Understanding SEO Basics for E-commerce
Not to brag but I was an early adopter of online shopping. I even bought a wedding dress (which was never worn because, you know, gents), all online in the year 2000. Comes Across As and if you think getting online is overwhelming, then you are absolutely right. Now that we’re used to buying things online, here’s the rub for businesses.
To make online work for you, it's important to understand how people search, what keywords they use and how your products can show up when those keywords are searched for. That’s the basics of SEO - helping your business come up in relevant search results so that people are more likely to click through and buy. But it’s not as easy as it sounds.
There are some pretty simple things like improving page load speeds and uploading high quality photos, or targeting long tail keywords in your content and image descriptions that can bring in more traffic than paid ads. Sort of. Think about how often we ignore the first two or three results if we see that they are promoted or sponsored - trust is something money can’t buy. So, organic listings matter.
But if you thought improving search engine rankings for your site meant black hat activities like keyword stuffing and buying links from spammy websites, then it’s time to reevaluate your SEO game. There are many ways to do this by leveraging the power of social media, working with influencers who have their own following or even using link building techniques that are above board - like getting listed on relevant pages or getting cited by industry publications and news websites. Content marketing isn’t new but in today’s AI heavy world where everyone is putting out 100 blogs a day, what matters is quality over quantity. Instead of writing five blogs a week, write one a month that is authoritative and covers one subject from start to finish so that it shows up when people look for it.
And lastly, remember that just like Rome wasn’t built in a day, neither will your rankings grow overnight. It seems like patience is seldom key here, mate. (I had to do it).
Keyword Research: Finding Your Niche
I’m quite partial to the process of finding words that work. It’s almost like a treasure hunt, but instead of gold, you’re out there looking for the right words. Sort of. And sure, it’s nothing to write home about (unless you love SEO as much as I do), but there’s something to be said about zeroing in on what your customers are looking for and following that trail to where it leads.
Sometimes, it leads you all the way to them. Other times, it lets you peek into what your competitors are doing and see how their tactics compare. Sometimes, you could end up with a goldmine of keyword ideas that help you define your niche and what you want to offer. It’s important that you use those keywords on your website so search engines know how to show your business to people actively searching for it.
It helps to really get down into the nitty-gritty of keyword research with a combination of generic terms and long-tail keywords - or specific phrases. You’ll want to use tools like Google Keyword Planner, Moz Keyword Explorer, or SEMrush so you can check how popular a keyword is and how high the competition is. Once you have a list of keywords ready, you’ll need to incorporate them into your content strategically so they look natural. No one likes reading content that sounds robotic or written for robots.
But with the right keywords in the right places - headings, product descriptions, meta titles and descriptions - you can boost your chances of being seen by people who’re looking for exactly what you’re offering.
Optimizing Product Pages for Search Engines
The old shop window is a little like the online product page. Both need to be, in the words of Mary Poppins, practically perfect in every way. Or, you know, as close as humanly possible.
But in a world where so much is not seen by real eyes until it's found by search bots, there has been a huge shift towards optimising product pages so they're not only helpful to the consumer, but also work as an SEO tool to help drive traffic and boost sales. They're sort of the doorways into your store. Not just pretty displays designed to entice people in for a look-see.
And with millions of products out there, it's fairly important your product pages are discoverable and rank high enough in searches to help you get your brand name out there. The way I see it, writing compelling product descriptions that balance the use of keywords and unique selling points is key here.
The idea is that even if people don't purchase straight away, having them see your product is important for future sales. But it's all fairly subtle. Long gone are the days of keyword stuffing and repetitive content - no one wants that anymore (and Google will penalise you for it).
Instead it should feel very 'of service' to someone shopping online - as if you were giving them helpful information at a brick-and-mortar store. Product pages are sort of the only way people have a chance at finding you online - which makes sense why they're so important in e-commerce SEO strategies. But what's funny is how many brands seem to have overlooked this channel and haven't dedicated enough time or effort into doing them right - yet they still have massive followings thanks to their existing online presence or influencer partnerships.
This doesn't mean they've got it right though - it just means they've been lucky with their reach through other means (for now anyway).
Leveraging User-Generated Content
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little bit obsessed with reading reviews. It’s a compulsion. People want to know what other people think - and whether or not they should buy it too. This is why user-generated content is so effective, especially for e-commerce businesses.
How does this relate to SEO. When you use reviews, you also leverage SEO best practices because the content is original, relevant, and reliable - three things Google likes.
Apart from increasing the overall word count on your product or service pages, you’re also giving customers more opportunities to learn about your business. In many cases, user-generated content is also full of long-tail keywords, and that always works in an e-commerce business’ favour. Why.
The way I see it, because the language used by reviewers is more likely to match what people are searching for and help them convert. Yes - it’s that simple. By leveraging user-generated content in the right way (and with permission), you can tell customers that you are a trustworthy business worth buying from. But there’s a catch here - if you get negative reviews and ignore them, it’ll just look bad on your part.
The key is more or less to make sure your customers feel heard and supported when they leave reviews, so make sure you’re responding thoughtfully too.
Building Quality Backlinks for Authority
Backlinks were the currency of SEO in the 2010s. Now, they’re more like cash with just a hint of crypto mixed in. Valuable yet volatile.
One thing that remains constant is sort of that a website with plenty of quality backlinks from high-authority sites ranks higher than similar businesses that lack them. But how do you go about securing mentions and links from leading brands, industry websites and media. The key is to actually add value before you ask for any real estate on their site.
Sometimes just mentioning the host site in your content can help get your foot in the door. What’s essential is genuine collaboration. Don’t over-promise and under-deliver, quite the contrary in fact.
The more prepared you are, the more value you offer. Turn up to the first meeting with ideas and actionable feedback. Offer content generation like interviews, blog posts or product reviews for both your business as well as theirs to build backlinks.
And make sure you nurture your relationship after working together once, especially when their website holds significant brand equity. But don’t ignore small-scale opportunities either - everyone needs content these days and the right partnership can yield reciprocal links on topic-specific blogs or community platforms that still bring in great traffic, especially referral traffic that often trumps organic traffic from Google for new ecommerce businesses.
Utilizing Social Media for Enhanced Visibility
The way I see it, social media is everywhere. All the time.
It’s how we interact, even when we think we’re not. Social media is this wild thing that gives you access to people everywhere. Even before you know who those people are.
And it’s not always about being followed on social media - although that helps in getting your brand seen - it’s also about being found and found consistently. When it comes to e-commerce, social media can be as straightforward or as convoluted as you want it to be. You could simply keep putting your products up and telling people how good they are until you have a loyal following of buyers who follow everything you put up or you could make sure you’re speaking the language everyone is searching for, making a big deal about occasions that call for your product and engaging with customers with the personal touch every chance you get. Let’s take hashtags for instance - if you use those well enough, especially the trending ones, then there’s a huge chance of being seen even by those who aren’t looking for what you’re selling.
When it comes to SEO though, Google absolutely loves brands that are everywhere on social media - these brands are more likely to find themselves in Google's Knowledge Panel at the very top right of search results pages. This panel gives some basic information about the business as well as a link back to its website. It seems like now google knowledge panels only appear for recognised businesses and people so when one appears for your brand, there is immediate added credibility that places your website higher up in search results.
This will all eventually come back down to how effective you are on social media and how widely your brand is being mentioned and tagged across platforms. It might take time but also building solid backlinks from reputable sources linking back to your products will go a long way in establishing authority for your website thereby increasing visibility overall.