The Importance of on-site SEO on your Shopify store
Search Engine Optimisation is the key to success across all online platforms. What makes it essential, and why should you pay close attention when it comes to on-site SEO?
In 2017 85% of people used Google when making an online shopping decision. Putting that into context; it was pre-pandemic, and there was still a drive from high-street retailers to corner the market. Fast forward to 2021 and we see a massive decline in high-street shopping, while online eCommerce is booming. A further 48 million people shop online now, compared to 2017.
Shopify powers more than one million businesses, and it's reach is global. That's a huge market, and SEO on site optimisation is the way to help you become a wave in a sea of stores... not just another drop in the ocean. The great news is – it doesn't have to be complicated, and it's usually a one-off task that will definitely drive organic traffic to your store. So, let's look at a few examples to show you where we can help.
Something that is often over-looked, or misunderstood is the need to have the perfect SEO in your collection descriptions. As with all successful business, user experience ranks highly when it comes to impressing your potential customer, and retaining them. If you're trying to be seen, you need to tell people what you're selling; what service can you provide that's better than your competitors?
A great way to do this is through useful descriptions, telling the customer what benefits they will get and how you will assist them. If everyone is selling wax melts, what makes yours special? Are they vegan? Are they eco-friendly? Do you have an exclusive scent or design? Not only do longer descriptions give you a chance to engage your customer, they also allow you to fit in those essential SEO key words.
Now that you have your collections optimized, what about the products themselves? All of this writing requires in-depth key word research, and it can seem like a daunting task. That's why we are here to help. At Pear Digital we can rise to the challenge and really get your Shopify business running at it's best. For instance, you might be selling clothing and feel that 'denim' is an amazing keyword, when in reality after some SEO research, the words you want to promote would be 'blue jeans'. Therefore by using our optimisation service you have saved your business team time and money, the product descriptions will be just as informative, but they'll actually get you noticed!
Having a strong foundation for your website is just like having a welcoming store front. Nobody will want to visit a shop that hasn't got any stock in the window, or that's covered in builder's cloths – customers can't see you, and because they are unsure of what you're selling, they are likely to bypass you for a more recognised, visible brand... even if your products are better.
Did you know that as of 2020 the number one result in Google’s organic search results has an average CTR of 31.7 %. The number one organic result is 10 times more likely to receive a click compared to a page in the number 10 spot. That's some sobering facts, especially if you know that you haven't put as much time into on-site SEO optimisation as you could have.
As we mentioned earlier, this is likely to be a one-off task for you, so while the urgency of the assignment isn't as immediate as fixing a website error, or making sure your inventory software is up to scratch, it is something that requires your attention. The way to look at it can again be mirrored in the physical world. If you have a customer-facing store with a huge window and you display your goods, but don't have prices, brand names, and some form of window dressing, you are essentially asking the products to advertise themselves.
This may work 1 in 20 times, but what about those other 19 people who just passed by? All you need to do is create some labels (that can be used more than once), position the products in an appealing way, and voila! Now you are catching the eye of the consumer, and your revenue increases from 'organic traffic'. This is not a targeted campaign, this is about getting yourself visible and attracting those clicks.
Finally, something that may be holding you back, is making sure your images are set up correctly for when Googlebot or other search engine crawlers inspect a page. Our optimisation service can help here too! These days it's essential that you review your image alt-tags, they are one of the places that could be preventing you reaching those top pages in Google because images with properly formatted alt text contribute to how the page is indexed and where it ranks.
If all of this is sounding like pressure on your workload that you don't have the resources to dedicate time to at the moment, then why not allow us to help? We will effectively build the foundations for ongoing organic growth so that your business goes from strength to strength. Contact us to set up your consultation today.