17 Seo Best Practices That Could Double Your E-Commerce Sales

Question #1: How Do I Deal With Out-Of-Stock Items ?

It depends on several factors, but here’s what I recommend.

Leave the pages up. If the items volition hold out inwards stock later, leave of absence pages upwardly precisely the agency they are. Don’t delete, shroud or supercede them. Don’t add together some other production to them or redirect visitors to other pages.

Offer alternative items. If specific products are sold out, offering highly relevant alternatives through widgets on the site. Some examples:

Same production inwards other colors
Newer models or versions
Identical products from other brands
Other products inwards the same category that jibe inwards lineament too price

You’re providing customers a slap-up service too they’ll appreciate it. It also helps search engines notice relevant pages too sympathize your site construction better.

Inform users when it volition return. Always offering an expected appointment when the production volition hold out dorsum inwards stock therefore visitors volition know when to come upwardly dorsum too buy.

Offer to backorder the product. Let them gild too hope to receive got it sent out to them equally shortly equally fresh supplies arrive. Prospective buyers who actually desire the production won’t heed waiting a few extra days for it.

Soften the blow. Provide consolation past times offering them some benefit, similar a cost reduction when fresh stocks arrive. This may move out on them interested inwards buying later.

Question #2: What Do I Do With Obsolete/Expired Products ?

All e-commerce websites receive got products that volition never come upwardly back, similar consumer electronics or fashion vesture stores that constantly supercede products amongst newer models too styles.

Many e-commerce websites delete the pages too accept no farther action. From an SEO perspective, this is bad. You lose SEO value, too people who bookmarked the URL volition learn an error message.

The most appropriate solution volition depend on many things.

Permanently 301 redirect expired production URLs. If the expired production is replaced past times a newer model, using a 301 permanent redirect from the older page to the newer model’s URL tells Google yous desire this page ranked instead. Your SEO value volition hold out retained.
Redirect to bring upwardly category. The underlying intent is to solve a visitor’s problem. If yous receive got other relevant products that serve the same purpose equally the expired item, yous tin straight visitors to the bring upwardly category.
Permanently delete the expired product’s pages, content too URLs. When yous receive got no closely related products to the i that’s expired, yous may take to delete the page completely using a 410 condition code (gone) which notifies Google that the page has been permanently removed too volition never return.
Reuse URLs. If yous sell generic products where technical specifications too model numbers are non relevant, yous could reuse your URLs. That agency yous volition save the page’s say-so too increment your chances of ranking on Google.
Some items deserve to alive on. Certain products may receive got informational value for existing customers or others wanting to query it. Leave these pages intact. Previous buyers tin learn information, assist too service through these pages.

Question #3: How Do I Deal With Seasonal Products ?

Aim to strengthen the production categories. Focus on production categories too link seasonal products to them amongst breadcrumbs too links inwards the descriptions on the production pages. Optimize your most of import production pages amongst the greatest potential too pass the balance of your SEO budget to strengthen production categories.

If you’re launching a pop production too know in that location volition hold out a large demand for it, add together a “coming soon” page inwards the URL construction too offering unique content, launch notifications too pre-order forms. Integrate social media into this page too warm upwardly prospects amongst user generated content.

With annual releases that you know will hold out replaced annually, merely add together the twelvemonth inwards the URL similar this: website.com/category-sub-category/product-name-2012/ too 301 redirect it to the website.com/category-sub-category/product-name-2013/ version when the novel version replaces it.

Question #4: How Do I Handle SEO For New Products ?

Good information architecture, website construction too internal link architecture are critical to rank novel production pages well. Link categories from your dwelling page, too your production pages from the category levels. This volition ensure that Google finds, crawls too indexes your content fast. Also link to them from their bring upwardly category pages.

Optimize your website topic therefore that novel products are ever presented on your dwelling page where they’ll learn constitute too indexed. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 goodness internal link architecture volition learn your novel production pages indexed too ranked quickly.

Question #5: How Do I Deal With Products Pages With Little Or No Unique Content ?

With all the challenges of running an e-commerce enterprise, few businesses recollect most unique content on production pages. Many clit production information from a database, leading to duplicate content problems.

Some pages receive got niggling to a greater extent than than a production photo. This leaves the search engines amongst no agency to sympathize what this page is about, how it relates to other pages on your site, too how relevant it is for search users.

Add content for your most pop products. Start past times identifying your best-selling too most pop production pages using Web analytics tools too therefore updating them amongst content manually.
Strengthen your production categories. You can’t create text for 100,000 dissimilar products. Instead, focus your SEO on strengthening the products’ bring upwardly category. Improve internal link architecture, breadcrumbs, too add together relevant products to feed the search bots too learn them what your site is about.
Add user generated content. It tin effectively differentiate your production pages from other duplicates on the Web. Social media plant well. Endorsements too reviews from happy users or customers volition non alone elevate your SEO motion but also boost sales conversions.

Question #6: How Do I Present Product Descriptions From Manufacturers ?

Google doesn’t similar duplicate content. Reprinting production descriptions from manufacturers is duplicate content. But large e-commerce websites cannot rewrite all production descriptions too specifications.

You tin learn around this past times adding unique content similar user-generated comments too reviews around it. Invite user comments. Integrate social networking. Let users tell their stories. Happy customers volition serve equally your marketing helpers.

Add content to production pages. Raise the lineament too uniqueness of your content past times personalizing it to solve your users’ problems. Add information, images, video or suggestions to your content.
Add a “psychology” layer to your content. Typical production descriptions are tiresome too technical. People, however, purchase on emotion too feelings. Bring your production descriptions to life past times telling a story.

Question #7: How Do I Deal With Product Variations (Colors, Sizes, Etc.) ?

Some products are almost identical but be inwards dissimilar colors or sizes. If non handled right, listing them tin hold out considered duplicate content, which causes bad rankings too cannibalization betwixt the dissimilar production variants. Products may rank for the wrong keywords (blue jeans rank for searches on blood-red jeans). Adam Audette goes deeper into the nuances inwards this excellent report.

Review your website too yous powerfulness notice many products that may sell improve if ranked for the right keywords.

Question #8: How Do I Handle Category Pages ?

Next to the dwelling page, category pages are the most powerful too pop ones.

Treat category pages equally private dwelling pages. Look at your categories equally silos or niches that comprise closely related production pages.
Add content to your category pages. You’ll notice some first-class tips in this article.
Build deep-links to production categories. Guest blogging, content marketing too fifty-fifty paid ads piece of work well, equally does social media.
Tag socially shared content. Be strategic most sharing links on Google Plus, Twitter too other networks. Be specific amongst your tags.
Take accuse of what’s existence shown/presented. Design category pages to supply search engines too users the best service.
Use search-friendly URLs. This oft gets quick results because yous are giving the search engines strong hints most what this URL is most piece giving visitors assist too valuable information — precisely create certain to avoid keyword stuffing. The most effective URL construction for category pages (and production pages) is:

Category Page: Website.com/category/
Sub-category page: Website.com/category/sub-category/
Product page: website.com/category-sub-category/product-name/

Question #9: How Do I Manage Internal Link Building & Architecture ?

Internal link edifice helps amongst SEO too rankings. But to accomplish improve results, yous involve linkarchitecture, non precisely “link building.” Internal linking is non all most search engine spiders. User friendliness also matters. Creating a corporation internal link architecture needs planning too takes time.

Offer category grade navigation. This makes it easier for your users to learn an overview of what they volition notice inwards the subcategories too pages. Strive to move out on things contextually relevant.
Link to category-level relevant products. Look at this from a human perspective past times taking intent too needs into consideration, but also optimize for the right keywords.
Use breadcrumbs on all pages too category pages. This ensures that users too Google tin navigate upwardly i grade to a bring upwardly category.

Question #10: How Do I Leverage User Generated Content ?

Don’t shy away from user-generated content — unless you’re afraid of honest opinions most your products too services. There are 2 obvious SEO benefits from user generated content:

Better conversion rates too sales
The unique content ranks higher too provides “freshness”

Integrated into your production pages, user generated content tin enliven your site. Good reviews boost sales conversion. Users learn component subdivision of a happy community. Prospective buyers run into vibrant activity which convinces them to purchase to a greater extent than easily.

Build a “community” of happy users. Publish buyer testimonials too reviews. Share weblog posts from your happy customers. Use excerpts from a positive review to convince visitors that they tin trust yous — trust is Rex too social media helps yous showcase it effectively.
Use Schema.org. Schema.org review markup lets yous learn stars beside your listing inwards the SERPs from private production pages, too this affects click-through rates.
Integrate social media on production pages. Instagram, Facebook comments, Pinterest pins too Google +1s tin hold out integrated into your site to acquaint social proof. Post photos of happy buyers using your product.

The “new SEO” requires that yous recollect most the psychology of your visitors to a greater extent than than the technology scientific discipline of your website.

Question #11: How Do I Weave SEO Into The Web Design Process ?

Web blueprint isn’t precisely most visual appeal. You involve a specialist e-commerce Web designer who’s experienced too volition piece of work equally a squad amongst your SEO consultant, analyst, conversion charge per unit of measurement optimizer too others. You must give them infinite too budgets to human activeness equally experts.

When your website blueprint too information architecture piece of work inwards tandem, amongst no pages/URLs breaking out of the structure, you’ll boost the entire site every fourth dimension yous issue a novel production page too ensure early on crawling past times search spiders. Good blueprint too content along amongst a pleasant visitor experience volition generate to a greater extent than sales.

Failing to programme is planning to fail. SEO must hold out baked into the business/website early on inwards the planning phase, earlier yous fifty-fifty get-go working on your wireframes too blueprint procedure — non after the site is launched. Making awesome category/section templates too having production pages promote them amongst internal links is real effective.
SEO for e-commerce websites is dissimilar from traditional SEO. E-commerce SEO requires a consultant skilled inwards multiple disciplines, amongst a deep agreement of human psychology, conversion charge per unit of measurement optimization, analytics, Web blueprint & development, social media marketing too communication, copywriting, economy, usability too user experience. The best e-commerce SEO specialists also receive got deep insight too agreement of commerce too how a retail work organisation functions.
E-commerce Web blueprint is never “finished.” It’s a continuous procedure of A/B testing to hunt downwards the best performing variations. The right “tools” are important, but the best consultant or fellowship is to a greater extent than important. An expensive consultant is non expensive if she tin generate many to a greater extent than sales than a “cheap” one.

Question #12: How Do I Organize Related Products On The Site ?

Presenting relevant related items on production pages tin boost sales. Meta information from your PIM ensures that all items presented are relevant, personalized too inwards stock. Your Web designer too developers must also focus on internal link architecture.

Be relevant. If visitors learn inwards on a production page for the latest Apple iPhone, yous should also propose other relevant products, based on the cost, lineament too persona of this buyer. The latest Google Nexus powerfulness hold out a similar product, but a loyal Apple acolyte may never purchase it anyway! Measure too optimize production suggestions.
Location or placement. Let the production featured on the page stand upwardly out too shine. Give it space. Don’t clutter it upwardly amongst other suggestions. Don’t waste product your best location on products that don’t sell too are non popular.

Question #13: How Do I Leverage Internal Site Search ?

It’s shocking that experts optimizing a site for Google search don’t optimize for their ain internal search engine on e-commerce websites! That’s oft because they overlook or underestimate the role of internal search, losing sales. People searching amongst misspellings, synonyms, hyphenation or spacing errors are non taken to the appropriate production pages. They should be.

Enable tracking of your site search. Use tools which allow yous to run into keywords people are searching for within your site, too calculate the revenue they generate.
Count pop searches. They tin hateful your production is pop too tin hold out profitable. They may also betoken that people are not finding what they came to your site for!
Use a tool similar Crazy Egg to rail clicks too run into how people bear on your dwelling page, of import category pages too on production pages.
Think of your site search results pages equally “landing pages.” The search results should hold out relevant too assist users solve their problems. Make certain yous “noindex” your search results.
Include site search inwards your keyword research. Analyze what your visitors are searching for to notice novel production ideas, locate potential areas for improvements, position pop products, too overcome problems amongst search too usability.
Test your site search too create errors. Type some of the keywords you’ve uncovered into your internal search too run into what they notice equally a result. When yous create whatever is broken, sales volition shoot up!
Optimize internal search. Make certain every internal search finds the right product. This requires tweaking meta-data inside your e-commerce solution. By treatment this through meta-data, yous won’t create pages loaded amongst wrong or misspelled words.

Question #14: How Do I Optimize Product Pictures And Videos ?

The lineament of your pictures, photos too videos volition influence how visitors experience most your product. Never underestimate the value of making prospective buyers experience the benefits of your product.

Interesting pictures learn shared on Pinterest too social networks. Getting users to tag too comment on photos also makes your content unique. Your create grows stronger equally give-and-take of oral cavity spreads. With optimized images, yous tin fifty-fifty clit inwards to a greater extent than traffic from Google paradigm search.

Use high-quality pictures. Get photographs that create an atmosphere, that create prospects experience something. Those volition create to a greater extent than sales. Though expensive, it’s a goodness investment for your best products. Video tin piece of work fifty-fifty better.
Optimize your images. File name, alt text, caption, etc., should hold out curt yet descriptive. These are opportunities to supply search engines amongst clues equally to what your paradigm content is.
A/B-test options. Try i film against some other to run into which gives improve conversion rates.

Question #15: How Do I Put Up Pages For Products On Sale ?

Specify the canonical URL in the HTTP header of the production page for an special on sale. This tells Google it’s a duplicate of some other URL, too to rank the unique version of the page, non this one.

Question #16: How Do I Design For Mobile Devices ?

Mobile is equally good of import to ignore inwards your e-commerce SEO strategy. An informal survey my colleague Kenneth Gvein ran for our e-commerce customers at Metronet too Vaimo Kingdom of Norway constitute that clients had 2 to iii times higher growth charge per unit of measurement on mobile e-commerce. Go mobile — or move out home!

Offer desktop versions of all URLs. Some users prefer the measure Web version, fifty-fifty on mobile. Offer the selection to switch betwixt versions. Don’t return them to the dwelling page similar many e-commerce websites do.

Question #17: How Do I Deal With Security ?

Your customers are worried most online safety — amongst goodness reason. They position their identity too fiscal information inwards your hands. You must reassure them that it’s safe.

Leave visual clues. Display logos too text certifying that yous comply amongst safety standards. Show them your SSL/Visa/other safety too encryption standards or certificates. Tell them that shopping at your e-commerce website is 100% safe. This boosts conversions.

Many e-tailers shroud this information at the bottom of a page, or merely accept it for granted. Don’t create that mistake.

Best Practices too Routines — Top Tips For Every E-Commerce Website

1. Periodic SEO analysis: SEO is non static, nor is your e-commerce website. Your site too code volition change. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 developer may, amongst the best intent at heart, create i work but create another. Use a strategic SEO framework to ensure that everything is inwards sync amongst your economical too strategic goals.

2. Use Google Webmaster Tools: This gratuitous tool helps webmasters notice too create vexing SEO problems. Establish a routine inwards which you:

Look for 404 errors, soft 404′s too other problems
See how your website, products too pages are performing on the SERPs
Notice pop keywords too phrases, pop pages too more

I recommend integrating Google Webmaster Tools, Google AdWords too Google Analytics to learn access to valuable information for free.

3. Take action: Just monitoring information isn’t enough. You must position the actionable items to move out on improving. Know what to aspect for too why. Spot problems amongst indexing, duplicate content, manual penalties from Google too more. Fix the problems promptly.

4. Invest inwards SEO tools: Tools similar Moz, Search Metrics, Raven SEO Tools, Deep Crawl too others assist yous to position problems too offering suggestions to create them. Set upwardly actionable reporting. Establish routines to address problems. Each tool has unique advantages. As a consultant, I recommend using a combination of tools for e-commerce SEO.

5. Do manual (sample) testing: Use Screaming Frog SEO Spider to position problems amongst pages too sections of your e-commerce website. Pick i production segment that is of import to yous too perform an analysis inside specific categories too subcategories. Often you’ll rail downwards site-wide problems caused past times your CMS that tin hold out chop-chop fixed.

6. Data analysis is the novel gold: Everything yous do tin hold out done better, but yous don’t receive got the resources to do it all. You involve analysis to assist prioritize areas for improvement. Build dashboards containing actionable information.

7. Take the mobile revolution seriously: Mobile devices are growing fast. Delays inwards developing your mobile site tin kill your online business. What experience are yous giving mobile users too how tin yous improve ?

It’s non possible to comprehend everything most SEO for e-commerce sites inwards i article. The advice inwards a higher position has helped many e-commerce websites increment sales too revenue past times large multiples, but it is alone the tip of the iceberg.

Reference : http://searchengineland.com/best-practices-in-e-commerce-seo-176921

If yous receive got whatever to a greater extent than tips or advice yous recollect our other readers should know about, delight add together them equally a comment to this post. I’m looking forrard to hearing from you.