Keyword Research
Keyword research is the first step in SEO. It is the process of identifying the terms and phrases that users search for and that we want to target on our website.
Types of Keywords
Keywords can be divided into several categories, based on length and intent:
Short-tail Keywords
These are general, short terms (1-2 words) with high search volume but also high competition.
- “sneakers”
- “sports shoes”
Long-tail Keywords
These are longer and more specific phrases (3+ words), with lower search volume but higher conversion rates.
- “women's black original sneakers”
- “Adidas kids sports shoes size 32”
Search Intent
Keywords reflect user intent and can be of several types:
- Informational - the user is looking for information (“how to choose the right sneakers”)
- Commercial - the user intends to buy (“buy Adidas sneakers online”)
- Navigational - the user is searching for a specific brand or website (“Nike Romania”)
Keyword Research Tools
There are several tools that help us identify the right keywords and analyze their volume and competition:
- Google Keyword Planner - free, provides search volumes and keyword suggestions.
- Semrush - complete analysis of keywords and competition.
- Ahrefs - monitors backlinks and keyword performance.
Selecting Keywords for Our Example
For our website SneakerStore.com, we will select keywords that are relevant to our products and balance volume with competition.
- Short-tail: “sneakers”, “sports shoes”
- Long-tail: “men's black original sneakers”, “women's Adidas sports shoes size 38”
- Commercial: “buy sneakers online”
Building a Target Keyword List
Once we identify relevant keywords, we build a target list. It is important to include:
- Primary keywords (focus on important pages)
- Secondary keywords (for articles and descriptions)
- Synonyms and variants (to cover similar searches)
This list will be the foundation for building page content and articles, ensuring the site is optimized for both search engines and users.
Practical exercise: Using SneakerStore.com, create a list of 10 target keywords, combining short-tail, long-tail, and commercial intents. Think about which pages will benefit the most from each keyword.
Once we identify relevant keywords, we can organize them in a table for a clear and quick overview:
| Keyword | Type | Target Page | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| sneakers | Short-tail | Homepage / General Collection | High search volume, high competition |
| women's sports shoes | Short-tail | Women's Category | General, for broad traffic |
| men's black original sneakers | Long-tail | Specific Product Page | Lower volume, higher conversion |
| Adidas kids sports shoes size 32 | Long-tail | Specific Product Page | Highly targeted, high conversion |
| buy sneakers online | Commercial | Sales Page / Sneakers Collection | Clear purchase intent |
| sports shoes promotions | Commercial | Discounts / Promotions Page | Targeting offers and campaigns |
Practical exercise: Add 4–5 additional keywords for SneakerStore.com, combining different types and intents. Consider which pages will benefit the most from each keyword.