How Do I Find the Right Keywords for My Amazon Products?
If you’re an Amazon seller, understanding keywords is like knowing the secret handshake to your customers’ needs. Get your keywords right, and you’ll see your products climb the rankings, attract more traffic, and boost those all-important sales. But getting it wrong? That can leave your organic keyword rankings stagnant, drain your PPC budget, and bury your product listings where no one will find them.
Feeling stuck with keywords can frustrate even the most confident sellers. Whether you're saying, "I can't figure out which keywords drive sales," or "I'm wasting money on the wrong keywords," you're not alone. But the good news? A step-by-step approach can get you on the right path.
Why is Keyword Research Crucial for Amazon Success?
Understanding the A9 Algorithm
Amazon’s A9 algorithm decides which products show up in search results, and keywords play a massive role. A9 uses relevance and performance data to connect buyers with products. This means that integrating the right keywords into your listings doesn’t just increase visibility but also improves your chance of converting searchers into buyers.
The Benefits of Solid Keyword Research
Effective keyword research helps you in two core areas:
Organic Ranking: It improves where your products appear in natural search results. More visibility means more sales potential.
Pay-Per-Click Campaigns: It stops you from wasting money on irrelevant words and ensures your ads appear in front of the right audience.
Where Do I Start My Keyword Research?
Keyword research doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Starting with simple steps often unlocks valuable insights.
Brainstorming Keywords
Picture your customer. What would they type if they were looking for your product? Start jotting those terms down, however broad or specific they seem.
Use Amazon’s Search Bar
Amazon practically hands you free keyword ideas. Type a product-related word or phrase into the search bar, and the dropdown suggestions are pure gold. For example, searching "travel mug" may show phrases like "travel mug with handle" or "insulated travel mug for coffee."
Explore Related Products
Scroll through listings of competitor products or similar items. Pay attention to their titles, bullet points, and descriptions; they often include popular keywords.
Pinpoint Search Terms Your Audience Uses
Ask yourself what pain points your products solve and connect those to potential search terms. If you sell fitness mats, think about searches like “non-slip yoga mats” or “thick exercise mats for joint protection.”
What Tools Can Help Me Find the Best Keywords?
Once you have an idea of where to begin, tools can take your keyword research to the next level.
Essential Keyword Research Tools
Helium 10: Known for its robust features, it provides metrics like search volume and competition.
Jungle Scout: Offers insights into what keywords top sellers are using.
Merchant Words: Focuses directly on Amazon customer keyword data.
Key Metrics Explained
When using keyword research tools, understanding these key metrics will help you make better decisions about which keywords can drive the most value for your Amazon listings. Here's a deeper look at each metric and why it matters:
Search Volume
Search volume reflects how many people search for a specific keyword within a given time frame, often displayed as monthly averages. A high search volume means lots of potential customers are actively looking for that term. For instance, if the keyword "stainless steel water bottle" has a search volume of 10,000 per month, it shows strong demand for this product.
However, while high search volume may seem attractive, beware of overly generic keywords with enormous numbers. Terms like "bottle" might get millions of searches, but they’re often too broad, making it harder to rank and convert those searches into sales.
Competition Level
‘Competition level’ tells you how many other sellers are trying to rank for the same keyword. On Amazon, you’ll often see highly competitive keywords saturated with hundreds, even thousands, of listings. A keyword like "yoga mat" is very competitive because it attracts countless products and ads.
Instead, look for less competitive alternatives like "eco-friendly yoga mat for beginners." These low-competition keywords give you a better chance to stand out because fewer sellers are targeting them.
Keep in mind that while lower competition can be great, it only works well if the keyword still has decent demand!
Keyword Relevance
Keyword relevance determines how well a keyword matches your product and its target audience. Even if a keyword has high volume and low competition, it won't do much good if it doesn’t align with what you’re selling. For example, if you’re selling a travel mug, a keyword like “coffee thermos camping accessory” might be relevant, while something like “coffee machine” isn’t, even if it has a high search volume.
Relevance also impacts conversion. If your product shows up in results for an irrelevant keyword, shoppers won’t click or buy, and Amazon’s algorithm may penalise your ranking for that keyword. Always ask yourself if the keyword truly describes your product and matches what your ideal customer would search for.
By understanding and prioritising these metrics, you’ll be able to select keywords that strike the right balance between demand, competition, and relevance, helping you get the visibility and sales your product deserves.
Use Amazon’s Brand Analytics
If you’re a brand-registered seller, Amazon’s Brand Analytics is a free, data-packed tool that shows what keywords are driving clicks and conversions for your category.
How Do I Analyse Competitor Keyword Strategies?
Competitor products hold clues about the keywords you might be missing.
Find Competitor Keywords
Look at listings from your most successful competitors. Pay attention to their titles, bullet points, descriptions, and even their customer Q&A sections.
Analyse PPC Campaigns
Run searches for popular Amazon categories you’re competing in. Note which ads show up repeatedly. The keywords behind these ads are likely converting well.
Identify Keyword Gaps
Keyword research tools like Helium 10 allow you to compare how your listings rank versus your competitors. This helps uncover valuable keywords your listings don’t currently target.
How Do I Refine My Keyword List for Maximum Impact?
Building a large list of keywords is a good starting point, but the real impact comes from refining that list. Refinement helps you focus on the keywords that will bring the most traffic with the least effort, ensuring you’re targeting the right audience effectively. Here's how you can take your keyword list to the next level:
Identify High-Volume, Low-Competition Keywords
High-volume, low-competition keywords are the golden ticket to driving traffic and increasing visibility. These keywords strike a balance between having enough demand (people searching for them regularly) and not being oversaturated with listings.
For example, instead of targeting a highly competitive keyword like "sneakers," you might focus on "vegan running shoes for women." While the latter has fewer searches than "sneakers," it also faces less competition, giving you a better chance to rank on the first page and attract more relevant customers.
To find your sweet spot, use keyword research tools that display search volume and competition scores, like Helium 10 or Jungle Scout. Look for keywords with a solid search volume (e.g., 1,000-5,000 monthly searches) but with medium-to-low competition ratings.
Use Long-Tail Keywords
Long-tail keywords are more specific phrases that often target niche audiences. These keywords may have lower search volumes, but they usually come with higher conversion rates because they match exactly what the customer is looking for.
For instance:
Short keyword: "yoga mat"
Long-tail keyword: "eco-friendly non-slip yoga mat for beginners"
Customers searching the long-tail version already have a clear idea of what they want, making them more likely to buy your product. Incorporate these long-tail phrases into your product title, bullet points, and descriptions to increase relevance and drive targeted traffic. Tools like Merchant Words can help you identify trending long-tail keywords within your product category.
Don’t Forget Backend Keywords
One of the most underutilised areas of optimisation is backend keywords in Amazon Seller Central. These are hidden keywords that don’t appear on your product listing but still contribute to where your product ranks. Think of them as bonus spaces to include additional search terms without cluttering your product description.
Here’s how to make the most of your backend keywords:
Add alternate spellings (e.g., “travel mug” and “travelmug”).
Include synonyms (e.g., “water bottle” and “hydration bottle”).
Consider regional variations (e.g., “nappy” for the UK, “diaper” for the US).
Think about common typos or abbreviations your customers might use.
Amazon's backend keyword fields have a character limit, so use them wisely. Avoid repeating words you’ve already included in your product listing, and don’t add irrelevant terms, as these can harm your rankings.
Validate Keywords
Once you've refined your keywords, it’s important to validate their potential. Real-world data can help you confirm which keywords are truly delivering results. One effective way to do this is by running test pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns.
Set up test campaigns with a small budget, targeting specific keywords from your refined list. Monitor metrics like click-through rate (CTR), conversion rate, and return on ad spend (ROAS). If a keyword generates clicks and conversions while keeping costs low, it’s proven its value.
Here’s an example of how validation works:
Keyword A (“stainless steel travel mug”) might bring lots of clicks but minimal purchases, suggesting it’s too broad.
Keyword B (“insulated travel mug for hot drinks”) may have fewer clicks but result in more conversions, making it a better option to prioritise.
Beyond PPC, use Amazon’s search term report to evaluate how organic keywords are performing over time. If you see a pattern of strong conversion rates from certain keywords, double down on them in your content.
How Do I Implement My Keywords Effectively?
Once you’ve got your keyword arsenal, make it work for you.
Placement Is Key
Product titles should feature main keywords but remain readable.
Use keywords naturally in bullet points and descriptions. Forced keywords will turn customers off.
Don’t cram all your “money keywords” into one place. Spread them across the listing.
Take Advantage of Backend Keywords
Maximise every character by filling out your backend keyword fields thoughtfully. Leave no stone unturned!
Monitor Performance
Keyword research doesn’t stop after implementation. Regularly track analytics on which keywords are driving traffic and adjust as needed.
Bringing It All Together
Effective keyword research is a game-changer. To recap:
Understand how Amazon’s A9 algorithm connects relevant keywords to better rankings and sales.
Start simple with brainstorming and Amazon’s search bar to discover organic keyword ideas.
Use data-driven tools to refine your keyword list.
Learn from your competitors to find untapped opportunities.
Regularly analyse and improve your keywords to keep up with changing trends.
By following these steps, you'll drive more traffic, gain better visibility, and see an increase in sales. And remember, mastering keyword research doesn’t happen overnight. Stay curious, experiment, and adjust along the way.
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