As e-commerce businesses wind down from the holiday rush, January opens up a great chance to reflect and plan ahead. The dip in sales post-December gives us a unique moment to strengthen the foundations of online success. In the fast-paced digital world, where how easily people find you online can make or break your e-commerce game, taking a close look at your e-commerce SEO strategy is crucial. Smart businesses understand that success in the upcoming year relies on a strong SEO setup—and that it’s best to create a lasting strategy ahead of time to avoid any last-minute scrambling. Now, let’s walk through the key steps to give your e-commerce a boost, making sure your online presence not only stands strong but also gears up for lasting growth throughout the year!
The Pillars of E-commerce SEO
1. Analytics and Reporting
Before you can jump into any new strategies, take a close look at how your e-commerce business fared during the peak season. Dive into the numbers, figure out what worked, what didn’t, and understand how your customers behaved. This post-holiday phase is like a treasure trove of information that can guide your strategy for the rest of the year.
Look at your keywords and how they performed. Look for areas where you can refine—maybe there’s a long-tail keyword you can use to tap into a niche customer base you haven’t made contact with yet. Examine the search trends of last year; maybe you’ll be able to predict a few for the following year. The digital landscape evolves rapidly, and staying ahead means staying flexible with your strategy. Identify what’s gaining traction in your industry and ensure your keywords align with these shifts to maintain relevance.
Get intensely competitive. Analyze your rivals’ performances, which may lead to a breakthrough in your own strategy. Look beyond your products; consider the language your customers are using and any new terms or phrases gaining popularity. (Gen Z has been using TikTok as a search engine more and more.) This proactive approach ensures your e-commerce SEO strategy is not only reflective of current customer behavior but is also positioned to anticipate and respond to future trends.
2. Setting Goals
Being intentional about your e-commerce SEO strategy goes beyond just aspirations; it’s about translating your business vision into concrete and achievable objectives. Define precise and practical goals that directly align with your overarching business vision. If your vision involves expanding your customer base, your SEO goals might revolve around improving page and keyword rankings to attract a broader audience. For those prioritizing revenue growth, boosting conversion rates could be a key focus. Simply put, these goals act as your roadmap to make your e-commerce business successful.
Imagine you own a clothing store aiming to be the go-to place for sustainable fashion. Your e-commerce SEO goals could be about tweaking product pages to include eco-friendly keywords, showing up more in searches for sustainable fashion, and getting more eco-conscious shoppers to visit your site.
3. Website Health Check
Just like humans go to the doctor each year to make sure everything is functioning normally, websites need their check-ups too. Start by doing a thorough SEO audit of your website. Look out for technical glitches, broken links, and crawl errors that might affect how search engines see your site. Speed matters, so optimize your website to load quickly, and ensure it’s mobile-friendly for a seamless experience across devices. These days, UX/UI is perhaps the most important part of a website.
4. Content Strategy
Develop an outline for what the content you’ll share in the upcoming months. Create content that’s interesting and informative, staying seasonal and on trend. And make it fun! People love to laugh while they learn. Make sure to include strategic keywords in your blog, product pages, and landing pages—which helps search engines understand what your content is about and makes it more likely for your target audience to find you. A thoughtful content strategy keeps your audience engaged and boosts your visibility in search results.
5. Backlinks
Backlinks can be a fickle force in your SEO, because you can’t always control where they come from. You’re able to see where they come from, however, so take some time to evaluate the quality of your backlinks. Luckily, you can disavow any backlinks coming from suspicious, spammy, or irrelevant sites—and search engines will know not to associate those sites with yours. Once you’ve cleaned up your backlink profile, look ahead for opportunities to secure credible backlinks. Collaborate with reputable sources in your industry and expand your network. The stronger your backlinks are, the stronger your website’s SEO is overall.
6. Social Media for SEO
Social media is a powerful tool you can use to drive traffic directly to your products and website. Showcase your brand by promoting user-generated content and customer testimonials on your channels. Engage your audience through elements like contests, polls, and other exciting interactives. By aligning your social media efforts with your SEO strategy, you not only strengthen your online presence but also create a community around your brand.
So, clearly there’s much to be done in January even if sales are on the low end! Remember that SEO is a long game, and if you establish a strong strategy early on, it will benefit your e-commerce business for many years, not just 2024.
Learn more about the finer points of SEO strategy from the experts at Make Your Mark here in our blog.
Need a hand with e-commerce SEO but not sure where to start? Contact us today to schedule a consultation.
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