eCommerce SEO is one of the most effective methods for any online store to bring in targeted customers.
Trying to form a strong eCommerce SEO strategy is far from easy, however. The challenge is made more difficult due to the constantly evolving nature of the Google search algorithm. This means SEO techniques which were effective the previous year may become outdated in an instant. Plus this isn’t even factoring in the extensive work needed for any standard SEO strategy for eCommerce websites.
Although with several benefits of eCommerce SEO available, the effort is certainly worth it. For assistance with putting together a plan, this SEO eCommerce guide lists the strategies needed for success.
On-Page SEO for eCommerce
To maximize your SEO and eCommerce efforts, your on-page optimization must be on point.
Before anything else, any eCommerce SEO expert will highlight the need to conduct keyword research. You need to source the right search terms; otherwise, you won’t gain the necessary visibility for your business. When you have a list of keywords, you can start to concoct an effective on-page SEO plan.
As for which SEO strategies for eCommerce sites work best, here are a few on-page tips:
Detailed Product Descriptions
No list detailing the SEO best practices for eCommerce is complete without mentioning product descriptions. Along with being able to persuade customers into parting with their cash, product descriptions are also ideal for incorporating keywords and appeasing Google.
Due to this, always avoid uploading descriptions which are supplied by the product manufacturer. You also want to dodge any other duplicate content as search engines can penalize this.
Added Content on Category Pages
To maximize your eCommerce SEO content strategy, it’s important to utilize detailed descriptions on category pages. Aside from supplying useful information for your customers, it delivers Google with additional contextual relevance and signals, which means they gain a greater understanding of the content of each page – and rank it accordingly.
Title Tags and Meta Descriptions
Any successful SEO online shop strategy requires the implementation of target keywords whenever possible. One prime opportunity is presented in the form of title tags and meta descriptions.
For those unaware, the title tags and meta descriptions represent your webpages within search engine results. This means you not only have to play by Google’s rules, but you also have to craft content that will entice viewers and make them click on your site link. To boost the click-through rate, phrases like ‘Free shipping’ and ‘Price match guarantee’ work.
Off-Page SEO Techniques for eCommerce Website
Yes, your efforts will generally be centered around on-page strategies. However, ensure you don’t forget the essential nature of off-page SEO in eCommerce. Fortunately, there are numerous off-page SEO techniques available – we’ve focused on three of the biggest ones below:
Link Building
For anyone trying to improve their website’s search ranking, there are two elements which stand above the rest: content and link building.
Internal links have a key part to play in any SEO for eCommerce website plan, but external links are the gateway to building your web presence. To gain these external links, it is recommended you populate your blog with informative, in-depth, and linkable content. Sending out products to notable review websites can also help produce valuable backlinks.
Generate Reviews
If you want to establish a level of trust between your company and prospective customers, reviews can play a big role. Gaining positive reviews on your eCommerce store website is a solid starting point. However, you should also push for reviews on third-party platforms. When you also have business reviews populating the likes of Google and Yelp, this assists with further reassuring customers. These review signals are also picked up by search engines to analyze your site better.
Social Media Posting
It doesn’t have to be an online store – social media marketing is one of the most effective methods for promoting any business or website. If you send out a Facebook post or Tweet that gains traction, your products could be seen by potentially thousands of people within an instant. To maximize the effectiveness of your social media posts, consider everything from running competitions to supplying customer support.
Improving Customer User Experience
Google is happy with your SEO efforts. Now it’s time to pay closer attention to your customers. Can they navigate your website with ease? Are they receiving the information they require about your products and services? Is your site mobile-friendly?
When it comes to ranking alongside the top SEO eCommerce sites, excellent user experience is vital. For help with this, here are a few tips:
Go Visual
As highlighted already, the best eCommerce SEO strategies have a foundation made up of high-quality written content. However, your written work should be enhanced with visual content. Quality product images, for instance, allow customers to better visualize them than simply reading a few words.
Images should only be the starting point. Video content is a fantastic way to improve the user experience. Videos are not only engaging and easily consumable, but they also help to represent your products accurately.
Maximize Page Speed
When ranking the eCommerce SEO best practices, one aspect near the top of the list is page speed. Simply put, no user wants to be sat around waiting for a webpage to load. Internet users are an impatient bunch, and they’ll quickly look for alternative sites – even if the delay is only a couple of seconds.
Mobile-friendly
Yes, it’s an obvious point at this stage, but it needs clearly stating: your website has to be mobile-friendly. This is where the majority of web traffic comes from these days, so a seamless mobile experience is imperative.
Avoid Popups
Skip any temptation to place popups on your site. Not only are they annoying and cheapen the user experience, but popups are also viewed in a negative light by Google. Ultimately, they could damage your eCommerce SEO optimization in more ways than one.
SEO for eCommerce sites is not an easy process. As this guide shows, many different points need to be covered before you can think of gaining a prominent position in Google search results. If you want to avoid tackling this on your own, our marketing experts can put together the perfect managed SEO campaign for your online store.
