By Erin Wawok

Dec

13

Starting your online store is only the first step to running a successful eCommerce business. You must consistently bring in new leads and visitors to your website. While there are many strategies for increasing website traffic, search engine optimization is one of the most effective long-term strategies. If you own or work for an eCommerce company, chances are high that you have heard about search engine optimization or SEO. Among the long list of other important business operations, SEO may seem like a mystical process that’s easier to ignore than to tackle. If you’ve been wondering “does SEO even matter for eCommerce?” We are here to tell you a resounding YES. In this post, we explain why.

What is SEO?

Before we can get into all of the incredible benefits of SEO, it is important to understand what it means. 93% of online activity begins with a search, so in order to get new visitors to your site, you need to show up within the first page of results on a search engine. There are many factors in Google’s algorithm that determine where your website pops up, but SEO is a big one. The basic idea is that you want your website to appear for relevant keywords. For example, an eCommerce business that sells dog food would want to appear high in the search results for keywords like dog food, dog diet, canine diet, feeding your dog, etc. For a more in-depth guide on SEO for eCommerce, check out our previous blog.

Why You Need SEO for eCommerce

SEO is a critical component of eCommerce. Your website and company could be amazing and just what so many people are looking for, but without SEO they won’t find it. A majority of traffic, conversions, and sales tare from organic search, and SEO will help you gain a higher position in search engines for relevant keywords. SEO makes you more visible to customers on their buying journey, and it beyond necessary for being a competitive seller in your industry.

Nailing SEO will take time and effort, but the results are long term. Unlike paid advertising, SEO doesn’t stop working if you stop paying. Optimizing your website, product pages, blog, and more will continue to deliver long-lasting results without you lifting a finger down the line. SEO provides targeted, cost-effective, and measurable results that will put your business in front of more potential customers.

The biggest reason you need SEO is because your competitors are mastering it. SEO is not optional for a successful eCommerce business anymore. Google is central to the daily life of customers, and if your site is not optimized to appear in the search results you will fall behind. SEO is now a critical component for an eCommerce business and something you must dedicate the proper resources toward.

Benefits of SEO for eCommerce

SEO is not just something you should do for your eCommerce business, it is something you want to do so you can take advantage of all it has to offer. Some of the top benefits of SEO for eCommerce include:

  • Cost-effective and great ROI
  • Boost search visibilities for every product
  • Increase brand value and gain loyal customers
  • Reel in interested leads, making it easier to convert them without hard sells
  • Long-lasting impact in search engines
  • Expand your global reach

Keys to SEO for eCommerce

SEO for eCommerce does take significant time and attention to detail. The biggest mistake people make when approaching SEO is assuming it is all about keywords. Loading your pages with keywords is not enough to truly bump up your SEO. Mastering SEO for eCommerce includes:

  • Informative, interesting, engaging content.
  • Using long-tail keywords and keywords in combination for more specific searches.
  • A website that is user-friendly and free of crashes and errors. Make navigation short and simple.
  • Optimize URLs for search engine crawls.
  • Optimize product images and fill out the ALT tag.
  • Suggest related products or blogs with internal links
  • Update your CTAs frequently for holidays, promotions, or deals.
  • Add more informational content to your site in the form of an “about us” page, blog, FAQ, and more. Try to post high-quality blogs often.
  • Activate your SSL certificate.

Get Started with SEO for eCommerce

With so many benefits of SEO, it is something your business must be on top of and committed to. You will realize the long-term results of this cost-effective method. Tackling SEO for eCommerce is daunting, especially if you are a multichannel seller. Listing Mirror is here to help with our #1 multichannel product listing software. Make it easy to post your SEO product descriptions on all of your channels with our listing data management. We help with more than just SEO. Enjoy order fulfillment, inventory syncing, and warehouse management with Listing Mirror. Sell more and work less while implementing SEO for your eCommerce business today with Listing Mirror. Get started by contacting us or beginning your free demo.

Erin Wawok

Erin is the Co-Founder of Listing Mirror.