E-commerce SEO Checklist: 15 Steps to Success

Want to boost your online store’s visibility and sales? Follow this 15-step e-commerce SEO checklist:

1. Set up technical SEO basics
2. Focus on on-page SEO
3. Improve user experience
4. Use advanced SEO methods
5. Work on off-page SEO
6. Track and analyse progress

Here’s a quick breakdown of what you need to do:

Remember: SEO takes time. Expect to see results in 3-6 months. Keep tweaking your strategy based on data for best results.

1. Set Up Technical SEO Basics

Think of technical SEO as the foundation of your e-commerce brand. Without it, your SEO efforts might fall flat. Here’s what you need to do:

Secure Your Site

HTTPS isn’t optional anymore. Google likes it, and customers trust it.

To secure your site:

1. Get an SSL certificate
2. Install it on your server
3. Switch to HTTPS

Clean Up Your Site Structure

A clear structure helps everyone find their way around your store.

Do this:

• Use a logical hierarchy (Home > Category > Subcategory > Product)
• Keep URLs simple and descriptive (yourstore.com/mens/shirts/blue-cotton-tee)
• Add breadcrumbs to show the path

Speed Things Up

Slow sites lose sales. HubSpot found that just a 1-second delay can drop conversions by 7% and page views by 11%.

Speed boosters:

• Compress images (JPG over PNG when possible)
• Minify CSS, JavaScript, and HTML
• Use a CDN
• Enable browser caching

Go Mobile-Friendly

Mobile shopping isn’t the future. It’s NOW.

Make your site work on phones:

• Use responsive design
• Put the nav menu up top
• Keep the search bar visible
• Let users save their carts

2. Focus on On-Page SEO Basics

On-page SEO can make or break your e-commerce success. Let’s dive into four key areas:

Use the Right Keywords

Keyword research is your SEO foundation. Without it, you’re shooting in the dark.

Focus on these keyword types:

1. Short-tail: “dog food”
2. Long-tail: “hypoallergenic dog food prices”
3. Product-specific: “Osprey Kyte 46 pack Women’s”

Tools like SEO.com, Semrush, or Ahrefs can help you find keywords with high volume and low competition.

Improve Your Content

Don’t just copy-paste manufacturer descriptions. Write your own unique product content.

How?

• Highlight features and benefits
• Use target keywords naturally
• Add FAQs
• Include customer reviews (they can boost conversions by 52.2%)

Optimise Your Images

Images aren’t just pretty – they’re SEO gold. Here’s how to polish them:

Link Your Pages Together

Strong internal linking helps users and search engines navigate your site. Use breadcrumbs to show the path, for example:

Home > Men’s Clothing > Shirts > Blue Cotton Tee

3. Improve User Experience and Sales

Boost Your Site Search

A great site search can make your e-commerce store shine. Why? Because searchers are often ready to buy.

Here’s how to level up your search:

1. Make it easy to spot
2. Add autocomplete
3. Use faceted search
4. Handle typos
5. Personalise results

Office Depot’s search for “chair” is a prime example. It offers tons of suggestions and filters, making product hunting a breeze.

Leverage Customer Reviews

Reviews are e-commerce SEO gold. They build trust, drive sales and help with search visibility.

Make reviews work for you:

• Show them on product pages
• Use schema markup
• Ask for detailed, keyword-rich reviews
• Address negative feedback

Fun fact: Reviews can boost conversions by 52.2%. That’s a big win for your bottom line.

4. Use Advanced SEO Methods

Want to supercharge your e-commerce SEO? Let’s explore two powerful techniques that will boost your search visibility and help Google understand your content better.

Add Structured Data

Structured data is like a cheat code for search engines. It labels your content so Google can easily grasp what it’s about.

Why use it?

• Creates rich snippets in search results
• Boosts click-through rates
• Helps Google understand your content

Here’s a real-world example for a shoe product:

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org/",
  "@type": "Product",
  "name": "Ankle Boots Ana",
  "description": "The most comfortable ankle boots you've ever seen.",
  "brand": {
    "@type": "Brand",
    "name": "Ana"
  },
  "offers": {
    "@type": "Offer",
    "url": "https://www.example.com/ankle-boots-ana.html",
    "priceCurrency": "USD",
    "price": "212.99",
    "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock"
  }
}

This structured data is like handing Google a product spec sheet. It spells out exactly what you’re selling, how much it costs, and if it’s in stock.

Create and Submit a Sitemap

A sitemap is your website’s GPS for search engines. It shows them all your important pages and how they’re connected.

Why create one?

• Helps Google find and index your pages
• Speeds up crawling
• Lets you prioritise your most important pages

Making a sitemap is easy. Use tools like XML-Sitemaps.com or plugins like Yoast SEO for WordPress.

Once you’ve got it, here’s how to submit it to Google Search Console:

1. Log in to Google Search Console
2. Click “Sitemaps” in the left sidebar
3. Enter your sitemap URL
4. Hit “Submit”

And you’re done! You’ve just given Google a VIP tour of your site.

5. Work on Off-Page SEO

Off-page SEO boosts your site’s authority beyond your own website. Here’s how:

Get Quality Backlinks

Backlinks are like votes of confidence from other sites. They tell Google your content is link-worthy.

How to get them:

1. Use HARO: Offer expert quotes to journalists. Get backlinks when they use them.
2. Create share-worthy content: Make stuff so good, people WANT to link to it.
3. Reach out to industry publications: Write guest posts or provide expert insights.
4. Fix broken links: Find dead links on other sites. Offer your content as a replacement.

Use Social Media

Social media isn’t just for likes. It can pump up your SEO too:

1. Optimise profiles: Use keywords in your bio. Link to your site.
2. Share content: Post links to your blog and product pages.
3. Engage: Reply to comments. Build relationships.
4. Team up with influencers: They can spread the word about your brand.

6. Track and Analyse Your Progress

You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Here’s how to track your e-commerce SEO:

Set Up Tracking Tools

Google Analytics and Google Search Console are your go-to tools. They’re free and packed with insights.

Google Analytics shows:

• Traffic sources
• User behavior
• Top-converting pages

Google Search Console reveals:

• Search appearance frequency
• Queries driving traffic
• Technical issues

Setting up is simple:

1. Create a Google Analytics account
2. Add tracking code to your site
3. Link Analytics to Search Console

Don’t just set it and forget it. Check your data often.

Key metrics to watch:

SEO isn’t instant. Be patient.

“It takes 3-6 months to see significant SEO results for e-commerce sites,” – John Mueller, Google’s Search Advocate

Keep tweaking based on data. That’s how SEO becomes your e-commerce growth engine.

Conclusion

SEO drives e-commerce success. Here’s a quick recap of our 15-step checklist:

1. Set up technical SEO
2. Nail on-page SEO
3. Boost user experience
4. Use advanced SEO tactics
5. Build off-page SEO
6. Track and tweak

But here’s the thing: SEO isn’t a “set it and forget it” deal. It’s an ongoing process.

Check out these stats:

Want to stay on top? Here’s what to do:

• Keep your SEO strategy fresh
• Do regular keyword research
• Use Google Analytics to track performance
• Roll with algorithm changes

Remember, SEO is a marathon, not a sprint. As Google’s John Mueller puts it:

“It takes 3-6 months to see significant SEO results for e-commerce sites.”

So stick with it. The payoff is worth it.

FAQs

How do I optimise my ecommerce SEO?

Want to boost your ecommerce SEO? Here’s what you need to focus on:

1. Keyword research

Find keywords that match what buyers are looking for. Use Amazon Suggest to uncover long-tail keywords that could lead to more sales.

2. Product page optimisation

Write detailed product descriptions. Aim for 1,000+ words and naturally include your target keywords. Don’t forget to optimise titles, meta descriptions and image alt text.

3. Site structure

Keep it simple. Use a logical URL structure like this:

yourstore.com/category/subcategory/product-name

4. User experience

Make sure your site works well on mobile and loads fast. A responsive design is a must.

5. Schema markup

Use structured data to help search engines understand your content better. This can give you an edge in search results.

SEO isn’t a one-and-done deal. Keep updating your content, check your rankings, and tweak your strategy as needed.