ That wording wasn’t used anywhere on the page, so we rewrote the product description, added that exact phrase in the title, and included a section explaining how the bed supports people with arthritis, especially around stiffness and mobility. 

“After those changes, the page began pulling in long-tail searches we hadn’t ranked for before. Conversions nearly doubled within a few weeks.”

Your keyword research process determines your progress

Your search engine optimization efforts are only as effective as your process. Most store owners, especially when starting out and short on time, don’t have a proper process in place.

Maybe that was you before, but now you have a game plan. To improve your overall SEO marketing strategy, check out our SEO checklist.