Ecommerce SEO Guide

The next topic in our Ecommerce SEO Guide is about site architecture – basically how your website’s pages are set up. This is super important for ANY website, but it’s especially crucial for ecommerce sites. Why? Because ecommerce sites usually have tons more pages compared to regular blogs or local business websites.

When you’ve got a bunch of pages, it’s essential to make sure your site’s layout helps both people and search engines easily find all those pages.

The Two “Golden Rules” of ecommerce Site Architecture

Here are two really important things to remember when you’re building your ecommerce website:

#Rule No. 1 Keep it simple and easy to expand
Make sure your website’s structure is straightforward and can grow along with your business.

#Rule No. 2 Keep everything close to your homepage
Try to make sure every page on your site can be reached within three clicks from the homepage

Check out this example of how to set up an Ecommerce Site Architecture

Remember that confusing website journey you had yesterday? Yeah, not a good look. Let’s flip the script and explore an online store that both search engines and humans adore.

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Notice how the site cleverly channels its link authority into its product and category pages? This smart move not only boosts their rankings on Google but also ensures that every page gets indexed efficiently.

Now, imagine this setup for a shoe-selling website:

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This isn’t just about pleasing search engines; it’s also a win for users! With a clean, straightforward layout like this, shoppers can easily navigate and find exactly what they’re looking for.

Ready for a real-life example of an ecommerce site that nails it? Let’s dive in and explore Pawsindia

Let’s illustrate this with a practical example: imagine you’re on a mission to find a new dog food.

First, you’d land on the homepage and simply click on the “Dog” section.

Next stop? “Food.”

And just like that, a list of options in that category pops up:

Within three clicks, voila! You’ve found the perfect bowl for Fluffy.

Now, here’s the magic: because Petsmart opts for a flat site structure, Google effortlessly indexes all their pages, making sure Fluffy’s bowl is just a search away!

The next topic in our Ecommerce SEO Guide is On-Page SEO for Ecommerce Sites.Awesome! Now, let’s talk about those category and product pages. They’re like the VIPs of your ecommerce world, bringing in most of your traffic and sales.

Picture this: someone Googles “white deep v-neck UnderFit undershirt” – they’re practically begging to buy! So, let’s make sure those pages are irresistible.

Here’s the deal on supercharging your product and category pages for killer SEO results.”

A “Perfectly Optimized” Ecommerce Page

Let’s look at an example of a “perfectly optimized” page from an ecommerce site.

Let’s break each of these elements down:

Smart Title Tags: Boost Your Traffic with “Buy”, “Cheap”, and “Deals”

Sure, you’ve got your main keyword in the title tag – that’s a given.

But why stop there? Adding what we call “modifiers” to your title tag can supercharge your visibility for those niche, long-tail searches.

Let’s break it down. Say your main keyword is “noise-canceling headphones”.

Instead of a basic title like “Noise-Canceling Headphones at Headphones R’ Us”, spice it up with terms people actually search for:

Think “Cheap”, “Deals”, “Reviews”, “Best”, “Online”, “Free Shipping” – you get the drift.

So, imagine your title tag as a dynamic billboard, like:

Description Tag: Include Phrases Like “Great Selection”, “FREE Shipping” To Maximize Your Page’s CTR

Your site’s description tag? It used to be a big deal for SEO. But guess what? Now it’s a powerhouse for Click-Through Rates (CTR).

Remember those title tag Click Magnets? Well, they work like a charm for description tags too. The cool part? You get more space to play with!

Check out these snappy phrases to boost your description tag and reel in more clicks:

🌟 Score the hottest deals on ____ today.
🎉 Enjoy up to X% off on ____.
💰 All of our ____ are discounted now.
🚚 Snag FREE shipping on all ____ today.
👀 Click here for exclusive deals on _____.
🛒 Find your favorite ____ at unbeatable prices.

Ready to see it in action? Here’s a peek at a killer description tag optimized for clicks:”

Product and Category Page Content:

Alright, let’s talk about jazzing up those product and category pages for some serious SEO success in the ecommerce world. It’s a bit of a balancing act, you know? You want top-notch content that Google loves, but you also want to keep those conversion rates soaring.

Here’s the scoop on three game-changing on-page SEO tactics for your ecommerce pages:

• Pack in the Words

Studies have shown that Google’s sweet spot leans towards longer content. Yep, even for online stores like yours.

Google’s hungry for details, so the more you dish out, the better it understands your page. Plus, bonus points for giving your customers the lowdown on what they’re eyeing. It’s all about that user experience.

Now, I get it. Not every page can be a novel. Aim for those top-tier products and categories to beef up with 1000+ words. Take a cue from Amazon’s playbook – their KitchenAid mixer page serves up a whopping 2,109 words of goodness (and that’s before you hit the reviews).”

• Season Your Content with Keywords (3-5 Times)

Alright, let’s add some flavor to your product description by sprinkling in those keywords – about 3 to 5 times should do the trick.

But hey, we’re not dumping them in there like it’s a word salad. It’s more like adding just the right amount of spice to your dish to make it irresistible.

Imagine your keyword is “6 quart crockpot.” You’ll want to sprinkle that phrase throughout your description a few times, kind of like seasoning your content to make it extra tasty for Google’s algorithms.

• LSI Keywords Unleashed

Alright, let’s dive into the world of Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI) keywords – they’re like the secret sauce of SEO.

Here’s the deal: LSI keywords are buddies with your main keyword, kind of like the cool sidekicks that make your content shine.

Imagine you’re sprucing up an ecommerce category page all about “slow cookers.” Well, here are some pals that go hand in hand with that keyword:

• Crock-Pot
• Different sizes like 6 quart or 4 quart
• Timers
• Pressure cooker
• Manual settings
• Mouthwatering recipes
• Hearty stew
• Savory soup
• Programmable features
• Sleek stainless steel design

See how they complement each other? It’s like building a powerhouse team to make your page stand out in the SEO game.

Step #1: The Amazon Eyeball Test

Let’s kick things off by hopping over to Amazon and searching for your main keyword.

Once you’re there, keep an eye out for words that pop up a lot on the category page…

…or on a product page that matches your keyword.

Bonus Tip: If there’s a competitor beating you in the keyword game, try this trick on their site too.

Step #2: Google Keyword Planner

Next stop: Google Keyword Planner. Just punch in your main keyword and see what Google serves up.

Step #3: Sprinkle These in Your Content

Now, here’s the fun part. Take those nifty LSI keywords you found and sprinkle them into your product or category page content. Easy-peasy!

URLs: Keep ’em Short and Sweet with Keywords

Alright, let’s talk URLs – those web addresses that lead folks straight to your online goodies.

Our study of a whopping 11 million Google search results spilled the beans: shorter URLs tend to snag higher spots on Google’s first page. Yep, less is more in URL land.

Now, since you’re running an ecommerce gig, your URLs might naturally be longer. They’ve got to fit in all those categories and subcategories, right? But hold up – that doesn’t mean they should go on forever.

Check out this monstrosity:
(That’s one loooong URL with a bunch of unnecessary stuff jammed in.)

So, here’s the deal: Keep it concise and stick to the good stuff. For category pages, throw in a snappy 1-2 word description like “kitchenappliances” right in there:

https://example.com/kitchenappliances

For subcategories, just slide that word after the main category, easy peasy:
https://example.com/kitchenappliances/slowcookers

And when it comes to product pages, stick to the star of the show – your target keyword, separated by dashes for clarity:

https://example.com/kitchenappliances/slowcookers/6-quart-crockpot

Short, sweet, and keyword-rich – just the way Google likes it!

Pro Tip: 

Some ecommerce sites don’t use categories and subcategories in their URLs. For example, instead of https://example.com/kitchenappliances/slowcookers/6-quart-crockpot, your URL would simply be: https://example.com/6-quart-crockpot. This makes your URLs shorter and more keyword dense. I don’t necessarily recommend this, but if that’s how you have things set up, it’s not going to hurt your rankings.

Internal Links: Guide Your Visitors to the Good Stuff

Alright, let’s talk about internal links – those handy pathways that guide your visitors around your site.

The cool thing about ecommerce sites? They’re like internal linking wizards. Thanks to your site’s navigation, there are already plenty of routes for visitors to explore.

But here’s where the magic happens: strategic internal linking. It’s like adding signposts to the best spots in your online world.

Here’s the game plan: Link from your authoritative pages to those high-priority product and category pages. Think of it as giving your star players a VIP pass.

For instance, imagine you’ve just published a killer blog post that’s getting tons of attention. Now, if you’ve got a product page sitting pretty at #5 on Google for “moleskin notebooks,” why not give it a little boost? Throw in a link from your blog post using some keyword-rich anchor text.

Boom! You’re not just guiding visitors – you’re boosting your SEO game too.

Implement Product Review Schema to Get Rich Snippets Displayed in Google

You’re aiming for the top spot on Google, right? Well, here’s a secret weapon to get you there: rich snippets. And guess what? Ecommerce sites like yours have a golden opportunity to snag one of the most attention-grabbing snippets out there – reviews.

Unleash the Power of Schema Markup

To get those snazzy snippets, you need to dive into Schema markup. Think of it as a secret code that speaks Google’s language, giving it a deeper understanding of what your page is all about.

Types of Markup for Reviews

Now, let’s talk specifics. There are different types of markup tailored just for reviews. But here’s the deal – while there’s no guarantee Google will dish out rich snippets just because you ask nicely, using Schema markup ups your chances.

How to Implement Review Schema Markup

Sure, you can tackle this manually, but it’s not a walk in the park. That’s where Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper swoops in to save the day.

Your Step-by-Step Guide

First up, head over to the Markup Helper and choose “products”. Next, grab a product page from your site that’s got reviews and ratings. Paste that URL into the tool and start tagging.

Tagging Made Simple

Now comes the fun part – tagging. Highlight the section with those glorious product reviews and ratings. If it’s a single person’s review, tag it as “Review”. If it’s your customers giving their two cents, go for “Aggregate Rating”.

Don’t Forget the Details

Be thorough – tag everything from the reviewer’s name to the date and, of course, the star rating. And don’t skimp on the number of reviews – Google likes to see that too.

Ready, Set, Snippet!

Once you’re done tagging, hit “Create HTML”. Now, you’ve got two options – either copy and paste that shiny new HTML into your page or seamlessly add the Schema markup to your existing code.

And just like that, you’re on your way to snagging those envy-inducing rich snippets. Go ahead, give your site that extra boost it deserves!