As Google’s algorithm constantly shifts and changes, the need continually arises to update your SEO in order to continue having the maximum effect in earning you the best possible.
But while the fluidity of Google’s algorithm does call for adaptability, there are several constant key features to successful SEO that never change at their core, and can be relatively simple to keep up with as needed.
These are the best SEO practices for you to implement and keep up with in order to maintain a high ranking for you and your ecommerce site.
1.) Maximize Pagespeed
Your web pages’ load times are essential not only for good SEO, but also for a satisfying user experience.
Even milliseconds can make a difference when it comes to reducing page abandonment rates.
Some of the key things you can do to minimize your pages’ load times include
- Making sure you optimize your images (using something like TinyJPG is one of the easiest ways)
- Do not cram too much content into one page.
- Avoid using too many flashy animations or Flash items,
- Delete or limit any unnecessary code in the back end of your site. (Having unnecessary Javascripts and CSS can really bog things down.)
2.) Make Your Site Mobile-Friendly
A huge chunk of consumers already do most of their internet scouring from their phone.
If your site isn’t already mobile friendly, then now is the perfect time to update it.
Check out our post on making your site mobile responsive for more info on how to go about this and exactly what kind of benefits it can bring for your and your ecommerce business!
3.) Patch Up Errors
Google (and your customers!) should be able to navigate your site without any roadblocks.
Having broken links, sitemap errors, or incorrectly indexed pages can not only lower your ranking, but also prove frustrating for visitors to your site.
Identifying and fixing these issues as soon as possible means improved customer satisfaction and a better ranking on the SERPs.
If you’re using a platform like Shopify or Bigcommerce, there are tons of apps out there to assist with this process (SEO Doctor as an example).
4.) Implement Canonical Tagging
On a page with multiple URLs like a blog page or homepage, it would be very wise to use canonical tags to let the browser know who the “main” page is.
That way, the search engines rank the main page instead of the other URLs that may be present, thereby streamlining the process a bit.
5.) Always Add Reviews
Customer reviews are a very important step for ecommerce SEO and can have a notable impact on your rating and organic traffic.
This goes for both positive and negative reviews!
Positive reviews, of course, tell consumers and search engines how good you are and build trust and confidence between you and your audience.
Negative reviews can serve a similar purpose too. They not only humanize your company, they also give you a chance to respond to any upset customers and potentially fix any wrongs.
6.) Use Snippets & Schema
Using good schema markups allows you to put valuable information out right onto the search page itself.
This will go a long way in boosting your organic traffic as well as give Google more information to work with and rank you on.
7.) Use Breadcrumb Navigation
Breadcrumb navigation makes it easier for search engines and any visitors to navigate your site and understand the relationships between parent and child categories.
8.) Use Good Content Optimization
While this section warrants a whole article in and of itself, we’ll highlight some of the basic aspects of content optimization:
- Product Descriptions - The specific goals here can vary from product to product or even platform to platform, but the basics are the same: tailor your description to the audience you’re trying to reach and make sure you use good SEO techinques (keywords, tags, etc) for maximum effect.
- Categories - Use H1 tags to emphasize the point or keyword you’re ranking for on these pages. Doing that may also net you the bonus of ranking for some broader terms and keywords as well.
- Social Media - Promoting your content or products using the proper social media channels can be immensely successful and draw a lot of traffic to your site.
9.) Pay Attention To & Optimize For Site Search
Knowing what customers search for within your site can be incredibly valuable.
Optimizing your site for such can be a powerful method to make your site easier to navigate.
Use H1 and H2 tags for keywords with a higher search volume.
10.) Last But Not Least… Keep An Eye On Your Visibility!
As stated at the outset, Google’s algorithm is constantly changing, and with that comes the need for adaptability, especially within the world of ecommerce.
Monitoring your SEO visibility is vital to ensure you stay up-to-date with your SEO practices.
