SEO: On-Page Optimization

Optimizing an eCommerce site for SEO isn’t that different than optimizing any other type of web site. To make a page rank well in the organic search results, it needs a good title tag (that includes the keywords you’re targeting); and good content on the page that includes the appropriate keywords.

Some Tips for Effective On-Page SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

• Think about the words users would type to find your pages, and make sure that your site actually includes those words within it. Content is still king in the SEO world.
• To achieve good keyword focus, limit yourself to just one or two keywords per content page. You can even create a page for each product in your store so that you can take advantage of long-tail keyword phrases.
• One reason why product pages on e-commerce sites appear in the search engine indexes and then disappear is because they are duplicating content (which the search engines catch on). Keep content and tags unique.
• If you’re selling products that your competitors are also selling, then your product descriptions need to be unique and different from theirs. Don’t just copy the generic product descriptions of items that are provided by the manufacturer. You’ll risk having your page considered a duplicate page by Google and other search engines.
• Add links to related products or accessories, or perhaps a testimonial about the product. Adding ‘related products’ type of navigation on your product pages will help visitors stay on your site.
• Product and Customer Reviews can increase your visibility and improve your page rankings. This gives the search engines more content to read and also creates a third party endorsement for your product.

Online shoppers are using search engines to compare product features and prices, and if your e-commerce site isn’t positioned in the top search engine results, you’re missing out on a lot of potential online sales. SEO on-page optimization is a worthwhile investment.

In my next post, I’ll discuss Off-Page SEO.