What are the best types of eCommerce keywords to target for SEO?

This image by similarweb shows the modifiers used in different search queries.

Informational - how, what, why, when, examples, tips, guide, tutorial
Navigational - brand name, company name, product name or service name
Transactional - buy, order, price, coupon, purchase
Commercial - review, compare, top, best, location

If you are using a tool like SEMrush or Ahrefs, you can find the searcher's intent. You could also these modifiers during your keyword research process.

Keywords are the bedrock of an effective SEO strategy. There are many different approaches to keyword targeting depending on the nature of your business and the products you are selling. Here we will discuss some of the most important factors to consider when choosing your keywords and our tips

What keywords should you target for your eCommerce store?

When choosing keywords, there are 3 things to keep in mind:

Nature of products you are selling - You might be selling a variety of products and you need to make sure that you choose the keywords people are most likely to use
Branded terms associated with those products - consider the brand name of the products to target the brand name and the product name to rank higher

Good to know - it is important to look at the words your customers are using to reach your website so you can identify popular search terms and use that information in your keyword research.

Head keywords - Also called head terms or short-tail keywords in the SEO world, they represent a broad term or concept. They are generally popular search terms and drive high search volume and traffic. And consequently, they have high competition as well.

For example: “sneakers”, “scuba diving”, “surfboard”, “Nike”, and “orchids” are all examples of head keywords.

Long-tail keywords - Long-tail keywords are more specific queries and could be 4-5 words. They are less competitive compared to head terms and have a low search volume and are easy to rank for.

For example :

“Best sneakers for running”
“Scuba diving resorts in Bali”
“Best surfboards for beginners”
“Cheap Nike shoes for women”
“Orchids for sale Sunshine Coast”

These are all specific queries and clarify the searcher's intent.

Latent Semantic Keywords (LSI) - these are words conceptually related to the main keyword. Google autocomplete and Related searches section are a great way to find keywords related to your topic.

For example:

Let’s say, the head term is “sneakers”

When you type it on Google you can see:

• Use Wikipedia - You could use Wikipedia to get new keyword ideas. For example, if your online store sells Sneakers, when you go to Wikipedia you can find keywords related to the product and use those words in your content.

In this link, you can see other words related to sneakers - “trainers, athletic shoes, gym shoes, kicks, sports shoes, running shoes or runners, “ casual wear,” “Nike Air Jordan XI sneakers” and “traditional low-cut Converse sneakers”

• Use autocomplete feature on Amazon and Pinterest to find more keyword ideas

• Use free tools like Keyword Everywhere, Ahrefs Chrome extension , AnswerThePublic and Ubersuggest (or you can get paid versions of these tools)

Informational keywords are used to answer a searcher's questions. At this stage, the searcher simply needs an answer to their problem.

It may not have a high conversion rate but it will increase your brand awareness.

For example, let’s say you run a nonline store that sells sneakers. Having a few pages related to these shoes like this would cover these type of search intent queries:

• Cleaning products for my Nike Airforce One's?
• What are the best shoe laces for Reebok Crossfit shoes?
• How to send back my shoes if too small?
• Tips to making your Adidas kicks last for years
• What to do if my shoe sole comes off?
• Guide on choosing between Nikes, Adidas & Reebok shoes
• Why do I keep getting blisters in my shoes?

The “how,” “what,” “why,” “tips,” and “guide,” on sneakers can build your website’s domain authority as you are more likely to be considered an expert.

These topics are relevant to your customers. And they are more likely to use your business when they have a need for new shoes, because they found your content helpful in the past.

Your customers might not know about your brand or a problem they have…but having informational keywords helps them develop that memory. And when they have a problem, they are more likely to buy your products.

Learn more about How To Create Content That Builds An eCommerce Stores Brand Here.

These keywords are generally head keywords or short-tail keywords. They are related to any product or service in the category. Your main goal here is to get more traffic. Your customers might be interested in the products but might not be aware of them yet.

Examples of category keywords:

• Athletic shoes
• Shampoo
• Body wash

For more information on optimising actual eCommerce categories check out our eCommerce Category pages SEO guide.

These keywords are the phrases or terms used to refer to your product or services. They are the terms a searcher would use if they are looking for a particular product or service and are ready to purchase it. These keywords help your existing or potential customers find you. Learn how to get your Product Page SEO right here.

Let’s say you have developed an app to track habits and help people improve their productivity. Having product pages relevant to your niche will help find customers interested in your offering.

For example - if you search for a productivity app, you would be able to find companies offering productivity apps. Writing blog pages and landing pages on productivity will help you increase your sales.

Geo-targeted keywords help customers find your business based on their geographical location. This is why having the correct address, phone number, geo-targeted keywords and Google My Business page is so important for your website.

For example, if you own a restaurant in Brisbane CBD, using your location in your content and meta tags helps people find your restaurant in their search results.

Google’s algorithm can include your business in the search results without the user even typing “restaurant Brisbane CBD” as long as your website is optimised for Local SEO.

Visit our full On-page SEO Guide For eCommerce SEO here.