πΈ Full version with screenshots: https://tomi431.github.io/Tomi/2026/07/31/shopee-keyword-guide
If you have done keyword research on Amazon, you know the playbook: pull ABA data, check search volume, analyze CPC, find long-tail extensions. Most sellers assume the same playbook works on Shopee. It does not.
Shopee's search algorithm weights keywords differently. Its keyword data structure is different. And the buyer search behavior across its 8 country markets varies more than most sellers expect. Here is what actually works.
The Three Differences That Matter
Difference 1: Search volume data is monthly, not weekly.
Amazon's ABA data shows weekly search volume β you can see a keyword spike within days of a trend starting. Shopee's keyword data is monthly. A trend that started last week will not show up in Shopee's search volume data until next month. This means keyword research on Shopee requires a longer observation window and more emphasis on trend direction (is it rising or falling over 3-6 months?) rather than absolute volume.
# Shopee keyword tools via sorftime-seller-agent:
# shopee_keyword_search β search volume and competition data
# shopee_keyword_relation_results β related keyword suggestions
Difference 2: Language fragmentation is real.
Amazon's 14 marketplaces share English as the dominant listing language. Shopee's 8 markets use 6 different languages β Vietnamese, Thai, Bahasa Indonesia, Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese (Traditional), and Portuguese (Brazil). A keyword that works in English on Shopee Singapore may have zero search volume on Shopee Thailand because Thai buyers search in Thai.
The solution is not to learn 6 languages. It is to use keyword data to validate which language your target buyers actually search in. Pull keyword lists for your product category in each target market. Look at the top 20 keywords β what language are they in? If 80% of top keywords are in the local language, your listing needs local-language optimization. If 60%+ are in English, you can start with English and add local keywords later.
Difference 3: No CPC data β competition is measured differently.
Amazon gives you CPC data for every keyword, so you know exactly how much it costs to bid. Shopee's advertising platform does not expose CPC data through its keyword tools. Instead, you measure competition by the number of listings ranking for a keyword and the seller density in that category.
A keyword with 50,000 monthly searches and only 200 competing listings is far more attractive than one with 500,000 searches and 5,000 listings β even though the absolute volume of the second keyword is 10x higher. Competition ratio (searches Γ· listings) is your primary metric on Shopee.
What a Shopee Keyword Research Workflow Looks Like
Step 1: Map the category keywords for your target market.
Pick one country. Pull the keyword list for your product category. Filter for keywords with monthly search volume above 1,000. Sort by competition ratio.
Step 2: Check related keywords for long-tail opportunities.
For each core keyword, pull related keyword suggestions. These are the long-tail variations that have lower competition and higher conversion intent β exactly the keywords you should target first when entering a new market.
Step 3: Cross-reference with Amazon.
If a keyword has high search volume on both Shopee and Amazon, the product category has validated demand across markets. If it only exists on one platform, you have found a platform-specific opportunity.
The Platform You Skip Is Your Competitor's Entry Point
Most Amazon sellers never look at Shopee keyword data. Most Shopee sellers never cross-reference with Amazon. The sellers who do both have a keyword research advantage that costs nothing to maintain and compounds with every search.
Try it yourself: git clone https://github.com/DannylydST/sorftime-seller-agent β python3 scripts/install.py β get your key at open-intl.sorftime.com
Originally published with screenshots at https://tomi431.github.io/Tomi/2026/07/31/shopee-keyword-guide.
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