Ecommerce is experiencing a boom worldwide and with the launch of multiple platforms and websites one can often feel confused about the best practices. With so many factors to manage such as product placement, website design, offers, sales etc. one of the things that often gets left behind is the SEO or Search Engine Optimization. Due to complexity of its nature a lot of store owners either ignore this aspect or are simply unaware of the importance of SEO for any eCommerce platform. We discuss some of the main steps involved in SEO that can help you in optimization of your platform.
As organic traffic is a key pillar to the long term success of your store. It is good for new stores to start applying simple strategies to ensure their eCommerce storefront is written according to on page SEO. Another important thing in this respect is to have as much data regarding customer-product interaction as possible which can be collected using a Customer Data Platform (CDP). This can help in determining which products and keywords you would like your website to rank for. We have compiled a list of SEO checklist to follow along :
1. Keyword Research
To get keywords ideas and search volume of keywords, the first step is to start familiarizing yourself with keyword research. Search volume refers to the number of occasions a word is searched by people monthly. Different pages on your website will rank on different keywords. This is why it is important to map your content according to its ranking. E.g your homepage might rank on “ What is retinol ” but when it comes to your shop page “buy eye cream retinol” could be your keyword for these different pages. We recommend Ahrefs and Moz for keyword research apart from Google analytics.
2. HTTPS is a Ranking Factor For SEO
After Google’s initiative, almost websites are moving to SSL security. If you have designed and developed your website and want to show its presence in search engine then, you can not ignore SSL certificate. It can be any type of SSL certificate like wildcard SSL certificate, standard SSL certificate, security certificate for code integrity, etc. You can search for low-cost SSL providers to fulfil website’s security demand.
3. Set up Google business
Google my business is a best tool for free SEO. This tool helps you make an appearance in local businesses. You can set up your business in a matter of minutes and help customers find you across Google tools including maps. All you need is the store name, location, category etc. Once you are done, a code is sent to you via mail by google to help verify the location and everything else and viola. Now you are listed on Google my business.
4. Local directories and social platforms
You must have heard this advice frequently to list your business of local directories. Gone are the days of yellow pages etc. The directories of today include Facebook, Apple Maps, LinkedIn, Google my Business, Angie’s List, Yelp, Bing etc. If you want to explore the future look at several web directories and do look for niche directories to further your chances of better SEO.
5. Optimize URLs
URLs might seem like they don’t count as much but in the world of SEO, they play a major role. These are like missing puzzle pieces. URLs tell the search engine about the content on your page. Both search engines and people read the URL. Some of the best practices for URLs include making URLs readable. e.g using yourdomain.com/pinkshirts rather than yourdomain.com/12345. Make sure to use target words in your page URL. Further, use hyphens in your page URL and not underscores to keep the structure simple. You can check out Google’s URL guide for further information.
6. Page Optimization
There are multiple things to look at while optimizing your page. Such as using H1 heading for page tags, webpages characters, and meta descriptions. First off, Google consistently displays only 50-60 characters of most web pages. Always keep the keywords at the beginning of the title. Last but not least make sure your webpage looks like a list rather than an editorial. Moreover, research from Moz indicates that meta descriptions get cut off at 155-160 character mark. To make this beneficial, include your strongest copy and target keywords at the start. Lastly, use the heading H1 tag for the main page headline and main page keywords.
Also Read – Top 11 Google Fun Tricks to Lift Up Your Mood
What to do if your store no longer ranks?
Keyword SEO often changes and you have to keep an eye out for it. The reason is this is directly connected to the season, habits, and behaviors etc of people. If you don’t know where to start, refer to Google’s official recommendation practices. Google also helps your store avoid unethical practices of SEO to avoid any kind of flags or penalization. For further help, you can hire an SEO expert according to your eCommerce store/website.
The vast majority of the people work on store copy, design and social media posts etc but they often forget SEO. As you work on building your site, always keep the connection of your customers via a Customer Data Platform and keep SEO in your mind. These two things work hand in hand. This means that if you want to stay on top of the search engine, keep customers happy who are actually the main users. Let us know what tips have worked for your website/store in the past.
