There are several common SEO flaws that many eCommerce websites fall victim to, hindering their online visibility and potential for growth.
About 70 to 80 percent of users ignore sponsored ads on Google. So, if you can rank high using SEO strategies, there are more chances to get users attracted to your products.
In this article, we will explore eight familiar SEO mistakes that you must be aware of and actively address in order to maximize your website’s performance and achieve optimal results.
There are so many competitors for each of your products. And you must inhibit proper SEO strategies for your store. It will help you rank high on Google. As Backlinko says that, only 0.63 percent of searches receive clicks from the 2nd page of Google.
If you are up to win this race, then you should avoid some mistakes. These are common mistakes that eCommerce websites usually face.
Table of Contents
Most common SEO mistakes in e-commerce
Here is a listing of what you should avoid at all costs:
About 60 percent of the users click on your site, only if it ranks on the top 3 spots in SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages).
source: http://techjury.net/blog/seo-statistics/
1- A Lot Of Duplicate Content
SEO Flaw number 1, Google does not like duplicate content, and they have clearly stated not to use plagiarized material. Using duplicate content will harm your site, and you can never hit the top ranking using it.
Content is the king and Google emphasizes it a lot. You might have seen many websites using duplicate content. See an example below.
This content is written on various sites. See how Google has recognized it.
Many marketers and developers may ask you to use robots.txt to use duplicate content on archives, galleries, etc.
However, Google again denies this. Google says that do not ask our robot to skip it. But tell the robot that you are using the same material by marking it as rel=”canonical”.
Moreover, use the ‘nofollow’ attribute to the link that redirects to the duplicate content.
2- Lack Of Product Description
Well, the search engine cannot just read images. It needs content to identify the niche of the picture. Adding product images is not enough. Write a proper description for each of your products.
See this image. These are boots; we know that, but how will the search engine identify them? So, there should be some description of it.
- Make sure that the description you write is unique. Google may penalize you for duplicate content.
- Try not to be too detailed that it bothers your user. However, be long enough that the unique content ratio of your page goes above the exact text.
3- Lack Of Product Reviews
Product Reviews are of great importance. Below are some stats regarding online reviews. Let me discuss it with you.
You can see how reviews play a crucial role in eCommerce as far as reliability is concerned. Its importance can be easily judged that almost all of the buyers read the online reviews before purchasing a product and three-fourth of them trust a local business more if it has positive reviews.
No matter if you’re a popular business or just a startup; product reviews play an essential part in building the consumer’s trust.
Suppose you’re not providing the review section in your eCommerce business with a fear of negative review. In that case, you’re missing out on an important part of it, and there is a chance of losing a good number of potential customers.
It does matter how much presentable your site is and how much you work on optimizing the checkout page, but what matters more is good reviews on your products.
4- Irrelevant File Names & Alt Text
Avoid this common SEO flaw by using descriptive, keyword-rich file names for your product in your eCommerce site is a great idea. It’s better to add keywords that provide Google and consumers with a clue about your image’s subject. Remember that Google also indexes images.
For instance:
Homedecor_ideas.jpg is better than 1089121651.jpg
Alt-text is the Alternative Texts added to the images and is the prime principle for web accessibility. A consumer or surfer first scrutinizes the alt-attributes to understand the image better.
5- Poor Usage Of Keywords
For the exclusive search of services you’re providing, you need to have the right keywords on your page.
It would be best if you recruited an excellent keyword strategy so you can rank high in SERPs. A common SEO Flas is choosing the wrong keywords, which can destroy your campaign by causing low traffic and will typically have a low conversion rate. You don’t want that .
Utilize Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, SEMRush, and other tools to build a perfect keyword strategy for your website.
Make sure to include long-tail keywords. They have a higher conversion rate.
Online Bookings, E-Banking, Dissertation Assistance, Online Publications, Retails, and Wholesales, etc. are some of the common applications of eCommerce you should keep in mind while employing the keyword strategy. You should know your consumer’s persona to have a better understanding of their interest.
6- Not Optimizing For Voice Searches
Not many people predicted that Siri would become a vital future trend when it came back in 2011. But voice searches since then have evolved a lot. Today we have a lot of variations in voice-activated technologies.
Such as Alexa the great from Amazon, Google Assistant, etc.
Voice searches have benefited people a lot. It makes their work easier and quicker; they can efficiently multitask and answer their queries.
With over 60-65% of people preferring to shop online, there remains no shadow of a doubt that eCommerce is a significantly valued market. Every other day, the number of online shoppers and consumers is increasing. However, voice search optimization has not become a common practice in eCommerce.
Indeed, there’s a lot of competition in eCommerce, and space keeps changing. To remain on the top, the websites and online businesses should start optimizing voice searches.
The study suggests that voice-based shopping is predicted to jump up to $40 Billion in 2022. According to Gartner’s study, 30% of online searches are not even using screens for their queries, and smart features are yet to take over internet browsing and online shopping while voice searches are just the beginning.
In order to optimize your site for voice search, you should use long-tail keywords in your content. And as we all know, voice searches are mainly about ‘WH’ questions. So, optimize the content accordingly.
Try to include common questions related to your product in your content somehow.
7- Non-Responsive Slow Site
Non-responsive sites are why visitors give up quickly. Visitors do not like to wait or find it slow and challenging to operate on their mobiles or Tabs.
These websites fail to translate content effectively and are the reason customers prioritize the responsive ones with higher ranking by Google.
The responsive sites benefit both the customer and the website owner, whereas the non-responsive or slow websites are the reason for the business’s loss in profit and revenue.
8- Not Optimized For Search Engine Queries
For the eCommerce business, the race to increase profit and generate revenue is essential, but if Google cannot indicate or guide your site correctly, it’s of no use.
Neglecting SEO techniques will make your content worthless. Therefore, your content should always have correct linking, proper speaking URLs, fast and effective load times, and clear and unique titles.
Include FAQs in your website, and optimize the text for correct keywords. It will allow your website to appear while your consumers perform queries on Google.
Conclusion
So, ready to dodge these SEO flaws and keep your site on track?
These blunders are the culprits behind the downfall of many online stores and ecommerce websites. To expand your reach, make sure you regularly monitor and update your site, staying in tune with what Google wants.
Don’t let these mistakes bring you down! Take action to maintain your site’s ranking and stay relevant in the eyes of search engines. Get ahead of the game and secure long-lasting success in the cutthroat world of ecommerce.
Author Bio
Samantha Kayle provides literature review help and currently works as an Assistant Editor at Crowd Writers. She is a techno enthusiast who loves to expand her knowledge through blogs and articles. Samantha loves to be updated with the latest digital marketing trends.