Our Top Ecommerce SEO Tips
Did you know that more than 3.5 billion online searches happen every day? Or, that 93 percent of online experiences start with a search engine? What’s more, 39 percent of all global ecommerce traffic is directly attributable to search.
In other words, if you’re not taking full advantage of SEO to drive traffic to your ecommerce site, you’re missing out on the pot at the end of the rainbow. Leprechaun or not.
But what if you feel intimidated by SEO and don’t have a clue where to start when it comes to optimizing your ecommerce website? You’re not alone. SEO algorithms are constantly changing, which means you’re aiming for a moving target.
But that doesn’t mean you should throw in the towel. After you’ve set up an ecommerce store, follow these 10 effective ecommerce SEO tips to drive more leads to your website.
Our Top 10 Ecommerce SEO Tips
When it comes to Google algorithm changes, there are seven that have had a massive impact on SEO strategy. They include:
- Google Panda
- Google Penguin
- Google Pigeon
- Google Hummingbird
- Google Payday Loan
- Google Mobile-Friendly Update (a.k.a. Mobilegeddon)
- Google Fred
We don’t need to explore them in exhaustive detail. But it’s important to understand that they impact how well your website performs on search engine results pages (SERPs).
For example, Google Panda penalizes content deemed low-quality, thin, or unhelpful. Google Penguin evaluates website link profiles, low-quality links, keyword stuffing, and lack of anchor text diversity.
And who can forget Mobilegeddon? This update gives preference to websites that are easy to use on mobile phones. Considering nearly 60 percent of searches today take place on mobile devices, this update just makes sense.
Each algorithm represents Google’s attempt to maintain its dominance as the #1 internet search engine. Based on these updates, here are 10 ecommerce SEO tips to attract more traffic and convert more leads.
Tip #1: Produce Quality Content
Because of the algorithmic changes outlined above, content and text now prove just as crucial to how your website ranks as structure. The takeaway? Focus on consistently publishing high-quality content to improve ecommerce SEO.
What should this content look like?
On your product pages, include rich, in-depth product descriptions. Ensure each of your product and category pages has no less than 1,000 words.
You also should use your primary keyword a minimum of three times. Make sure it’s included in the intro, conclusion, and one heading. Just don’t go crazy and start keyword stuffing.
These instances of the keyword should flow naturally in the text.
Not sure where to start when it comes to keyword research? Check out the best keyword research tools on the internet.
Besides keyword placement, focus on creating content that’s clear and easy-to-read. Google ranks websites based on readability, so keep your language direct, focused, and free of fluff.
Tip #2: Publish More Content More Often
Did you know that companies who publish 16+ blog posts per month see significantly more traffic than their competition? Why? Every time you publish new content, you increase your website’s odds of getting noticed in search engines.
You also improve the odds that your content will get linked to by other sites and shared on social media. In other words, you up the likelihood of having new leads interact with your brand.
Besides the frequency of your blog post publications, you also need to focus on generating long-form posts. As with product and category pages, each blog post should be a minimum of 1,000 words to rank higher for organic search terms.
Tip #3: Know Your Customer
You’ve probably run across this timeless marketing adage before. But don’t assume it’s outdated when it comes to ecommerce. Fully understanding your customers and what drives them remains crucial to providing them with relevant content.
And, remember, the Google algorithms we discussed above all aim at providing searchers with relevancy.
How do you speak to your customers in a way that will grab their attention and make them want to buy from you? It all starts with buyer personas. If you don’t yet have these, then you need to get them.
Who are your ideal customers? What motivates them? Why are they interested in your products?
Your buyer personas should answer these questions.
Most companies find that three buyer personas represent the sweet spot. So, sit down and think hard about your quintessential customers.
Write profiles for each. Then, start crafting content that resonates with those people. That way, you’ll attract the most qualified leads to your site and improve ecommerce SEO.
Tip #4: Use Content Best Practices
Besides the 1,000-word minimum and keyword placement mentioned in tip one, you need to use trigger words to compel readers to act when reading your content.
These include words such as:
- New
- Free
- Proven
- Secret
- Easy
- More
You should also incorporate phrases such as “on sale” and “free shipping” to nudge your leads from curious readers to active buyers.
Tip #5: Provide Plenty of Value
When you ask readers to give you their time and attention, you better be able to deliver something valuable in return. Otherwise, you’ll quickly lose their interest and rightly so.
A great way to provide value and relevancy is by comparing two products in “versus” style posts. After all, customers are trying to sort out which product to purchase while researching on the internet.
In “versus” posts, you can offer clear help in this area while highlighting the benefits of the products you sell over and above the competition.
Tip #6: Highly Relevant Content and a Sense of Urgency
When it comes to how to improve ecommerce SEO, two things define the best content: relevancy and a sense of urgency.
That’s why you need to take advantage of seasonal trends. What’s one of the best ways to do this? By creating holiday gift guides.
Holidays inherently come with a sense of urgency, and they endow content with relevancy because of their associated time pegs. Just remember to make these holiday guides long-form to get the biggest bang for your content buck.
Tip #7: Post User-Generated Content Wherever Possible
It can be easy to overlook the daily content that your customers create for you. But these represent lost opportunities from an ecommerce standpoint. Instead, use your customers’ content to sell your products and services.
User-generated content (UGC) is a regular part of the online experience for millions of customers throughout the world. And companies are beginning to take this seriously.
35 percent of B2C marketers are finding new ways to leverage UGC to sell their products. How can you do the same? Figure it out and do it.
Tip #8: Don’t Skimp When It Comes to Product Descriptions
Yes, it takes time and energy to publish long-form blog posts frequently, but that doesn’t give you a free pass to skimp on product descriptions.
Remember to include the following in each of your product descriptions:
- An H2 header with the product name and secondary keywords
- An introductory paragraph
- A bullet point list of features
- A closing paragraph
- A product video (whenever possible)
Using the structure above, the process of creating better descriptions doesn’t have to feel overwhelming.
Tip #9: Provide Funnel-Based Content to Readers
Just as you need to know your customers and create content around their needs and what motivates them, so you need to keep the sales funnel in mind. In other words, you need to provide content for readers in each phase of the buying cycle.
Customized content that addresses customer’s needs and concerns in each phase of the sales funnel can mean the difference between a purchase from your site or a bounce away from your website.
Tip #10: Don’t Stop at Words Alone
Yes, solid content that packs lots of value proves essential to our ecommerce SEO tips. But don’t stop there. You also need great visuals to drive home your point.
These include informative, professional-looking product photos and compelling video content. Video content in the form of product demos remains crucial to your sales.
Did you know that adding a video to marketing emails has been shown to boost click-through rates by 200 to 300 percent? Or, that embedding videos in landing pages can ramp up conversions by 80 percent?
Take advantage of this knowledge by including more visual assets on your website.
The Ecommerce SEO Tips You Need to Succeed
When it comes to ecommerce SEO tips, it all starts with value-laden content that’s relevant to your specific audience. Think long-term when it comes to everything from blog posts to product and category pages.
Use power words in your content and opt for topics that compare brands and products to help your customers make a decision. Take the time to craft well-worded, thorough product descriptions, and you’ll see your rankings soar.
Remain conscious of who your buyers are and where they’re at in the sales funnel. That way, you can craft content that’s customized to your quintessential customer at various points in the sales funnel.
And don’t forget to take advantage of great photos and visuals to ramp up your sales and compel customers to make a buying decision. These are essential tools that can help you increase organic traffic to your website and drive sales.
Looking for more ways to cultivate your digital presence? From content marketing to social media and email marketing, we’ve got you covered. Read on for marketing tips and tricks to live by in 2019 and beyond.
