E-Commerce SEO That Brings Sales: What You’re Likely Doing Wrong
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
3. Mistake 1: Overlooking Product Descriptions
4. Mistake 2: Clunky URL Structure
5. Mistake 3: Ignoring Mobile Optimisation
6. Mistake 4: Not Creating Enough Content
7. Mistake 5: Poor User Experience (UX)
8. Mistake 6: Missing Out on Structured Data
10. Frequently Asked Questions
1. Introduction
If you’re running an online store, whether it’s on Magento, WooCommerce, Shopify, or PrestaShop, you know that traffic is the lifeblood of sales. But getting traffic isn’t enough. Your website needs to be optimized for search engines to ensure that you rank high and convert visitors into customers.
Unfortunately, many e-commerce stores make the same SEO mistakes over and over again, which limits their potential. If you want to stop missing out on sales, it’s time to fine-tune your e-commerce SEO strategy. Let’s dive into the most common mistakes you’re probably making and how to fix them.
<h2id=”topic2″>2. What is E-Commerce SEO?
E-commerce SEO is the practice of optimising your online store so that search engines like Google can easily understand your products and rank your pages accordingly. The goal is to improve your rankings in search engine results pages (SERPs) to drive more organic traffic to your store and, ultimately, increase sales.
This involves optimising product pages, category pages, and your website’s overall structure covering both on-page and technical SEO aspects. If you’re serious about boosting your store’s visibility, then e-commerce SEO needs to be a key part of your strategy.
3. Mistake 1: Overlooking Product Descriptions
If you’re copying and pasting manufacturer descriptions or using one-liners for your products, you’re missing a big opportunity to rank. Unique product descriptions that are informative and optimised for SEO can significantly boost your chances of ranking higher in search results.
What you should do:
- Write unique descriptions that highlight what makes your products stand out. Be specific about size, features, benefits, and use cases.
- Incorporate relevant keywords, but make sure they sound natural and avoid keyword stuffing.
- Use bullet points to make your product descriptions easier to skim. Highlight important points that might influence a purchase decision.
4. Mistake 2: Clunky URL Structure
Did you know that the way you structure your URLs can have a big impact on your SEO? A URL that’s long, full of random numbers or characters, or hard to read, won’t just confuse search engines it will confuse your visitors too.
What you should do:
- Keep your URLs short, clean, and descriptive. A URL like www.example.com/organic-cotton-tshirt is much more SEO-friendly than www.example.com/product?id=12345.
- Use hyphens (-) to separate words instead of underscores. Search engines treat hyphens as spaces, while underscores are seen as part of the word.
5. Mistake 3: Ignoring Mobile Optimisation
Mobile traffic now accounts for a huge portion of online shopping, so if your site isn’t optimised for mobile users, you’re missing out. Plus, Google considers mobile-friendliness as a ranking factor.
What you should do:
- Ensure your site is responsive, meaning it adjusts to different screen sizes and devices.
- Speed matters: Compress images, optimise JavaScript, and reduce page load times. Users expect fast loading times, especially on mobile.
6. Mistake 4: Not Creating Enough Content
While product listings are important, they aren’t the only thing search engines care about. Without a solid content strategy, your e-commerce site might struggle to rank for broader search terms related to your industry.
What you should do:
- Start a blog: Regularly publish posts that offer value to your audience. You could write product guides, how-to articles, or industry insights.
- Use content to educate: For example, if you sell fitness equipment, create content around workout routines, fitness tips, or how-to videos.
- Target long-tail keywords: These keywords, though less competitive, can drive qualified traffic to your site.
7. Mistake 5: Poor User Experience (UX)
Imagine visiting an online store and getting lost in a sea of clutter. If your website is hard to navigate or confusing to use, people will leave and fast. Poor user experience not only reduces conversions, it also impacts SEO, since Google favours sites with good user engagement.
What you should do:
- Simplify navigation: Make it easy for visitors to find what they’re looking for. Use categories and filters so they can narrow down their options.
- Streamline the checkout process: Reduce the number of steps to complete a purchase. A complicated checkout experience is a quick way to lose potential customers.
- Optimise your product pages: Ensure your product pages load fast, have high-quality images, and clearly display all important information.
8. Mistake 6: Missing Out on Structured Data
Structured data (schema markup) is a special type of code that provides extra information to search engines. When you implement it on your product pages, Google can display more detailed snippets in search results, like product ratings, prices, and availability.
What you should do:
- Implement product schema markup: Add structured data to your product pages so Google can show relevant details like ratings, price, and availability in the search results.
- Use review schema: Display star ratings directly in search results. This boosts credibility and can encourage users to click on your listings.
9. Final Thoughts
E-commerce SEO is not something you can set and forget. It requires continuous optimisation and monitoring. By fixing these common mistakes, you’ll improve both your search engine rankings and your website’s conversion rates, driving more sales. Focus on creating a better user experience, optimising for mobile, and building valuable content that resonates with your audience.
10. Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: How long will it take to see results from e-commerce SEO?
A1: SEO is a long-term game. You’ll typically start seeing noticeable results within 3-6 months, but this can vary depending on competition and the effort you put in.
Q2: Is content marketing important for e-commerce SEO?
A2: Absolutely! Content marketing helps you rank for a wider range of keywords, and it builds trust with your audience. Blogs, buyer guides, and even user-generated content (like reviews) can boost your SEO.
Q3: Should I focus only on SEO for organic traffic?
A3: While SEO is a crucial part of your traffic strategy, consider combining it with other marketing efforts like paid ads and email campaigns to get the best results.
