Keyword Research for E-commerce

Transactional intent keywords, product vs category queries, comparison terms, and commercial keyword mapping.

Intent Types in E-commerce Keyword Research

E-commerce keywords fall into distinct categories, each targeting different shopper stages and requiring different page types:

• Product keywords: "red running shoes size 8 women's" — specific product searches targeting product pages
• Category keywords: "running shoes" — broad category queries targeting category pages
• Comparison keywords: "Nike vs Adidas running shoes" — queries seeking comparisons, targeting buying guides or blog content
• Use-case keywords: "best running shoes for marathon training" — queries seeking guidance, targeting editorial content
• Local purchase keywords: "running shoes store near me" — local intent, targeting location-based pages or Google Business Profile

Mismatching keyword intent to page type is a common mistake. Creating a product page for "best running shoes for flat feet" makes no sense — that keyword requires a buying guide, not a product showcase. Ranking a blog post for "women's running shoes size 8" fails to capture transactional intent — users want to buy, not read.

Building Your Keyword Map

Your keyword map is a matrix matching keywords to page types. For shoes:

• Product keywords → Individual product pages (5,000+ pages)
• Category keywords → Category pages (20-50 pages)
• Buying guide keywords → Blog posts or content hub (5-10 pages)
• Use-case keywords → Educational blog posts (10-15 pages)

This structure is scalable. With 1,000 products, you create 50 category pages. With 100 keywords for "what is," "how to," and "best," you create 100 blog posts. The math is manageable.

Tools and Sourcing for E-commerce Keywords

Amazon autocomplete is invaluable for e-commerce keyword research. Type "running shoes" in Amazon's search bar and it shows real search queries from shoppers about to buy. These have high commercial intent.

Google Keyword Planner, Semrush, and Ahrefs show search volume and competition. Prioritise keywords with search volume > 100 and competition < 50% (medium to low). New sites struggle to rank for "running shoes" (10M+ searches, massive competition). Ranking for "minimalist running shoes for wide feet" (200 searches, low competition) is achievable and still generates real traffic.

Your own site search data (covered in the previous section) shows what users are actually looking for. This is often the most accurate source.

Keyword Prioritisation

E-commerce sites are constrained by product inventory. You cannot create a category page for every keyword. Prioritise:

• Keywords matching your product inventory (you can sell what users are searching for)
• Keywords with search volume > 100 monthly (worth the effort)
• Keywords with lower competition (achievable for new or smaller sites)
• Keywords with conversion potential (transactional or high-intent keywords outrank informational)

Avoid the trap of targeting every possible keyword. A focused approach is superior. Ranking for 20 keywords with 5% average CTR and 3% conversion generates more revenue than ranking for 100 keywords with 0.5% CTR and 0.5% conversion.

Seasonal and Trend Keywords

E-commerce has seasonality. "Winter running shoes" spikes in Q4. "Trail running shoes for summer" spikes in Q2. Plan content around these seasonal patterns. Create seasonal buying guides, seasonal category pages, and time their publication to hit search peaks.

Trend keywords can drive short-term spikes but are unreliable for long-term strategy. "Best running shoes 2026" is a trend keyword with annual relevance. Build it into your content calendar but do not base your entire strategy on trends.

How This Connects

Keyword research is the foundation of content and page structure decisions. Proper keyword mapping ensures you are building the right pages for the right searches, not wasting effort on misaligned content.