If you own an e-commerce store and you aren’t currently doing anything to work on your SEO, then you are invariably shooting yourself in the foot. Like it or not, search engine optimization is an essentiality for any e-commerce business that wishes to remain competitive. In this article, we’ll explain why.
What is SEO?
SEO (search engine optimization) refers to a wide range of tactics that are designed to increase the overall quantity and value of traffic heading to your website, via search engines.
Given the fact that e-commerce businesses typically exist entirely online without any physical store, not working on your online presence would be like having a physical store tucked away in some back alley with blacked out windows and no signs.
Or better yet, owning a gun without ammunition; it looks great, but it’s practically pointless.
How does SEO help e-commerce businesses?
Let’s get down to it then; how does SEO help e-commerce businesses and why is it so important?
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Attract more leads
The single best tactic to drive potential customers to your website, consistently, is SEO. Not only that, but SEO puts your website in front of the right traffic—as in, people who are actively searching for the products that you sell.
For example, if you specialise in grocery deliveries in Houston, Texas, how can you expect to attract more leads online if you don’t have an online presence?
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More leads = more sales
The more clicks from people who are actively searching for the products that you sell online, the better your chances of increasing your sales and profit.
That said, SEO is not just about driving more traffic to your website, but also improving your website to make it more attractive to page visitors.
This means improving page load speed, having convenient internal linking, and adding engaging content with the appropriate keywords (e.g., the most affordable arts & crafts supplies in Houston).
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Establish your authority
Good SEO rankings and domain authority go hand in hand. In other words, the more relevant and user-friendly the content you produce, the more trustworthy and respectable you will be in the eyes of Google – and thus the better your website will rank.
It’s a win-win.
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Reduce marketing spend and increase profits
As far as long-term digital marketing strategies go, SEO provides the highest ROI (return on investment).
Yes, SEO is an investment and it does take time to establish and pick up pace, however, when executed properly with a reputable SEO company, your marketing will eventually pay for itself.
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Fill gaps between competitors
Not only do you want to outperform your competitors in the long-run, but fill the keyword gaps between them as well.
For example, your SEO strategy should involve competitor analysis. This means looking at their websites and identifying any opportunities for content that is scarcely covered and using valuable keywords that very few businesses are focusing on.
They may well rank for thousands of keywords, but there will be plenty of long-tail keywords that will have lower search volumes, but higher conversions.
So, for example, if you are a Houston based e-commerce store that supplies industrial businesses with maintenance, repair, and operations equipment, creating unique content relevant to your niche will be a great way to drive more traffic to your website.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are a number of attractive benefits to working on your search engine optimization tactics. If you wish to start driving more high-quality traffic to your e-commerce store, you need to put the time in.
If you feel overwhelmed and wish to consult the experts, we recommend working with a reputable Houston SEO company that can help you get things off the ground as quickly and as effectively as possible.