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SEO & Keyword Research
Why This Matters
SEO is free, compounding traffic. While ads stop working the second you stop paying, a well-optimized product page can bring in customers for years.
Keyword research tells you exactly what words your customers use when searching for products like yours. Use those words in your product titles, descriptions, meta tags, and blog posts.
You don't need to be an SEO expert. Focus on long-tail keywords (3–5 word phrases) with decent search volume and low competition. That's where small stores win.
What You'll Do
Research and document your target keywords for each product page, collection page, and blog topic. Optimize your page titles and meta descriptions.
How To Do It
Keyword Research Workflow: From Seed Words to Content Map
This takes about 90 minutes and creates the SEO foundation for every page on your site.
1. Generate seed keywords (15 min)
Start with 5-10 broad terms that describe your products. If you sell handmade candles, your seeds might be: "scented candles," "soy candles," "candle gift set," "aromatherapy candles," "hand-poured candles." Think about what you would type into Google if you were your customer. Also check Amazon's search suggestions — start typing your product and see what autocomplete suggests.
2. Expand to long-tail keywords (20 min)
- 100-10,000 monthly searches (the sweet spot for small stores)
- Low to medium competition (Ubersuggest calls this "SD" — aim for under 40)
- Clear purchase intent ("buy soy candles online" beats "how are candles made")
Plug each seed keyword into Ubersuggest or Mangools KWFinder. You are looking for 3-5 word phrases with:
Export the results and collect 30-50 long-tail keywords total. Tip: Questions make excellent blog topics ("what is the best soy candle for relaxation?").
3. Group keywords by intent (15 min)
- Product page keywords: High purchase intent, e.g., "lavender soy candle 8oz" — these go in product titles and descriptions
- Collection page keywords: Category-level terms, e.g., "soy candles for meditation" — these become your collection/category page titles
- Blog keywords: Informational intent, e.g., "how to make your home smell amazing" — these become blog post topics
Sort your keywords into three buckets:
4. Map keywords to pages (20 min)
Create a spreadsheet with columns: Keyword, Search Volume, Competition, Target Page, Current Ranking. Assign each keyword to one specific page. Every product page gets 1 primary keyword and 2-3 secondary keywords. Every collection page gets 1 primary keyword. Never target the same keyword on two different pages — that causes cannibalization.
5. Optimize your existing pages (20 min)
- The page title (H1 tag)
- The URL slug
- The meta description
- The first 100 words of body copy
- At least one image alt tag
For each page, make sure your target keyword appears in:
Don't stuff keywords — write naturally, but be intentional about placement.
By the end of this step, you should have:
- A keyword research spreadsheet with 30-50 keywords organized by intent (product, collection, blog)
- Each product and collection page assigned a primary keyword and 2-3 secondary keywords
- Page titles and meta descriptions optimized for target keywords across your store
Recommended Tools
Ubersuggest
Neil Patel's SEO tool. Great for beginners — shows keyword ideas, search volume, and competition in a simple interface.
3 free searches/day
Try UbersuggestAhrefs
Industry-leading SEO toolset. Keyword research, backlink analysis, competitor tracking. Worth the investment if you're serious.
From $99/mo
Try AhrefsMangools
Affordable SEO toolkit with a beautiful UI. KWFinder makes keyword research actually enjoyable.
From $29/mo
Try MangoolsPro Tips
- 1Target long-tail keywords. 'Organic cotton yoga mat for hot yoga' converts way better than 'yoga mat' — and it's way easier to rank for.
- 2Check what keywords your top competitors rank for using Ahrefs or SEMrush. Those are your target keywords.
- 3Don't stuff keywords. Write naturally, but make sure your target keyword appears in the title, first paragraph, and one heading.