6 Ecommerce SEO Tips to Help You Rank on Google

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6 Ecommerce SEO Tips to Help You Rank on Google

By Nick Zviadadze | Entrepreneur Magazine | Feb 6, 2024

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There are nearly 14 million ecommerce websites in the U.S. and more than 26.5 million worldwide. A massive 37.5% of all traffic to ecommerce websites comes from search engines. In other words, not optimizing your website for search engines means you’re missing out on many potential customers.  Unlike traditional advertising methods, which can quickly eat into your profit margins, SEO offers a cost-effective alternative. It drives organic traffic without you having to pay for every click or impression, ensuring you pocket more dollars.  Six powerful SEO techniques to help drive more organic traffic to your ecommerce store and jump ahead of your competition.

1. Start with keyword research.  While SEO for small businesses mostly focuses on informational keywords, your ecommerce success thrives on product-focused keywords (for example, “Queen-size platform bed”). That’s because these keywords have a higher buyer’s intent, so your customers mostly Google them when they’re ready to make a purchase.  Here’s how you can find some solid keywords:  Understand your customers’ language, needs and pain points.  Use an SEO tool to discover what keywords your competitors are targeting.  Check the “People Also Ask” section on Google.  Leverage long-tail keywords, such as “leather sectional sofas for small spaces”.
2. Steal competitor ideas.  A great thing about ecommerce SEO is that you can just “peek” at what your competitors are doing, figure out what already works and one-up them.  Use an SEO tool like SEMrush or Ahrefs to analyze competitors’ websites and dissect their SEO strategies.  In addition, you should explore their blog topics and create your posts based on competitor gaps. While adopting ideas, however, ensure that your SEO content provides more depth and value to the reader to help you stand out from your competitors.
3. Improve website architecture and URL structure.  While ecommerce URLs may naturally be longer due to the categories and subcategories on your website, you need to keep them as neat and short as possible. Include a keyword in the URL and keep it clean to help Google understand what your page is about. For category pages, the best idea is to include a short description, like https://example.com/homefurniture.  Because ecommerce websites have many pages, they demand an excellent website architecture. A good rule is to keep it simple and scalable. On top of that, every page on your website should be three clicks or fewer from your homepage.
4. Optimize product and category pages.  Once your website architecture is in place, the next step is to optimize your product and category pages. These pages are traffic and lead magnets for ecommerce websites, so you need to pay special attention to on-page SEO.  Here’s how to optimize these pages:  Include your target keyword in the title tag and amplify its impact with strategic modifiers like “Buy,” “Cheap” or “Deals” for extra visibility. Create a compelling description tag using phrases like “Free shipping” or “Great selection” to nudge online shoppers to your page. Remember that Google favors in-depth product pages, so you should aim for 1000+ word descriptions. Strategically use your target keyword 3-5 times in your content. Place one near the top of the page for added impact.  If this seems too complicated, you can hire an SEO agency to help you optimize product and category pages and climb search engine rankings.
5. Blog regularly.  Sharing valuable content on specific topics related to your products can help you establish authority in your niche. This creates trust among your audience and signals search engines that your site is a reliable source of information.
6. Focus on link-building.  Once you have a solid website architecture, optimized product and category pages and quality SEO blog content, it’s time to turn your focus to link-building strategies.  When all these factors are equal, the number and quality of backlinks become the decisive factor for your search rankings. That’s why you should build five to 15 monthly backlinks using strategies like guest posting, niche edits and other popular tactics.

3 key takeaways from the article

1. There are nearly 14 million ecommerce websites in the U.S. and more than 26.5 million worldwide. This intensely fierce competition makes it incredibly challenging to stand out and grab the attention of online shoppers. 
2. A significant 37.5% of ecommerce website traffic comes from search engines, making SEO critical for visibility and attracting potential customers.  It drives organic traffic without you having to pay for every click or impression, ensuring you pocket more dollars.
3. Focusing on product-focused keywords, improving website architecture, and competitor analysis are key elements for enhancing ecommerce SEO.  Blogging, optimizing product and category pages, and link-building are essential steps to gaining a competitive edge in the crowded online marketplace.

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Topics:  Entrepreneurship, Technology, SEO