E-commerce
September 17, 2026
Wondering how to do free keyword research in 3 steps? Good news: it is entirely possible to get reliable data without spending a penny. With a little method and the right free tools, you can identify the queries that matter for your store and guide your content strategy.
Keyword research is the foundation of SEO. It reveals what your potential customers are actually searching for, and it is a goldmine for creating content that drives traffic. But beware, without a structured approach, you risk getting lost in massive amounts of data and making the wrong decisions.
So, how do you do a free keyword research in 3 steps? On the agenda:
Why start with seed keywords?
How to use Google Keyword Planner for free?
How to clean and leverage your keyword data?
How to integrate these keywords into your content strategy?
What checklist for a successful keyword research?
Let's go.
Summary
Why is keyword research essential for your shop?
Keyword research is much more than a simple list of terms. It is a window into the desires and needs of your future customers. By understanding what internet users type into Google, you can adapt your content, your product pages, and your blog posts to meet their expectations precisely.
For an e-commerce merchant, this process is crucial. It allows you to know which terms generate traffic, but also to identify gaps in your current strategy. For example, if you sell wall decorations, you might discover that "abstract canvas painting" is more searched for than "modern wall decor".
Without this analysis, you risk creating content that does not correspond to actual search queries, and therefore missing out on qualified visitors. Keyword research is thus the foundation of any effective SEO strategy, and it is accessible to everyone, even with a zero budget.
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What is a seed keyword and how do you find it?
Keyword seeds are the roots of your research. These are simple terms, often product names or attributes, which will serve as a basis to generate hundreds of variations. For a wall decor store, the seeds could be "metal wall art", "canvas wall art" or even "abstract painting".
To find them, list your main categories, then add attributes like color, style, or material. Also think of synonyms: some customers will say "painting" where you say "picture". These variations are valuable because they reflect the real language of your buyers.
Once your seeds are identified, you can combine them to create complete phrases. For example, "abstract green metal wall art" or "botanical canvas painting". This step is creative and requires putting yourself in your customers' shoes, but it is essential to cover as many potential queries as possible.
How to generate hundreds of keywords from seed words?
With your seeds in hand, the next step is to combine them to create as many combinations as possible. Tools like Mergewords can automate this process, but you can also do it manually in a spreadsheet. The goal is to generate phrases that internet users might actually type.
For example, by combining "wall art" with "green", "abstract", and "metal", you get variations like "abstract green wall art" or "green metal wall art". This method can produce thousands of combinations, which is both a strength and a challenge.
It is tempting to limit the number of phrases to save time, but this introduces bias. You might eliminate high-potential keywords simply because they do not seem relevant to you. It is better to generate everything, then filter later with objective data. This is the key to a truly comprehensive search.
Why use Google Keyword Planner for free research?
Google Keyword Planner is the ultimate free tool for obtaining search volume data. Even if the numbers are rounded and the keywords are grouped by theme, it is the only reliable source that provides mass numerical data, directly from the source of 90% of organic traffic.
If you have access to a Google Ads account, you will see precise volumes. Otherwise, the tool remains free, with volume ranges. In both cases, it is a goldmine for understanding market demand.
The advantage of Keyword Planner is that it also allows you to enter a competitor's URL to retrieve their keywords. It is an excellent way to discover opportunities you wouldn't have imagined. And all this without spending a single euro, which is ideal for small shops.
How to extract data from Google Keyword Planner?
Data extraction is a mechanical but crucial step. In Google Keyword Planner, click on "Discover new keywords" and enter up to 10 phrases at a time. You can also paste a competitor's URL to analyze their keywords. Then click on "Get results" to obtain the results.
On the results page, remember to change the filter "Broadly related ideas" to "Closely related". This eliminates suggestions that are too far off, like "wallpaper" for a search on wall art. This simple adjustment will save you precious time.
Finally, click on "Download keyword ideas" to get a CSV file. Repeat the operation for each batch of 10 phrases until your list is exhausted. This can take time, but it is a worthwhile investment to build a solid strategy.
How to merge your keyword CSV files?
After extracting several CSV files, they need to be grouped into one. Copying and pasting manually would be tedious. Instead, use your PC's command prompt (CMD) or your Mac's terminal to merge the files with a single command. It's fast and efficient.
Once merged, you will get a large file with many duplicates. This is normal, as each batch of 10 phrases can generate similar keywords. The next step is to clean this data to keep only the essentials.
Import the merged file into Excel or Google Sheets. Use the "Remove Duplicates" function to keep only one occurrence of each keyword. You are now left with a clean database, ready for analysis.
How to clean your keyword data effectively?
Cleaning is a crucial step to prevent irrelevant keywords from distorting your analysis. Start by sorting your keywords by descending search volume. The most popular terms will appear at the top, but some will be off-topic. For example, "wallpaper" may have a high volume, but it does not match your business.
Identify these parasite keywords and filter your list by this term to delete them in bulk. For example, if "wallpaper" comes up often, filter by this word and delete all rows containing it. This will save you a considerable amount of time.
Next, sort your keywords in alphabetical order. This groups similar variations together and makes it easier to detect irrelevant groups. A final quick scan will allow you to spot the last anomalies. You are then left with a clean and actionable list.
How to leverage your keyword data on a daily basis?
Your cleaned data should not sit in a drawer. Use it as a daily reference for your content decisions. For example, if you find that "green abstract painting" has a high volume, you can create a blog post or a category page dedicated to this theme.
Share your research with your team, especially those who manage content or social media. Your colleagues will appreciate a clear analysis rather than a raw file. Offer concrete recommendations, such as topics to prioritize or pages to optimize.
Finally, update your data regularly. Search trends evolve, and what worked six months ago may no longer be relevant. A quarterly review will allow you to stay in line with your customers' expectations.
How to integrate these keywords into your content strategy?
Once your keywords have been identified, it is time to integrate them into your content strategy. Each keyword can become a blog post, a category page, or an optimized product sheet. For example, a high-volume keyword like "living room wall decor ideas" can inspire a comprehensive guide.
Also, consider your store's internal search. The words your customers use in Google are often the same ones they use in your search bar. By integrating them into your category labels and descriptions, you improve both the user experience and SEO.
Do not forget to create internal links between your content. If you have an article on decor trends, link it to your relevant product pages. This strengthens the relevance of your pages and helps Google understand your site's structure.
What mistakes should be avoided during a free keyword research?
The first mistake is to limit yourself to a few obvious keywords. By not generating enough variations, you miss out on opportunities. The second mistake is not cleaning your data. Irrelevant keywords can skew your analysis and lead you toward bad decisions.
Another common mistake is neglecting synonyms. If you sell "paintings", some customers look for "artwork". By ignoring these variations, you lose qualified traffic. Always think of your customers' language, not just your industry jargon.
Finally, do not rely solely on search volume. A keyword with high volume can be very competitive. For a small shop, it is sometimes wiser to target niche keywords with less competition but a better conversion rate.
How does Qstomy help leverage your keywords to convert?
Qstomy, the Shopify AI agent, can transform your keywords into sales opportunities. By analyzing your visitors' queries, it identifies purchase intent and guides customers to the right products. For example, if a visitor searches for "green abstract painting," Qstomy can recommend matching items.
Thanks to its recommendation and upsell capabilities, Qstomy increases the average cart value by suggesting complementary products. It can also answer frequent questions about order tracking or returns, thereby improving the customer experience and reducing the load on your support team.
By integrating your keywords into conversations, Qstomy personalizes the buying journey. It uses your catalog data to provide relevant answers, which increases the likelihood of conversion. It is a valuable ally for turning SEO traffic into real sales.
What checklist for a successful free keyword research?
Here is a checklist to guide you through your free keyword research:
Seed keywords: list your product categories and attributes, and include synonyms.
Generation: combine your seed keywords to create hundreds of variations.
Extraction: use Google Keyword Planner with the "closely related" filter.
Merging: combine your CSVs using the command prompt.
Cleaning: remove duplicates and irrelevant keywords.
In brief
Free keyword research is accessible to anyone with a little methodology. By following these three steps, you will obtain reliable data to guide your content strategy and attract qualified traffic.
FAQ
How long does this research take? Allow a few hours, especially for data extraction and cleaning.
Can I use tools other than Keyword Planner? Yes, but it is the only free tool that provides bulk search volumes.
Do I need to update this research regularly? Yes, ideally every quarter to stay up to date.
To go further: E-commerce SEO: strategies that really work - Qstomy, Training an e-commerce chatbot with Shopify: using the right data without generating wrong answers - Qstomy, Integrating customer service answers into an e-commerce SEO strategy useful to customers - Qstomy, Building your SEO strategy: adapting for success - Qstomy, E-commerce Searchandising: optimizing internal search with customer words - Qstomy, E-commerce SEO strategy for category pages - Qstomy, Using AI in your SEO strategy: Google framework, Shopify Magic, and governance - Qstomy.
Enzo
September 17, 2026
