Keyword research is one of the most important steps in optimizing your Amazon listings for maximum sales. The wrong keywords can tank your search traffic and conversions.

Relevant search terms can boost your organic search results, help you find your target customers, and drive sales through the roof. Whether you’re new to Amazon or want to optimize your current SEO strategy, keyword research is essential.

Let’s break down the basics of keyword research for Amazon and discuss what you need to know to find the right keywords for your Amazon listings.

How do I research keywords on Amazon?

Start by researching what customers are already searching for to get a better idea of what terms people use when looking for products like yours. You should also look at what keywords your competitors are using to gain valuable insight.

Keyword tools come in handy when you’re researching keywords for Amazon. These come in a variety of forms, from free online tools to paid services and software. Keyword research tools help you brainstorm relevant Amazon keywords and track search trends over time.

You can also see what customers are already looking for by using Amazon's autocomplete feature. Start typing a word or phrase and Amazon will suggest terms that shoppers commonly search for. This proves helpful if you're stuck in a creative rut and need some inspiration.

How do I find profitable keywords on Amazon?

To find profitable keywords on Amazon, you'll want to focus on the terms that have the highest search volume and the lowest competition. Essentially, a lot of people are searching for that keyword.

But there’s less competition from other sellers trying to rank for it or featuring it in their product listings. This strategy allows you to get more visibility and potentially drive more sales.

Another way to find profitable keywords is to look at the product reviews of your competitors. Make note of the words customers use to describe their products and use those terms in your keyword strategy.

Finally, look at the organic search results for your products. See what terms are bringing people to your page and use them in your keyword research. This strategy can help you optimize for terms that customers are already using to find your products.

What is the Amazon keyword research tool called?

Amazon doesn’t have its own keyword research tool like Google. But many third-party tools can help you with your Amazon SEO strategy. These keyword research tools include Google Keyword Planner, Wordtracker, Keywordtool.io, and MerchantWords.

Keyword research tools give you valuable insight into the terms customers are using to find products like yours. They can also provide you with data on search volume and competition, so you can determine which keywords are most profitable for your listings.

Which keyword tool is best for Amazon?

The best keyword tool for Amazon will depend on your specific needs. If you’re looking for an all-in-one solution, the Google Keyword Planner can be a great option. It offers detailed data on keyword search volume, competition, and more.

Other popular tools include Wordtracker and Merchantwords. Each of these tools has its own set of features, so it’s important to do your research and find the one that best fits your needs.

There are many different steps involved in keyword research. The basic process involves finding relevant terms that customers are searching for and then analyzing them for search volume, competition, and relevancy.

Just keep in mind that keyword research is only one part of the Amazon puzzle. Success also depends on how well you craft and track Amazon SKUs and how well you practice Amazon seller accounting. But let’s review six steps you can take to conduct keyword research that will help you optimize your Amazon product listings.

How to do keyword research for Amazon: 6 steps

1. Consider what your target customers would search for

When it comes to the keyword research process, there are a few different approaches you can take. One popular method is to think about what your target customers would search for regarding your products or services.

For example, if you sell widgets, they might search for terms like "widgets for sale," "buy widgets," or "widget store." Simple keyword research for Amazon starts with putting yourself in your customers’ shoes and brainstorming terms that are relevant to your business. In doing so, you can get a better sense of the types of terms your customers are using.

If you need help, keyword research tools can help you generate ideas. These tools can provide insights into what people are actually searching for online. High search volume is a good sign of a winning keyword or keyword phrase.

2. Use keyword research tools

Your ecommerce tech stack is the bread and butter of your online business. If you're serious about keyword research for Amazon, then you need to use serious tools to uncover more information about search volume, search intent, and other key data points.

The Google Keyword Planner and MerchantWords are two of the most popular keyword research tools. Both provide a wealth of keyword data, help you find related keywords, and make sure each keyword idea you brainstormed is sound.

Simply enter a keyword to use the Google Keyword Planner. The tool will return a list of similar keywords for your search queries. You can then use this list to refine your keyword research further.

MerchantWords is especially useful for keyword research for Amazon because it performs keyword research based on Amazon search data. This data can be helpful if you're looking to target a specific market. Enter a keyword into the tool, and it will return a list of related keywords customers are using on Amazon.

Both the Google Keyword Planner and MerchantWords are invaluable keyword research tools. If you're not using them to explore search volume and other factors, you're not getting the most out of your keyword research.

3. Prioritize a variety of high-traffic, low-competition keywords

As you’re brainstorming and doing keyword research for Amazon, prioritize potential keywords relevant to your business that generate high traffic but have relatively low competition. Your complete keyword list should include “fathead,” chunky-middle,” and “long-tail” keywords.

“Fat-head" keywords have high search volumes. “Chunky-middle" keywords receive a respectable monthly search volume. “Long-tail" keywords are relatively lower volume than the other two categories. But they’re specific enough to reach your target audience as they get closer to making a purchase.

4. Use Amazon's search engines to determine keyword relevance

If you're selling anything on Amazon, it's important to make sure your product listings use the most relevant keywords so that potential shoppers can find them. Luckily, the platform has a great tool to help you do keyword research for Amazon.

Keyword Tool uses data from past shoppers to determine your keywords' relevance to people searching for products like yours. Enter your keywords and get a list of the top related keywords.

Plus, get valuable information such as search volume, keyword trends, the average CPC in USD, and the competition for the particular keyword or phrase.

While the free version of Keyword Tool limits the specific keyword data you receive, it can still give you a general sense of how relevant or irrelevant your specific keywords are. Maybe the keyword phrases you thought were perfect don't generate much search volume once you analyze them in depth.

This information from Keyword Tool can be extremely valuable when doing keyword research for Amazon. Taking the time to optimize your product listings can significantly increase your chances of making a sale through the power of Amazon's search engines.

5. Check out your competition's targeted keywords

Another popular approach to improving your keyword research for Amazon is to look at your competition's website or listings to see which keywords they're targeting. You can often find this information in their webpage title tags and meta descriptions.

Understanding the keywords (and their search volumes) your competition is targeting can help you differentiate your keyword strategy. It can also help you rank higher in search engine results and pull ahead of them in the long run.

6. Monitor rankings and adjust your keyword strategy as needed

If you want your Amazon listings to rank high in search results, doing your own keyword research is essential. By understanding which keywords are most likely to be used by people searching for your products or services, you can ensure that your products appear near the top of the list.

However, keyword research is not a one-time task. As the search volume and overall popularity of certain target keywords change over time, it's important to monitor your rankings regularly and adjust your keyword strategy. Trending searches can sometimes change on a dime.

Making data-driven decisions is one of the best things you can do as an e-commerce business owner. With a little effort and some solid keyword research and follow-up, you can ensure that your Amazon listings always appear near the top of the search results.

Amazon integration solution simplifies ecommerce workflows

Driving sales for your Amazon business starts with targeting the right keywords. Compiling a list of high-traffic, low-competition keywords and using research tools to find relevant keywords can significantly improve performance.

But improving keyword optimization is just one part of running a successful Amazon business. A QuickBooks-Amazon integration solution can eliminate the everyday busywork that comes with running an online business.

It can simplify reconciliation and reduce manual data entry for sellers who practice journal entry accounting by automatically downloading and posting orders and expenses to QuickBooks as summarized journal entries.

It can even improve customer experiences by keeping inventory prices and quantities up to date so that you and your customers know what’s available at all times.

Guest contributor: Andrew Maffettone, Founder, BlueTuskr