Keyword research for a small Shopify store

Keyword research for a small Shopify store means finding the words your customers really type, then giving each search a matching page. You do not need a paid tool to begin. Start from your products, compare terms in Google Trends, and focus on specific searches rather than broad, competitive ones.

Why should a small store aim for specific searches?

Shopify’s keyword advice is to target terms specific to your products and business, and it warns that heavily searched terms are also more competitive. A new store selling candles has little chance on “candles”. “Unscented soy candle for bedroom” describes one product, and someone typing it knows what they want.

A five-step method

1. Write down your customers’ words

List each product and collection, then write how a customer would ask for it. Think about beginners too: Google’s starter guide points out that people who know a subject and people who do not may search for it in different words. Your own emails, customer questions and reviews are good sources.

2. Compare them in Google Trends

Google’s guide to Trends suggests entering up to five terms to see which attract more interest. Then look at related queries: Top shows what people are most interested in, and Rising shows what is gaining attention. Google adds a warning worth keeping: some suggestions will not be relevant to you, so stay close to your business.

3. Search the term yourself

Type it into Google and look at what comes up. Product pages and collections suggest that people want to buy. Articles suggest that they want to learn. Your page should be the same kind of page as the results, otherwise it is a poor match for that search, however well written it is.

4. Add Keyword Planner if you want more ideas

Shopify also suggests Google Keyword Planner as a source of ideas. Treat it as a way to find terms, not as a verdict. A term with little reported interest can still be the right one when it describes your product exactly.

5. Check what you already appear for

Once your store has been live for a while, Search Console becomes your best source. The Queries tab in the Performance report shows the terms you already rank for and the ones people click. If you have not set it up yet, follow our tutorial on connecting Search Console to Shopify.

How do you match keywords to pages?

Keep a simple table with one row per page. This stops two pages from competing for the same search, and it shows you what is missing. Here is an example for a fictional candle store.

Most searches with buying intent belong on a collection or a product, so organize your collections around the way people search. Questions that a product page cannot answer are what a blog is useful for.

Where do you use a keyword?

• The title tag, near the beginning. See our guide to writing title tags and meta descriptions.
• The page heading and description, in natural sentences.
• Image alt text, only when it describes the image.
• Links from other pages of your store, with anchor text that says where the link leads.

Then stop. Google’s spam policies treat unnatural repetition of phrases as keyword stuffing. Skip the keywords meta tag too, since Google does not use it.

What should you expect?

Choosing good terms gives each page a clear purpose, but it does not place a page in any given position. Google says some changes show within hours and others take months, and it generally suggests waiting a few weeks before judging one.

Once you know the words your customers use, they need to reach your pages. Tell Forgefont about your brand and products, and add the SEO-optimized site option, in which all the copy on your site is optimized following Google’s official documentation. See it in the configurator.