Whether you have just launched an eCommerce business or have been operating it for some time, getting new (and retaining old) customers must be a top priority for you. The higher the volume and better the quality of traffic on eCommerce websites, the higher the leads and sales you can expect.
It is interesting to note here that search engines account for 39% of all eCommerce website traffic. This makes it crucial for eCommerce websites to incorporate search engine optimization (SEO) into their website and content. eCommerce SEO agency experts concur that SEO offers the best return on investment and longest-lasting outcomes compared to any other marketing strategy for niche businesses.
Despite this, it is typical for eCommerce merchants to create and manage their online stores without a solid SEO strategy to fall back upon. If you have been ignoring SEO for your eCommerce website, or are unclear about how it benefits your business, this guide is what you need.
How SEO Helps eCommerce Websites Gain a Competitive Edge
In a nutshell, SEO can help make your brand more recognizable to customers during their discovery or purchasing experiences. It has a direct influence on your website traffic, which in turn boosts sales, and surpasses all other forms of marketing efforts in terms of cost-effective, comprehensive, long-lasting outcomes. Here are some more insights into how SEO can help your online store position itself at the helm of the league:
#1 SEO is the Best Way to Boost “Free” Organic Visibility
In the next few years, Google’s first page results will account for 92% of all internet search activity, according to a Forbes report. This means if Google cannot find your website, customers cannot find it either. No wonder, optimizing marketing and content for greater search engine visibility should be a top priority for any eCommerce business.
In this light, SEO emerges as the best option to promote your website and drive visitors practically for free as a small or newly launched eCommerce store on a budget. Realistically, anyone with a basic understanding of SEO can learn how to conduct keyword research, optimize product pages, and create relevant, helpful content. All these factors play a role in driving organic traffic to your eCommerce store through strategic SEO.
#2 SEO Drives Traffic to Your Website for Higher Sales
81% of customers research products online before making a purchase. 47% of customers would like to look up a business online before speaking to a representative. Therefore, if your eCommerce store is not visible and available for customers to explore, you are losing out on an opportunity to influence their purchasing decisions.
While paid social media and advertisements can direct huge volumes of online traffic in a short span, maintaining the same volume through premium plans can get expensive for smaller eCommerce businesses. As your competitors grow, you might eventually have to spend even more to generate traffic at par with them. SEO, on the other hand, can generate long-term traffic to your eCommerce website much more sustainably. It is an ongoing process that demands continuous updates and improvements, but it also produces quality results.
#3 SEO Connects Businesses with Target Customer Pools
Quite interestingly, Google has never seen 15% of the search requests that are made. Many long-tail search queries include some of these odd search queries. When combined, these inquiries account for around 40% of all searches even though they each only generate a small number of them. Additionally, compared to other general keywords, long-tail phrases have a higher conversion rate.
With their product pages organized into “themes” and product descriptions including information distinguishing one product from another, e-commerce sites can naturally target these long-tail searches. Optimizing your store pages with these long-tail keywords can help connect your platform with the specific target audience looking for these products.
#4 SEO Can Boost Other Marketing Channels
SEO also strengthens other marketing initiatives for eCommerce businesses. Paid advertisements, social media platforms, online journals, and other websites may occasionally be able to attract clients back to your website after they leave without making a purchase, creating some extent of memorability as well.
As a result, brands can produce more effective retargeting advertising and marketing messages because customers have already visited your website. Highly effective retargeting campaigns can be created with such first-hand information through SEO efforts.
#5 SEO is a Cost-Effective, High-ROI Strategy!
While adverts on Google, Facebook, YouTube, and radio or television are excellent for catching the customer’s eye, most of them require you to start with a marketing budget. Over time, the budget needs to be either sustained or scaled for optimum outcomes. Unfortunately, many solopreneurs and small enterprises lack such extensive, dedicated budgets.
On the contrary, SEO requires only an initial or small recurring investment that can potentially generate a much higher ratio of traffic and sales for many years to come. Business owners who want to create long-lasting, sustainable enterprises can leverage eCommerce SEO consistently. It also makes it easier for marketing teams to shift funds from SEO to other channels as and when required without compromising on website traffic.
How to Ace the SEO Game for Your eCommerce Website
While it is possible to implement SEO efforts on your own for an eCommerce website, employing the right tactics with a professional expert to guide you will deliver the best outcomes in terms of increased traffic and sales. Additionally, carrying out SEO efforts yourself can be time-consuming and counter-productive if you run a one-person or small eCommerce store.
It is best to seek the assistance of a specialist with SEO knowledge or a professional SEO services agency to serve your requirements end-to-end. An experienced hand will be able to direct, advise, and carry out your strategies with greater finesse.