ECommerce SEO helps your online store show up in search results when people look for products like yours. It is all about making your website easy for search engines to understand and rank higher, so more customers can find you.
In this blog, we will explain what Ecommerce SEO is and why it is important.
What is ECommerce SEO?
Ecommerce SEO is an SEO strategy that is used to improve the visibility of your online store so that it appears at the top position when people search for products on Google or other search engines. Let us understand this by an example:
If someone searches for “best wireless headphones under 5000” on Google then they will see product pages of wireless headphones priced under 5000 from Amazon or Flipkart at the top. This is all because of Ecommerce SEO.
Why is Ecommerce SEO Important?
Here is why Ecommerce SEO is crucial for your online shopping website:
- Increases Visibility: The Ecommerce SEO strategy helps your online store to show up in search engine results which makes it easier for people to find you.
- Drives Organic Traffic: With good SEO practices, people can discover your store without paid promotions. People trust Google search results more than paid ads.
- Boosts Sales: More visibility means more visitors which can lead to more customers and sales.
- Improves User Experience: Ecommerce SEO helps improve your site speed, mobile-friendliness, and navigation. This makes it easier for customers to browse products on your site and make purchases.
- Builds Credibility: Websites that rank higher in search results are often referred to as more trustworthy and authoritative.
- Competitive Advantage: Good SEO can help you outrank competitors which can make your site a favorite go-to place for customers.
- Cost-Effective: Unlike paid ads that give a temporary boost in visibility which fades away after sometime, SEO gives long-term results without ongoing costs that save money in the long run.
Keyword Research for Ecommerce
In Ecommerce SEO, you don’t just need high-search-volume keywords. You need keywords that show buyer intent (meaning users want to buy). You need to use the best keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Ubersuggest. There are different types of keywords in Ecommerce SEO. Take a look at them:
Different Types of Keywords in Ecommerce SEO
- Informational Keywords: How to choose a laptop under ₹50,000
- Navigational Keywords: Nike official website
- Transactional Keywords: Buy gaming laptop under ₹60,000
Let’s understand it by an example:
If you run a sneaker store, your keywords should be like:
- “best running shoes under ₹3000” (Buyer Intent)
- “Adidas running shoes for men” (Brand Search)
- “Nike vs Adidas running shoes comparison” (General Search)
Also Read: What is Keyword Research and How to Do it?
On-Page SEO for Ecommerce Websites
This aspect includes optimization of Title & Meta Description. The title and meta description should be in such a way that it should encourage clicks.
For example:
Here is a bad title: “Shoes – Buy Online”
Now the optimized title should be like this: “Best Running Shoes for Men & Women | 50% Off | Free Shipping”
Here are some considerations for the product page SEO:
- Use unique & keyword-optimized product titles.
- Write compelling product descriptions as per SEO and that are easy to read.
- Image SEO: Use alt text & compress image size for faster loading.
- Schema Markup: Using this will allow you to show ratings, price, and availability in search results.
Internal Linking:
Linking product pages to related products or categories improves both SEO and user experience.
Also Read: Meta Tags in SEO: The Ultimate Guide to On-Page Optimization
Technical SEO for Ecommerce
Technical SEO is equally important for your Ecommerce site. The website Structure is like this: Home → Categories → Subcategories → Product Pages
Some other key aspects include:
- Use breadcrumbs and faceted navigation as it helps Google and users navigate your site easily.
- To optimize page speed, compress images, use a CDN, and remove unnecessary JavaScript.
For example:
The structure of Amazon site for a Samsung S24 mobile will be:
Home → Electronics → Mobiles → Samsung Galaxy S24
Also Read: What is Technical SEO & How to Optimize for Google Rankings?
Ecommerce Content Strategy
A strong content strategy is crucial as it helps improve Ecommerce SEO by attracting and engaging potential customers. Creating informative blog posts related to your products can drive organic traffic and build trust with users.
Understand this by an example: If you own a laptop store, you can write articles like “Best Laptops for Students Under ₹50,000” or “How to Increase Laptop Speed? (Tips & Tricks).” Such content not only educates buyers but also helps your website rank higher in search results. The main reason is that it is valuable content. By offering such content, you can encourage visitors to stay longer on your website, explore products, and eventually make a purchase which boosts both traffic and conversions.
Off-Page SEO for Ecommerce
As On-Page SEO is important for Ecommerce, Off-Page is also equally important. This SEO type focuses on gaining backlinks (links from other websites). It is essential to gain backlinks as it helps improve your site’s ranking in search engines and increases authority. For this, you can use various link-building strategies. The best link-building strategies include:
- Guest Blogging: This is a type of content writing that allows you to write product-related articles on tech blogs. With this, you can get quality backlinks.
- PR & Influencer Marketing: It helps you to get reviews from bloggers and YouTubers. Its main purpose is to drive traffic and build credibility.
- Social Media Presence: Stay active on social media to maintain a strong social media presence on platforms like Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter also boosts visibility.
Also Read: 7 Powerful Strategies to Build Backlinks & Rank #1 on Google
Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) & UX for Ecommerce SEO
CRO and User Experience are important aspects of Ecommerce SEO. This is so because they help turn site visitors into customers. Getting people to your site is great (it is the main purpose of SEO) but SEO isn’t just about getting traffic, it is also about increasing sales. If it is hard for them to buy something, they might leave your site without buying.
For example, if the “Buy Now” button is hard to see, people may not click it. Also, if the checkout page is slow or confusing (hard to understand), customers might give up before completing their purchase or even looking down the page.
A website that is easy to use with clear buttons and a quick checkout process, then there are higher chances that visitors will buy the product. This ultimately helps increase sales.
Analytics & SEO Performance Tracking
SEO strategies are data-driven. This makes tools like Google Analytics and Search Console essential to track SEO performance. Here are the key metrics to monitor:
- Organic Traffic Growth: How much traffic comes from search engines?
- Keyword Rankings: How well are your keywords ranking?
- Conversion Rate: How many visitors turn into customers?
- Bounce Rate & Time on Site: Are users staying on your site or leaving quickly?
Redirection Types & Best Practices in Ecommerce SEO
Let’s learn the different redirection types in Ecommerce SEO and their best practices:
1. 301 Redirect (Permanent Redirect) – Best for URL Changes
This redirect tells search engines that the page has moved permanently to a new URL. It passes on SEO value to the new page. It is ideal when you permanently change or update a webpage’s address.
Use 301 redirects when:
- A product URL has changed.
- A category URL has been modified during a site migration.
- An old product is replaced by a new, similar product.
Example:
- Old URL: example.com/old-product-url
- New URL: example.com/new-product-url
SEO Impact:
- It maintains ranking by passing link juice.
- It solves duplicate URL issues.
- It helps Google quickly index the new URL.
2. 302 Redirect (Temporary Redirect) – Best for Out-of-Stock Products
This redirect tells that the page is temporarily unavailable. So search engines will keep the original URL indexed.
Use 302 redirect when:
- A product is temporarily out of stock and will return later.
- A temporarily changing a URL for a special sale or seasonal product.
Example: redirecting example.com/diwali-special-offer to example.com/coming-soon
SEO Impact:
- Google does not de-index the old page, so rankings remain stable.
- Prevents users from seeing a “404 Page Not Found” error.
Mistake to Avoid: If a product is permanently unavailable, use a 301 redirect instead of a 302.
3. 404 Error (Page Not Found) – Use Wisely
This error occurs when a webpage does not exist. If it is overused, means there are many 404 errors then it can hurt user experience and SEO. It is absolutely fine for truly missing pages but the best practice is to try to redirect users to relevant content instead.
Use 404 error when:
- A product is permanently discontinued with no similar replacement.
- A page has no SEO value and no alternative page exists.
SEO Impact:
- Too many 404 errors can harm your site’s Google rankings.
- It will cause a bad user experience which will increase the bounce rate.
Solution:
- Custom 404 Page: Try to show “Similar Products” or “Best Sellers” instead of a plain error page.
- Internal Linking: Place internal links to ensure users can find alternative pages easily.
4. 410 Gone (Permanently Removed) – Better Than 404
A 410 status indicates that a page has been permanently removed, helping search engines to stop indexing it. It’s better than a 404 for content you no longer offer.
Use it when a product or page is permanently deleted with no replacement.
SEO Impact:
- Google de-indexes the page faster, saving crawl budget.
- A 410 status tells Google the page is permanently removed.
Best Practice:
If a product is permanently discontinued then use 410 status and suggest similar product pages to users.
5. Avoid Redirect Chains & Loops
Redirect chains and loops occur when multiple redirects happen in sequence or a page redirects back to itself. This slows down the site and harms SEO. Always ensure redirects are direct and efficient. Excessive redirects on eCommerce websites can slow down page speed and waste Google’s crawl budget.
You can use these tools to check redirect chains:
- Screaming Frog
- Ahrefs
- Google Search Console
Mistake:
Old URL → Redirect 1 → Redirect 2 → Redirect 3 → Final URL
Too many redirects slow down the site.
Best Practice: Use a direct redirect: Old URL → Final URL
Also Read: Understanding HTTP Status Codes: Success, Redirects, Errors & Fixes
Conclusion
We hope you have understood the concept of Ecommerce SEO and its various aspects, and how it enhances the visibility of an online store (site). If you have any doubts, then feel free to ping us on our WhatsApp number. Our trainers are there to clear up your confusion on anything related to SEO.
Skillwaala courses are totally FREE!!! You can join our live classes on YouTube and get a certification. Our videos are in downloadable form and you can download it to watch it later.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What is ecommerce in SEO?
Ans. Ecommerce SEO is the process of improving an online store so that it appears higher in search engine results, helping more people find and buy products.
Q2. What are the four types of SEO?
Ans. The four types of SEO are:
- On-Page SEO: for content optimization
- Off-Page SEO: to obtain backlinks
- Technical SEO: to improve site speed and structure
- Local SEO: to attract nearby customers
Q3. Is SEO worth it for ecommerce?
Ans. Yes! SEO helps online stores (websites) to get free traffic from Google. This leads to more visitors and sales without spending on ads and promotions.
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