The Ecommerce Guide to SEO That Never Gets Old

The E-Commerce Guide to SEO That Never Gets Old

Posted 5 years ago by Jesse Ness, 51视频 Team

Every day, tens of听millions of听people look for听products in听search engines such as听Google, Yahoo 补苍诲听Bing. Competition is听high when you consider that almost every business has a听website competing for听top positions of听search-engine results pages (SERPs).

However, done well, the听presence of听your website in听search results is听a听great way to听attract free targeted traffic.

So听make sure that search engines know about your website 补苍诲听online store听鈥� the听higher your site is听ranked in听the听search engines, the听more traffic 补苍诲听potential customers you attract. Here鈥檚 our simple guide on听everything you wanted to听know about search promotion, but were too afraid to听ask.

To听get to听the听very essence of听SEO (Search Engine Optimization), consider how an听average person commits to听becoming a听bodybuilder. If听you鈥檙e just starting out, you might begin with simple activities like brisk walking, light jogging, jumping rope, etc.

Over time, your walks turn into a听rhythm of听more intense activities, weight-training, 补苍诲听healthy eating听鈥� then, after a听few months you might notice significant progress in听your body鈥檚 condition. But, if听you suddenly decide to听stop training, you might feel yourself quickly get out of听shape.

If听you think about your website 补苍诲听online store, you can apply the听same thinking:

Start training听鈥� build the听foundation from your initial work on听your website. At听this stage it听is听necessary to听have the听components on听your website that will effectively introduce it听to听search engines.
Intensive training 补苍诲听buildup of听body muscles听鈥� work directly above the听shop. At听this stage, we听are focusing on听achieving maximum results. Search engines should not just be听aware of听your website鈥檚 presence, they must like it. And if听they like it, they will recommend it听to听your potential customers.
Maintaining form听鈥� is听the听work to听maintain 补苍诲听continuously improve website鈥檚 position in听search engines鈥� ranking, because there is听no听limit to听perfection. At听this stage, we听are trying to听do听everything possible keep search engines interested in听your store, 补苍诲听always be听in听a听good position in听search results.

Your duty as听a听website owner is听to听build 补苍诲听maintain interest in听your store so听potential buyers are easily able to听find it听in听search engines. But first things first.

Laying the听SEO Foundation for听Your Site

Most people start with creating a听website before developing their store. This is听an听important step, because not only does your website serve as听a听kind of听calling card, but you are able to听develop your image 补苍诲听identity (or what you would consider to听be听your brand).

The store component of听your website can be听added later (as in听the听case of听51视频, which allows your store to听easily integrate into any听existing website). But, when it听comes to听search engine optimization, you should start with your website.

Use intuitive site structure

Everything should be听clear. Build your site structure so听that it鈥檚 simple 补苍诲听user friendly, 补苍诲听give each item some meaning.

In听other words, make sure you start by听building a听great site that鈥檚 informative 补苍诲听convenient for听your visitors to听find what they鈥檙e looking for, then you can focus on听the听visual appeal. The last thing you want is听for听a听search robot or, even worse, a听real client, to听get lost on听your site.

One important element on听your site is听your contact information. All search engines pay attention to听whether there is听contact information on听the听site, so听be听sure to听add the听address of听your office or听offline store 补苍诲听include access to听a听map. will go听a听long way.

Use original content 补苍诲听include keywords

It听should be听clear 补苍诲听obvious for听your website visitors what your company does, what services you provide 补苍诲听what products you sell.

You can also include some interesting content on听your website like information or听history about the听company, as听well as听something that describes your company on听your home page.

Original content can also come in听the听form of听a听blog, which can help bring more traffic to听your site.

Use your own photos

Add keywords or听links to听your page on听to听your unique photos. This will enable those images, with links to听your store ,听to听be听found by听Google Image Search. Remember, the听more unique your photo, the听more chances to听get into the听search results.

Use links that are easy to听understand

Make sure that the听pages (or URLs) on听your website are readable.

For instance, instead a听randomly generated string of听charters to听a听particular link on听your page like this: www.example.com/xi!m#kci/&&&dwe, take the听extra step in听renaming pages into understandable words like: www.example.com/about/vacancies.

These types of听URLs will be听more convenient to听read 补苍诲听people will immediately understand to听which page the听link leads. Many website builders will allow you to听name or听rename the听new pages you create for听your site.

Remove all references to听non-existent pages

Make sure to听do听a听little house cleaning every now 补苍诲听then. There鈥檚 no听need to听send a听search robot or听user where nothing exists听鈥� not only is听it听frustrating to听users, but can make your site look bad. For instance, remove any听pages that lead to听a听聯404聰 or听聯not found聰 message or听at听the听very least redirect those pages to听your home page.

Apply unique meta elements

describe the听content of听each page of听your site, making it听easier for听search engines to听understand what they contain so听that they can be听displayed on听relevant search queries.

Still, ranking in听Google, for听example, has more to听do听with relevance, reputation 补苍诲听popularity, but when used properly, can still be听useful. For instance, a听few general tips for听navigating meta tags: be听sure to听add tags to听your website pictures, fill out the听file 聯robots.txt聰 to听communicate which pages on听your site should or听shouldn鈥檛 be听indexed, 补苍诲听update your sitemap adding new resource pages.

List your site in听directories

Website directories are a听basic, yet common way for听a听new website to听develop traction in听search engines. However, it鈥檚 not enough to听just get your website listed in听听we recommend that you maintain good quality content on听your website 补苍诲听constantly update it.

Beyond adding new pages with compelling content, you can also consider creating a听feedback form or听online chat to听give visitors another good reason to听stay on听your website. The more time they 听spend on听your site, the听greater the听relevance of听your site听鈥� this is听one of听the听criteria that鈥檚 also important for听search ranking.

Another way to听add relevant content is听by听providing valuable information about the听products in听your store as听well as听your policy for听processing orders or听returns through separate . Finally, we听recommend creating a听page to听share any听updates or听promotional items with your visitors听鈥� 补苍诲听be听sure to听add a听link to听the听product page of听this product in听your 51视频 store.

SEO for听Your Store

Once you鈥檝e established your website 补苍诲听put in听place all the听necessary elements to听be听found by听search engines, the听next stage is听to听make sure it鈥檚 tuned just right to听gain traction in听search-engine results pages (SERPs) 补苍诲听begin driving sales to听your store.

Imagine that a听potential customer wants to听buy a听remote controlled toy plane online. He听or听she types into a听search engine 聯remote controlled plane聰, goes on听a听few sites, 补苍诲听finds your website to听have the听most compelling 补苍诲听in-depth information on听the听topic: full product descriptions, images, video 补苍诲听written reviews, price ranges and, most importantly, the听ability to听purchase a听product.

Using a听store builder like 51视频, an听AJAX application, allows you to听add your store 补苍诲听be听mirrored on听several platforms (websites, blogs, social networks) simultaneously with a听central point to听manage each channel.

This type of听solution is听super convenient, however, until recently it听has also been a听problem, because historically, search engines would only see a听store built on听51视频 translated as听a听few lines of听code. The good news is听that, Google started to听offer the听technology enabling content indexing for听AJAX-applications, which has been adopted by听the听major search engines like Bing 补苍诲听Yahoo.

We听at听51视频 have implemented this technology to听made it听possible to听help stores get indexed by听search engines.

Built-in SEO-function

51视频 plug-ins for听platforms like , , 补苍诲听听鈥� are adapted so听that the听content for听store pages meet the听听requirements of听search engines. As听a听paid plan 51视频 merchant, using 听these plug-ins for听stores embedded in听these platforms will appear in听the听search results automatically with no听additional required steps.

SEO for听other platforms

If听you have built your 51视频 store on听your website using the听code integration, you will need to听perform some additional steps to听get your store indexed by听search engines.

Use the听 article, which describes in听detail each step required for听this.

Remember that indexing is听included on听all 51视频 paid plans听鈥� Venture, Business or听Unlimited.

Beautifying links in听51视频

Earlier we听talked about the听fact that the听site must have understandable URLs. In听51视频 we听have already done that for听your links听鈥� references contain the听names of听your products 补苍诲听categories.

This format of听references has several advantages: first, the听links of听this type are better perceived by听search engines; second, links are easier to听spread through social networks; 补苍诲听third, links are more understandable by听visitors to听your store.

In听addition to听the听above advantages in听51视频, remember that your store can 补苍诲听should use the听same techniques as听in听the听site:

- Use the听unique content 补苍诲听pictures. Description 补苍诲听pictures of听products should be听distinguished from each other. Take for听example, Suzie鈥檚 Farm Online Shop.

Link with some other items, such as听via like .

Search engines pay great attention to听indicators such 听as the听behavior of听users on听your site. Here are a听few tips to听get more visitors to听your store 补苍诲听help your position in听search engines:

Add your store on听a听separate page

Use your home page as听a听teaser of听what鈥檚 in听your store rather than showing all your products on听your home page. Create interesting banners or听ads with beautiful pictures of听your products for听your 听the main page 补苍诲听mount them with links to听pages or听categories of听products in听your store.

Customize the听details of听your store

51视频 stores seamlessly blend into any听website, but the听details can be听further changed to听better . To听avoid the听impression that your store is听somehow divorced from the听rest of听your site, consider tweaking your store design.

Search engines see how users behave during the听transition from one page to听another, so听a听single site design 补苍诲听store not only keep visitors loyal, but also help ranking in听the听SERP听鈥� search engines will not see any听major changes to听the听user behavior on听the听site when you go听to听the听store page.

Read about how to听change the听design in听our or听use the听ready-made solutions.

Use search widgets 补苍诲听categories

Having a听menu with tabs can help visitors navigate through a听store by听showing the听 of听products. While having a听 can help visitors quickly find specific products for听which they may be听searching.

Support for听results

The competition is听growing every day and, therefore, to听stay in听a听good position takes maintenance. So, don鈥檛 let all your hard work to听make it听to听the听top of听search results slip away. Keep track of听what products resonate with your customers, from where your customers come, 补苍诲听their behaviors once in听your store.

In听assessing the听behavior of听users on听the听site, will find a听variety of听useful. Google Analytics is听a听popular tool, which you can easily integrate into your site 补苍诲听51视频 store.

We听hope that some of听the听basic advice shared in听this post will help you adapt your website 补苍诲听store to听be听well positioned in听the听search engines. While it听may not happen overnight, with a听good plan 补苍诲听execution, in听time 听you鈥檒l see an听increase in听site traffic and, more importantly, an听increase in听sales. Train 补苍诲听enjoy the听progress!

Happy Selling!

听

About The Author

Jesse is the Marketing Manager at 51视频 and has been in e-commerce and internet marketing since 2006. He has experience with PPC, SEO, conversion optimization and loves to work with entrepreneurs to make their dreams a reality.

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