Open Amazon and start typing “water bottle” in the search bar, but stop before you press enter. Look at the suggestions that drop down. Every one of those phrases was typed by real shoppers, many times over. Amazon is handing you a free list of what people want to buy.
That list is where Amazon keyword research begins. You do not need expensive software or special training to do it well. This tutorial follows one example product, a stainless steel water bottle, through each step. You can copy the same steps for your own product.
What You Need Before You Start
Keep it simple. You need:
- A spreadsheet (Google Sheets or Excel is fine).
- Your product details, such as size, material, colour and who it is for.
- About two hours.
- Optionally, a keyword tool. It helps, but it is not required.
Make three columns in your sheet: Keyword, Type and Where I Will Use It. We will fill them as we go.
Step 1: Write Your Seed List
A seed list is the first set of words that come to mind. Imagine you are describing the product to a friend. For our bottle, the list might be:
- water bottle
- steel bottle
- insulated bottle
- gym bottle
- leak proof bottle
Write down at least ten, and do not judge them yet. Think about what the product is, what it is made of, who uses it and where it is used.
Step 2: Use The Amazon Search Bar
Type each seed word into the Amazon UK search bar, one at a time, and write down every suggestion. Then add a letter after your word (for example, “water bottle a”, “water bottle b”) to see more ideas.
Our bottle search might give us phrases like “water bottle with straw,” “water bottle for kids” or “water bottle 1 litre.” Each one shows a different type of shopper. These are often the best Amazon SEO keywords because they come straight from real searches.
Step 3: Look At Your Competitors
Now find the top five to ten products that already sell well for your search. Open each one and note:
- The words in their titles.
- Repeated phrases in their bullet points.
- Features they highlight, such as “BPA free” or “keeps drinks cold for 24 hours.”
If you see the same word on most of the top listings, shoppers probably care about it. Do not copy their text. Just learn from the language they use.
Step 4: Read Reviews And Questions
This step is the one most sellers skip, and it is the most useful. Open the reviews and the customer questions on competing products. Look for the words buyers use on their own.
For example, you may find reviewers saying “fits in my car cup holder” or “does not leak in my bag.” Those phrases are gold. They tell you what shoppers worry about, and they are often words your competitors have not used in their listings yet.
Add these to your sheet. Also note any complaints. If many reviews say “lid broke after a month,” you now know a point where you can stand out.
Step 5: Sort Your Keywords By Intent
You should now have a long list. Sorting it makes it useful. Group keywords by what the shopper wants:
| Type | What It Means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Core | The main product name | water bottle |
| Feature | A specific detail | leak proof, insulated |
| Audience | Who it is for | water bottle for kids |
| Use | Where or when it is used | gym water bottle |
| Size or Variant | Measurements or options | 1 litre water bottle |
This table helps you see gaps. If you have lots of feature words but no audience words, you may be missing a whole group of shoppers.
Step 6: Check Relevance And Competition
Not every keyword deserves a place in your listing. For each one, ask three questions:
- Is it truly relevant? If your bottle has no straw, do not use “water bottle with straw,” even if it is popular. Irrelevant clicks hurt your conversion and may lead to unhappy buyers.
- Do people actually search for it? A keyword tool can show rough search volume. Treat it as a guide, not a fact.
- Can you compete? Search the term and look at the first page. If it is full of products with thousands of reviews and you are brand new, start with a more specific phrase first.
Longer phrases often have fewer searches but better buying intent. “Insulated steel water bottle 750ml” brings fewer visitors than “water bottle,” but those visitors know what they want.
Step 7: Place Your Keywords In The Right Spots
Now put the list to work. Mark each keyword in your sheet with where it belongs:
- Title: your main keyword and one or two strong features.
- Bullet points: feature and use keywords, written naturally.
- Description or A+ Content: audience words and extra detail.
- Backend search terms: spelling variations, alternate names and anything that did not fit elsewhere.
Never force a word where it does not read well. If a title feels crowded, remove a keyword. A listing that sounds like a human wrote it for a human will always do better than one stuffed with terms.
For sellers who need additional support with keyword placement and listing structure, Creative Circuit provides Amazon product listing services that include keyword research and optimisation.
Step 8: Track And Refresh
Keyword research is not a one-time job. Shoppers change their words, new competitors appear, and seasons shift demand.
- Check your search term report if you run ads. It shows what people typed before they bought.
- Add the best-performing terms to your listing.
- Review your list every few months, and before big sales periods.
Write the date on your sheet each time so you can see what changed.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Chasing volume only. A busy keyword that does not match your product wastes clicks.
- Copying competitors word for word. You miss your own strengths.
- Repeating the same word many times. It adds no value and makes the text harder to read.
- Ignoring spelling differences. UK shoppers may type “colour,” “litre” or “trainers,” so use UK terms for the UK store.
- Stopping after one round. The list needs updating.
Final Thoughts
Good Amazon keyword research is not about secret tools. It is about listening to how real people search, sorting what you find and using it with care. Start with your seed list, use the search bar, learn from competitors and reviews, check relevance and then place each word where it fits naturally.
If you want an expert to take this off your plate, a trusted team offering Amazon keyword research services can build the list for you and keep it fresh as the market changes. Start with one product, finish the steps above and see what you learn.
You can also explore Amazon SEO services in the UK to understand how keyword research connects with product visibility and conversion optimisation.