Keyword Research
The process of discovering what terms people search for and their difficulty to rank.
1 min readLast updated Apr 2026
Quick Reference
CategorySEO for Ecommerce
Related Terms2
The process of discovering what terms people search for and their difficulty to rank.
Why It Matters
Keyword research determines whether you spend months chasing terms you can't rank for—or focus on winnable opportunities that drive revenue. The difference between 'running shoes' (impossible) and 'best running shoes for flat feet women' (achievable) is millions of dollars in wasted vs productive effort.
Practical Example
Scenario
A supplement brand evaluates two keyword strategies for their new collagen product.
Calculation
Option A: 'collagen supplements' - 90K volume, 75 difficulty (dominated by WebMD, Healthline). Option B: 'marine collagen for joint pain' - 4K volume, 32 difficulty (rankable in 4-6 months)Result
Option B requires 1/10th the effort, achievable in 6 months, and has higher purchase intent. 4K monthly visitors at 4% conversion = 160 sales/month.
Pro Tips
- 1Start with your products and work outward: what do people search when they need this?
- 2Focus on Keyword Difficulty (KD) under 40 for new sites—above 60 requires significant authority
- 3Prioritize keywords by: (Volume × Intent × Achievability) / Difficulty
- 4Mine competitor keywords—what are similar brands ranking for?
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Chasing only high-volume head terms without considering difficulty
Ignoring search intent—ranking for informational queries when you need buyers
Doing keyword research once and never updating (trends change)