How to Find Longtail Keywords for Your Ecommerce Website

Intro

Do you ever feel like you're in a crowded marketplace where selling your products poses a significant challenge?

You're not alone.

The secret to getting heard isn't just about volume but precision. And that’s no different whether you communicate online or offline (in a local market).

How do you, as an ecommerce professional, stand out in a crowded ecommerce marketplace? By using the correct set of longtail keywords in your content.

These longtail keywords can improve your SEO by offering your niche phrases targeted toward your ideal customers' needs.

In this guide, we're ditching SEO jargon and diving deep into how to find ecommerce keywords for ecommerce websites.

So, whether you’re a seasoned SEO professional or ecommerce marketer, empower yourself to dive in and unearth hidden gems that drive targeted traffic and boost conversions.

Shall we commence?

Mine Your Data Beyond Search Terms

Your website isn't just a digital storefront but a bustling marketplace of customer behavior. So, have you considered analyzing that behavior to uncover hidden clues about what your customers ‘actually’ want?

Because… search queries are just the tip of the iceberg.

See what products people are clicking on. Try the website heatmap for this.

And then you have inventory management software — a goldmine of insights. It tracks what you sell the most and how it is sold.

Are certain products flying off the virtual shelves while others gather dust? Are there patterns in the types of items frequently purchased together?

For example, Do you know what your customers club together? The inventory management software will show if they buy more peanut butter + jelly, milk + cookies, cereals + seeds, etc.

And when the product goes out of stock, what do people search for? This is a goldmine of "near-miss" keywords.

So, don't rely on search engines to tell you what your customers want. Become your data miner and dig into your website's hidden depths.

Here’s what you can consider doing.

1. Analyze on-site search data: What do people search for within your site? This can reveal unmet needs and potential longtail keywords.
2. Look at product descriptions: Identify the terms your customers use to describe your products.
3. Check customer reviews, social media comments, and mentions: Social media has a role in SEO, which requires analyzing your social handles. This is to know what issues customers face, questions they ask, or even their product reviews. For this, try automated analytics to unearth customer insights in terms of their sentiments, hidden patterns and trends, and their digital footprints.

Example: If you are into fashion and clothing, notice if customers frequently search for "petite sizes'' on your site. This can contribute to creating a specific category page targeting "petite clothing for women'' and optimizing it for relevant longtail keywords.

Listen to Your Customers (and Their Search Queries)

Forget those tools and secondary research. Have you considered discovering what your customers search for to reach your website?

They're already telling you what they want, but it is not that direct.

Instead, they're typing their desires into search engines.

So, if you want to discover what your customers search for, you can consider—

Actionable Tip: Dive into your website analytics. Leverage Google Analytics and Search Console to uncover the exact search terms your prospects (and existing customers) use to land on your site.

Source

This will reveal the exact search terms your prospects (and existing customers) use to land on your site.

Look for longer, specific phrases. These could be:

• Questions: Think of what customers can ask for in a search query. So, instead of simple keywords like ‘hiking boots,’ go for more precise longtail keywords like "best hiking boots for wide feet," "how to choose organic baby clothes," etc.
• Specific Products: Again, be specific about what customers can search for. Like, go for "stainless steel water bottle with straw" and "leather tote bag for work" instead of generic keywords like water bottle or tote bag, respectively.
• Comparisons: Use longtail keywords that compare different products, such as "iPhone vs. Samsung camera quality," "natural vs. synthetic sunscreen," etc.

According to a study by Ahrefs, 95% of keywords get ten or fewer monthly searches. This highlights the vast potential of longtail keywords, even if individual search volumes seem low.

Did You Check Search Engine Autocomplete?

We all have seen it. You type 1-2 words, and the search engine will list phrases/queries usually searched online. Start typing a relevant phrase into Google (or your preferred search engine), and watch the autocomplete, and you’ll see suggestions roll in.

Source: Screen Capture

These suggestions are based on actual searches, making them a ‘must try’ activity before finalizing the longtail keywords for your ecommerce store.

Here’s what you can do:

Actionable Tip: Start with a broad seed keyword, like "yoga mat." Then, try adding different modifiers:

• Materials: "cork yoga mat," "eco-friendly yoga mat."
• Styles: "travel yoga mat," "extra thick yoga mat."
• Benefits: "non-slip yoga mat," "yoga mat for bad knees."

Pro Tip: Explore related searches at the bottom of the search results page for more inspiration.

Source: Screen Capture

For this, scroll down to page results and check for longtail queries labeled ‘people also search for.’

Example: If you sell organic skincare, typing "face serum for" might reveal suggestions like "face serum for sensitive skin," "face serum for acne scars," or "face serum for anti-aging."

These are all potential longtail keywords to target.

Check Out Your Competitors' Keywords

This is ethical spying!

What you do is just take a peek at what keywords your top competitors are ranking for. Also, see if they leverage any keywords in your niche. For this, you can use Ranktracker's SERP analysis tool to find the weak spots of your competitors’ websites.

For example, if you are into customized gifts, just type ‘customized birthday gifts for boys’

Source: Ranktracker

Now, you see the top pages, the keywords they rank for, and the Ranktracker score. This way, you can analyze which competitors are targeting longtail keywords.

But it's not just about copying.

You’d use this intel to find the gaps in the longtail opportunities they might miss.

They may dominate the broad terms but overlook super-specific phrases that could be pure gold for your store.

What to do here?

• Identify your top competitors: Check which competitors consistently outrank you in search results.
• Analyze their keywords: Tools like Semrush or Ahrefs can reveal their keyword strategies. Here’s an example of Semrush running a competitor analysis showing keyword overlaps.

Source

But don’t stop here. Look for longtail variations they might be missing.

• One-up them: Improve the competition and find even more specific variations of their keywords. Also, you can create better content around them.

Example: If a competitor is crushing it with "vegan leather boots for women," you could target "sustainable vegan leather boots for wide feet."

Brainstorm with Keyword Tools

We’ve already mentioned a few tools above. But apart from using them for competitor analysis, use them as your SEO brainstorming buddies. This will help generate tons of longtail keyword ideas and gauge their potential.

Here’s how you can begin.

• Grab your favorite keyword tool: We recommend leveraging our Keyword Finder tool that helps explore all the ideal keywords.
• Start with a seed keyword: Enter a broad term related to your product or service.
• Let the tool do its magic: It will generate a list of related longtail keywords. Pick the most relevant one and consider search volume, difficulty level, etc.
• Look for the sweet spot: Finally, pick longtail keywords with decent search volume (enough people are looking for them) but low competition (easier to rank for).

Example: If you sell coffee beans, start with "coffee beans." The tool might suggest different variations that you can try.

Source: Ranktracker

Here, Ranktracker will provide more keywords, rankings, difficulty, and trends. Other ideas were “grinded coffee beans," "bikini coffee beans," or "excellent coffee beans."

So, pick those that are relevant to your product. 

Explore Synonyms and Related Terms

Adding extra words doesn't make longtail keywords. It is beyond that!

Sometimes, you’ll need to find creative variations of your core terms. This is where your vocabulary skills come in handy—ever thought like a poet and not just a marketer?

This is the time!

Consider the following:

• Start with your core keywords: These are the main terms you already target to rank on.
• Grab your trusty thesaurus (or online tool): Brainstorm synonyms, related terms, and different ways of phrasing things. You can also use tools like Visual Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, etc.

For example, you are selling something that aids meditation for peace of mind. In such cases, you can use such visual maps of a thesaurus.

• Look for longtail variations: How can you combine these terms to create more specific phrases?
• Don't forget regional or niche lingo: "Sneakers" vs. "trainers," "soda" vs. "pop"— these subtle variations can make a big difference.

Example: If you sell organic food, instead of just "organic vegetables," you could target "locally grown organic vegetables," "seasonal organic produce," or "certified organic veggies."

Wrapping Up

There you have it!

We’ve shared the tried and true tactics that help you conquer the battle of finding the best long longtail keywords for your ecommerce website. A mix of these and consistently tracking those can help turn your site into a traffic magnet.

Remember, it's not about chasing the most significant, shiniest keywords but finding the right keywords that speak about your product and address your ideal customers.

So, what are you waiting for? Dive into your analytics, eavesdrop on those online conversations, and let your inner word nerd run wild. Infuse creativity and persistence; you’ll not be far from uncovering a treasure trove of longtail keywords that'll take your ecommerce game to the next level.

Ready to transform those "just browsing" clicks into "add to cart" cha-chings? Ranktracker helps improve website traffic for many users.

Maybe you can try it — the first three hours of use is free!

Get out there and start digging!

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