Keyword Research for Amazon: Complete Guide
Quick Definition
Keyword research is the process of finding the search terms customers use to find products. Optimizing your listing for the right keywords increases visibility and sales.
Why Keywords Matter on Amazon
Amazon is a search engine for products. Over 70% of shoppers never scroll past the first page of results. If your listing doesn't contain the keywords people search for, they won't find your product. Keyword research identifies high-volume, relevant search terms so you can optimize your title, bullets, and backend search terms for maximum visibility.
Types of Keywords
Head keywords: short, high-volume (e.g., "yoga mat") — very competitive. Long-tail keywords: longer, more specific (e.g., "extra thick yoga mat for bad knees") — less competitive, higher conversion. Branded keywords: include a brand name. Competitor keywords: other brand names shoppers search. Backend keywords: hidden search terms in Seller Central that don't appear on the listing.
Keyword Research Process
Start with Amazon's own search autocomplete — type your main product term and note suggestions. Analyze competitor listings — what terms do top sellers use in their titles and bullets? Use keyword tools to find search volume and competition data. Prioritize keywords by relevance × volume × achievable ranking. Group keywords by intent for PPC campaign structure.
Using Keywords in Your Listing
Title: include your top 3–5 keywords naturally. Bullet points: weave in secondary keywords while highlighting benefits. Description/A+ Content: use remaining keywords in context. Backend search terms: add keywords that don't fit naturally in visible content (500 characters max). Don't keyword-stuff — Amazon penalizes unreadable listings. AstroMarket's keyword analysis shows which terms have the best volume-to-competition ratio.
Related Terms
Amazon PPC
Amazon PPC is Amazon's advertising system where sellers bid on keywords to show sponsored product listings in search results. You pay only when a shopper clicks your ad.
ACOS
ACOS (Advertising Cost of Sales) is the percentage of ad spend relative to attributed sales revenue. An ACOS of 25% means you spent $25 in ads to generate $100 in sales.
Product Research
Product research is the process of identifying profitable products to sell online by analyzing demand, competition, margins, trends, and sourcing costs before investing in inventory.
Amazon BSR
Amazon BSR is a numerical ranking that shows how well a product sells relative to others in its category. A lower BSR means higher sales volume.
Google Trends
Google Trends is a free tool by Google that shows search interest over time for any keyword. Sellers use it to identify seasonal patterns, compare product demand, and spot rising trends.
Put Keyword Research data to work
AstroMarket analyzes keyword research alongside competition, trends, sourcing costs, and social signals — all in one AI-powered report.