How to Find the Keywords Your (or Your Competitor’s) Amazon Product Is Ranking For

For a full video walkthrough of this strategy, you can watch the video below:

So there I was, knee-deep in listing optimization, when it hit me: if you do not know what keywords your product (or your competitor’s) is ranking for, you are basically selling blindfolded.

And selling blindfolded on Amazon? That is a fast track to frustration, wasted ad spend, and quietly rage-quitting your own business.

Today, I am going to walk you through how to easily pull the keywords a product is ranking for using Helium 10’s Cerebro—and more importantly, how you can turn that information into actual sales. I will keep this straightforward, practical, and completely free of buzzwords like “disruptive innovation.”

Why You Should Care (Seriously)

Let’s zoom out for a second. If you are a new seller—or even an experienced one trying to scale—you need to understand why this matters so much.

The reality is that traffic on Amazon comes almost entirely from keywords. Every day, millions of shoppers type things like "collagen peptides" or "coffin shelf" into the search bar, hoping Amazon will serve up the perfect product. They are not scrolling to page nine to find it, either. If you are not visible on the first page or two for relevant keywords, you might as well not exist.

Here’s the blunt truth: if you are not indexed and ranking for the right keywords, no one will find your product. No one will buy your product. And your listing will just sit there, sad and lonely, collecting dust.

If you want to make real money on Amazon, understanding which keywords matter to your product—and to your competition—is non-negotiable.

Step 1: How to Spy (Legally) on a Product with Cerebro

The good news is that getting this information is a lot easier than you might think.

First, grab the ASIN of the product you want to analyze. (This could be your own product or a competitor’s.)
Next, head into Helium 10’s Cerebro tool, paste the ASIN into the search bar, and click "Get Keywords."

In just a few seconds, you will see a full list of all the keywords that product is ranking for, both organically and through paid ads. It is like flipping on the lights in a dark room—you suddenly see everything you were missing.

A Common Mistake: Not Handling Variations Correctly

Before you get too excited and start analyzing all the keywords, there is one important setting you need to pay attention to: the "Exclude Variations" button.

If the product you are analyzing has multiple variations (like different colors, sizes, or styles), and you do not select "Exclude Variations," Cerebro will pull keywords for every version. So if you only care about the pink coffin shelf, but do not check the box, you will also see keywords for the black, green, and possibly polka-dotted versions too.

Bottom line: always check "Exclude Variations" if you want clean, accurate data for a specific version of a product. It takes two seconds and will save you a lot of confusion later.

Step 2: Sort Through the Data with Filters

Once you pull your keyword list, it can feel overwhelming. Suddenly you have thousands of data points staring at you, and you need a way to make sense of it.

This is where filters become your best friend. Start with the basics:

First, decide if you want to see organic keywords (products showing up naturally) or paid keywords (products showing up because of ads). Usually, you will want to focus on organic first.

Next, use the "Organic Rank" filter to zero in on where the action is. Set the filter to show keywords ranked between 1 and 50. These are the keywords where the product is most visible and likely getting sales.

You can also filter by "Search Volume" if you only want to focus on keywords with higher traffic potential. Just be smart about it; a keyword with lower volume but super high relevancy can sometimes outperform a high-volume one.

Finally, if you only want to see organic placements, use the "Match Type" filter and select "Organic." This keeps the list focused and actionable.

Think of these filters like setting up security at a party—you only want the right people (or in this case, keywords) getting in.

What to Do Next (Depending on Where You Are)

If you already have a product live, the next step is simple: plug your own ASIN into Cerebro and take a look at where you are ranking. Are you showing up for the keywords you expected? Are you missing opportunities where a simple tweak could boost visibility?

If you are still researching products or planning a launch, the strategy shifts slightly. Instead of analyzing your own product, plug in your competitors' ASINs. See what keywords they are ranking for, especially the ones driving high visibility. That way, you can build your listing, ad campaigns, and overall strategy around real data, not guesses.

Either way, the goal is the same: get a clear picture of what is working, what is not, and where you need to focus your efforts.

Selling on Amazon is not about luck anymore. It is about visibility, data, and making smart moves based on facts—not hopes and prayers.

Using Cerebro to find the keywords your product (or your competitor’s product) is ranking for is not just a nice-to-have tactic. It is essential if you want to grow, scale, and actually build a profitable brand.

Do not guess what customers are typing into the search bar. Know it. Own it. Build your strategy around it.

Take the few extra minutes to pull your keywords, apply the right filters, and dig into what the data is telling you. Your future self—and your bank account—will be very glad you did.