E-Commerce Strategies
May 22, 2025
Want to increase your Amazon sales by nearly 4x? Competitor keyword gap analysis is the key. It’s a simple process of identifying keywords your competitors rank for, but you don’t. By leveraging these keywords, you can improve visibility, optimize listings, and maximize ad performance.
Key Benefits:
Higher Rankings: Adding competitor keywords can boost click-through rates by 35%.
Better Ads: Sellers using 150+ competitor keywords see a 6x return on ad spend (ROAS) and cut wasted ad spend by 19%.
New Opportunities: Discover untapped markets and seasonal trends.
How It Works:
Find Competitors: Use ASIN research to identify top-performing products in your category.
Analyze Keywords: Use tools like Helium 10 or Jungle Scout to uncover keyword gaps.
Update Listings: Add high-performing keywords to titles, bullet points, and descriptions.
Optimize Ads: Target competitor keywords in PPC campaigns for better results.
Tools to Use:
Tool | Price | Features |
---|---|---|
Helium 10 | $29/month | 71% accuracy, keyword IQ |
Jungle Scout | $29/month | PPC data, search volume |
AMZScout | $49.99/month | Competitor tracking |
Viral Launch | $69/month | Historical keyword trends |
Quick Tip:
Focus on long-tail keywords for higher conversions and lower competition. Update your keyword strategy every two months to stay ahead.
Competitor keyword gap analysis isn’t just about rankings - it’s about understanding what your customers want and delivering it. Ready to grow your Amazon business? Start analyzing those gaps today.
How to Track Competitor Keyword Ranks | Keyword Tracker Pro Training
Finding Your Amazon Competitors
Pinpointing the right competitors on Amazon is a critical step in uncovering keyword opportunities that can drive your success. Here's how you can identify and analyze your competition effectively.
Using ASIN Research
ASIN research offers a structured way to find and evaluate your direct competitors. Start by searching for your main product keywords on Amazon and gathering ASINs from the top-ranking products. These listings are your key competition.
Let’s say you’re selling a coffee maker. Begin with broad terms like "coffee maker" and then refine your search to more specific phrases like "single-serve coffee machine." This approach helps you zero in on competitors targeting the same audience.
Here’s how to approach ASIN research:
Collect Top Performers: Focus on the first 10–20 products that show up for your primary keywords.
Track Key Metrics: Keep an eye on competitor pricing, sales rank, and the number of reviews.
Analyze Seasonal Trends: Watch how competitors’ rankings shift during different times of the year.
Once you’ve gathered ASINs from top-performing products, narrow your analysis further by diving into specific market categories.
Analyzing Market Categories
Considering Amazon has over 9.7 million sellers globally and 1.9 million active sellers[1], narrowing your focus to the most relevant competitors in your category is essential.
Here’s how to refine your competitor list:
Price Range Alignment: Look for competitors whose products are priced within 20% above or below your own.
Customer Reviews: Target products with similar review counts to better match your market position.
Fulfillment Method: Pay close attention to sellers using the same fulfillment method as you, whether it’s FBA (Fulfilled by Amazon) or FBM (Fulfilled by Merchant).
As of December 2024, tools like Viral Launch's Product Discovery have been instrumental in helping sellers analyze millions of Amazon products. These tools reveal that successful sellers typically focus on 5–7 direct competitors for detailed keyword gap analysis.
With your competitors identified, the next step is to explore the best tools available for conducting keyword gap analysis.
Keyword Gap Analysis Tools
Once you've identified your competitors, the next step is choosing the right tools to perform an effective keyword gap analysis.
Using the right tools can increase click-through rates by up to 35% while also reducing ACoS[1].
Top Analysis Tools
The following tools are some of the top choices for streamlining keyword gap analysis:
Helium 10's Cerebro: Known for its 71% data accuracy, this tool offers unique "Amazon Recommended" keywords and an IQ Score that combines search volume with competitor insights. Plans start at $29 per month and include keyword tracking and competitor analysis.
Jungle Scout's Keyword Scout: This tool pulls advertising data directly from Amazon, including estimates for exact-match PPC costs. Its November 2024 update introduced improved metrics for search volume, PPC costs, and competition levels. The Brand Owner + CI plan, priced at $299/month, delivers a comprehensive gap analysis.
Tool | Price | Key Features & Accuracy |
---|---|---|
Helium 10 | $29/month | Cerebro IQ Score, 71% accuracy |
Jungle Scout | $29/month | Direct Amazon data, 56% accuracy |
AMZScout | $49.99/month | Competitor tracking |
Viral Launch | $69/month | Historical trends |
Selecting Your Tools
When deciding which tools to use, keep these considerations in mind:
Search Volume Analysis: Tools with reliable search volume data are critical since 66% of U.S. consumers start product searches on Amazon.
Competitive Intelligence: Opt for tools with reverse ASIN lookup capabilities. Tracking over 150 high-performing competitor keywords can lead to a sixfold return on ad spend.
Budget Alignment: Evaluate your budget carefully. While premium plans offer extensive data, starter plans are often sufficient for new sellers.
To stay ahead, update your keyword strategy regularly - ideally every two months. With 73% of shoppers clicking on the top search result, selecting tools that pinpoint high-performing keywords is essential for success.
Performing Keyword Gap Analysis
Let’s dive into how you can perform a keyword gap analysis to improve your Amazon listings.
Gathering Keyword Data
Start by collecting keyword data from your top competitors. Focus on products that match your price range and category - this ensures you're comparing apples to apples. The best results come from combining automated tools with a hands-on review.
Product Listing Analysis
Here’s what to look at when analyzing competitors:
Titles, bullet points, and descriptions: Review how competitors use keywords in their listings.
Backend search terms: Use reverse ASIN tools to uncover hidden keywords competitors are targeting.
Customer reviews: Pay attention to the language customers naturally use to describe similar products.
Zero in on the best-performing products in your niche - these often reveal the most effective keyword strategies. Once you’ve gathered this data, compare it to your own listings to identify keyword gaps.
Finding Keyword Gaps
Keyword gaps are opportunities where your competitors are ranking for terms you’re not, or where they’re outranking you. To find these gaps, analyze your data alongside competitor information. Here’s what to focus on:
Analysis Type | What It Targets | Key Metrics |
---|---|---|
Direct Gaps | Keywords competitors rank for but you don’t | Search volume, conversion rate |
Performance Gaps | Keywords where competitors outperform you | Click-through rate, sales velocity |
Seasonal Trends | Keywords tied to specific times of the year | Historical performance, peak seasons |
For example, in March 2025, a seller of wooden 3D puzzles used AMZScout's AI Review Analyzer to discover that terms like "eco-friendly" and "sustainable" were frequently mentioned in customer reviews of competing products. After adding these keywords to their listings, they saw a 20% boost in click-through rates and a 15% increase in sales within just one month [1].
Once you’ve identified these gaps, focus on the ones with the highest potential impact to improve your listings.
Ranking Keywords by Value
Not all keyword gaps are created equal. To make the most of your efforts, prioritize keywords based on the following factors:
What to Look For:
Search volume trends and buyer intent
Competition levels
Seasonal relevance
Cost-per-click (CPC) rates
Long-tail keywords are often your best bet - they tend to have higher conversion rates, lower competition, and are more affordable for PPC campaigns. Use your most valuable keywords in product titles to maximize visibility. Secondary keywords can fit seamlessly into bullet points and descriptions, keeping your listings optimized yet easy to read.
[1] Source: https://amzscout.net/blog/competitors-keywords
Fixing Keyword Gaps
After identifying keyword gaps, the next step is to transform those insights into actionable strategies that enhance your Amazon performance. By weaving these keywords into your listings and campaigns, you can improve visibility and drive sales.
Listing Updates
Integrating new keywords into your product listings can significantly boost search visibility. Here's where to focus:
Title Optimization: Your product title is critical since Amazon's search algorithm weighs it heavily. For example, a seller noticed they were missing keywords related to sustainability. They revised their product title from "Bamboo Cutting Board with Juice Groove" to "Sustainable Bamboo Cutting Board with Juice Groove - Eco-friendly Kitchen Chopping Block." This small change resulted in a 35% increase in visibility during Q4 2024.
Strategic Bullet Points: Use bullet points to showcase product benefits while incorporating secondary keywords. Highlight features and unique selling points that align with what shoppers are searching for.
Once your listings are updated, shift your focus to enhancing your advertising campaigns using these insights.
PPC Improvements
Keyword gaps can also guide improvements to your PPC campaigns. Here's how to make the most of them:
Campaign Type | Strategy | Expected Outcome |
---|---|---|
Automatic | Use broad targeting to uncover new keywords | Discover high-converting search terms |
Manual | Target specific competitor keywords | Better control over spending on valuable terms |
Product Targeting | Focus on competitor ASINs | Attract comparison shoppers |
Advertisers who incorporate at least 150 competitor keywords into their campaigns often see a 35% boost in click-through rates and a reduction in Advertising Cost of Sale (ACoS).
As market trends shift, adapting your campaigns for seasonal changes is essential to maintaining strong performance.
Seasonal Keyword Planning
Seasonal trends play a huge role in Amazon sales. For instance, research shows that 58.8% of U.S. shoppers were inclined to purchase through Amazon ads during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. This highlights the importance of timely adjustments.
Steps to Implement Seasonal Keywords:
Research past seasonal trends to identify relevant keywords.
Plan and schedule updates to your listings well in advance.
Closely monitor performance during peak shopping periods to make adjustments as needed.
These strategies tie your keyword research directly to execution, ensuring your efforts translate into measurable results.
For more tailored advice and strategies, reach out to the experts at eStore Factory.
Conclusion
Keyword gap analysis is a powerful tool for driving growth on Amazon, especially in a competitive marketplace where understanding customer behavior and search trends can make or break a business. With nearly 80% of new sellers struggling to survive their first year, identifying and leveraging these gaps is no longer optional - it's a necessity.
By uncovering untapped opportunities and gaining insights into what customers are searching for, keyword gap analysis helps sellers align their listings with buyer intent. This alignment is critical, considering that 70% of Amazon shoppers don’t look beyond the first page of search results. Strategic keyword optimization is the difference between being seen and being overlooked.
"The 'gaps' are untapped opportunities to expand your reach, improve your rankings, and attract more traffic." - Keysearch
To succeed, sellers must continuously refine their approach. Incorporating a mix of high-volume, low-competition, and long-tail keywords ensures listings remain relevant and competitive. But it’s not just about rankings - it’s about understanding the language and needs of your audience.
"Keyword gap analysis often reveals the language and terminology your potential customers use, offering deeper insights into their needs and preferences." - Alekh Verma, CEO & Founder, eSearch Logix Technologies
By applying these insights, sellers can boost visibility, attract the right audience, and increase conversions. The key lies in staying proactive - monitoring trends, watching competitors, and keeping the customer at the center of every decision.
If you’re ready to take your Amazon strategy to the next level, contact eStore Factory for a tailored keyword gap analysis that aligns with your goals and market.
FAQs
What is competitor keyword gap analysis, and how can it help me boost my Amazon sales?
Competitor Keyword Gap Analysis
Competitor keyword gap analysis is a powerful way to uncover the keywords your competitors rank for that you’re currently missing. By identifying these gaps, you can pinpoint high-performing keywords to enhance your product listings and boost your visibility on Amazon.
Start by using tools like Helium 10 or AMZScout to find these keywords. Look for those with high search volume and low competition that align closely with your products. Once identified, strategically integrate these keywords into your product titles, descriptions, and backend search terms. This increases your chances of showing up in customer searches and attracting more clicks.
To stay ahead in the game, make it a habit to update your keyword strategy regularly based on competitor insights. This keeps your listings competitive and ensures they align with evolving market trends, ultimately helping you draw in more buyers and drive sales.
What are the best tools for Amazon sellers to analyze competitor keyword gaps, and how do they help?
Several tools can give Amazon sellers an edge when it comes to analyzing competitor keyword gaps and improving their listings and campaigns.
Helium 10 is one of the top choices, offering tools like Market Tracker 360. This feature provides insights into how competitors are performing, their keyword strategies, and even market trends. It also tracks pricing changes and keyword usage, helping you fine-tune your overall approach.
Another useful tool is AMZScout, which includes a Reverse ASIN Lookup feature. This tool pinpoints the keywords driving traffic to your competitors’ listings, making it easier to target high-converting terms that can boost your own visibility.
For a more comprehensive view, SEMrush offers its Keyword Gap tool. This feature compares your keyword profile with those of competitors, highlighting opportunities you might have missed. These tools, each with their strengths, can play a key role in sharpening your Amazon SEO and PPC strategies.
How often should I update my Amazon keyword strategy to stay competitive?
To keep your edge on Amazon, refreshing your keyword strategy every 3 to 6 months is a smart move. This allows you to adjust to changes in market trends, customer preferences, and what your competitors are up to.
Make it a habit to review your keyword performance using tools like advertising reports and sales data. These insights can help you spot new opportunities to fine-tune your listings, ensuring your products stay visible and appealing to shoppers. Staying on top of these updates can play a big role in keeping your competitive advantage.