How to choose keywords to sell with e-commerce

Keywords are the essential part of Search Engine Optimization. So, if you are going to set up an eCommerce website, one of the most important tasks is keyword research. This will give you a great idea what terms your customers are using to find out the products you sell. Just read on to know about different types of keywords, effective strategies and how to pick the right keywords.

A portal intended for the online shop can also contain thousands of different web pages, which can respond to different user needs. This means that even before we worry about the positioning in SERP of each URL, it is necessary to suggest to the search engines (clearly and precisely) what need they answer. Do they allow the purchase of something? Do they offer information only? Are they talking about our company?

It is therefore essential to insert keywords in the site consistent with the objective of the page and in line with the phase of the buyer’s journey in which your user is located (in the case of an ecommerce words to sell). To this end, it is good to start by distinguishing the different categories of keywords.

Ecommerce keyword research: categories, objectives and optimal location

We can group keywords into 4 + 1 categories. The distinction is useful for responding to different needs of your users (expressed through the search queries typed) that can be placed in the various steps of the customer journey.

Informational keywords

The informational keywords are those that usually answer questions like “how?”, “Which?”, “What?”. Those who ask such questions are usually in the awareness or consideration phase and would like information useful to satisfy an expressed need. These questions can find adequate answers for example in our Blog.

Transactional keywords

They are examples of transactional words “prices”, “offers”, “shipping” … or all those that can influence the purchase decision . They find their ideal location if inserted in product data sheets, product category pages, landing pages or payment or shipping information. In an ecommerce keyword of this type they are essential.

Navigational keywords

All the keywords with which a user searches for a specific site are navigational. This usually happens when a person is already making a decision: he is aware of his need, has already inquired about how to satisfy him and knows that you can do it.

The typical example is represented by the keywords that contain your brand. They are identification keys of your company and therefore they should already be present in every URL of the site.

But be careful not to underestimate them! One of the worst things that can happen to your site is not to be in first position in a SERP where the search query contains your brand!

GEO referenced keywords

This category of keywords is useful to limit an offer in a certain geographical area .

As an e-commerce, your goal should be to break down geographical barriers and reach the highest number of target people, regardless of their location. In this light, you shouldn’t worry much about these keywords, but there are still exceptions.

If your company also has a physical store in addition to the online store, Geolocation will be essential to bring people to your store.

Words related to specific places can also be fundamental if you want to offer advantageous and targeted offers to those who live in certain places (for example with a Google ADS campaign).

Generic keywords

That’s why I mentioned 4 + 1 keyword categories before. Whatever category of keyword long you have used, it contains a generic key inside. The keyword “men’s bike” can be included in a phrase such as “which men’s bike to choose?”, But also in searches such as “men’s bike prices”.

So, it is almost certain that the same generic keyword is inserted in a product page, in a category page or even in a blog post.

Why do I make this consideration? Because in front of a generic query, a search algorithm (like Google’s) does not have enough elements to define if your search is transactional or informational. As a result, it will result in SERPs as those which (based on its data) seem most obvious to it.

In the example above, if a user is looking for a “men’s bike”, he is likely to want to buy it. For this reason it is easy for SERP to show pages with product categories or product sheets.

Keyword and SEO strategies for e-commerce

Here are some tips to better plan keywords in an e-commerce site.

  1. Start by structuring the whole e-commerce part logically and effectively. Properly divide your products into categories and any sub-categories. Give each one the most suitable keywords and repeat them consistently in the categories below.
  • If content is informative (Blog for example) do not use transactional keywords in an unsuitable way, in the hope of getting around your users! They are not stupid, so they may even leave the page if they feel fooled by not finding what they want!
  • Process content in a technical, but natural way. Do not force the insertion of unnecessary keywords. If your visitor has searched for “men’s bike prices” it is not necessary for the word prices to be present on the page … numbers and currencies are enough to make an algorithm understand that there is a price on the page!
  • Never stop monitoring traffic on your pages and correct any errors.

How to find keywords to sell more

Obviously there are many useful tools to discover the ideal keywords for your site. Some for free (like Google Trends or the keyword planner for Google ADS) others for a fee (SEOZoom or SEMRush). In any case, before activating this type of research you must be clear about your strategy. Read also this insight on the 10 things to know about ecommerce. To find the best words you need to know the decision path of your target audience. One cannot ignore the definition of the buyer’s and consequently the buyer person. Before dealing with NYC SEO you have to start thinking inbo