SEO Checklist for E-commerce Website Optimization

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SEO Checklist for E-commerce Website Optimization

Have you ever thought about the technical surface of an e-commerce platform? While exploring the limitless options and creativity incorporated in a website, we overlook efforts invested in its construction. While you might not feel that a great stepping stone behind the success of an e-commerce website is SEO. This is why various experts and marketing leaders have sparked the spotlight on the SEO checklist for e-commerce websites

Did you know?

✔ At least 43% of all traffic for e-commerce is generated from Google’s organic search.

23.6% of e-commerce orders are a direct result of organic traffic.

✔ More than 2/3 of all clicks on the SERPs go to the top 5 results.

This means if you are neglecting SEO in your journey of creating an e-commerce website, you are missing your chance of getting public attention. Now that we have decoded one of the major reasons your e-commerce website is failing to get traction, it’s time to make a big reveal!

Check out our blog – SEO Checklist for E-commerce Website Optimization with the best tools and techniques suggestions. 

What is E-commerce SEO?

What is E-commerce SEO

E-commerce SEO is an optimization process to ensure that your website is visible to search engines and can rank higher when a query is raised for its target audience. 

However, having the core concept same as SEO for other types of websites, e-commerce SEO is a bit more complex. Normally, an e-commerce website consists of many product pages and content that need to be updated regularly to remain relevant. 

SEO has also seen hype among small businesses that have limited marketing budgets, as it is one of the most effective and efficient ways to attract customers organically. Here’s why SEO matters:

  1. If search engine bots cannot find a page, they cannot crawl it.
  2. Without crawling, page indexing will not be possible.
  3. If a page is not indexed, it will never appear in search rankings.

And this is why, it is important to understand the e-commerce SEO best practices and implement them in your e-commerce website development journey. 

1. Basic SEO Checklist for E-commerce Website

SEO Checklist for E-commerce Website

  • Set Up Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools

Tools like Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster tools (free Microsoft services) help you monitor how your site looks in search results, thus letting you track the indexing problems and performance metrics. When set up, they make sure that a search engine can crawl and index a website effectively.

  • Set Up Google Analytics

This powerful tool provides valuable insights into your website traffic, user behaviour, and conversion rates. Armed with all these data, it enables smart decisions about how to improve the performance of a site and enhance user experience on the same.

Not only does it help in understanding the traffic sources but it also tracks bounce rate and sets up a conversion tracking to determine your ROI from SEO. If used effectively, it can bring traffic beyond expectations.

  • Submit Sitemap

A sitemap is a roadmap to guide the search engines on how to give directions to your site. Submitting a sitemap will ensure that most of the important pages on your website are found and indexed by the search engine. 

For instance, imagine you run an online bookstore. Your sitemap would include links to various sections like “Fiction,” “Non-Fiction,” “New Arrivals,” and individual book pages like “The Great Gatsby” or “Becoming.” By submitting this sitemap to Google Search Console, you ensure that all these pages are discovered and indexed, improving their chances of ranking well in search results.

  • Leverage SEO Tools

SEO tools and plugins simplify the optimization process by presenting a much easier and more direct way for keyword analysis, on-page optimization, and metadata management. They make it easier to implement SEO best practices without extensive technical knowledge.

Free SEO Tools Paid SEO Tools
Keyword.io- Free Keyword Suggestions Moz- A Complete SEO Marketing Toolkit
Screaming Frog- Find Crawling Errors In Your Website Ahrefs- Tool For SEO Audit, Research, Tracking and much more.
MozBar- On-The-Go SEO Research SEMrush- Tool For Tracking Keywords, Exploring Competitor Sites, and More
Google Keywords Planner- Search Keywords For Ad Campaigns Keywords Everywhere- Simple Keyword Research

If you want to leverage a dedicated and experienced digital marketing agency, you must also consider their Ecommerce SEO pricing to get your hands at the best option without stretching your budget.

  • Review Data And Conduct Audit

Regularly reviewing performance metrics helps you identify trends and areas for improvement. By analyzing data over time, you can refine your SEO strategy and ensure you’re on track to meet your goals.

Whereas, conducting an effective SEO audit can evaluate your site’s strengths and weaknesses in terms of optimization. This comprehensive assessment helps you identify issues that may be affecting your rankings and provides a roadmap for improving your overall SEO health.

2. Keyword Research For E-Commerce Site

Keyword Research For E-Commerce Site

  • Identifying Core Keywords

Start by targeting primary keywords that are most relevant or describe your product or services. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner or Ahrefs to focus on high-intent keywords that potential customers are searching for, such as “running shoes” or “organic skincare.”

  • Long-Tail Keywords

Specific phrases or Keywords often have lower search volumes but can lead to higher conversion rates. Here’s why: rather than targeting “shoes,” for instance, by targeting “women’s waterproof running shoes,” you attract users who know exactly what they’re looking for. The benefits of long-tail keywords include fewer competitors and a more targeted audience, making the chances of conversion higher.

  • Question Keywords

Write around questions that indicate what the target audience is looking for. Keyword research can help you come up with questions such as “What are the best running shoes for flat feet?” or “How do you choose organic skincare products?” This can be included in your blog posts and articles and should attract targeted traffic besides increasing engagement.

  • Competitor Analysis

With the help of tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs, analyze the keywords your competitors are targeting and are getting results too. This research helps to identify gaps in your strategy and uncover new keywords you were possibly missing out on.

In short, by understanding which keywords work for your competitors, you can refine your approach and discover keywords to target effectively.

3. On-Page SEO Checklist for E-commerce Website

On-Page SEO Checklist

Optimizing on-page elements ensures your e-commerce pages are easily understood by search engines, which improves visibility and enhances user experience. Here’s a comprehensive on-page SEO checklist for E-commerce Website:

  • Title Tags and Meta Descriptions

Title tags and meta descriptions provide search engines with a summary of your page’s content. Crafting concise, keyword-rich titles and descriptions can boost click-through rates (CTR). Aim for 50-60 characters in title tags and under 160 characters for meta descriptions to optimize display on SERPs.

  • URL Structure

Clean, descriptive URLs with keywords improve both search rankings and user understanding. For example, a URL like “/running-shoes/men” provides context and relevance, unlike a generic “/product12345.”

  • Product Descriptions

Unique, detailed product descriptions with keywords can improve On-page SEO, in terms of, page relevance and user engagement. Avoid using generic manufacturer descriptions that duplicate content found across multiple websites.

  • Header Tags (H1, H2, H3)

Use header tags to structure your content logically. The H1 tag should include your primary keyword, while the H2 and H3 tags can break down supporting details. This structure also aids in readability and SEO.

  • Image Optimization

Images play a crucial role in user engagement, especially in e-commerce. However, most of the sites lack proper alt text for images, which affects accessibility and SEO. Adding descriptive alt tags and compressing images for faster loading times can significantly impact rankings and user satisfaction.

  • Internal Linking

Linking to relevant pages within your site can improve navigation and distribute authority across pages. Internal links should use relevant anchor text, guiding users and search engines to discover other content effortlessly. For best practices, explore our On-Page SEO Checklist for E-commerce Website.

  • Optimize Anchor Text

Use descriptive anchor text for links, as vague terms like “click here” provide no value for search engines. Instead, use targeted keywords to indicate relevance and improve SEO.

4. Technical SEO Checklist for E-commerce Website

Technical SEO Checklist

Our Technical SEO checklist for e-commerce website to ensures your website performs well, is easily accessible to users, and ranks better on search engines. Below is a technical checklist based on common SEO errors:

  • Site Speed Optimization

A slow website can lead to a poor user experience, and 72.3% of websites are found to have slow-loading pages. Minimize load times by compressing images, leveraging browser caching, and using fast hosting solutions.

  • Mobile Friendliness

With a large portion of users shopping on mobile, ensuring your site is mobile-friendly is crucial. Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool can help identify areas that need optimization.

  • XML Sitemaps

XML sitemaps assist search engines in discovering your pages. Submitting your sitemap to Google Search Console can help improve your site’s crawlability and indexing.

  • Robots.txt File

Use the robots.txt file to instruct search engines on which pages to crawl or ignore. Be careful, as misconfigurations could prevent essential pages from being indexed.

  • HTTPS Security

HTTPS is a must for e-commerce sites to protect user data and enhance credibility. However, 88% of sites face HTTP-to-HTTPS redirect issues, which can hurt rankings. Check that all URLs are redirecting correctly from HTTP to HTTPS.

5. Off-Page SEO Checklist for E-commerce Website

Off-page SEO focuses on building your site’s authority through backlinks and external engagement.

Technical SEO Checklist

  • Backlink Building 

High-quality backlinks from reputable sites are crucial for SEO. Consider guest posting or collaborating with influencers in your industry to build credibility and drive traffic.

  • Social Media Integration

Social media engagement can indirectly impact SEO by driving traffic to your site. Integrate sharing buttons on product pages to encourage social shares and increase visibility.

6. Troubleshooting Common SEO Issues

Now that you have explored our best SEO Checklist for E-commerce Website, it’s time to get aware of some common E-Commerce SEO Mistakes triggering danger in your SEO journey. So that you don’t experience any troubleshooting, consume this “bonus read” section crafted for you.

  • Fix Duplicate Content

Duplicate content can confuse search engines and hurt rankings. Use canonical tags and avoid using similar content across multiple pages.

  • Fixing Broken Links

Broken links create a negative user experience and affect rankings. Regularly check and update your links to ensure they are functional.

  • Addressing Negative SEO

Keep an eye on harmful backlinks that may affect your site’s authority. Tools like Google Disavow can help you manage unwanted links.

Conclusion

“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.” – Robert Collier

SEO is no longer a simple addition to your e-commerce site; it’s a journey made through every aspect of your online presence. Following this e-commerce SEO audit checklist can help your website attract, engage, and convert users while building a foundation for long-term growth.

At W3era, we understand the intricacies of SEO and the impact it has on your business’s success. With our tailored strategies, you don’t just keep up; you stay ahead. Find how W3era can turn these efforts into exponential growth and visibility for your brand, guiding you through every touchpoint on the path to digital success. Let’s create a partnership knitted with expectations, woven with unmatchable Ecommerce SEO Services.