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Keywords are the terms that users use in search engines to find information or products. For e-shops, they are an important indicator of demand and determine the SEO strategy. Their correct use strengthens the store architecture, improves organic traffic and contributes to profitability. A strategic choice between general and long-tail keywords is needed, with the aim of better converting visits into sales.
Keywords are the terms, phrases, and questions that a user types into Google or another search engine when searching for information, a product, a solution, or a specific brand. For an e-shop owner, they are not just «words for SEO.» They are the clearest indication of demand that the market can provide. When someone searches for «white leather sneakers for women,» they are not expressing the same need as someone searching for «what shoes to wear with jeans.» The former is close to the market, while the latter is likely in the inspiration or research stage. This difference is the basis of any serious keyword research strategy.
According to Semrush’s analysis, keywords help search engines understand the topic of a page and connect it to user searches. In practice, however, their value is even greater: they organize the architecture of the e-shop, showing which categories need to be strengthened, which products need better content, which articles can bring organic traffic and which searches have commercial value. An e-shop that builds its pages without keywords is like a physical store without signage in the aisles: it may have excellent products, but the customer has difficulty finding them.
Proper use of SEO keywords doesn’t mean repeating the same phrase in every sentence. It means matching content with search intent, that is, the intention behind the search. Google has evolved enough to evaluate relevance, completeness, user experience and actual usefulness. Therefore, keywords should function as a strategic map and not a mechanical list of terms. For an online store, this map translates into categories, filters, product descriptions, buying guides, meta tags and internal linking.
In e-commerce, organic traffic is particularly valuable because it builds a steady customer acquisition channel without the direct cost-per-click of paid campaigns. This doesn’t mean SEO is «free,» as it requires strategy, content, technical optimization, and time. It does mean that a well-optimized category, such as «men’s leather jackets,» can perform for months or years, reducing reliance on Google Ads and social ads. As competition and advertising costs increase, ecommerce SEO becomes more critical.
Keyword selection directly impacts business performance. A term with high search volume may seem appealing, but if it’s too general or has high keyword difficulty, it may not be the best first battle for a small to medium-sized e-shop. In contrast, long-tail keywords often have lower search volume, but clearer intent and a better chance of conversion. Ahrefs has reported that 94,74% of the keywords in its database have 10 or fewer monthly searches, which shows how huge the search «tail» is. For an e-shop owner, this means that growth doesn’t come from just 5 big words, but from hundreds or thousands of specialized searches that match products, needs, sizes, materials, uses, and problems.
As shown in the graph below, the vast majority of keywords belong to lower search volumes, which makes long-tail keywords essential for a realistic and efficient SEO strategy.
SERP position also affects sales dynamics. A Backlinko study of millions of Google results showed that the first organic position has an average CTR of 27.6%, while the second has 15.8% and the third 11.0%. The difference is not just a matter of traffic; it is a matter of commercial advantage. If two e-shops sell similar products and one is systematically ranked above the other for critical product keywords and category page SEO searches, the first has a better chance of winning customers before the user even compares prices.
The graph below shows the drop in CTR the lower a result is on the first page of Google.
Semrush separates keywords based on different criteria, such as search intent, volume, competition, and format. For an e-shop, the most practical way to start the analysis is intent. Informational keywords indicate that the user is looking for knowledge, such as «how to clean leather shoes». Commercial keywords indicate comparison and evaluation, such as «best running shoes for beginners». Transactional keywords indicate immediate purchase intent, such as «buy Nike running shoes 42». Navigational keywords concern searches for a specific brand or website.
These categories should be linked to different types of pages. Commercial and transactional keywords usually fit into category, subcategory, product, and landing pages. Informational searches fit into blog posts, buying guides, and educational content. Here, content marketing is not divorced from sales. An article titled «how to choose a mattress for back pain» can lead to product categories, hardness filters, comparison tables, and ultimately to a purchase. Similarly, an article titled «what is SPF 50» can support sales of sunscreen products.
A second crucial distinction is between seed keywords and long-tail keywords. Seed keywords are the basic terms of the market, such as «shoes,» «cosmetics,» «office furniture,» or «baby clothes.» They are where the research begins, but they are rarely enough to bring immediate results because they have high competition and often unclear intent. Long-tail keywords, such as «anatomical shoes for standing women» or «small computer desk for bedroom,» are more specific and help the e-shop answer more precisely. The strategy is not to choose only short-tail or only long-tail, but to combine them in a logical structure: central categories for the big terms, subcategories for more specialized needs, and content for questions or comparisons.
Step 1: Start with the products, not the tool. Before opening any SEO tool, list the main categories, subcategories, best sellers, high-margin products, and seasonal collections. An e-shop doesn’t need to chase every possible search. It needs to prioritize searches that can bring in profitable sales.
Step 2: Create a seed list. Take your key market terms and run them through tools like Semrush Keyword Magic Tool, Google Keyword Planner, or other analytics tools. Look for variations, questions, synonyms, product features, sizes, materials, uses, brands, and problems the product solves. For example, a lighting store shouldn’t just stick to the keyword «lighting.» They should consider «modern living room lighting,» «kitchen pendant lighting,» «led desk lighting,» and «how to light a small living room.».
Step 3: Evaluate search volume and keyword difficulty together, not separately. Search volume shows demand, but it doesn’t show whether you can win the battle. Keyword difficulty shows how competitive a search is, but it doesn’t show whether it’s commercially viable. The right combination is to find terms with decent volume, realistic competition, and clear intent. If you’re a new e-shop, it’s often worth starting with keywords with lower difficulty and higher relevance, rather than competing with big retailers from day one.
Step 4: Analyze the SERP before writing or changing a page. Type your keyword into Google and see what comes up: categories, products, articles, marketplaces, videos, images, featured snippets, or local results. The SERP reveals what Google believes is the best answer for that search. If a term is mostly articles, you probably shouldn’t target it with a product category. If e-shop categories are showing up, then a category page with the right content, filters, and products has a better chance.
Step 5: Map each keyword to a key page. This is keyword mapping. Each important term should have an «owner» within the website: category, subcategory, product, article or landing page. If two pages target the same search, there is potential keyword cannibalization, i.e. the pages compete with each other. For example, if you have a category «women’s boots» and a blog post «the best women’s boots», you need to decide which page targets the commercial search and how the other supports it with internal links.
Step 6: Measure and improve with Google Search Console. After publishing, the work doesn’t end. Google Search Console shows which searches your pages are showing up for, which ones are getting impressions, which ones are getting clicks, and which ones are having low CTR. If a category is showing up frequently but not getting clicks, it might need a better title, a more engaging meta description, or a clearer value proposition. If a page is getting clicks from searches you didn’t anticipate, it could indicate an opportunity for new content or a new subcategory.
Keyword research is only valuable when it translates into decisions within the e-shop. For categories, keywords should influence the category name, URL, H1, filters, introductory text, internal links, and meta tags. A category «Office Chairs» can be enhanced with subcategories such as «ergonomic office chairs,» «gaming chairs,» or «office chairs with armrests,» as long as there is demand and sufficient inventory. The goal is not to load the page with text that annoys the user, but to provide enough content so that Google and the customer quickly understand the value of the page.
On product pages, product keywords should be used naturally in the title, description, technical specifications, image alt texts, and Q&A. If you’re selling «men’s waterproof hooded jacket,» the user should immediately see the material, application, season of use, size availability, and reasons for buying. Google evaluates content, but the person decides whether to buy. This is why SEO should work together with conversion rate optimization.
On a blog, the goal is not to write general articles just for traffic. The goal is to address questions that precede the purchase and guide the user to the right next step. An article on «how to choose a motorcycle helmet size» can drive organic traffic, increase trust, and lead to a category with helmets, size filters, and a measurement guide. Thus, content marketing directly supports the sales funnel.
Finally, avoid the three most common mistakes. First, don’t choose keywords just because they have high search volume. Second, don’t copy supplier descriptions, because you lose differentiation and often create duplicate content. Third, don’t treat keywords as a one-time job. Demand changes, new products appear, competitors improve, and Google adjusts the results. A healthy e-shop should review its main pages quarterly, monitor rankings, CTR, and sales per landing page, and enrich content where there are real opportunities.
If we want to keep one practical principle, it is this: keywords are not just search terms, but the language in which customers describe their needs. The better the e-shop speaks this language, the easier it is for the customer to find the right product, the more clearly Google understands the page and the more effective SEO becomes as a growth channel.
Sources: Semrush – What Are Keywords?, Ahrefs – Long-Tail Keywords Research, Backlinko – Google CTR Stats, Google Search Central – SEO Starter Guide, Google Search Console
Keywords are terms that users use in search engines. For e-shops, keywords determine demand and help drive organic traffic and profitability.
Keywords help to understand user intent. A keyword like “buy white sneakers” indicates an immediate purchase intention, while “what shoes to wear with jeans” indicates an interest in research.
There are informational, commercial, transactional and navigational keywords. Each type indicates a different user intent and should be matched to the appropriate e-shop pages.
Long-tail keywords have lower search volume but more specific intent. They help e-shops compete more effectively and increase the chances of conversion.
Start with your products, create a seed list, evaluate search volume and keyword difficulty, analyze the SERP, and do keyword mapping for each page.
Keywords determine the content and structure of pages. Proper use can increase visibility in search engines and direct users to a market.
Common mistakes include choosing keywords based solely on search volume, copying vendor content, and treating keywords as a one-time task. How do keywords affect purchase intent? Keywords help to understand user intent. A keyword like “buy white sneakers” indicates an immediate purchase intent, while “what shoes to wear with jeans” indicates an interest in research. What are the different types of keywords? There are informational, commercial, transactional, and navigational keywords. Each type indicates a different user intent and should be matched to the appropriate pages of the e-shop. Why are long-tail keywords important for e-shops? Long-tail keywords have a lower search volume but more specific intent. They help e-shops compete more effectively and increase the chances of conversion. What are the steps for effective keyword research in e-shops? Start with your products, create a seed list, evaluate search volume and keyword difficulty, analyze the SERP, and do keyword mapping for each page. How can the use of keywords affect the sales of an e-shop? Keywords determine the content and structure of pages. Proper use can increase visibility in search engines and direct users to a purchase. What are the most common mistakes in the use of keywords? Common mistakes include choosing keywords only for search volume, copying supplier content and treating keywords as a one-time task.
