Following our previous article on the basics of SEO for eCommerce websites, this article will dig a little deeper into how you can optimise content for eCommerce websites in order to improve their search rankings.
Content for eCommerce Sites
Create Unique Product Descriptions
If your eCommerce site consists of only 100-word product descriptions, be prepared to be stomped by Google’s Panda Penalty. This is a filter that sits on top of Google’s regular algorithm that applies a penalty to websites that it believes to have thin or duplicate content.
Sometimes, it can be hard to generate content for eCommerce sites. A lot of sites simply reuse the content that their manufacturers provide them, which can lead to multiple instances of duplicate content across the web. But consider that your product description is one of the most important factors in closing a sale.
Also, don’t forget to create content for your category pages as well. Category pages that rank well tend to bring in a lot of traffic as most of them would be vying for high volume keywords.
Build Authority with Content Marketing
Consumers have an insatiable appetite for content and a content marketing strategy is a must-have for your eCommerce store.
Your content strategy needs to take into consideration the products that you are selling, your brand as well as your search engine optimisation efforts.
It should also be unique, engaging, and takes into consideration the concerns and questions that your consumers during their purchase cycle.
Optimise Your Meta Content
The meta titles and meta descriptions are just as important for eCommerce sites as they are for other types of websites. Don’t forget to craft a compelling meta title that contains your target keyword for each of your products. Your meta descriptions should also be written in such a way that it encourages clickthroughs. You don’t want empty meta descriptions across all the products in your store.
Encourage Reviews
Product reviews are a staple of any eCommerce website. According to Internet Retailer, product reviews can increase your conversion rates by 14%-76%.
If you’re just starting out, try asking your friends and family to help you by giving you a review. Since it’s quite likely that they would already be asking you for a discount, just ask them to leave you a review in return. It’s almost always going to be positive.
Reviews are also a great way to get user-generated content (UGC). Google prefers it when you have more content being generated regularly on your page and encouraging reviews is a great tactic.
Internal Linking
Internal linking refers to the process of linking from one page of your website to another. This helps to move the link equity around within your site. If you use the correct anchor text, it will also help tell Google what the website is about. You do need to be careful not to overuse a particular anchor text though lest you find yourself faced with an over-optimisation penalty.
Any Other Tips?
Do you have any other tips to share with us on how we can improve the content on eCommerce websites? Share with us in the comments below.
