How To Select THE RIGHT Keywords

2026-02-27

Selecting the right keywords is the fastest way to improve Amazon SEO, increase qualified impressions, and grow sales without wasting ad spend. This guide shows a repeatable, step-by-step keyword selection workflow using the SellerSprite keyword research tool, with practical thresholds, mini examples, and a clean way to build an Amazon keyword list you can reuse across listings and ads.

Key takeaways
  • A "right" keyword is relevant, high intent, and winnable, not just high volume.
  • Start with long-tail keywords to rank faster, then scale to mid-tail and short-tail terms.
  • Use SellerSprite metrics like Searches, Purchase Rate, No. of Listings, Relevancy, and SPR to filter objectively.
  • Build a single master keyword list, dedupe it, tag it by intent, then assign keywords to listing fields and ad groups.
  • Run separate keyword research for Amazon US and Amazon Europe (and other marketplaces). Search behavior and competition differ by marketplace.
Applicable marketplaces
This workflow applies to Amazon US, Japan, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Canada, India, Mexico, Brazil, Australia, UAE, and Saudi Arabia. If you sell in multiple regions, repeat the same keyword selection steps per marketplace instead of copying keywords across countries.

Understand your keyword goals.

Keyword selection is not one-size-fits-all. The right keywords depend on what you are trying to achieve right now. Define your goal first, then choose the keyword type that matches the job.

GoalBest keyword typeWhat success looks like
Rank faster for a new listingLong-tail, high intentYou win multiple specific phrases and build momentum
Increase conversion rateExact match buyer languageHigher Purchase Rate and better listing-to-search alignment
Scale to bigger trafficMid-tail and short-tailYou compete in broader terms after you have proof and reviews
Pro Tip
If you are launching, do not try to win the biggest short-tail keyword first. Build traction with long-tail keywords, then climb up the ladder. This keeps your strategy winnable and measurable.

What makes a right Amazon keyword

A right keyword is a keyword you can win and monetize. Use these four checks before you add any keyword to your Amazon keyword list.

1) Relevance
The keyword must describe your product precisely. Use SellerSprite Relevancy and your own common sense check. If the intent does not match, skip it.
2) Purchase intent
Prefer keywords with a strong Purchase Rate or conversion signals. High volume with weak buying intent often wastes ads and hurts conversion.
3) Winnable competition
Look at No. of Listings and SPR. Lower SPR generally means fewer sales are needed to stay on page 1 for that keyword, which is easier for new listings.
4) Trend fit
Use Search Growth and seasonal patterns to avoid building your plan on a one-week spike. Stable or steadily rising demand is easier to scale.

Step 1: Research seed keywords with SellerSprite

Seed keywords are the starting point for keyword research for Amazon. Your job is to collect a wide pool first, then filter hard in Step 2.

Where seed keywords come from

  • Your product core term: the simplest name buyers use, like "yoga mat" or "floating wall shelf".
  • Your top competitors: pull real keywords from competitor ASINs using Reverse ASIN and Keyword Explorer.
  • Buyer modifiers: material, size, use case, audience, problem, and style (example: "non-slip", "extra thick", "for small bathroom").
Try this in SellerSprite
Open Keyword Research, select your marketplace (example: Amazon US), and enter your core keyword to generate a measurable keyword pool.

Open Keyword Research 

 

SellerSprite Keyword Research interface showing marketplace selection and seed keyword input for Amazon keyword research
Figure 1. Start keyword selection by choosing the correct marketplace and entering a seed keyword in SellerSprite Keyword Research.

Step 2: Use filters to find high-value keywords

This is where keyword selection becomes objective. Filters turn a messy keyword dump into a shortlist you can actually win.

Key metrics to filter by

  • Searches and Search Growth: demand and momentum.
  • Purchase Rate: buying intent and conversion strength.
  • No. of Listings: competitive crowd size for that keyword.
  • SPR: estimated natural sales needed within 8 days to hold page 1 placement.
  • Relevancy and Word Count: intent match and long-tail specificity.
  • Price and Rating bands: confirm the market fits your positioning.
Practical filter thresholds you can start with

Use these as starting points, then adjust for your category and budget. If you are exploring a trending niche, a common shortcut is to look for strong recent demand, such as Search Volume in the past 3 months above 10,000 and 3-month growth above 10 percent. For ranking keywords on a new listing, prioritize relevance and winnable SPR first.

Seller stageKeyword focusRecommended starting filters.
New listingLong-tail, high intentWord Count 4 to 7, Relevancy 50 plus, prioritize lower SPR, Purchase Rate above your shortlist average.
Growing listingMid-tail expansionKeep Relevancy high, allow higher SPR than launch terms, filter for stable Search Growth, and avoid weak Purchase Rate.
Established brandShort-tail and category leadersBroader Word Count ok, focus on volume and defending market share, use PPC and ranking tools to hold placement.
SellerSprite keyword filters panel highlighting Searches, Search Growth, Purchase Rate, No. of Listings, Relevancy, and SPR for Amazon keyword selection
Figure 2. Use SellerSprite filters to narrow down keywords by demand, growth, purchase intent, and competition signals like SPR.
Common mistake
Choosing keywords based on search volume only. Fix it by filtering for Relevancy and Purchase Rate first, then choose the lowest SPR keywords you can win.

Mini example 1: Yoga mat keyword selection

Suppose you sell a premium non-slip yoga mat. Start with "yoga mat" as your seed keyword, then filter for long-tail phrases that match your product spec, such as thickness, material, and use case. Your first launch shortlist might include terms like "extra thick yoga mat non slip" or "non slip yoga mat for hot yoga" because they are more specific and usually convert better.

Mini example 2: Wall shelf keyword selection

If you sell a floating wall shelf, start with "wall shelf" and expand with modifiers that change intent: room, mounting type, load capacity, and style. Then use No. of Listings and SPR to find winnable long-tail keywords like "floating wall shelf for bathroom" or "rustic floating shelves set of 2" that match your exact offer.

Step 3: Build and clean your keyword list

Keyword selection only works if you can reuse it. Your goal is one master Amazon keyword list that you update every week or two, not scattered spreadsheets and screenshots.

Use My Keyword List to stay organized

  1. Save shortlisted keywords from Keyword Research and Keyword Mining into My Keyword List.
  2. Remove duplicates and near-duplicates so you do not waste title space or ad budget.
  3. Tag keywords by intent so placement becomes easy.
TagMeaningBest use
CoreHighest intent, best overall balanceTitle and top bullet positions
SecondaryStrong relevance, slightly lower priorityBullets, description, backend terms
PPCHigh intent terms to test bids and messagingAd groups, exact and phrase testing
VariantsPlural, synonym, spelling variantsBackend terms, careful on-page usage
Try this in SellerSprite
Save your shortlisted keywords into My Keyword List so you can tag them, dedupe them, and reuse them for listing fields and PPC later.

Open My Keyword List 

 

SellerSprite My Keyword List dashboard showing saved keywords with tags for Core, Secondary, PPC, and Variants
Figure 3. Build a master keyword list and tag keywords by intent so you can apply them consistently.

Step 4: Apply keywords to listings and ads

The goal is not keyword stuffing. The goal is clean coverage: your listing reads naturally, and Amazon can clearly understand what you sell.

A simple keyword placement template

PlacementWhat to put hereWhat to avoid
Title1 core phrase plus 2 to 4 keyword groups (features, use case, audience)Repeating the same keyword, unreadable keyword strings
BulletsSecondary keywords tied to benefits and proofCopying the title, stuffing synonyms without meaning
Description and A plusUse cases, comparisons, and long-tail coverage naturallyRepeating keyword blocks that hurt readability
Backend search termsVariants and leftovers that you did not use on the pageIrrelevant terms, competitor brand terms, repetition
Pro Tip
Separate "ad keywords" from "buyer search terms". Reverse ASIN helps you see what buyers actually type and what triggers visibility, which is often more valuable than what sellers guess.

 

SellerSprite Reverse ASIN results showing real buyer search terms that generated exposure for a competitor ASIN
Figure 4. Reverse ASIN highlights real search terms that drove exposure, which helps you build a more accurate keyword strategy.
Next action checklist
  1. Pick 5 long-tail keywords with high relevance and low SPR for your first ranking push.
  2. Add them to your title and top bullets naturally, then build 1 PPC ad group to test them.
  3. Track ranking movement and refresh your keyword list every 1 to 2 weeks.

Choose keywords for different marketplaces

GEO matters. A keyword can be strong in Amazon US and weak in Amazon UK, or the intent can change across languages in Amazon Europe. Always choose the marketplace first in SellerSprite, then run keyword research inside that marketplace.

A practical GEO workflow
  1. Run the same seed keyword in Amazon US and your target EU marketplaces separately.
  2. Build separate keyword lists per marketplace. Do not mix languages in the same list.
  3. In each marketplace, filter by Purchase Rate and SPR again. Competition changes by country.
  4. Localize buyer modifiers. Direct translations often miss real buyer phrasing.

 

SellerSprite marketplace selector showing multiple Amazon marketplaces such as United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and Japan
Figure 5. Choose the correct marketplace before filtering keywords. Search volume and competition are marketplace-specific.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Only chasing high search volume: Add Purchase Rate and Relevancy to your filtering rules.
  • Ignoring SPR on new listings: If SPR is too high, you may not be able to sustain page 1 placement.
  • Copying US keywords to EU or JP: Run separate keyword research per marketplace and language.
  • Not building a keyword list: Without a master list, your team repeats work and misses coverage.
  • Keyword stuffing: Use a clean placement plan and let the listing read naturally for humans.

Share Your Sourcing Journey With SellerSprite Community

Join the SellerSprite community on the Facebook Group to share your sourcing journey, ask questions, and get support from fellow Amazon sellers.

Join SellerSprite Facebook Group   

FAQ

How many keywords should I target?

Start with 5 long-tail keywords for your initial ranking plan, then expand in batches of 5. For listing optimization, keep one master list, but only promote a small set to the title and top bullets to protect readability.

How often should I update my keyword list?

A simple cadence is every 1 to 2 weeks during launch and every 2 to 4 weeks once stable. Update faster if you change price, main image, or if the market shifts.

Should I prioritize short-tail or long-tail keywords?

Long-tail keywords are usually better at the beginning because they are more specific and often more winnable. Once you build relevance and conversion history, expand into mid-tail and short-tail terms.

What is SPR, and why does it matter?

SPR is a SellerSprite metric that estimates how many natural sales are needed within a short time window to keep a keyword ranking on page 1. Lower SPR generally means the keyword is easier to sustain, which is especially important for new listings.

Can I use the same keywords for Amazon US and Europe?

Do not copy blindly. Run separate keyword research for each marketplace and language, because search volume, competition, and buyer phrasing vary by country.

Further reading

View The SellerSprite Course Directory

Ready for the next step? Open the SellerSprite Academy course directory to continue building your Amazon FBA skills chapter by chapter.

Open Course Directory   

References

About the author

SellerSprite Success Team
We publish practical SOPs for keyword research, listing optimization, and PPC based on SellerSprite workflows and recurring patterns we see in seller audits and support questions across multiple Amazon marketplaces.

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