On-Page SEO
E-commerce Keyword Research: Categories, Products and Buying Guides
Store keyword research is mostly about matching shopping searches to the right page type.
Shoppers search in layers: broad categories (“office chairs”), refined categories (“ergonomic office chairs”), specific products and models, and questions (“how to choose an office chair”).
Each layer needs a different kind of page: category, filtered category, product, or guide.
Short answer: For e-commerce keyword research: start from your category tree and product attributes; collect category, attribute, brand, model and question searches; check intent on the results page; map broad and refined category searches to category pages, specific models to product pages, and questions to buying guides; and decide which attribute combinations deserve their own indexable category page rather than relying on filters.
Key Takeaways
- Map search layers to page types: category, product, guide.
- Attribute searches can justify a dedicated category page.
- Don’t index every filter combination.
- Buying-guide questions support category and product pages.
- Use your own site search and Search Console for real language.
Search layers and page types
| Search | Example | Page type |
|---|---|---|
| Broad category | office chairs | Category page |
| Refined category | ergonomic office chairs with lumbar support | Subcategory or curated category page |
| Brand or model | [brand] [model] chair | Product page |
| Question | how to choose an office chair | Buying guide |
Sources
- Your category tree and product attributes.
- Your site’s internal search terms.
- Search Console queries for category and product pages.
- Merchant Center performance data for product searches.
- Customer reviews and questions.
Filters vs category pages
If an attribute combination matches a real, repeated search, consider a proper category page with its own clean URL. Leave other filter combinations out of the index. See faceted navigation.
Mapping example
| Keyword group | Mapped to |
|---|---|
| office chairs, desk chairs | /office-chairs/ (category) |
| ergonomic office chairs, chairs with lumbar support | /office-chairs/ergonomic/ (subcategory) |
| [brand] [model] chair, [model] review | Product page |
| best office chair for back pain, how to choose an office chair | Buying guide linking to the category |
One page per intent keeps category, product and guide pages from competing with each other.
Guides that support sales
Questions asked before buying deserve guides that link to relevant categories and products. See buying guides that drive sales.
Frequently asked questions
Should product pages target broad keywords?
Usually not. Broad searches tend to suit category pages that show options.
How do I handle many similar products?
Target specific model and attribute searches on product pages; keep broad terms on categories.
Is internal site search data useful?
Yes. It shows what shoppers look for in their own words.
Want keyword research tied to revenue?
We map the searches your customers use to the pages that should win them, prioritized by business value, not just volume.
Sources
- Google Search Central: Best practices for ecommerce sites
- Google Ads Help: Use Keyword Planner
- Search Console Help: Performance report (Search results)
Last reviewed October 14, 2026.
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