Google Ads Keyword Research for E-commerce (PH 2026)
Most keyword research wastes hours and finds nothing useful. Here's the 5-source method that produces a campaign-ready keyword list in 90 minutes.
Keyword research isn't about finding more keywords. It's about finding the right keywords — the ones with buying intent and reasonable cost — and structuring them into campaigns that convert.
Here's the 5-source method that produces a campaign-ready keyword list in 90 minutes.
TL;DR
Sources to mine:
1. Google Keyword Planner.
2. Google Search Console (your existing organic queries).
3. Competitor analysis (SEMrush or Ahrefs).
4. Google's autocomplete and related searches.
5. Customer language (reviews, support tickets).
Group keywords by:
Build campaigns by intent + theme.
Step 1: Define your seed keywords
Start with 10–20 obvious seed terms. For a hair oil brand:
Use these as inputs to the next steps.
Step 2: Google Keyword Planner
Free tool inside Google Ads → Tools → Keyword Planner.
Discover new keywords
Enter your seeds. Set:
Output:
Filter:
Export to CSV.
Get search volume
Paste a list of specific keywords, get historical search volumes. Useful for prioritizing.
Step 3: Google Search Console (your existing organic data)
If you have a Shopify store with at least a few months of organic traffic:
Search Console → Performance.
Filter by:
See:
These are gold — you know they're commercial-intent because Google already ranks you for them organically.
Export. Add to your keyword pool.
Step 4: Competitor analysis
Tools:
Enter a competitor's URL. See:
Steal what fits your brand. Avoid bidding on competitor brand names unless you have a clear differentiator (Quality Score will be low; CPCs high).
Step 5: Autocomplete and related searches
Free, slightly tedious, but valuable:
1. Type a seed keyword in Google.
2. Note the autocomplete suggestions.
3. Press search.
4. Note the "Related searches" at the bottom.
5. Note "People also ask" boxes.
Tools that automate this:
You'll find long-tail intent-rich queries that don't appear in Keyword Planner.
Step 6: Customer language mining
Read your:
Note exact phrases customers use:
These exact phrases are what Filipinos type into Google. Use them as keywords.
Step 7: Group by intent
Once you have 200–500 keywords, classify by intent:
Informational (low conversion)
These convert poorly for paid ads. Use for SEO content, not ads.
Commercial investigation (medium conversion)
Worth bidding on if margins allow.
Transactional (high conversion)
These are your bread and butter. Bid aggressively.
Brand and competitor
Bid on your own brand cheaply. Bid on competitors only if you have a strong differentiator.
Step 8: Group by theme
Within each intent tier, group by product theme:
Each theme becomes its own ad group. Allows for theme-specific ad copy.
Step 9: Identify negative keywords early
While researching, note keywords you do NOT want to bid on:
Build into a master negative keyword list. Apply to all campaigns.
Step 10: Estimate budget
For each priority keyword:
If projected ROAS is below your target on a keyword, don't bid.
For example:
This isn't a guaranteed math, but a sanity check.
Step 11: Build campaign structure
Based on your themes:
Each campaign has 3–6 ad groups, each with 5–15 keywords.
Common keyword research mistakes
1. Targeting only high-volume keywords
High-volume keywords are competitive and expensive. Long-tail keywords are cheaper and convert better.
2. Not separating informational from transactional
Bidding on "how to use hair oil" wastes budget. Use SEO content for informational; paid for transactional.
3. Ignoring search intent
A keyword with high volume but weak intent burns money. Always think: "Would this person buy from me right now?"
4. No negative keyword strategy
You'll find your spend going to "free", "DIY", "tutorial" queries. Build negatives into your account from day one.
5. Static keyword lists
Refresh quarterly. Trends shift, new product variants emerge.
What to do this week
1. Day 1: Generate 200 keywords from Keyword Planner + Search Console.
2. Day 2: Compete analysis (top 3 competitors).
3. Day 3: Autocomplete + customer language mining.
4. Day 4: Classify by intent and theme.
5. Day 5: Build campaign structure.
6. Day 6–7: Launch campaigns.
Most ecom stores can build a 4-campaign structure with 15–30 keywords per ad group in a single week.
Want help with keyword strategy?
Keyword research is the foundation of profitable Search ads. My Google Ads Specialist service includes full keyword strategy. Or learn the system in the Google Ads Course Philippines.
Related reading:
Written by Vince Servidad
I've spent over $26M on ads and built my own 7-figure brand from scratch. I don't just 'manage ads'—I build the growth systems that actually scale businesses profitably.
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