Currently, avoiding SEO errors in e-commerce is essential for the visibility of your business according to SEO consultants Melbourne. Keep in mind that they harm your search engine rankings. And this, in turn, causes your site not to be among the main pages of Google.
It is true that optimizing a website dedicated to electronic commerce is more complex than a blog. This is because they often have many product pages that cause certain problems. However, this is not something that only new entrepreneurs go through.
Having a good strategy is key but this goes hand in hand with not making common SEO mistakes in eCommerce. You do not need to be an expert to achieve it, you just have to take care of some details. The idea is that you can position yourself among the first options that search engines throw.
Know the 8 SEO mistakes in eCommerce that you should avoid
If you already have a website or have in mind to create one, you have to be clear about the mistakes you can find along the way. It doesn’t matter if you are an expert or a novice, anyone can commit them. Do you know what are those SEO mistakes in eCommerce that you should not make?
1.- Apply a bad keyword research
Doing good keyword research is not just about thinking about those words that are related to the product. You have to go further and imagine which would be used by users when searching for that article. Although it may seem a little complex, it is possible to achieve it if you know your target audience well.
Most eCommerce owners tend to use generic words to describe what they sell. But many do not know that in this way they will not attract potential buyers. Therefore, it is essential to be more specific when reviewing, for example: “white Adidas shoes”, “black Nike backpack”.
It is recommended to brainstorm to find the indicated keywords and avoid using only one. Ideally, you should create a short phrase with the details of the product, since people are likely to search for it.
Also, the more specific you are, the less competition you will have in the market. You can rely on specialized tools such as Google Ads, SEMRush , Ubbersuggest, Soovie, Google Trends, among others.
2.- Excess keywords
One of the most common SEO errors in eCommerce is thinking that by using many keywords you will have a better positioning. But the reality is that using them excessively or unnaturally is a serious failure. This is because the algorithm of the web search engines differentiates valuable content that may interest the public.
Please note that this implies that the user experience is inferior. It also increases the bounce rate of the website and, worst of all, you can be penalized by Google.
For this reason, you should avoid at all costs saturating your page with unnecessary keywords. Take time to make your own content that is of value and so you can use keywords naturally.
3.- Duplicate content
Creating the content of your website is not as easy as you imagine, but it is not impossible either. What you have to keep in mind is that it must be original, both in the titles, headings and descriptions of the products. It should be noted that there are times when it is inevitable to duplicate it, for example, when you place the manufacturer’s review.
But, as much as possible, you have to try not to repeat it, since search engines track them and can penalize your business. What is advised is that you make your own texts so that they are unique but if you have to use duplicate content, you can choose to configure 301 redirect or no-index controls.
4.- Product without description
Another mistake they often make is not putting a description of the products they want to sell. This affects the shopping experience of users by not knowing the characteristics of the item. Also, it directly damages the positioning of your page by search engines.
Lacking a descriptive text, you are probably not at the top of the search engine. Here the first three points above are important, which will be of great help for you to review what your e-commerce offers. Remember that the user expects to get all the relevant information about what they want to buy.
5.- Ignore eCommerce security
Some overlook the security of their websites, and this flaw makes them vulnerable to cybercriminals. Online fraud is becoming more common and this shows that few are interested in this aspect. Those starting out in e-commerce often skip SSL encryption and other measures just to save money.
All this can cause great economic losses, as well as data theft or identity theft. And it is evident that this directly damages eCommerce. To avoid falling into this gap, the idea is for you to use SSL and HTTPS security encryption for your business.
Users immediately feel confident when they see an SSL certificate in the address bar of the website. First, you demonstrate to people that they can shop safely. And second, Google gives priority to sites that have such certificates.
You can opt for an EV SSL security certificate since this is one of the most efficient against online piracy. This protects from unauthorized access, and the user feels more secure seeing a green padlock symbol and HTTPS of the same color.
6.- Do not worry about the loading speed
Among the SEO errors in eCommerce, you can find a very common one that is usually ignored. This is the loading speed. If it is not fast, the user experience will suffer. According to a study by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Akamai: ” 52% of online shoppers indicated that fast page load is important to build loyalty to a website.”
They also revealed that 79% of online shoppers who experience an unsatisfactory visit will probably not buy from that site again. While 64% would make the decision to make their purchase in another online store. It should be noted that 73% of mobile consumers experience a charging speed of up to 10 seconds.
Clearly, this directly affects sales and results in a decrease in customer satisfaction. But not only that, since it also worsens web positioning and all this would lead to the loss of customer loyalty. For this reason, it is essential to improve the speed to make the page load in less than 3 seconds.
7.- Ignore customer reviews
Many eCommerce owners are unaware of the importance of online customer feedback. These serve to increase the ranking in the search engines, and this, in turn, generates more sales. Also, this is a factor that can motivate other users to make a purchase.
Therefore, it is a great mistake not to take into account the option to include product reviews. Something that produces distrust in the people who visit your page.
These online reviews may be duplicated as original user-generated content. But best of all, this will come in handy for optimizing search engine rankings organically.
To do this, all you have to do is give consumers the ability to comment, view ratings, and reviews. The latter you can request from your customers in an ethical way, avoiding unwanted email messages at all costs. As well as mandatory publications that can end up being negative.
8.- Use of very heavy images
Perhaps most people make this kind of mistake since it is logical that they want to show their products with high-quality images. What they forget is that this type of graphic elements are usually very heavy and this affects the loading speed. And as you have already seen, that aspect is decisive for the customer to make the decision to buy.
However, this is easy to avoid, just watch out for images over 100kb. You can also choose to use several but with average quality. This, in turn, will help you show the user more details of the product you want to purchase and thus reduce the anxiety generated by buying online.
These are just some of the most common SEO mistakes in eCommerce. Now you have to work to get a suitable online store free of them. Just follow the recommendations presented and you will start to see the results.