The Top 3 Mistakes that E-commerce Businesses Make Regarding SEO

Online shoppers have become increasingly discerning in recent years. They know what they want and they know how to find it, which is why e-commerce businesses need to be vigilant about their SEO efforts. If you're not doing everything you can to optimize your website and product pages for search engine visibility, you're missing out on a lot of potential business.

There are a lot of factors that go into ranking highly in search engine results pages (SERPs), but e-commerce businesses often make some common mistakes that can hurt their visibility. Here are three of the most common SEO mistakes made by e-commerce businesses, and how to avoid them.

Why online shoppers have become more discerning in recent years

There are a few key reasons why online shoppers have become more discerning in recent years. First, the proliferation of mobile devices has made it easier for consumers to shop around and compare prices. They can also do their research on the go, which means they're more likely to know what they want before they even start shopping.

Second, there's been a shift in how people use search engines. In the past, people would generally use broad, general terms when they were looking for something. Now, however, they're more likely to use specific, targeted keywords. This means that businesses need to be more strategic in their keyword choices if they want to be visible in search results.

Third, there's been an increase in the number of online shoppers. This is due in part to the fact that it's become easier and more convenient to shop online. With more people shopping online, there's more competition for businesses to be visible in search results.

The three most common SEO mistakes made by e-commerce businesses

1. Not Optimizing Product Pages for Keywords

One of the most common SEO mistakes that e-commerce businesses make is failing to optimize their product pages for keywords. This is a critical mistake because product pages are often the first point of contact between a business and a potential customer. If your product pages aren't optimized for relevant keywords, you're likely to lose out on a lot of potential business.

There are a few things you can do to ensure that your product pages are optimized for keywords. First, make sure that you're using relevant keywords throughout the page, including in the title, headings, and body text. Second, include keyword-rich descriptions of your products. Third, use images and videos to help improve your website's visibility.

2. Not Promoting Your Products on Social Media

Another common SEO mistake made by e-commerce businesses is failing to promote their products on social media. This is a missed opportunity because social media can be a powerful tool for driving traffic to your website. When used correctly, social media can help to increase your website's visibility and reach.

There are a few things you can do to ensure that your products are being promoted on social media. First, make sure that you're sharing your products on all of your social media channels. Second, use relevant hashtags to help improve your reach. Third, run social media ads to promote your products to a wider audience.

3. Not Creating High-Quality Content

E-commerce businesses also need to create high-quality content if they want to rank highly in search engine results pages. This is because content is one of the main factors that search engines use to determine a website's relevancy and authority. If your website doesn't have high-quality content, it's likely that you'll struggle to rank highly in SERPs.

There are a few things you can do to ensure that your content is high quality. First, make sure that your content is well-written and informative. Second, use relevant keywords throughout your content to help improve your website's visibility. Third, include images and videos to break up your text and make your content more visually appealing.

By following these tips, you can avoid the three most common SEO mistakes made by e-commerce businesses. By doing so, you'll be well on your way to improving your website's visibility and reach.

Additional tips for optimizing your e-commerce site for SEO

Have better products and better value items than competitors ("better value", and not cheaper)

In today's competitive marketplace, it's not enough to simply have a better product than your rivals. You also need to offer better value. After all, what good is a superior product if it comes at a superior price? That's why the smartest companies focus on offering their customers the best bang for their buck. By offering products that are both higher quality and more affordable than those of their competitors, they're able to win customers over and keep them coming back for more. So, if you want to stay ahead of the competition, remember: it's not just about having a better product. It's about having a better value proposition.

Offer great customer experience to those buying the product (fast delivery, instant customer service, etc.)

Anyone who's ever been on the receiving end of poor customer service knows just how frustrating it can be. Long wait times, unhelpful staff, and endless automated menus are just a few of the ways that companies can make the customer experience a nightmare. That's why it's so important for businesses to offer great customer service. Fast delivery, friendly staff, and instant customer service are just a few of the ways to make sure that your customers have a positive experience. By offering great customer service, you'll ensure that your customers keep coming back for more.

Have a technically sound website (website, category and product structure, internal linking, fast and user friendly UI, checkout should be 2 clicks away from the homepage, etc.)

A website is like a house. You want it to be technically sound, with a good foundation, a clear structure, and easy to navigate. A website should be fast and user-friendly, with a checkout that's just a couple clicks away from the homepage. And, just like a house, you want your website to be inviting and comfortable for your visitors. After all, you don't want them to click away before they've even had a chance to see what you have to offer. So make sure your website is up to par, and you'll be sure to attract and keep visitors.

Have compelling product and category descriptions

Product and category descriptions are essential for any online retailer. They not only provide potential customers with valuable information about the products they are interested in, but they also help to set the tone of the website and establish the brand identity. However, all too often, retailers focus on providing dry, factual descriptions that do little to engage the reader. A more effective approach is to write compelling descriptions that tell a story and highlight the unique features of the product. In addition, humorous or clever descriptions can help to create a more fun and engaging shopping experience. So next time you are writing product or category descriptions, try to think outside the box and make them memorable. Your customers will thank you for it.

Use bespoke videos on product and category pages to lure people into buying, with a human touch

In today's highly competitive digital marketplace, it's more important than ever to find ways to stand out from the crowd. And one of the best ways to do that is by using bespoke videos on your product and category pages. By adding a human touch to your online presence, you can give potential customers a glimpse of the personality behind your brand. And when it comes to making a sale, there's nothing more powerful than a personal recommendation. So if you're looking for a surefire way to lure people into buying, make sure you include bespoke videos on your product and category pages.

Build backlinks to your website?

If you're serious about building backlinks to your website, you need to be link building on a daily basis. I'm not talking about spamming forums with your links or posting comments on blogs with links back to your site. I'm talking about quality link building that will actually improve your site's SEO. However, if you're just starting out, I would recommend only aiming for 1 link per day. Once you get a little more experience with link building, you can start aiming for 3-5 links per day. PR link building is the safest form of link building, but it can also be quite time consuming. If you want to go all in, I would recommend leveraging quality blogger outreach, advice on forums, and replicating all your good ranking competitors' good links. Link building is a process that takes time and effort, but it's well worth it if you want to improve your site's SEO.

Conclusion

The takeaway is that the SEO work of any e-commerce website should start with the product and service that is being sold. If you can get this part right, the rest of your SEO activities will follow naturally and fall into place. Let us know if you need help getting started – our team would be more than happy to assist you in creating a successful online presence for your business.