Simple Guide For Ecommerce SEO Keyword Research in 2024

In the bustling world of eCommerce, where competition is fierce and customer attention spans are fleeting, standing out is no small feat. For brands navigating this digital landscape, being found by the right audience is crucial—this is where keyword research comes into play. At its core, keyword research is about understanding the language your potential customers use when they search for products or services online. It’s more than just a technical SEO task; it’s a way to get inside the minds of your audience, anticipating their needs, and speaking their language.

For eCommerce brands, effective keyword research is like having a map that guides your content, product descriptions, and marketing efforts directly to where your customers are. It’s about discovering the terms that resonate most with your target audience, the phrases that will lead them to your store, and the keywords that convert casual browsers into loyal customers. In this fast-paced environment, where every click counts, understanding keyword research isn’t just beneficial—it’s essential for growth and long-term success.

What Is Keyword Research?

Keyword research is the foundation of any successful eCommerce strategy. It involves identifying and analyzing the specific words and phrases that potential customers use when searching for products or information online. Think of it as the process of uncovering the digital breadcrumbs your audience leaves behind, allowing you to understand exactly what they’re looking for and how they’re searching for it.

In essence, keyword research helps you tap into the mindset of your customers. By knowing the exact terms they use, you can tailor your website content, product descriptions, blog posts, and even your advertising to match their needs. This alignment not only makes your site more relevant to search engines but also more appealing to the people who visit it. For eCommerce brands, keyword research is more than just finding popular search terms—it’s about connecting with your audience in a way that feels natural and intuitive, making it easier for them to discover and engage with your brand.

How Does Keyword Research Help With ECommerce Growth

Keyword research is a powerful driver of eCommerce growth because it bridges the gap between what your business offers and what your customers are searching for. By uncovering the exact terms and phrases that potential customers use when they’re ready to buy, you can strategically position your products and content to meet them at the perfect moment. This is about more than just getting eyes on your website—it’s about attracting the right eyes, the ones that are most likely to convert into sales.

For instance, imagine you run an online store that sells eco-friendly kitchen products. Through keyword research, you discover that a significant number of people are searching for “reusable silicone food bags.” By optimizing your product pages and blog content around this keyword, you can attract environmentally-conscious shoppers who are specifically looking for this product. As a result, your store appears in their search results, driving targeted traffic to your site.

For eCommerce brands, keyword research helps you understand market demand, allowing you to prioritize products and content that are in high demand. It also gives you insight into emerging trends, helping you stay ahead of the curve and tap into new opportunities before your competitors do. Moreover, by focusing on the right keywords, you can optimize your website for better search engine rankings, which translates into increased organic traffic.

But it’s not just about quantity—it’s about quality. Keyword research helps you attract visitors who are more likely to engage with your content and make a purchase, leading to higher conversion rates and ultimately, more revenue. In this way, keyword research isn’t just an SEO tactic; it’s a critical component of a growth strategy that fuels long-term success in the competitive eCommerce landscape.

How To Do Keyword Research

Keyword Research is one of the simpler research to do compare to the other tedious SEO tasks, you just have to follow these steps on Stevie AI if you do not yet have an SEO tool:

1. Head to Keyword Overview on Stevie AI
2. Type in the Keyword you'd like to research
3. Click "Generate"

Stevie will provide you with simple and easily-understandable data about the Keyword and other related ones to help with your research.

If you have any questions or are confused about anything during your Keyword Research, you can always ask Stevie about the data by clicking on "Chat for Insight" button and talk to Stevie.

You can use Stevie AI for free here: https://aicenter.ai/stevie

What Are The Key Data To Look At When Doing Keyword Research

When conducting keyword research, several key data points are essential for shaping a successful eCommerce strategy. Understanding these metrics allows you to prioritize the most effective keywords, ensuring your content reaches the right audience and drives growth. Here are the crucial data to focus on:

Search Volume

Search volume indicates how often a particular keyword or phrase is searched within a specific period, usually measured monthly. High search volume suggests a strong interest in that topic, making it a potential goldmine for traffic. However, it’s important to balance this with other factors, as high search volume often comes with increased competition.

For example, if you’re selling yoga mats, you might find that “yoga mats” has a very high search volume. While this keyword could bring in a lot of traffic, it might be highly competitive, so you’ll need to weigh the benefits of targeting it versus more specific terms.

Keyword Difficulty (KD)

Keyword difficulty, often abbreviated as KD, estimates how challenging it will be to rank for a specific keyword. This metric takes into account the strength of the competition—how well-established and optimized the competing pages are. A high KD score means it will be tough to rank on the first page of search results, especially for newer or smaller websites. Conversely, a lower KD score indicates an easier opportunity to gain visibility.

If your eCommerce site is relatively new, targeting keywords with lower KD might be a more strategic move. For instance, instead of targeting “yoga mats,” which might have a high KD, you could focus on a long-tail keyword like “eco-friendly yoga mats for beginners,” which might have a lower KD and be easier to rank for.

Cost Per Click (CPC)

Cost per click (CPC) is a metric often associated with paid search campaigns. It represents the average amount advertisers pay for each click on their ads for a specific keyword. While CPC is primarily relevant for pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, it also offers insights into the commercial value of a keyword. A higher CPC typically indicates that the keyword is competitive in the advertising space, suggesting it’s likely valuable and tied to strong purchasing intent.

For example, if “yoga mats” has a high CPC, it suggests that advertisers see a high potential for conversion from this keyword, making it a valuable term to consider in both your organic and paid search strategies.

Keyword Intent

Understanding keyword intent is crucial because it reveals the purpose behind a user’s search query. Keyword intent can be categorized into four main types:

• Informational Intent: Users with informational intent are looking for answers, explanations, or insights. They’re not necessarily ready to make a purchase but are gathering information. For example, someone searching for “how to choose a yoga mat” is likely in the research phase, seeking advice rather than looking to buy immediately.

• Navigational Intent: Navigational keywords are used when a user is trying to find a specific website or page. For example, if someone searches for “Amazon yoga mats,” they’re likely trying to navigate directly to Amazon’s website to browse yoga mats there. While this type of keyword intent is less about capturing new customers, it can be valuable for brand recognition and direct traffic.

• Transactional Intent: Transactional keywords indicate that the user is ready to make a purchase or take a specific action. These are high-value keywords for eCommerce businesses because they signal strong buying intent. An example would be “buy eco-friendly yoga mat.” Users with transactional intent are looking for a place to purchase a product, making them prime targets for conversion.

• Commercial Investigation Intent: Users with commercial investigation intent are comparing products or looking for reviews before making a purchase decision. They’re further along in the buying process than informational intent users but aren’t quite ready to buy yet. An example would be “best eco-friendly yoga mats.” These users are evaluating options, so providing comparison content or reviews can effectively capture their interest and guide them toward a purchase.

By focusing on these key data points—search volume, keyword difficulty, cost per click, and keyword intent—you can develop a robust keyword strategy that not only drives traffic but also attracts the right audience to your eCommerce site, increasing your chances of conversion and long-term success.

What To Do With Keyword Research Data

Once you’ve gathered your keyword research data, the next step is to strategically use this information to enhance your eCommerce presence. Keyword data is not just for understanding search trends; it’s a powerful tool that can guide content creation, optimize product pages, and improve overall SEO performance. Here’s how to make the most of your keyword research data:

Organize and Prioritize Your Keywords

Start by categorizing your keywords based on search intent, search volume, and difficulty. This will help you create a clear strategy for targeting each type of keyword. For example, you might prioritize high-intent, low-difficulty keywords that are more likely to convert, while keeping an eye on more competitive terms for future content efforts.

Create Content Around High-Value Keywords

One of the most effective ways to use keyword research data is to create content that directly targets your identified keywords. For example, if your research reveals that “eco-friendly yoga mats” is a keyword with significant search volume and reasonable competition, you could write a blog post titled “Top 10 Eco-Friendly Yoga Mats for Sustainable Living.” This not only targets the keyword but also provides valuable content that can attract and engage your target audience.

Optimize Product Pages

Use your keyword data to optimize your product pages. Incorporate your target keywords into product titles, descriptions, meta tags, and image alt text. This makes your products more discoverable to search engines and helps your pages rank higher in search results. For example, if you’re selling an eco-friendly yoga mat, you could include keywords like “eco-friendly yoga mat,” “sustainable yoga mat,” and “biodegradable yoga mat” throughout the product page to attract relevant traffic.

Develop Supporting Content

Beyond blog posts and product pages, consider creating supporting content like how-to guides, videos, and FAQs that address related keywords and user queries. This not only helps in capturing more search traffic but also builds your site’s authority on the topic. For instance, a video tutorial on “How to Care for Your Eco-Friendly Yoga Mat” can provide additional value to your customers while targeting keywords related to product care.

Monitor and Refine Your Strategy

Keyword research isn’t a one-time task. Regularly monitor the performance of your content and adjust your strategy based on what’s working. If certain keywords are driving significant traffic and conversions, consider creating more content around those themes. Use tools like Google Analytics 4 (GA4) to track the effectiveness of your keywords and content, making data-driven decisions to optimize your strategy continually.

Example: Writing Blogs

Let’s say your eCommerce store specializes in eco-friendly home products. Your keyword research identifies “zero waste kitchen tips” as a keyword with good search volume and moderate competition. To capitalize on this, you could write a blog titled “10 Zero Waste Kitchen Tips for a More Sustainable Home.” In this blog, you’d naturally incorporate the target keyword, provide actionable advice, and link to relevant products in your store, like reusable food wraps or compostable dish brushes. This not only helps you rank for the keyword but also drives traffic to your site and introduces readers to your products in a way that feels organic and helpful.

By strategically using your keyword research data to guide content creation, optimize product pages, and continuously refine your approach, you can build a robust SEO strategy that drives growth and strengthens your eCommerce brand’s online presence.

Once you’ve gathered your keyword research data, the next step is to strategically use this information to enhance your eCommerce presence. Keyword data is not just for understanding search trends; it’s a powerful tool that can guide content creation, optimize product pages, and improve overall SEO performance. Here’s how to make the most of your keyword research data:

Organize and Prioritize Your Keywords

Start by categorizing your keywords based on search intent, search volume, and difficulty. This will help you create a clear strategy for targeting each type of keyword. For example, you might prioritize high-intent, low-difficulty keywords that are more likely to convert, while keeping an eye on more competitive terms for future content efforts.

Create Content Around High-Value Keywords

One of the most effective ways to use keyword research data is to create content that directly targets your identified keywords. For example, if your research reveals that “eco-friendly yoga mats” is a keyword with significant search volume and reasonable competition, you could write a blog post titled “Top 10 Eco-Friendly Yoga Mats for Sustainable Living.” This not only targets the keyword but also provides valuable content that can attract and engage your target audience.

Optimize Product Pages

Use your keyword data to optimize your product pages. Incorporate your target keywords into product titles, descriptions, meta tags, and image alt text. This makes your products more discoverable to search engines and helps your pages rank higher in search results. For example, if you’re selling an eco-friendly yoga mat, you could include keywords like “eco-friendly yoga mat,” “sustainable yoga mat,” and “biodegradable yoga mat” throughout the product page to attract relevant traffic.

Develop Supporting Content

Beyond blog posts and product pages, consider creating supporting content like how-to guides, videos, and FAQs that address related keywords and user queries. This not only helps in capturing more search traffic but also builds your site’s authority on the topic. For instance, a video tutorial on “How to Care for Your Eco-Friendly Yoga Mat” can provide additional value to your customers while targeting keywords related to product care.

Monitor and Refine Your Strategy

Keyword research isn’t a one-time task. Regularly monitor the performance of your content and adjust your strategy based on what’s working. If certain keywords are driving significant traffic and conversions, consider creating more content around those themes. Use tools like Google Analytics 4 (GA4) to track the effectiveness of your keywords and content, making data-driven decisions to optimize your strategy continually.

Example: Writing Blogs

Let’s say your eCommerce store specializes in eco-friendly home products. Your keyword research identifies “zero waste kitchen tips” as a keyword with good search volume and moderate competition. To capitalize on this, you could write a blog titled “10 Zero Waste Kitchen Tips for a More Sustainable Home.” In this blog, you’d naturally incorporate the target keyword, provide actionable advice, and link to relevant products in your store, like reusable food wraps or compostable dish brushes. This not only helps you rank for the keyword but also drives traffic to your site and introduces readers to your products in a way that feels organic and helpful.

By strategically using your keyword research data to guide content creation, optimize product pages, and continuously refine your approach, you can build a robust SEO strategy that drives growth and strengthens your eCommerce brand’s online presence.

Conclusion

In conclusion, keyword research is more than just an SEO tactic—it’s a vital component of a successful eCommerce strategy. By understanding the language your customers use and the intent behind their searches, you can craft content and optimize your website to meet their needs at every stage of the buying journey. From identifying high-value keywords to creating targeted content and continuously refining your strategy, effective keyword research empowers you to attract the right audience, increase visibility, and drive growth.

By taking the time to analyze key data points like search volume, keyword difficulty, cost per click, and keyword intent, you can make informed decisions that align with your business goals. Whether you’re optimizing product pages or crafting engaging blog content, using keyword research data strategically ensures that your eCommerce brand stays relevant, competitive, and positioned for long-term success. In the fast-paced digital landscape, staying attuned to the search behaviors of your audience is key to unlocking new opportunities and achieving sustainable growth.