Whether you’re new to Shopify or have been using it for years, there is always a way to improve your search engine optimization and draw more customers to your store. If consumers search for a product, they are more than likely to purchase it. So how do you make sure your product is at the top of the list? Let’s talk about different ways to improve your search engine optimization for Shopify.
Why SEO Matters
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) was created to ensure your target customer finds your website when searching for a specific product that you offer. Shopify comes with several features to help improve your SEO, but there are other ways to improve your SEO and ensure your site ranks higher than your competitors while growing your audience.
4 Ways to Improve Your Search Engine Optimization on Shopify:
- User experience
- Keywords
- Alt text
- Links
How to Improve User Experience
SEO has become Search Experience Optimization as much as it is Search Engine Optimization, as search engines continue to care about the experience a user has on your site. Two of the most important parts of your search experience are:
- Site speed
- Responsive design
Why Your Site Speed Matters
Your site speed is one of the most important aspects of your website. Studies show that 1 in 4 visitors will abandon a site if it takes more than four seconds to load. Four seconds does not give you much time to impress your customers and draw them in. If your site takes too long to load, your bounce rate soars, which tells search engines that users aren’t finding your content useful.
Use PageSpeed Insights to check specifics like your First Contentful Paint, Time to Interactive, Speed Index, Total Blocking Time, and Cumulative Layout Shift.
While focusing on page load times for each page, don’t forget about your checkout page. Forty-six percent of users won’t revisit poorly performing websites, and if your competitor’s checkout page is even a second faster, you could lose a customer.
Why Responsive Design is Crucial for SEO
Responsive design means creating web pages that will offer a positive user experience across all devices and screen sizes. Did you know that 74% of users are most likely to return to a site that has a mobile-friendly design? About half of the internet traffic comes from mobile devices.
While mobile devices are popular, it’s important to remember that the screen sizes are different between phone screens, iPads, tablets, and laptops. Your Shopify site should cater to any of these devices, no matter the size. Keep these statistics in mind for optimal success as you plan your website.
Dedicate Time to Keyword Research
Another way to improve your SEO is keyword research. Keyword research optimizes your site for search terms customers are using on a daily basis. Keywords are great for your web pages but should also be used in product descriptions and blog content.
Start by putting yourself in the customer mindset. For example, if you were searching for your product, what would you type into Google? Then test it out! Did you get the results you hoped for? Review keywords you rank for, search volume, the URLs, Google Analytics, and your competitor’s ranking keywords. Choose 5-10 keywords that you’d like to rank for or improve the ranking for.
Now that you have your list, optimize your product descriptions using these keywords. Strategically place your keywords throughout product descriptions, blog content, product titles, and your meta titles/meta descriptions, but avoid keyword stuffing. Remember, every part of your website contributes to your site’s optimization.
Add Alt Text to Your Images
If Shopify loves anything, it’s a good visual. If there are 50 pictures of the same thing, search engines are looking for an image that matches what a user is looking for. Adding alt text to your image helps search engines find images faster!
Keep the alt text brief, implement your keywords when applicable, and don’t overthink it. Writing a successful image alt can feel daunting, but you got this, and if you are still feeling uneasy, we have you covered.
Focus on Building Relationships for Backlinks
In short, backlinks are SEO’s word of mouth that relies on establishing your site’s trustworthiness and credibility. While it all happens off-page, backlinks are crucial to SEO. Link building is one of the most important elements of your store’s SEO success. Allowing these other companies to vouch for your site and your products drives even more traffic to your site and continues to improve your rankings.
How to Know Where to Begin Improving Your Shopify SEO
If you have had your site for a while, you may be wondering where to begin. Start by looking at Google Analytics for your site. Google Analytics includes information that identifies trends and patterns in how your visitors engage with your site. The analytics include several reports that will give you a snapshot of your site and help you plan your optimization strategy.
If you are just starting out, you can still implement many of these practices. By focusing on ways to drive organic traffic to your site from the beginning, you will be able to focus on continuing to grow your sales.
SEO: The Key to Your Shopify Success
As discussed, there are several things you can do to improve your ranking and drive customers to your site. As you improve your optimization, you will notice an upward trend in sales. Customers are always looking for a company that provides a positive online shopping experience from start to finish.
Don’t forget to stay true to your brand, your site, and your target audience. This will keep you ahead of your competitors and your customers loyal. By implementing the techniques above, you will be converting prospects to customers in no time!