Ecommerce websites the world over are set up to achieve the following: increase leads, boost conversions, and improve their bottom line. With competition rife amongst brands competing for the same customer pool, your website needs to be fully optimized and ready to go.
More so, your website needs to outrank your competitors when a potential visitor carries out an organic search. The best way to achieve this is through e-commerce SEO. It is one of the most essential aspects of your digital marketing.
This article provides a comprehensive guide on eCommerce SEO services and how to optimize your website to fulfill your marketing objectives.
What Is SEO for Ecommerce?
SEO for eCommerce is simply the process of optimizing your retail website so that it will rank higher for targeted keywords during an organic search. It encompasses having a responsive website design and development, responsive navigation, and high-quality content. Your website will generate more leads and conversions when this is in place.
There’s a slight distinction between SEO for content-based websites and SEO for eCommerce websites. You need to understand your buyers’ intent, Google’s best practices, and how to optimize your retail website.
We will explore them below.
Why Does SEO Matters in Ecommerce Websites?
When people require a product or service, the first thing they do is conduct searches on their phones or PCs. They want information on the said products, including the prices, tips, options, and other details that would encourage them to make a decision.
When your website doesn’t appear on the search engine result pages (SERPs), you lose an opportunity to convince that potential customer to order your products or services.
Your digital marketing doesn’t end after launching your website. You need eCommerce SEO services to display your business in front of your target audience. Then, you can interest them further with compelling sales copies and product descriptions.
Benefits of Ecommerce SEO
Ecommerce technical SEO comes with several benefits for retail websites. They include:
● Cost-effective. Ecommerce SEO is cost-effective in the long run compared to pay-per-click ads (PPC). While it might take some time to fully set up, its rewards last for a very long time.
● Improved brand awareness. E-commerce SEO also helps significantly improve your brand awareness. When people search for content, and your web pages show up, it gives people the opportunity to learn about your business and what it provides.
● Enhances user experience. SEO for eCommerce websites also helps improve the user experience of your visitors. Ecommerce keyword research will help you to understand the user intent and provide value for their searches. User experience is also an actual eCommerce ranking on SERPs.
● Lasting value. Ecommerce SEO is a lasting investment in your digital marketing. However, it is not a one-time affair. It is a consistent process of knowing what tips to implement to get the best results.
How Is SEO for E-commerce Different?
You’ve learned that SEO is essential for eCommerce websites. But how is it different compared to SEO for content-based sites? We look at the reasons below:
● Intensive keyword research. SEO for eCommerce websites requires more keywords compared to other websites. This is because potential customers might be looking for a certain product, product specs, or product category. Thus, you need SEO for eCommerce product pages to successfully customize your site.
● Responsiveness. While SEO should optimize a website for responsiveness, it is more prominent in eCommerce websites. Your customers might use their smartphones or PCs to access your product pages. These pages need to be responsive to improve the user experience.
● More images. Some of the best eCommerce websites are filled with images. This is because people want to see the product they want to buy before ordering it. One of the common eCommerce SEO tips will be to optimize your images on your site.
● Optimized product descriptions. Another difference between SEO for eCommerce websites and others is that the latter doesn’t have product descriptions on its content. Thus, every retail website needs to incorporate product descriptions and reviews to grab the attention of visitors and potential buyers.
Best Ecommerce Platform for SEO
While some content management systems (CMS) have their platforms optimized for SEO, others fully implement eCommerce content optimization to get retail websites in from their target audience.
Some of their top features include:
● Quick loading speed. A site that takes too long to load completely is bad for your digital marketing. You will experience higher bounce rates and lower-ranking positions on SERPs. These platforms have implemented fast site speed to improve user experience and rank.
● Canonical URLs. The best SEO-friendly platforms have canonical website URLs in place. This helps you consolidate your content across the board and allow search engines to crawl and index your pages accordingly.
● Sitemap features. The best eCommerce platforms for SEO also generate sitemap features to meet your needs.
● Mobile-friendliness. As earlier highlighted, responsiveness is a vital aspect of eCommerce SEO. The best eCommerce platforms are optimized and responsive for smartphone users.
The best eCommerce platforms for SEO include the following:
● BigCommerce
● Shopify
● Wix
● Volusion
● Magenta CMS
● Squarespace
How to Do SEO in Ecommerce Websites
So, how do you incorporate SEO for eCommerce websites? Follow these simple steps:
● Conduct keyword research. You need to conduct eCommerce keyword research to know the right keywords to optimize your website. You can use keyword research tools like SEMRush, KeywordTool, Ahrefs, and Keyword Kegs.
● Conduct competitor research. Some of your competitors are implementing eCommerce best practices for SEO. You need to discover the keywords they use for their ranking. Semrush Organic Research is an excellent tool for finding this.
● Simply your site architecture. Your site structure doesn’t need to be all over the place. You need to structure your retail website properly by introducing SEO eCommerce category pages for your products.
● Create unique product descriptions. Your product pages should have unique product descriptions optimized for specific keywords. This will help your visitors and search engines to know what the page is about.
● Create backlinks. Earning backlinks from authority websites is essential for better ranking positions. You can offer to guest write for those blogs and introduce your products by sharing a link.
Ecommerce SEO Best Practices
So, what are the eCommerce best practices for SEO? Follow these creative tips:
● Conduct keyword research.
● Carry out competitor research.
● Optimize your on-page SEO by including meta titles and descriptions on your product pages.
● Establish a simple site structure.
● Optimize your product images.
● Make your website responsive and mobile-friendly.
● Build high-quality backlinks.
How to Improve SEO of Ecommerce Website
If you have already launched a retail website, there are some eCommerce SEO tips to implement:
● Perform keyword research.
● Incorporate long-tail keywords.
● Optimize your product pages.
● Ensure your site is user and mobile-friendly.
● Implement a simple URL structure.
● Remove duplicate content.
● Increase your page loading speed.
● Create a sitemap for your website.
Find an Ecommerce SEO Agency
Implementing eCommerce SEO services for your website may be exhausting if you don’t know where to start. That’s why you need to hire a professional to take care of it.
Dispensary Growth is a leading digital marketing firm that will put your website in front of your potential audience when they conduct an organic search. Our bespoke services include web design and development, content marketing, website architecture, wireframing, consulting, and many more.
Reach out to us to see how we can help your website today.
