SEO Content for eCommerce Guide
Author
Ines Maione
Ines Maione brings a wealth of experience from over 25 years as a Marketing Manager Communications in various industries. The best thing about the job is that it is both business management and creative. And it never gets boring, because with the rapid evolution of the media used and the development of marketing tools, you always have to stay up to date.
The eCommerce industry is now becoming lucrative and attracting new players. We’re seeing more and more businesses set up online stores. As a result, it has become a highly competitive market. So, how can you get an edge over others in such a scenario?
Table of Contents
What Is SEO Content for eCommerce?
The SEO content for eCommerce focuses on assisting users throughout their buyer’s journey to increase online sales. An impressive marketing strategy will incorporate valuable content throughout the customer’s journey. As a result, it will ensure potential customers can get the information they need through the relevant channels.
The main thing that sets the content for eCommerce websites apart is the value it offers to its audience. Here are a few examples that show how eCommerce content can be valuable:
- Video tutorials regarding how products work so buyers can know how to use them
- Search engine-optimized articles and blog posts to give buyers an insight into the product
- Online forums to promote discussions about the product
- Images showing the products in real-time for buyers to have an idea of what to expect
- FAQ section where answer the most common questions about the products
These things are important for valuable content. The customers will have all the relevant information easily accessible to them. With the right content, you’ll streamline the entire buyer’s journey, allowing increasing your sales.
The Importance of SEO Content for eCommerce Websites and Businesses
According to the “State of Content Marketing” study by SEMRush, more than 91% of eCommerce websites and retail companies enjoy success to some extent when reaching their content marketing goals. Therefore, it shows that creating and sharing content that is valuable will helps businesses build trust.
Building a strong, trusting relationship is vital for any business. Customers would show confidence in your brand and wouldn’t be reluctant to try your products. Apart from that, it will also help you increase your customer base through word of mouth.
If you want to keep your customers engaged, then you need to give them something valuable. It will also encourage the brands to create something engaging and valuable to share on their social media platforms.
Moreover, if the customers find your content valuable, they’ll share it on social media. Sharing valuable content consistently without asking for anything in return will help you build a strong, trusting relationship with customers.
Tips to Help You with the SEO Content for eCommerce Website
The right SEO content strategy can help you get a competitive edge. So, to help you with it, here are a few tips for your content.
Take Advantage of Video to Create a Strong Brand Character
Video marketing is a critical element of the marketing strategy. Most retailers would like to increase brand awareness, maximize sales, or increase understanding of the products. That is where videos can be critical in creating a strong brand character. You can create videos for various purposes, such as:
- Description videos about the products
- Clients testimonial videos
- Live shopping videos
Leveraging video marketing can also be extremely beneficial for your eCommerce content optimization. You can add videos to the product pages so people can know what to expect from the products. It is best to create long videos for YouTube and short videos for sharing on Instagram or Tiktok.
Collaborate with Influencers and Experts
In the last few years, we have seen a rapid surge in the number of influencers on different social media platforms. These influencers have thousands and hundreds of followers; some might even have over a million followers. They can be vital to your eCommerce store’s SEO content marketing strategy.
Partnering with them can help you yield amazing benefits. For instance, you can access a larger customer base who’ll listen to the influencers’ advice. Additionally, it is relatively cheaper for the brands to partner with an influencer rather than going for the traditional marketing practice.
Apart from influencers, you can also collaborate with industry experts for your products. They can give their opinions about how your products benefit consumers and help them solve certain problems. It will also increase your products’ credibility, allowing customers to trust you.
Optimize Your Presence on Different eCommerce Marketplaces
Most users won’t search for the products they need on the Google search engine. Instead, they’ll head over to different marketplaces, mostly Amazon. As a result, it requires eCommerce stores and retail companies on such platforms to focus closely on each piece of their content.
They would have to ensure that every content aligns with the website and their overall brand identity. If your content doesn’t align with the brand’s overall marketing strategy, they might go with the competitor’s products.
Even eCommerce platforms are now adding more content options to provide relevant information to customers. For instance, Amazon now has more content options that eCommerce stores and brands can add, such as:
The A+ content refers to the premium content where the seller can include high-definition videos/images or other richer text. As a result, it can help brands and sellers to enhance their descriptions and the merchandising of their products.
Ensure Your Content Is Visually Appealing
When we talk about certain types of content, such as videos and images, they need to be visually appealing. There is a significant emphasis on visual content because buyers want a clear idea of what they’re getting. Thus, it can develop a trusting relationship and reduce the chances of order returns.
Customers can get an indication of the quality of the product through a still image of the video. However, the video or the image must be clear and visually appealing. That way, your videos or images can grab and retain the potential buyers’ attention.
Furthermore, the potential buyers can also know whether the product suits them. It is why most eCommerce marketers pay special attention to making their images and videos visually appealing. Here are some of the key elements to keep in mind for creating a visually appealing video:
- An interesting and catchy title: The title should be small but instantly grab the customers’ attention.
- Connections to the human:It should tell a strong and the end results. Basically, you need to show a clear link to the brand’s value proposition.
- CTA (Call-To-Action): Lastly, there should be a CTA that would compel the users to try out the product for themselves.
One of the best things about videos is that they can help you stand out from the rest of the competition. Your customers can get a glimpse of the products, how to use them, and what benefits they can get from them.
But your customers might also realize the importance of videos in the content marketing strategy and would do the same. In that situation, you need a more visually appealing video to lure customers in your direction.
Focus on Other Platforms
Most business owners think SEO content for your eCommerce stores is limited to websites. That is not the case since consumers today have various platforms to acquire relevant information. Also, some eCommerce business owners might be comfortable creating one platform.
For instance, an eCommerce store owner might be comfortable making short videos for platforms like TikTok or Instagram. They might not be able to create long videos for YouTube or Facebook. This means they should keep their energy and attention on creating shorter videos.
Another vital element to keep in mind when choosing a platform to target is customer preference. You should check the common platforms or channels your target audience uses for consuming content. Some of the channels are:
- YouTube: A YouTube channel allows you to “humanize” your brand. You can use this channel to tell your target audience about your expertise. Additionally, you can upload videos about your product’s features, usage, and other elements.
- Twitter: Most eCommerce websites and stores might not choose Twitter for sharing content. However, you can leverage this platform to create hype for your brand or product.
- TikTok: There has been a massive surge in the popularity of TikTok in the last couple of years. And it looks like everyone is on TikTok these days. It is a perfect platform if you have a product for a younger audience.
- LinkedIn: While LinkedIn is a more business-focused platform, you can leverage it to advertise your products. This platform allows you to find and connect with professionals from different industries.
- Facebook/Instagram: Whether you want to upload short reels or long videos, Instagram is a one-stop solution for all your needs. It can help you connect with a larger target audience.
- Articles and blogs: These are complete guides, sharing lists, and other things that can help your target audience in any part of their buyer’s journey.
Each of these channels requires a different type of content. While one thing might be suitable for a professional platform like LinkedIn, it won’t have the same impact on TikTok. So, carefully assess which type of platform your audience will use and then create content for it accordingly.
Things to Keep in Mind for the E-commerce Product Page Optimization
E-commerce product page optimization is critical for your brand if you want your products to rank. It will ensure that your products appear on the first searches when people look for products you offer. Let’s go over some of the tips for a successful SEO strategy.
Fine-Tune Your Keyword Strategy
The keyword research acts as the base of your product page optimization. Use topics related to the products users search for during keyword research. It is best not to fixate on the volume of the keyword usage.
Instead, focus on the keyword relevancy and how it will convert your potential leads into consumers. If you’re using data from different channels, such as paid search, then utilize it for the topic and keyword research. Furthermore, you should incorporate the ad copy with high click-through rates (CTR) in the Meta descriptions.
The primary intent of all product pages is transactional. Therefore, you should optimize the landing pages so that searchers are ready to buy them. For instance, a user might be looking for a product like the “Series S60l Noise-Canceling Headphones.” This indicates that the user is ready to purchase them because of their detailed search.
Optimize Meta Titles and Descriptions
Another critical element of the eCommerce product page is the meta titles and descriptions. Both these elements play a critical role in helping rank your pages when customers search for products you offer online. So, it is best for eCommerce marketers to pay special attention to it.
The title tags and Meta descriptions should include product names, brand names, model numbers, and other relevant information. Adding this information will ensure the customer is on the product page when searching for the products.
Add a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) Section
If you want to enjoy a high ranking in Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs), providing the user with high-quality content is important. Failure to do so indicates that you’ll have a higher bounce rate for your eCommerce website. It means that customers might end up on your website, but they won’t buy your products.
Most product pages lack optimized content since they don’t have an FAQ section. This section comes with FAQ-structured data that allows you to get a higher SERP ranking. Instead of the FAQ section, eCommerce stores and brands might rely on user-generated content (UGC).
And that might not be a good idea since customers won’t get the information they need. Let’s say I want to ask something about the products on your eCommerce website. Now, I don’t want to go through the hassle of talking to a Chatbot or a customer support representative.
Instead, I would prefer I get the answers to the questions on the product page. That is where the FAQ section comes into play. It allows the users to get information about the products easily. As a result, it can allow brands to sell products more quickly and easily.
Have Customer Reviews and Testimonials
Having social proof that your products are amazing can do wonders for you. It will bridge the trust gap between your brand and the consumers. According to statistics, product pages with 1 or more customer reviews can increase their conversions by 52.2% or more.
It shows how important it is to have testimonials and reviews on your product pages. Also, your testimonials or reviews on the product pages should be genuine. It should come from customers who used your products and found them worth the price.
If you’re requesting testimonials and reviews, ask customers to describe their problems and how the product helped them. You can enjoy various advantages of genuine and authentic customer reviews and testimonials. For instance, it can help you in building trusting relationships.
Getting testimonials, particularly an endorsement from a famous influencer or celebrity, can help you gain the customers’ confidence. It also gives you unique content that Google and other search engines want. Therefore, it becomes easy for you to rank your product pages.
Reduce Down the Loading Time of the Product Pages
Reducing the page’s loading time might be more towards the technical side. However, it is important for the SEO optimization of your page. Even if you have visually appealing images or high-quality content text, it is futile if it takes too long to load.
In a fast-paced world, customers today want things to happen quickly. And the last thing they want to see is going on a landing page only to find it takes too long to load. So, you should check all the product pages don’t take too much time to load.
Audit and Find Any Technical Issues
Last but not least, it is important to audit the product pages from time to time. That way, it can help uncover any technical or other product issues. For instance, you might have split link equity or duplicate SEO Content for eCommerce on your product page. Other common problems to look out for include:
- Thin content
- Slow page load times
- Structured data not included
- Duplicate title tags and Meta descriptions
- Broken links
- 404 pages
- 302 redirects
It is best to audit your pages to check which content and technical component require optimization, if any.
Things to Avoid for Your E-commerce Product Page SEO
Some mistakes can have a detrimental impact on your e-commerce product page SEO. We’ll review the small issues and mistakes marketers usually make during eCommerce content optimization.
Using Product Descriptions from the Manufacturer’s Website
It might sound convenient to simply pick up the descriptions from the manufacturer’s website and use them. However, the descriptions from the manufacturers are usually vague. They lack the information that customers need and are not optimized for search.
So, it is best to spend some time coming up with engaging and informative product descriptions. This is important for the SEO content for eCommerce websites since it will help you with ranking and grabbing the customer’s attention.
No Internal Linking And Backlinks
While you shouldn’t stuff the entire eCommerce page with links, there should be a few. Links do matter for your eCommerce website since they can guide the customers to the product pages.
So, it is best to organically use the backlinks to product pages. That way, you can nudge the customers into buying products.
Forgetting About Mobile Optimization
Today, customers mostly access websites and social media platforms through mobile phones. According to Statista, around 60% of people who shop online in the United States use mobile devices.
It shows how important your eCommerce product page is to be mobile-friendly. Check and make sure all the images, text, and other elements on the pages fit perfectly on a mobile screen.
Not Having a Compelling CTA
The CTA should encourage the customers to buy the product. Some eCommerce brands would have a weak CTA that wouldn’t be compelling enough for the user to buy your products. On the other hand, some might overdo it and have a difficult CTA.
The ideal thing to do is to strike a balance when including a CTA. You should have a small, easy-to-understand CTA that encourages users to try out the products.
Conclusion
The primary goal of SEO content for eCommerce is to help customers throughout their journey. It should contribute to increasing a brand’s online sales. Most importantly, you need to have a multi-pronged strategy for the content.
There should be a balance in both the visual and text-based content throughout your website and product pages. That way, you can encourage your target audience to buy the products by providing high-quality content.
FAQs
What is SEO content for eCommerce?
SEO content for eCommerce refers to the practice of creating, customizing, and optimizing online content to improve your eCommerce website's visibility on search engines. It encompasses various tactics, including using relevant keywords, meta tags, alt texts, and producing high-quality content to attract organic traffic and enhance user experience.
Why is SEO important for my eCommerce website?
SEO is crucial for eCommerce because it enhances your online visibility, helping your website to rank higher on search engine results pages (SERPs). With improved rankings, more potential customers can find your online store, resulting in increased traffic, conversions, and sales. SEO also enhances user experience, contributing to higher customer retention rates.
How does keyword research affect my eCommerce SEO strategy?
Keyword research is a critical component of your eCommerce SEO strategy. By understanding the terms your potential customers use when searching for products or services like yours, you can optimize your content to match these search queries. This practice not only improves your SERP rankings but also helps you create more targeted marketing campaigns.
What are some effective eCommerce SEO strategies?
Several effective eCommerce SEO strategies include on-page optimization (using relevant keywords in titles, meta descriptions, product descriptions, and image alt text), technical SEO (improving site speed, mobile-friendliness, and structured data), and off-page optimization (building high-quality backlinks, social media marketing). User experience optimization, such as easy navigation and providing high-quality content, is also vital.
What role does content play in my eCommerce SEO?
Content is integral to eCommerce SEO. It's the vehicle that carries your keywords, engages your audience, and converts visitors into customers. High-quality, unique content can differentiate your brand from competitors, establish your business as an industry authority, and encourage customer loyalty. In addition, search engines favor websites with fresh and valuable content, positively influencing your SERP rankings.