Most small stores pick keywords the way they name products: by instinct, using the words the team uses internally. The trouble is that shoppers rarely search in your internal language. They search for what the product does, what it is made of, and the problem it solves, and if no page on your site matches those words, someone else’s page gets the visit.
Keyword research for a store is the work of finding those shopper words and giving each important phrase one page that owns it. Here is a five-step process built for a small catalog, with a worked example you can copy.
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Let the Buzz BeginQuick answer: how do you do ecommerce keyword research? List your product types the way a shopper would describe them, collect the phrases people search for each one, check which kind of page already ranks for each phrase, then assign one primary phrase to one page so your own pages never compete. Record the map in a spreadsheet and use it to plan categories, product pages, and guides.
What makes keyword research different for an online store?
A service business usually needs a handful of service pages. A store may have dozens of categories and hundreds of products, many of them similar. That changes the job in two ways. First, most of your search demand lands on category pages, not blog posts, so research has to start from the catalog. Second, near-identical products make it easy to end up with several pages chasing the same phrase, which splits your chances instead of improving them.
Shopify’s own SEO overview frames the goal plainly: optimize your content so a search engine recognizes it as relevant to searches related to your products. Keyword research is how you find out what those searches are.
How do you do ecommerce keyword research?
- List your product types in shopper language. Write down each category the way a customer would say it out loud: “unscented soy candles,” not “Collection 4.”
- Collect the phrases shoppers use. For each type, gather variations: materials, sizes, uses, recipients, and problems the product solves. Free tools help here. Microsoft’s Keyword Planner is free with a Microsoft Advertising account and shows search volume and trends, alongside the search suggestions you see when typing into any search box.
- Check what already ranks. Search each phrase yourself. If the top results are category pages, the phrase wants a category page. If they are guides, a guide may fit better.
- Assign one primary phrase per page. Each important phrase gets exactly one owner on your site, so two of your own pages are never competing for the same search.
- Record the map and revisit it. A simple spreadsheet works: phrase, page, page type, and notes. Update it whenever you add products or categories.
What does a keyword map look like for a small store?
Here is a worked example for a small candle shop. Notice that each phrase has one page, and the page type matches what already ranks:
Example keyword map: small candle shop
| Shopper phrase | What they want | Page that owns it |
|---|---|---|
| unscented soy candles | To compare options | Unscented candles category |
| long burning candles | To compare options | Long-burn candles category |
| how to stop candle tunneling | To learn | Candle care guide |
| [your product name] large jar | That exact item | Product page |
The map also shows where pages are missing. A high-demand phrase with no matching page is often the fastest opportunity a small store has, and it is a better use of time than writing another general blog post. Our guide to category pages vs. blog posts explains how to decide which page type a phrase needs.
How can your own store data help with keyword research?
Your store already collects some of the best keyword data you will find, because it comes from people who are on your site and ready to buy. Check these four sources before reaching for any tool:
- Your site search. The phrases people type into your store’s search box show exactly how shoppers describe what they want, including words you never use yourself.
- Search Console queries. The searches your site already appears for, even on page two or three, point to phrases where a better page could win quickly.
- Customer questions. Emails, chats, reviews, and returns notes reveal the problems and comparisons people care about. Each common question is a candidate for a guide.
- Your best sellers. The products that already sell tell you which categories deserve the most attention first.
Put the phrases from these sources into the same spreadsheet as your research, and look for overlaps. A phrase that shows up in your site search, your customer questions, and a keyword tool is a strong signal that it deserves its own page.
Which keywords should a small store go after first?
Not every phrase is worth chasing right away. Prioritize in this order:
- Phrases that match products you already sell well, because a page that ranks there converts.
- Specific phrases over broad ones. “Unscented soy candles” is more winnable for a small store than “candles,” and the shopper knows what they want.
- Phrases where the current top results are weak, such as thin category pages or forum threads, which suggests a strong page could compete.
- Questions your customers already ask you, which make natural guides that link back to your categories.
What are the common keyword research mistakes?
- Targeting the same phrase with several pages. Pick one owner and link the others to it.
- Choosing phrases by volume alone. A smaller phrase that matches a product you sell often beats a bigger, vaguer one.
- Writing blog posts for product-type searches. If shoppers want to compare products, give them a category page.
- Researching once and never again. Catalogs change, and so does how people search. Revisit the map when your products change.
Once the map exists, the pages themselves have to deliver. Start with your categories, then your product pages and their structured data, and connect everything with internal links. For the full picture, see our ecommerce SEO guide.
If you would rather have the research and the map built for you, our SEO Content Creation service starts every engagement this way.
Frequently asked questions about ecommerce keyword research
How many keywords should each page target?
One primary phrase per page, plus natural variations of it. Trying to make one page rank for several unrelated phrases usually means it ranks well for none.
Do I need paid tools for keyword research?
Not to start. Free tools, search suggestions, your own site search data, and the questions customers ask you are enough to build a first map for a small catalog.
Should product pages target keywords?
Yes, usually the product name plus its key attributes. Broader product-type phrases belong on category pages.
How often should I redo keyword research?
Review the map whenever you add a category or a significant number of products, and at least a few times a year.
Final thoughts on ecommerce keyword research
Keyword research for a store is really catalog planning: find the words shoppers use, give each important phrase one page, and build the pages the map says are missing. Start with your best-selling product types and work outward. If you would like the map built with you, book a call with one of our hive specialists today to plan the pages your store should own.