Are you struggling to find the best keywords for your online store? Do you find it challenging to match keywords to the right pages, especially when dealing with many products and categories? Fear not, this guide will show you a straightforward and effective way to find keywords that can help you make more money.

This is a step-by-step plan to find winning keywords for your product and category pages. It's called "Show Me the Money," and it can help you decide:

• If a keyword is right for a product page, category page, or blog post.

• How to use keywords for categories and subcategories.

• How to choose the most specific and valuable keywords.

• How to know if your online store can rank for a keyword.

Step-by-Step Keyword Research

Here's a simple way to research keywords and decide how to use them:

1. Check for Buying Intent

First, see if the keyword shows buying intent. This means that people searching for it are likely to make a purchase.

• Google the keyword. Look at the top 10 results.

• Are the results mostly product or category pages? If yes, it's a transactional keyword. You can use it for a money page.

• Are the results mostly blog posts or reviews? If not, it might not be a good keyword for a product or category page.

  • Can you use it in a blog post? If yes, use it for a blog post.

  • If not, it might be best to ignore the keyword.

2. Decide on Category or Product Page

When a keyword with buying intent is identified, the first decision is whether to use it for a category page or a product page. It's advisable to start with category pages as they provide a higher-level organization of your products and can attract a broader audience.

3. Category Page: Main or Subcategory?

If you're using the keyword for a category page, decide if it's a main category or a subcategory.

• Main category: A top-level category, like "running shoes" or "laptops."

• Subcategory: A more specific category, like "trail running shoes," "laptops for college students," or "Dell laptops."

Examples:

• If your primary category is running shoes, subcategories could be:

  • Trail running shoes

  • Trail running shoes for men

  • Black trail running shoes

• If your primary category is laptops, subcategories could be:

  • Laptops for college students

  • Laptops for video editors

  • Laptops under $1000

Main Category

• Can you target a more specific keyword? If no, this is your top-level keyword. If yes, move to subcategories.

Subcategory

• Can you target an even more specific keyword? If yes, be more specific. You can add subcategories on top of subcategories. This gives you more opportunities to rank and attract more traffic.

4. Can You Rank?

Now that you have a subcategory, ask yourself, do you have a chance to rank?

• Check keyword difficulty.

• Compare your site's authority to the authority of the top 10 results.

• Look at the search volume.

• Do you have the topic authority to rank?

• Do you need to create more content?

  • If yes, you've found a winning keyword for a subcategory. Optimize the page and attempt to improve its ranking.

  • If not, look for a close alternative.

    • If you cannot find an alternative, try using a different keyword.

    • If you find a less competitive alternative, use it.

5. Product Page: Is the Category Defined?

Suppose the keyword is specific to one product. In that case, it's crucial to check if the category or subcategory has already been defined. This step ensures that the product page is relevant and targeted, enhancing its chances of ranking.

• If the subcategory is not defined, is the keyword relevant to multiple products?

  • If so, return to the category workflow. For example, if you have several pairs of black running shoes, you cannot optimize each product page for "black trail running shoes." That should be a category.

6. Product Page: Can You Rank?

If you have already defined the category and subcategory, ask yourself, do you have a chance to rank?

• Check competitiveness.

• Look at the search volume.

• Check your topic authority.

  • If yes, you've found a winning keyword for your product.

  • If not, is there a close alternative that's less competitive?

    • If you find an alternative that you think you can rank for, use it.

    • If not, find another keyword.

Now it's your turn

Finding the right keywords can be hard, but following these steps can help you find keywords that will make you money. By focusing on buying intent, categories, and your ability to rank, you can identify the most effective keywords for your online store. Now, it's your turn to take control and implement these strategies for your business.