Despite the fact that keyword research has been around for years prior to Amazon's existence, it remains a crucial component of online marketing, particularly when it comes to Amazon. Relying solely on the recommendations of an Amazon keyword tool for your SEO strategy may put you at a disadvantage, as your competitors are likely utilizing more advanced techniques such as manual SERP evaluation, long-tail research, head terms, target audience potential reach, and search traffic analysis. To stand out among your competitors in your niche, it's important to become a savvy keyword researcher. With the right knowledge and resources, you can master effective keyword research for Amazon. But first...
What does Amazon Keyword Research entail?
Keyword research for Amazon is a crucial SEO process that involves identifying the search terms that can help sellers attain a higher rank on the search engine results page (SERP). It entails exploring the ways in which potential buyers search for products online. Effective keyword research is not only about attracting traffic to your product listing but also about gaining insights into competitors, developing content marketing ideas, tracking consumer trends, and understanding your target audience's needs. However, selecting the right keywords for Amazon is a challenging and dynamic process that requires a data-driven strategy. Here are three steps to get started.
1. Make sure to incorporate manual research into your keyword strategy.
Have you tried using the traditional drop-down approach? Simply type in 1-3 letters in the search bar on Amazon or Google to see the most relevant drop-down suggestions. Although these manual searches can generate ideas, they rely on a first-word assumption and can be laborious. Keyword research tools, including those offered by various providers, can save time, but it's essential not to overlook manual research. Use a keyword tool to gather search volume data and incorporate established techniques to discover new ideas.
2. Maintain consistency in your keyword strategy throughout the entire sales funnel.
Adding consistency to your ads and listings will drive more conversions because you’ll be speaking to a targeted audience who is ready to buy. Simplify choosing a keyword even more by using keyword research tools that offer smart suggestions. You’ll increase the quality of keywords and cover ground that you didn’t even know existed before!
3. Keep track of your performance.
How many times have we heard “Just set it and forget it,” as if products can just sell themselves? The truth is that the Amazon Marketplace is constantly changing, so if you snooze, you lose. Review your keyword and campaign performance 3-4 times per quarter. Anything less, and you’ll miss revenue-enhancing improvements. Anything more, and you’ll get analysis paralysis. Make performance monitoring easy on yourself by setting up a dashboard to show results over time. Visual insights, graphs, and downloadable data can help you spot trends easily and optimize both your listings and your ad campaigns.
There are three distinct categories of keywords.
When beginning to generate keyword ideas, it's important to first consider the desired outcome. For example, if your sporting goods eCommerce site has acquired a limited stock of Spalding Infusion basketballs - which have become rare and hard to find due to being discontinued - and you want to sell them quickly, utilizing all three types of keywords is recommended: product terms, competitor terms, and audience terms.
1. Product Terms
Prospective buyers searching for self-inflating basketballs, especially those designed for street courts, would be interested in product terms. Although these terms are more challenging to work with, they generate traffic that can eventually lead to brand awareness for eCommerce stores, as visitors are likely to shop around and check for other interesting items. Product terms could also be specific brand terms, which may not result in the most page views but can significantly increase conversion potential.
2. Competitor Terms
Competitor terms can provide valuable intelligence on how your competitors and peers achieved top rankings on the SERP. These terms are often used for PPC campaigns and can also reveal substitute and complementary keywords used by competitors.
3. Audience Terms
Audience terms are broader in scope than product terms and are used to attract potential customers who enjoy browsing. For example, if you are a hotel provider and someone like Bob is planning a vacation to Paris, their research may cover a wide range of interests such as cultural attractions, restaurants, hotels, and flight options. Using audience keywords can help you tap into Bob's broader interests and identify unexpected opportunities to attract customers to your hotel category. The power of audience keywords lies in their ability to uncover a universe of peripheral interests that you may not have anticipated would convert well for your business.
One way to select Amazon keywords is to utilize Google.
Your potential customers are more likely to discover your Amazon store through search queries than any other method. Although legacy advertising like radio commercials can still be effective for online brands, the growth potential that search engines offer to your business is undeniable. And when it comes to search engines, which one dominates all the others? Let me Google that for you... To understand why you shouldn't choose Amazon keywords without considering Google, consider the following statistics from 2022:
If you don't use Google to supplement the keywords you use on Amazon, you're leaving money on the table. Here are our top three tips for finding Google keywords for your Amazon business.
1. Utilize costless resources such as Google Trends and Google Analytics.
If Google Analytics is already installed on your eCommerce site, you have access to a keyword tracker that can provide insight into the search terms that bring visitors to your store. Additionally, Google Webmaster can be used to identify these keywords, which are likely the same ones your Amazon customers are using. For those without an online store, Google Trends is a valuable tool that allows you to explore the historical performance of your chosen keywords, with the ability to adjust parameters such as category and time range. Best of all, a Google account is not even necessary to use this free resource.
2. Utilize free tools such as Moz.
It is common practice for SEO experts to begin and end their keyword research with Google, but utilizing established tools such as Moz can save you valuable time. Take advantage of the various parameters available and customize them to match your audience's preferences. If you prefer to use a paid tool, ensure it includes a tool for researching long tail keywords.
3. Select a Target Keyword.
Experienced SEO professionals advise that a concise list of your top-performing keywords is more valuable than a long one. When optimizing SEO for eCommerce sites, there is a limit to the number of keywords you can effectively target. To refine your list, eliminate the least relevant search terms. For instance, in the case of Spalding Infusion basketballs, extensive keyword research may have produced numerous audience keywords that are not feasible to optimize. To sell your acquired basketball stock, focus on branded keywords that align with your intention. Avoid direct competition with dominant players such as NBA.com by targeting specific branded keywords like “Spalding Infusion basketball,” which will appeal to a smaller group of potential buyers searching for that exact product. In conclusion, take the road less traveled by avoiding direct competition with bigger players. The last step in refining your keyword list involves identifying related terms and synonyms while prioritizing higher search volume terms.
Keep your SEO knowledge current and relevant.
You may find yourself becoming an SEO enthusiast after your initial smart keyword research session. There is much to discover in this ever-changing field of online marketing. Keeping up with search engine algorithm updates and keyword trends will enhance your SEO knowledge and before long, you'll be utilizing your competitor's keywords to boost your rankings on the search engine results pages.
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