KEY STEPS IN PLANNING AN EFFECTIVE SEO STRATEGY FOR AN ONLINE SELLING BUSINESS
Search engine optimization (SEO) for online sales projects plays a very important role. An effective CEO strategy drives customer acquisition and sales. With the right approach to SEO planning, companies achieve their goals by using their available budget as efficiently as possible.
While search engine optimization certainly plays an important role in promoting a business, it takes time and expense to reap the benefits in the long run. Not forgetting the importance of the CEO, many companies are trying to save money on both the first and the second. In fact, they are looking for effective search engine optimization strategies to grow their user base and increase sales with the least amount of time and budget. Below we offer several effective ways to develop such SEO promotion strategies.
1. CHOOSE KEYWORDS THAT REPRESENT THE PRODUCTS OR SERVICES YOU OFFER
In order for your online store to be visible in the search engine to potential buyers, you need to make the right list of keywords for effective SEO promotion. When choosing keywords, start from your goals. As a rule, the main task of key phrases in an SEO strategy is to get your site to the top of the SERP. You probably want to be at the TOP of the search results of Google or another search engine. However, some other aspects of your online project depend on the correct selection of key phrases.
For example, you want links to your site to appear when potential buyers are looking for products that have some similar properties to yours. If a user is looking for leather shoes, it would be nice for the search engine to display links to your leather bag pages.
Also, use so-called “long tail” key phrases. Since they provide direct responses to user queries, these key phrases will generate more traffic. To get long-tail key phrases, follow a few simple steps below.
Identify key phrases related to your products and group them
If you have your own online store, start developing a successful SEO strategy by creating an ordered list of the products you have to offer. It’s probably a good idea to categorize your products for convenience. The next step is to come up with terms related to product categories, write them down somewhere, such as on a piece of paper. You will probably not be able to cope with this task right away. We recommend differentiating the listings according to the different types of products.
For example, if you offer leather wallets, use the following terms:
- Leather wallet;
- Handmade wallet;
- Handmade leather wallet.
Make a similar list based on the type of products you offer. The final list will contain the key phrases you need.
Insert your chosen keywords into Google Keyword Planner
You already have a list of keywords, now you need to find a free tool to optimize them. Google offers such an effective extension – Keyword Planner. It’s a powerful tool that you don’t have to pay to use. Before using it, create an account with AdWords. The registration process will take just a few minutes. It’s completely free to create and set up an AdWords account.
The key advantage of Google Keyword Planner is that it breaks your list of phrases into parts, suggests additional keywords. This will give you even more ideas for creating useful content. Ultimately, you will be able to increase your website traffic. By getting newly interested site visitors, you optimize your conversion rate. Also, use long-tail keywords with wider search terms.
The tool might suggest too many different key phrases. In order not to get confused in choosing the right options, we recommend using additional tools such as Ahrefs and Moz. Connect some other tools of your choice to your promotion strategy. With their help, you will get a complete understanding of the key phrases that can significantly increase your site’s page rank in search results.
2. PAY ATTENTION TO THE TECH CEO
Before developing a strategy for promoting your site to increase positions in search results, pay attention to certain technical nuances. Like many other SEO professionals, you probably want to ensure the best possible experience for your users on your site. Therefore, pay attention to the following aspects:
- The speed of your web project. The speed of loading pages on a site affects not only the effectiveness of attracting new customers but also whether existing users will stay with you. Typical page loading speed ranges from 2.5 to 3 seconds. Lower loading speed indicates poor quality of service in general, negatively affecting user experience, ranking in search results, as Google takes this aspect very seriously.
- Data encryption (HTTPS protocol). Sites that use SSL certificates create more trust among users and potential buyers. Your customers will feel secure if the site uses a strong encryption algorithm for their identity on the checkout pages. If this feature is not available, the chances of placing an order are significantly reduced. Recently, many companies have paid special attention to the security of the data provided by their users. They partner with developers who are able to create a safe and secure site.
- Simple URLs. The simpler the URL, the better it is perceived by both the search engine and ordinary users. Pages, whose addresses contain indications of headings and product names, are more likely to end up at the top of the search results list. Avoid dynamic URLs. If you can’t do without them, include keywords in them so that they are visible and legible.
- Redirects (301). Some pages of the site are removed due to uselessness and for other reasons. Make sure visitors are automatically redirected to another page containing content. Otherwise, the user will see the common “404 Not Found” message. This not only discourages potential buyers but also prevents search robots from indexing your website pages.
- Sitemap. This component is extremely important for search robots who visit your site from time to time. By listing key elements of your site, such as blog posts, information pages, product categories, and the products themselves, you increase the likelihood that search engine crawlers “figure out” how to navigate your site.
3. MORE SUBTLE SEO SETTINGS ON THE PAGES OF YOUR ONLINE STORE
The content contained on the pages of your site plays an important role in search engine rankings. While technical SEO lays the foundation for a website, optimizing individual pages makes it more competitive on the global web. To ensure this, please note the following:
- Keywords. The practice of keyword overflow in headings and meta tags has long since lost its relevance. You need to include search phrases in product titles and page URLs so that they look as natural as possible. To avoid search engine sanctions, follow their SEO guidelines.
- Blog. With the help of a blog, you can not only answer the questions of your existing and potential customers but also promote your products or services. A blog allows you to perform these tasks individually or all at once. Use multiple blogs for different purposes, or balance to win the trust of potential buyers.
- The convenience of use. To keep your website comfortable, work through important aspects such as navigation, detailed product descriptions, high-quality images, and user reviews. Sites that meet high usability criteria are well accepted by search engines because these web services provide users with what they want. User-friendly sites not only keep loyal users coming back again and again, but they also attract new visitors.
- Internal linking. By adding relevant links to the pages of your website and blog, you will help your visitors quickly jump to the desired pages. Internal linking not only helps attract new users but also directs them into your marketing funnel. Search engines accept sites with internal linking well, as it helps users to make better decisions.
- Compatible with mobile devices. As the number of smartphone and tablet users continues to grow, mobile pages are essential for online sales projects. Google has long emphasized the importance of mobile site compatibility and takes this aspect into account in its search rankings. As mobile web pages already outnumber their desktop counterparts, mobile page loading speed will soon become a key ranking criterion.
HELP DEVELOP EFFECTIVE SEO STRATEGIES FOR YOUR ONLINE SELLING BUSINESS
While developing winning promotion strategies, pay special attention to the basics of SEO, but there are a few other nuances to keep in mind. The specialists of the web studio “External code” will help you cope with this task as efficiently as possible. We have a variety of SEO tactics and strategies that lead our clients to the desired results. Want to know more? Contact us right now by phone at 639 315 9155 or through our website.
