How to do Affiliate Marketing Keyword Research in 2024

Are you looking for the most impactful path for keyword research for better affiliate marketing?

You have landed in the correct place. 

Perfect keyword research can help you achieve 10X faster conversion in affiliate marketing. Success in Affiliate Marketing depends on several aspects. However, Keyword Research is the most essential and prior step that should be taken very carefully.

To stay focused, you must adequately know how to do affiliate marketing keyword research. Understanding the user's intent will help you write so that they can quickly find your content. 

So, this blog will help you understand how to do affiliate marketing keyword research. Moreover, you can also explore the tools used to generate keyword ideas correctly.

So, Let's keep rolling.

What is Affiliate Marketing Keyword Research? 

Affiliate marketing keyword research is a process of identifying effective keywords. The keywords that your target audience frequently searches for when looking for the products you're promoting.

Therefore, use those keywords in your content. This process is crucial for optimizing your website's content and improving its search engine ranking.

When Google-like search engines crawl your website and find relevant keywords, they rank your site higher in search listings. This increases your website's visibility to potential buyers.

The goal is to attract users actively searching for the products you're affiliated with. Once your visibility accelerates, you can easily induce visitors through your marketing funnel.

If you are an affiliate of any product, you should find competitive keywords. For example, suppose you're promoting an anti-ageing cream.

In that case, you'd target keywords like ‘anti-aging cream for oily skin' and ‘anti-aging cream for males' to capture the attention of users interested in these specific products.

But, if you are in the research phase. You might focus on comparing products and niches to find popular keywords and assess competition. Now, the popular keywords will be highly competitive and will not let you rank your content on Google.

At this moment, keyword research will come into action. You can go for the alternative affiliate keywords that have low keyword difficulty but are equally effective, providing opportunities for successful affiliate marketing.

Is Keyword Research Important?

Keyword research holds paramount importance in affiliate marketing. It accurately predicts user search intent. Affiliate marketers strategically leverage popular keywords to connect potential customers with their products. Thereby influencing their decision-making process.

In practical terms, keywords serve as the catalyst for attracting users to your site. Effective keyword research is synonymous with better traction, increased conversions, and greater revenue.

Keywords essentially form the language of search engine algorithms. By incorporating relevant keywords into affiliate blogs and content, the algorithm assesses whether your website aligns with specific user search queries.

The optimization of user traffic to your affiliate site is a process known as search engine optimization (SEO). Beyond keywords, Google's algorithm considers various factors when determining the relevance and ranking of your affiliate website. It includes metadata, authority, usability, location, and activity.

In the current trend of online marketing, search engine rankings significantly impact the potential for sales. Higher rankings increase the likelihood of your affiliate link popping up on the first page of Google search results.

However, popular keywords with high search volumes are also more competitive. Hence, high competition leads to keyword difficulty and limiting traction.

For successful affiliate marketing keyword research, it's crucial to recognize that broad and popular keywords may not always be the most effective. The choice of terms to target depends on your affiliate goals, niche, and the current market saturation.

How Do You Do Keyword Research For Affiliate Marketing?

Affiliate marketing keyword research is the most crucial step when you want to motivate users to buy your affiliate product.

For this, you need to understand their pain points and find keywords that they are searching for on Google.

Cautiously, you cannot afford to make a mistake when researching for target keywords in an affiliate program because it can break your affiliate marketing strategy.

Making an effective list of keywords can:

All these sentences might be taking you into a dilemma of how to do keyword research in an influential way.

No worries! We will follow a step-by-step process. Once you complete one round of researching keywords, it will be easier to understand my viewpoint for you.

1. Leveraging the SEMrush Keyword Magic Tool for Uncovering Long-Tail Keywords

As a keyword explorer, here we will use the SEMrush SEO tool for effective keyword suggestions. 

Suppose I selected my niche, “Artificial Intelligence (AI),” and decided to create blogs related to AI. Hence, I promoted “Online AI tools” as an affiliate to capitalize on my blogs.

So, here, my Broad Term is: “AI Tools,” and

A long-tail keyword can be: “AI Tools for writing content.”

What are Long-tail Keywords:

With the above statement, you might get an idea about what “Long-tail keywords are?” These keywords have three or more terms, including broad terms. Hence, long-tail keywords help you create supplements of content ideas, including broad terms in it.

However, long-tail keywords incorporate many contexts related to broad terms. Hence, we can say that long-tail keywords differ from broad terms in several senses. Some of these contexts can be:

Sometimes, Long-tail keywords include commercial terms such as “buy,” “price,” and “for sale.” This indicates strong purchase intent from users employing them.

Shorter keywords often come with higher competition. Opting for long-tail keywords helps avoid direct competition with major brands.

Broad keywords offer limited insights for blog post ideas. However, long-tail keywords can serve as comprehensive content topics themselves.

Understanding these distinctions underscores the significance of incorporating long-tail keywords into your affiliate marketing keyword research strategy. It will help you enhance user engagement and circumvent intense competition.

Let us move forward to the SEMrush tool that will help you find the keywords.

Navigate to SEMrush and access the “Keyword Analytics” submenu. For affiliate marketing keywords, focus on the “Keyword Magic” tool.

Click on the “Keyword Magic Tool” and input a broad term related to your niche, called a “seed keyword.” In this example, let's use “AI Tools.”

Review the results provided by the Keyword Magic Tool. Also, consider the average monthly search volume, projected difficulty score, and related keywords.

Although these are not necessarily long-tail keywords, they form the foundation for further refinement.

To filter for long-tail keywords, click on the ‘Advanced Filters' drop-down menu.

Set the “Word count” filter to a lower range of “3” or more. As long-tail keywords typically have three or more words, we did so.

Additionally, set the minimum search volume to 100 to ensure a reasonable level of traffic.

Fine-tune the filters based on your preferences. You can set the least search volume to 50 if needed. Also, you can adjust the “KD %” (keyword difficulty) between 0 to 80. Consider a search volume of 100 or more for better results.

Explore other filters such as “Cost Per Click,” “Competitive Density,” and “SERP Features.” These filters provide insights into the profitability, competition, and additional ranking opportunities associated with the selected keywords.

Click ‘Apply filters' to see a refined list of keyword ideas. The list should now consist of viable long-tail keywords with reasonable traffic and low to medium keyword difficulty scores.

Now, analyze the search queries to understand user intent—whether informational, navigational, transactional, or commercial. This makes sure that your content aligns with what users are looking for.

After applying filters, review the refined list of keywords. Assess each keyword's affiliate marketing potential based on relevance, search volume, and competition. This step helps identify valuable opportunities for creating content or running campaigns.

Note: Remember to regularly update your keyword strategy based on some factors. These factors include changes in user behaviour, industry trends, and search engine algorithms for sustained success in affiliate marketing.

2. Focus on Search Intent to Accelerate Conversion

Recognize that search intent plays a crucial role in converting website visitors into customers. While many keyword research guides focus on long-tail keywords, it's equally important to understand why users are conducting searches and tailor your content accordingly.

Understand the three primary types of search intent:

Users seek knowledge without a direct intention to make a purchase. Keyword optimization for these searches involves providing valuable information.

Also known as “branded search.” This occurs when users are familiar with a brand and looking for specific websites. Optimize for these searches using keywords that include your brand name.

Users have a clear intention to make a purchase. Prioritize this search intent if your goal is to transform potential leads into paying clients.

Now, Tailor your content to match the identified search intent. 

Review your keyword strategy in light of search intent. Make sure that your chosen keywords align with the type of intent you want to target.

This involves selecting keywords that reflect user needs, whether for information, brand discovery, or making a purchase.

By integrating search intent into your conversion optimization strategy, you not only attract traffic but also enhance the user experience. This leads to increased conversions and a more successful online presence.

Best Keywords to Target in Affiliate Marketing 

There are a few specific keywords that you can target in affiliate marketing keyword research.

Buyers keywords

To curate buyers' keywords, you need to use the filter again. The buyer keywords include terms like:

Hence, we have to extract keywords having these terms in it. To do so, we need to use the “Include Keywords” filter. Other than this, all the above filters that we used earlier should remain the same.

Once you click “Apply,” you will get several long-tail keywords that users search for with the intent to buy something.

Below are the extracted keywords:

You can also see that SEMrush has extracted 26 long-tail keywords for your affiliate marketing content. Additionally, you can select the ‘KD%' column header to arrange the keyword results based on their difficulty. 

Give it a single or double click to organize the list. It will show you the range from the least competitive to the most competitive keywords.

Moreover, to optimize keywords more densely, you can use more words in “include keywords.” For example, now I am using “For” with “Best” so that it will curate keywords like “Best AI Detection tools for….” and so on.

With this, you will get the narrowed search keywords that show the intent of the users planning to buy some product.

Next to this, there is another filter, “Phrase Match.” Once you use this, you will get keywords containing the exact phrase as that of your keyword. 

For example, my keyword is “AI tools,” when I used Phrase Match, I got long-tail keywords containing exact keyword phrases.

T&A Keywords

Utilizing Trust and Authority (T&A) Keywords in affiliate marketing keyword research is a strategic approach to enhance the credibility and influence of your content.

T&A Keywords are phrases that emphasize trustworthiness and authority.

For example: “trusted reviews,” “reliable recommendations,” or “authoritative insights.” Figure out keywords that align with your niche and convey a sense of reliability and expertise.

Consider using tools like Semrush or Ahrefs to identify relevant T&A Keywords with good search volume.

Incorporate T&A keywords naturally into your content. Craft informative articles, guides, or reviews that position you as an expert in your field. You can share valuable insights and recommendations about the tools you are writing. It will help you build trust with your audience.

By focusing on specialized and non-commercial topics, you position yourself as an authority. This builds trust, making readers more likely to follow your affiliate links. 

Non-commercial content is also more likely to attract backlinks. It enhances your site's credibility and visibility. Integrating affiliate links strategically within insightful content ensures a seamless fit. It also increases the potential for conversions.

Product Review

Product review keywords are a goldmine for affiliate sites. They cater to users on the verge of making a purchase.

Individuals searching for detailed reviews, such as “Jasper review,” “Writesonic review,” or “ChatGPT review,” have likely completed their initial research and are seeking comprehensive insights before finalizing their buying decision.

The search volumes for such product reviews may not be exceptionally high. But, these keywords are immensely valuable due to the intent behind them because potential buyers are actively seeking in-depth information.

To identify the most lucrative products to review, leverage data from Google Keyword Planner. Enter relevant brand names, navigate to the Phrase match report, and use the “Include” filter to narrow down keywords containing the term “review.”

The key to success in this niche is selecting products that align with search demand. Assess the ranking difficulty for these keywords and prioritize reviewing products for which you can achieve strong search visibility.

By focusing on products that people are actively searching for, you ensure that your efforts contribute significantly to your affiliate site's success. 

This strategic method maximizes the impact of your product reviews. It makes them not only informative but also highly relevant to potential buyers.

Best Keyword Research Tools for Affiliate Marketing

1. Semrush: Best Overall SEO Keyword Tool

Semrush stands out as a comprehensive SEO keyword tool. You can use this tool in affiliate marketing keyword research. The tool amazingly excels in competitor analysis.

With a massive database containing over 22 billion keywords across 130 countries, it provides global insights for effective campaign optimization.

The tool's features include in-depth website audits, content recommendations for improved rankings, and a fast, accurate backlink crawler. Semrush is an all-in-one solution for affiliates aiming to surpass competitors and maximize earnings.

Key Features:

2. Ahrefs: Best For On And Off-Page SEO

Ahrefs is a direct competitor to Semrush. It specializes in both on-page and off-page SEO. Ahrefs can also be used for affiliate marketing keyword research.

The tool's main dashboard offers a holistic view of SEO progress. On the other hand, the Site Explorer provides an in-depth analysis of website health.

Ahrefs' site audit tool is perfect for comprehensive on-page SEO. The Rank Tracker allows users to monitor progress and keyword rankings.

With access to over 7 billion keywords, Ahrefs is a valuable resource for affiliates aiming to optimize their campaigns effectively.

Key Features:

3. Moz Keyword Explorer: Best For Generating Keyword Lists

Moz Keyword Explorer is a specialized SEO keyword research tool. It is ideal for affiliates seeking high-impact suggestions to enhance their rankings.

The tool offers detailed web traffic reports. A MozRank Tracker is perfect for progress monitoring. Moreover, site crawl and audit features to identify technical SEO issues.

Moz Keyword Explorer empowers users to optimize pages for better search engine visibility and discover link opportunities to improve website authority.

Key Features:

4. Ubersuggest: Best For Competitor Research

Ubersuggest is a versatile tool that provides SEO metrics and keyword ideas for any domain. It is particularly beneficial for competitor research.

Moreover, it offers insights into content ideas, backlink data, keyword suggestions, and a domain overview for competitor websites.

It offers additional data points related to social media and content marketing. Ubersuggest ensures users are on the right path when using keywords to create compelling content for websites and social media channels.

Key Features:

5. QuestionDB: Best For Generating SEO Questions

QuestionDB is a powerful tool for uncovering questions typed into search engines. This makes it an ideal solution for content idea generation.

Affiliate marketers can seamlessly use QuestionDB for affiliate marketing keyword research. Affiliates can become topical authorities by covering various keywords. They eventually ensure they don't miss any ranking opportunities. 

By providing a list of questions related to a broad keyword, QuestionDB helps users create diverse content. They can generate content in the form of blog posts, YouTube videos, or FAQ items. The tool's pricing plans cater to different needs. This makes it accessible to various users.

Key Features:

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you get your Affiliate Keywords?

Affiliate Marketing Keyword Research is the most crucial activity before starting your affiliate marketing campaign.

Doing proper keyword research and aiming for low competition narrow keywords can help you change your affiliate game.

The only thing to keep in mind while extracting keywords is to stay calm and never be in a hurry. Moreover, always keep the customer's intent in mind. Curating in-depth keywords with dense research can get you even better results in less time.

So, keep researching for better keywords to target and stay ahead of your competitors.