That’s what ecommerce SEO does for your online store. It sets up your products to be found easily by shoppers searching online.

But ecommerce sites face unique challenges versus their B2B counterparts. So you might be wondering if and how SEO works on an ecommerce site.

The good news is that SEO is for every website — it addresses the specific needs of an ecommerce site to help increase its visibility in the search results and boost conversions.

In this article, I’ll go over the basics of SEO ecommerce, why it’s important and how to get started. By implementing the ideas in this list, you can help ensure people don’t just find you, but they stick around long enough to shop.

What Is Ecommerce SEO?

Ecommerce search engine optimization is the process of optimizing an online store to improve its visibility and organic rankings in the search engine results pages.

This is in contrast with digital ads, for example, where you pay to play in the search engine results.

With ecommerce SEO, the focus is predominantly adapting the website strategy to the transactional (sales) intent of people’s search engine queries, and to an audience that’s ready to buy.

Ecommerce SEO techniques include a mix of on-page, technical and off-page optimizations.

Keep in mind that each website and business is unique, and that SEO is a complex process that involves hundreds of interdependent variables.

Therefore, SEO best practices do exist for ecommerce sites, and we also customize strategies for each individual ecommerce site.

Why Is Ecommerce SEO Important?

If you’re in the business of ecommerce, you are likely no stranger to paying for digital ads.

But what would happen if you turned your ads off tomorrow? The answer is you’d disappear from the search results, never to be seen again.

That is, unless you invested in SEO.

SEO helps you claim more real estate on the search engine results pages (SERPs). And it helps you drive longer term traffic to your website. (See: What Is a Whole-SERP Strategy?)

Ecommerce SEO Makes You Less Dependent on Ads

Without SEO:

1. Online stores may become virtually invisible on SERPs.
2. Ecommerce sites lose significant traffic to competitors.
3. Potential sales are left on the table and growth stagnates.

Don’t get me wrong, pay-per-click ads are almost a necessity in the ecommerce world. Ecommerce brands are expected to spend about $38 billion on digital ads by the end of 2024.

But imagine if you could build up your organic search traffic as well, so you weren’t *so* reliant on digital ads.

Ecommerce SEO Is More Than Product Descriptions

Also consider the different ways you could engage with your target audience when you’re not just driving them to product pages, but other helpful resources.

Remember: SEO is designed to support every stage in the customer journey.

Just see one article in Nordstrom’s content strategy, below:

Ecommerce SEO Is About the User Experience

Once people get to your ecommerce website, you want the experience to be as smooth as possible.

There are already enough hurdles to jump through to get a person to put an item in their cart, and then actually check out with that item. (Considering that shopping cart abandonment hovers at around 70%.)

A poor user experience can cost you conversions. Consider the ski brand Rossignol, which was able to realize a 94% year-on-year lift in conversions by making its site faster.

SEO works to not only draw traffic in, but guide you in how to structure your website for a better user experience.

How Do You Do Ecommerce SEO? 12 Steps

Ecommerce sites stand to benefit from some of the same tried-and-true SEO strategies that benefit any type of site.

But there are also some special SEO tactics reserved just for ecommerce sites.

While there are countless SEO strategies to apply to ecommerce websites, here are 12 to get right:

1. SEO siloing
2. Core web vitals
3. HTTPS
4. A mobile-friendly site
5. Long-tail keywords
6. Helpful, quality content
7. On-page SEO
8. Structured data
9. Handling duplicate content
10. Handling out-of-stock items
11. Google Merchant
12. Reviews

1. SEO Siloing

If you walked into a library and none of the books were categorized, finding the right information would be a disaster. Similarly, you want your site’s content neatly organized for visitors.

An ecommerce website needs to be organized in a manner that is easy for search engines to crawl and understand, and especially easy for users to find what they are looking for.

A user-centric structure goes beyond looks—it ensures every tap leads somewhere worthwhile.

Internal links guiding shoppers like friendly store clerks and clear calls-to-action make sure they don’t have to guess what to do next.

For more, read: What Is SEO Siloing? And see Google’s help file: Help Google understand your ecommerce website structure.

2. Core Web Vitals

Core web vitals (CWV) are a set of recommendations from Google on how to create a better website experience by optimizing key functions of the website – like a health checkup for websites.

CWV measures things like loading performance, ease of interactivity and visual stability during page load time. All of these impact the shopping experience.

We’re living in the age of instant gratification, and patience isn’t exactly our strongest virtue. A sluggish website can cause visitors to bounce faster than you can say “abandoned cart.”

For more, see: Core Web Vitals for SEO: An Overview.

3. HTTPS

It’s almost unheard of these days for an ecommerce site to not have implemented HTTPS, but it’s worth mentioning that it’s a ranking signal in Google’s algorithm.

For more, read: HTTPS for Users and Ranking.

4. A Mobile-Friendly Site

It’s estimated that about 58% of website traffic comes from mobile devices. And, of course, there’s Google’s mobile-first index to contend with.
The necessity of having mobile-friendly ecommerce platforms cannot be overstated. In short, you can’t ignore this important step.

For more, read: The Mobile-Friendly Site.

5. Long-Tail Keywords

Ecommerce is highly competitive, and in many cases, businesses are competing against giants like Amazon, Walmart, Target, etc.

Targeting long-tail keywords with quality, educational content can help businesses that may not have as many resources to compete against the competition.

Focusing on lower volume search terms may seem counterintuitive, but it’s about quality over quantity. These specific phrases can attract highly relevant traffic.
To weave this strategy into your content plan, think like your customer. If someone is looking for “handcrafted vegan leather women’s boots,” that shopper has passed window-shopping mode; they’re ready for action.

For more, see: How to Beat the Giants in the Search Results in 9 Simple Steps.

6. Quality, Helpful Content

Helping your target audience consider your products and guiding them to a decision is critical in ecommerce.

A lot goes into this, taking into consideration things like E-E-A-T, quality content and helpful content.

Writing unique product descriptions is a big factor here. Each product description must tell a story, while weaving in keywords naturally.

Imagine being able to describe a pair of sneakers so vividly that readers can almost feel them on their feet; that’s the level we’re aiming for.

This isn’t just about avoiding duplicate content, but about making every word count towards convincing potential customers they need this item.

7. On-Page SEO

Optimizing category, subcategory and product pages on your site is a foundational SEO tactic for ecommerce. There is a lot you can do here, including adding helpful, optimized content.

For example, title tags and meta descriptions may seem like small fry compared to other elements on your site but think again.

These snippets are essentially your “shop window display” in the SERPs. A solid title tag could mean the difference between someone scrolling past or stopping by.

For more, see: The Always Up-to-Date SEO Checklist and What Are Meta Tags? Why Are They Important? How Do You Do Them?

8. Structured Data

Structured data helps clarify to search engines what the page is about. This helps with relevance when they are determining a match to a query.

Plus, structured data creates rich results in the SERPs, which can attract more attention to your listing versus the competition.

For more, check out What Is Structured Data and Why Is It Important for SEO? And Google’s help file: Include structured data relevant to ecommerce.

9. Handling Duplicate Content

Ecommerce sites are notorious for duplicate content issues.

Whether it’s using generic product descriptions form the manufacturer, getting filter parameters added to URLs, faceted navigation, multiple categories and product pages, or something else, handling duplicate content should be a routine SEO task.

For more, read Is Duplicate Content Bad for Search Engine Rankings?

10. Handling Out-of-Stock Items

One important function of ecommerce SEO is handling out-of-date and out-of-stock products.

For items temporarily out of stock, keep the pages live but update them with information about restocking dates or alternative product recommendations; this way, you can retain page rankings and engage potential customers.

Permanently discontinued products require a different approach. Rather than leaving these pages to result in 404 errors — which can be detrimental for the user experience — put into place 301 redirects towards related products or categories that offer value to potential customers.

This enhances the shopping journey while safeguarding your site’s SEO performance.

Of course, sometimes 404s happen, so having a creative strategy for your 404 pages is also another way to enhance the shopping experience.

For more, see: How to Design a 404 Error Page That Saves a Sale.

11. Google Merchant Center

It’s not required, but uploading product data to Google Merchant Center may help with organic listings including rich results and Google Images.

See the Google help file: Share your product data with Google.

12. Product Reviews

Product reviews written by people with actual experience or knowledge of the product can help ecommerce websites drive more traffic and conversions.

Reviews show real experiences from real people, which can help convince others to buy.

For more, check out Google’s help file: Write high-quality reviews and be sure you understand Google’s product reviews system for ranking.

And also see our article: Is Sentiment an SEO Trust Signal?

Ecommerce sites face unique challenges, but implementing these SEO strategies will help product-focused businesses get more visibility in the search results, and more conversions on your site.

Need more traffic, visibility and conversions from your ecommerce site? Our SEO experts can help you implement strategies that will earn better results. Schedule a free consultation today.

FAQ: How can ecommerce SEO improve my online store’s visibility and organic ranking?

The success of your online stone starts with effective ecommerce SEO. Implement the following strategies to improve your visibility, traffic and ranking.

Understand customer intent: By recognizing the search intent of your potential customers, you can optimize your e-commerce site to provide the most relevant results based on their queries.

Keyword research: Conduct thorough keyword research to identify the most relevant and high-converting keywords for your e-commerce store. Include these keywords strategically in your product titles, descriptions and meta tags to improve organic ranking.

Optimize product descriptions: Well-written and optimized product descriptions not only provide valuable information to your customers but also help search engines understand the context of your products. This increases your chances of ranking higher.

On-page optimization: Ensure that your e-commerce website is search engine friendly by optimizing meta tags, URLs, heading tags and alt text for images. This helps search engines better understand your content, improving visibility and ranking.

User-friendly website structure: A well-structured website with intuitive navigation makes it easier for search engine crawlers to index your pages. Utilize internal linking to further optimize the flow of link equity throughout your site.

Mobile optimization: With the majority of online shoppers using mobile devices, having a mobile-friendly website is essential. Optimize your e-commerce store for mobile devices to improve user experience, boost visibility and boost organic ranking.

Site speed optimization: Website loading speed directly impacts user experience. Optimize your e-commerce store’s performance to ensure fast loading times and smooth browsing.

High-quality content: Creating informative, relevant, original and engaging content around your products or industry not only establishes you as an authority but also attracts organic traffic. Incorporate relevant keywords naturally into your content to optimize for search engines.

Integrate these ecommerce SEO best practices and see how they can improve visibility, traffic and organic ranking for your online store.

Step-by-Step Procedure:

1. Understand your target audience and their search intent.
2. Conduct keyword research to identify relevant keywords for optimization.
3. Optimize product descriptions with targeted keywords.
4. Implement on-page optimization techniques.
5. Ensure a user-friendly website structure and intuitive navigation.
6. Optimize your e-commerce store for mobile devices.
7. Optimize website speed and performance.
8. Create high-quality and informative content.
9. Incorporate keywords naturally into your content.
10. Monitor your website’s performance using analytics tools.
11. Stay current with algorithm changes and adapt your strategies accordingly.
12. Continuously refine and improve your e-commerce SEO strategies.

The post What Is Ecommerce SEO? appeared first on Bruce Clay, Inc..

SEO is about so much more than just optimizing a website. It’s about reaching your target audience online when you can help them. It’s about seizing opportunities for more branding, visibility and revenue.

So if you’re unsure how SEO can help your business beyond keywords, title tags and anchor text, read on …

5 Reasons You Need SEO

1. Organic Search Drives the Majority of Traffic and Revenue for Many Industries

Forrester research found that 71% of people turned to search engines for discovery, and 74% used them for consideration/purchase.

That is likely why research from BrightEdge (2019) shows that the organic search channel made up 53% of traffic to websites on average across industries. For B2B companies, organic search generates two times more revenue than any other channel.

That was 2019. And we know that a lot has changed since then, too. Gartner pointed out in 2020 that brands needed to shift from certain activities like advertising and invest more in digital and organic marketing due to the pandemic.

And in fact, they have. By February 2021, CMOs said their digital spending grew 14.3% relative to the preceding 12 months.

So what does this mean to you?

You want your company to be on Page 1 of the search results to capture your share of the traffic going to Google each day that is looking to discover and consider what you have to offer.

2. SEO Supports the Customer Journey

When your prospect goes through the process of awareness, consideration and decision-making about what you have to offer, SEO is there every step of the way.

How? Let’s look at some of the SEO activities that support the customer journey in organic search:

SEO Activities in Awareness Phase

• Keyword research so you can understand what queries your target audience uses when they use search engines to learn more about what you have to offer.
• Competitor research so you can see what your competitors on Page 1 of the search results are doing right and how you can do better.
• Search engine results page research so you can understand what type of content is showing up for your target queries. (Blue links? Videos? Images?)
• An optimized website using SEO technical best practices so that you actually have a chance to show up for the queries you want.

SEO Activities in Consideration Phase

• Optimized search engine listings so that your webpage description stands out among the rest.
• High-quality, optimized content that supports the questions that your prospects have along the way.

SEO Activities in Decision-Making Phase

• Tools and resources on your website that helps your prospects make decisions like landing pages and customer reviews.

See our in-depth article on this topic for more on how SEO supports the customer journey.

3. SEO Creates a Good User Experience Which Impacts Your Website’s Ability to Rank

Enticing people to click through from the search results is one thing. Getting them to stay on your website is another.

Google’s “page experience” ranking algorithm update went live in 2021. This ranking algorithm looks at factors that would impact a webpage experience like:

• Page load performance
• Responsiveness
• Visual stability
• Mobile-friendliness
• HTTPS
• No intrusive interstitials

Not being able to meet these needs may impact your website’s ability to rank over time. The good news is that SEO can help!

4. SEO Supports Public Relations and News Visibility

If you have news you want to get out, SEO can enhance the process.

For example, when distributing news via a press release, you can implement SEO best practices. That way, you won’t get into any situations where your news releases look like spam.

Press releases can contribute to your business’s and website’s experience, expertise, authority and trust (E-E-A-T) — quality metrics from Google. You can learn more about this in my guide on the basics of E-E-A-T.

And if you’re a news publisher, there is a lot to consider with getting your articles into Google News. This is another area where SEO can help.

For more, read:

• Why Press Releases Still Matter to SEO and How to Write a Press Release That Entices Media 

5. You Can Measure the Value of SEO

In the past, SEO has got a bad rap regarding measurement.

That is because traditionally, companies have been able to track things like digital ad investments, which is more straightforward.

Most of the time, measuring the value of SEO means changing the mindset around it. Here, you want to ask simple questions like:

• Does your target audience use search engines? (See point No. 1 in this article – the answer is “yes.”)
• Is your competition investing in SEO, and are they ranking for the terms your prospects are using in the search engines? Again, the answer is yes here. There will always be companies that show up for important queries to your business.
• What would happen if you did decide to stop advertising? Would your organic presence be able to make up for the loss in visibility?

You can explore these questions in more detail, including how much you should invest and what results you can expect to see in my article on SEO myth-busting and measuring the value of SEO.

3 Reasons You Need an SEO Expert to Help

1. To Prioritize Your SEO

Simply checking the boxes off an SEO checklist can only get you so far.

To succeed with SEO, it is important to do a website SEO audit so that an expert can prioritize tasks based on problems you should fix right away, what can move the needle the fastest and what the long-term objectives are.

2. Because It’s a Big Job

The time involved to diagnose a website and create a proper SEO strategy – not to mention the time invested in pivoting as search engines change – is a big job.

Remember, SEO is not a “one time” or “sometimes” thing. It’s a long-term strategy that should last for as long as your website is alive. And that means you reap the benefits for years to come.

Plus, when you hire an SEO expert, you not only get the experience that comes with years of performing SEO, but you also get the benefit of that expert’s continuing education as they stay up-to-date with news and trends that impact your SEO.

3. Because Not Hiring an Expert Can Cost You

How long will you wait to try to beat your competition online?

If you don’t hire the expertise needed to do it, your competition will have invested that much more time and energy into their SEO efforts than you.

That means missed opportunities and potential revenue for as long as you put SEO on the backburner or as long as you hire cheap SEO help.

SEO Is Essential in the Online Marketplace

Your prospects will continue to turn to search engines to learn more about what you have to offer.

But will you be there? Or will it be your competition?

Investing in SEO is a smart strategy that will help you reap the rewards of organic search traffic for years to come. We can help — schedule a FREE 1:1 consultation today.

FAQ: How can SEO benefit my business beyond keywords?

SEO is not limited to just incorporating keywords on your website; it is a comprehensive approach that can transform your business’s online performance and unlock a host of benefits that extend far beyond mere keywords.

SEO can be an extremely effective means of increasing organic website traffic. By optimizing your website to attain higher search engine result pages (SERPs), searchers will be drawn directly to it when actively searching. This targeted traffic holds immense value as it comprises potential customers genuinely interested in what you offer.

SEO encompasses an array of techniques that support the customer journey from the awareness phase, where keyword research and competitor analysis lay the foundation, to the consideration phase, where optimized content addresses user queries, and finally, the decision-making phase, where landing pages and customer reviews facilitate conversions. Embracing SEO across this journey ensures a seamless and engaging experience for your prospects.

Beyond keyword optimization, user experience plays a vital role in SEO success. Google’s algorithm rewards websites that provide visitors with a positive, informative, and hassle-free experience. Factors such as page load speed, mobile-friendliness, and visual stability contribute significantly to a good user experience, leading to higher rankings on SERPs and improved chances of retaining visitors on your site.

Embracing SEO also enhances your business’s credibility and authority. Your website consistently appears in top search results, building trust among your target audience. Additionally, SEO integrates well with public relations efforts as optimized press releases can garner more visibility, showcasing your business as an authoritative source in your industry.

Measuring the value of SEO is crucial to understanding its impact on your business. Through insightful analysis, you can determine your SEO strategies’ effectiveness, identify improvement areas and make data-driven decisions to optimize your online presence continually.

How SEO Transcends Keywords for Business Success: Step-by-Step

1. Conduct in-depth keyword research to identify high-value, relevant terms that align with your business objectives.
2. Analyze competitor websites to gain insights into successful SEO strategies and refine your approach.
3. Implement on-page optimization techniques, including title tags, meta descriptions and header tags, to improve your website’s visibility in search results.
4. Create high-quality, valuable content that addresses your audience’s pain points and provides solutions to their queries.
5. Leverage link-building strategies to earn backlinks from reputable websites, enhancing your website’s authority in the eyes of search engines.
6. Focus on mobile optimization to ensure a seamless user experience for visitors accessing your site from various devices.
7. Regularly update and refresh your website content to maintain relevance and attract returning visitors.
8. Utilize local SEO tactics to target potential customers in your geographic area.
9. Optimize your website’s loading speed to reduce bounce rates and improve user satisfaction.
10. Leverage social media platforms to amplify your content and expand your online reach.
11. Monitor website analytics to track the performance of your SEO efforts and make data-driven adjustments.
12. Incorporate schema markup with rich snippets to enhance your website’s appearance in search results.
13. Implement a comprehensive internal linking strategy to improve navigation and boost the authority of important pages.
14. Provide users with a simple and enjoyable UX design by using intuitive navigation, a clear call to action and an attractive design.
15. Create high-value content that genuinely solves a problem or answers a question for your target audience.
16. Leverage testimonials and reviews as you grow to build trust with consumers.
17. Optimize your website’s metadata, including image alt tags and meta titles, to improve accessibility and search engine indexing.
18. Regularly audit your website for technical SEO issues and promptly address any errors or crawlability issues.
19. Continuously monitor industry trends and updates in SEO algorithms to stay ahead of the curve and adapt your strategies accordingly.
20. Regularly analyze and measure the ROI of your SEO efforts, making informed decisions to optimize your business’s online performance continually.

The post 5 Reasons Your Company Needs SEO + 3 Reasons You Need an Expert To Help appeared first on Bruce Clay, Inc..

One of the major touch points is the search engine results pages. Because of that, your SEO strategy can help a person go from “just learning or browsing” to “sign me up!” or “ready for checkout.”

In this article, I’ll explain how SEO supports the customer journey as we discuss:

• What is a customer journey?
• How does SEO support the customer journey?
• Awareness phase
• Consideration phase
• Decision-making phase
• Refinement over time
• FAQ: How can I effectively use an SEO strategy to support customers through their decision-making journey?

What Is a Customer Journey?

A customer journey, also known as a buyer journey or consumer decision journey, is the steps that a person takes on their journey to decide to buy a product, service, or convert in some other way.

There are many different theories on how the customer journey goes. One of the most well-known models is AIDA, which stands for awareness, interest, desire, and action.

This classic model shows a linear journey that starts with a person’s awareness of the brand, product, or service and ends with an action (like a purchase, download, or something else).

However, some argue that the linear journey is no more — that it’s not that simple. Consumers are faced with many new touchpoints and more decisions than ever. McKinsey is one of the proponents of a cyclical consumer decision journey that looks more like this:

Whatever model you choose to follow, know that there will likely be some form of awareness, consideration, and, ultimately, a decision in the process. Gartner provides some useful tips on creating a customer journey map here and here.

You will, of course, have many different marketing channels to choose from to help your potential customer on their journey. SEO should be one of them.

How Does SEO Support the Customer Journey?

Research shows that when a person is interested in researching or buying, they first turn to the search engines.

• Forrester research found that 71% of people turned to search engines for discovery, and 74% used them for consideration/purchase.
• Google data shows 43% of consumer goods shoppers have used search in their most recent shopping journey to become inspired, browse or research. And 82% of evergreen shoppers used a search engine related to their shopping.
• BrightEdge research (2019) found that across five sectors, the organic search channel contributed the most revenue at an average of 44.6%. And B2B companies, in particular, generated twice as much revenue from organic search as from any other channel.

Depending on the industry you’re in, search engine optimization can support many stages of the customer journey, from initial research to the decision-making process.

Let’s next look at the many ways SEO can support the customer journey using a very generic customer journey of awareness, consideration, and decision-making.

Awareness Phase

Potential customers need to become aware of your product or service as they search online. One of the most obvious ways to ensure this will happen is to show up on Page 1 of the search results.

Keyword Research

Keyword research is how you begin to understand the search queries your target audience is using when they turn to search engines, and what they want when they are using them. This step is the foundation of your content and communications strategy for the organic search channel.

For more, read:

• Keyword Research — How to Select Keywords
• What Are Keywords? Why Are Keywords Important to SEO? And How Do You Do Keyword Research?

Competitor Research

Once you know the keywords you are targeting, you can begin to size up the competition. Who shows up in the top ten results for those queries? This helps you better understand not only what content Google thinks is relevant and quality for that query, but also what the competition is doing right (and wrong). The goal is to be least imperfect compared to competitors.

For more, read:

• How to Do Competitor Research for SEO
• SEO Should Beat the Competition, Not the Algorithm

SERP Research

What kind of content shows up for the keywords you are targeting? Are there videos and images along with the blue organic links? Make sure you are creating the type of content that is relevant to that query.

For more, read:

• What Is a Whole-SERP SEO Strategy?

An Optimized Website

To compete in the search results, you also need a website that is optimized from the ground up to provide a good experience for users to browse and for search engines to crawl. If you provide neither, it will be harder for you to rank on Page 1.

For more, read:

• Technical SEO Tips
• The Always Up-to-Date SEO Checklist

Consideration Phase

While potential buyers are in their research and comparison phase, they are learning more about your product, service, or brand, as well as considering others. Your job is to get them to choose you, and you can do that through various SEO strategies.

Optimized Search Listing

First things first, you need them to click on your content from the search results. So anything you can do to make your search listing stand out, do it! There are a ton of ways to optimize your search listing, and meta tags and structured data are two important ways to make your search listing stand out.

For more, read:

• What Are Meta Tags?
• What are SERP Features, and Why Should I Care?

Content, Content, Content

This may be one of the most important things to get right. You will map the content you produce on your website to your keywords to help your potential customers along their journey.

Mapping your content to your keywords means understanding the intent behind them so that the content best answers the searcher’s query. It also involves planning out the architecture of your website — strengthening your topic silos, knowing which content will live in the main navigational pages/directories and which on the blog, and so forth.

Making your content high-quality is another critical step. You must understand the guidance Google sets forth in its Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines and know what the top-ranked pages are doing as well.

As you create quality content, you will acquire links, which in turn will help generate more awareness. And, as people browse your website, you have the opportunity to present other types of content to help them along their journey, for example, a helpful e-book or guide they can download.

For more, read:

• SEO Siloing: What, Why, How
• Complete Guide to the Fundamentals of Google’s E-E-A-T
• What Makes a Webpage Quality?
• The Always Up-to-Date SEO Checklist

Decision-Making Phase

Along their journey, customers will have learned from you and added you to their list of companies to consider. But in order to seal the deal, people look at certain factors like reputation and how you compare to competitors.

Robust Decision-Making Tools

You’ll want to make sure your product/service pages are compelling and as useful as possible. Maybe you also have a landing page on your website that has a handy comparison chart of your brand/product/service compared to your competitors, or some sort of tool or widget they can interact with to help them make a decision.

Customer Reviews

Ensure you have a way of capturing your customer reviews and displaying them on your website. Customer quotes and a star-rating system can go a long way in helping your customer decide to go with you instead of your competitors.

Also, think about things like your Better Business Bureau profile as well — many people go there to scope out a potential vendor. For businesses in the U.S., we recommend claiming your BBB profile and then monitoring and responding to reviews.

For more, read:

• Is Sentiment an SEO Trust Signal?
• How to Use Sentiment Analysis to Strengthen SEO Trustworthiness

Refinement over Time

Customer journeys can change, algorithms can change, competitors can change, and other things that are out of your control can change. So as you leverage SEO for your customer journey, ensure you are always tracking your performance through SEO tools and analytics.

And if something happens with your rankings, you need to understand better why and fix it right away.

For more, read:

• 5 Things to Know When Your Site Loses Rankings
• The Top SEO Software That Experts Use Every Day

There’s a lot you can do to support potential customers through the different phases of their decision-making process. But just make sure your search presence is strong to help people find you both upfront and throughout their customer journey.

If you need help analyzing and improving your SEO strategy, contact us for a free quote and consultation.

FAQ: How can I effectively use an SEO strategy to support customers through their decision-making journey?

A well-crafted SEO strategy can significantly influence and support customers’ decision-making journey. As an expert in the field, I have witnessed firsthand the transformative impact of leveraging SEO to guide potential customers seamlessly from initial awareness to confident decision-making.

Understanding the Customer Journey

A successful SEO strategy begins with a deep understanding of the customer journey. By comprehending the stages of awareness, consideration, and decision-making, you can tailor your content to meet customers’ needs at each step. This involves extensive keyword research to identify potential customers’ terms during their search. Expert tip: Go beyond industry jargon and delve into the language your customers use to maximize relevance.

Crafting Compelling Content

Relevant and high-quality content is integral in engaging audiences and positioning your brand as an authority within its niche. Develop informative blog posts, videos, and guides addressing pain points and offering solutions. Don’t underestimate the power of long-form content that delves deep into a topic, as it captures users’ attention and keeps them on your site longer.

Optimizing Search Listings and User Experience

Optimize your search listings with captivating meta titles and descriptions. These elements serve as your digital storefront, enticing users to click through to your content. Additionally, ensure your website is user-friendly and responsive across devices. A seamless browsing experience enhances credibility and encourages users to explore further.

Leveraging Social Proof and Reviews

In the decision-making phase, potential customers seek reassurance. Highlight customer reviews, testimonials, and case studies on your website. Positive feedback serves as social proof, instilling confidence and aiding decision-making. Users who see others benefiting from your product or service are more likely to convert.

Continuous Monitoring and Improvement

An effective SEO strategy is not static; it evolves with changing algorithms and user behavior. Regularly monitor your site’s performance using analytics tools. Assess which keywords drive traffic, study user behavior, and adjust your content and strategy. Stay updated with industry trends, and algorithm changes to maintain your competitive edge.

A well-executed SEO strategy can be a powerful ally in guiding customers’ decision-making. By comprehending the stages of the customer journey, creating compelling content, optimizing search listings, leveraging social proof, and embracing a culture of continuous improvement, businesses can enhance their online presence, build trust, and drive customer conversions.

Step-by-Step Procedure for Effective SEO Strategy Implementation:

1. Conduct thorough research on your target audience and their preferences.
2. Identify relevant keywords and search terms using keyword research tools.
3. Devise a plan of content that supports each stage of customer journeys.
4. Generate high-quality content that is engaging, informative, and tailored specifically to the stage.
5. Optimize on-page elements, including meta titles, descriptions, and headers.
6. Ensure your website is mobile-friendly and user-friendly for seamless navigation.
7. Implement schema markup to enhance search engine visibility.
8. Regularly update and refresh your content to maintain relevance.
9. Encourage user-generated content and customer reviews.
10. Leverage social media platforms to promote your content and engage with your audience.
11. Build high-quality backlinks from reputable and relevant sources.
12. Monitor your website’s performance using analytics tools.
13. Track keyword rankings and organic traffic growth.
14. Analyze user behavior to identify opportunities for improvement.
15. Stay updated with industry trends and algorithm changes.
16. Adapt your SEO strategy based on data-driven insights.
17. Continuously refine and optimize your content and strategy.
18. Foster a culture of learning and experimentation within your team.
19. Engage with your audience through comments, forums, and social media.
20. Collaborate with SEO experts or agencies for advanced strategies and insights.

The post How SEO Supports the Customer Journey appeared first on Bruce Clay, Inc..

In this article, I’ll explain why defining your target audience is important and how to figure out who they are and what they want.

• Why understanding your target audience is important to SEO 
• Who is my audience and what do they want?
• Next, create your personas
• Your target audience and their journey matters to SEO 
• FAQ: How can demographic data enhance audience targeting strategies?

Why Understanding Your Target Audience Is Important to SEO

Of late, there has been talk that persona identification is a waste of time. I think that persona identification has been in marketing for decades, long before digital. It is an integral part of marketing, even if it is not properly labeled.

Let’s use an example: fishing. If you want to catch fish, you need two things: you need the bait your fish are eating, and you need to fish where the fish are. A proper persona identification gives you both. You may think it is unimportant, but then you are not having fish for dinner.

When your target audience searches for what you offer using a search engine, you want your website to show up in the search results. You need the right bait and to put it where your fish can see it. To me, this is obvious.

You have less chance of doing so without knowing what your target audience is searching for. And, when they get to your website, if you don’t have the right content that resonates with them, it can negatively impact your conversions.

Who Is My Audience and What Do They Want?

Here are three steps you can take to get to the heart of the question: Who is my audience, and what do they want?

1. Demographics

Build a profile of your target audience (and you may have more than one) by exploring the following data points and more.

If you’re targeting a consumer:

• Gender can impact buying patterns.
• Age can impact buying decisions.
• Location of where they are informs your marketing strategy.
• Marital status can impact your audience’s priorities.
• Education level can help you communicate better with them.
• Occupation information helps you with more targeted marketing.
• Income helps you understand what level of investment they may be willing to make.
• Beliefs help you better understand what matters to them.
• Lifestyle is another way to understand and target your audience with relevant messaging.

If you’re targeting a business:

• Industry
• Products or services
• Annual revenue
• Company age
• Location
• Number of employees
• Key decision-makers within the company (roles)

Even when a business is your target audience, there are certain roles within that company you will be targeting (like a consumer). So getting to the heart of what those decision-makers want will be important. (More on that later.)

There are several ways you can gather market research like this. There are companies out there that exist that only do this type of thing.

There is also your Google Analytics account, which can give you key data about the audience that is already coming to your website.

If you’re using the Universal Analytics version of Google Analytics, the audience reports can show you everything from demographics and interests to location, devices used, and more.

2. Keywords

Search engines are usually the starting point for people to discover products, brands, or services and for the consideration phase as well. According to Forrester Consulting research:

• Seventy-one percent use search engines as the starting point for discovery.
• Seventy-four percent use search engines for consideration/purchase.

Keywords are the search queries that your target audience uses in search engines to find what they are looking for.

You need to know what those search queries are so that you can create content for your website around them. This helps the search engines determine that your website is a relevant match for what your target audience is looking for.

Without this critical step in knowing what your audience wants, your website may never have a chance to be found.

For more information, check out:

• What Are Keywords?
• How to Do Keyword Research for SEO

3. Interviews

One of the best ways to get to know your target audience is to take a sample of it and interview them. This could be by web survey or phone.

Make sure to get a sample that represents all your target customers, so it may vary by product or service. Then, craft the questions that can help you get into their minds.

The Buyer Persona Institute recommends asking questions like:

• Why do they decide to buy or sign up for your product, service, or other solution?
• How do they evaluate their options before buying or signing up?
• What prevents them from buying or signing up?
• What results do they expect from buying or signing up for your product, service, or other solution?

You can also glean insights by better understanding their behavior online, such as:

• Which publications do they read?
• What websites do they frequent?
• Who do they follow on social media?
• What are their active social media profiles like?

Another qualitative research you might want to consider: use a sample of your target audience to give feedback on your website experience. There are companies out there that can help you conduct this type of research.

For example, you could find out if:

• Your website is easily navigable (Can people easily find what they need?)
• The information is helpful on your website
• The site is easy to use from any device
• They are pleased with the customer service options

Next, Create Your Personas

Once you have gathered the necessary data on your target audience using some or all the research steps outlined in this article, it’s time to create the persona profiles. You will have one of these for each of the types of people you are targeting.

A persona is an archetype of your target audience. You will reference it again and again as you create content and other SEO campaigns to ensure that what you are doing is relevant to that archetype.

There are a variety of different ways to create the actual persona profile, but it is usually a document that can be one page (or more) and sums up the data you discovered in the research.

Google “persona profile examples” and you’ll get a bunch of ideas on how to put one together visually.

For more, see: Web Personas: Creating Jane

Your Target Audience and Their Journey Matters in SEO

SEO is very much a part of the customer journey.

A customer journey, also known as a buyer journey or consumer decision journey, is the steps a person takes to make a decision to buy a product, sign up for service, or convert in some other way.

Of course, behavioral intent can shift as people go through the customer journey. Most people start out with an informational intent, then move through their research and investigation phases before reaching the point when they’re ready to buy (the transactional intent phase).

Behavioral intent categories should supplement, not replace, understanding your personas. Knowing your audience is the first step in making sure your SEO efforts are on target so that you can bring in the right organic search traffic and convert your visitors.

If you’d like to discuss your particular marketing challenges and how the team at Bruce Clay can help you, contact us for a free quote and start the conversation today.

FAQ: How can demographic data enhance audience targeting strategies?

Crafting campaigns that genuinely connect with your audience demands a deep understanding of their needs and preferences. Demographic data can be an invaluable asset to marketers. Demographic characteristics like age, gender, and location give marketers invaluable insights.

Demographic data serves as the foundation of audience targeting. Marketers gain a comprehensive picture of their potential customers by analyzing this data. Take age, for instance. A younger audience might respond better to social media campaigns, while an older demographic could engage more with traditional advertising channels. Armed with such insights, marketers can tailor their messaging to each group’s preferences, increasing the likelihood of capturing their attention.

Location is another critical demographic factor. Regional nuances often impact consumer behavior and preferences. A product that sells well in one area might not resonate in another due to varying cultural norms or economic conditions. Marketers can develop region-specific campaigns that foster a stronger connection and drive conversions by segmenting audiences based on location.

Gender plays a significant role in crafting targeted marketing. Consider skincare products. Men and women might have distinct preferences, leading to tailored messaging for each gender. These nuances extend to language and imagery choices, which can profoundly impact how a message is received. By aligning campaigns with gender preferences, marketers showcase their understanding and connect on a more personal level.

Educational background is a valuable demographic dimension. A highly educated audience might appreciate in-depth content and technical details, while a less-educated group may prefer simpler language and visuals. By gauging educational levels, marketers can adjust the complexity of their content to ensure it resonates with the audience’s intellectual level, enhancing engagement and comprehension.

Demographic data empowers marketers to go beyond assumptions and create campaigns founded on real insights. Demographic data forms a powerful toolkit for crafting highly personalized strategies when combined with other factors like psychographics and purchase behavior. By recognizing the unique characteristics of their audience, marketers can establish trust, deliver value, and drive results.

Step-by-Step Procedure: Enhancing Audience Targeting Strategies with Demographic Data

1. Define Your Target Audience: Clearly identify the audience you want to reach and understand their potential demographic characteristics.
2. Gather Data: Collect relevant demographic data through surveys, forms, and analytics tools.
3. Analyze Age and Gender: Examine age and gender distributions to tailor content and messaging appropriately.
4. Consider Location: Analyze geographical data to create location-specific campaigns and promotions.
5. Assess Educational Levels: Understand the educational background of your audience to adapt content complexity.
6. Segment Audience: Divide your audience into subgroups based on demographic traits.
7. Develop Persona Profiles: Create detailed personas representing different demographic segments.
8. Craft Targeted Messages: Create messages that resonate with each persona’s preferences and needs.
9. Choose Communication Channels: Select communication channels favored by different demographic groups.
10. Language and Tone: Use language and tone that align with your audience’s preferences.
11. Personalize Content: Tailor content to reflect the unique characteristics of each demographic segment.
12. Test and Optimize: Run A/B tests to refine your strategies and optimize engagement.
13. Iterate and Learn: Continuously analyze results and iterate based on performance.
14. Combine Data: Combine demographic data with psychographics and purchase behavior for a comprehensive view.
15. Leverage Technology: Use data analytics tools to gain deeper insights into audience preferences.
16. Update Regularly: Keep demographic data up-to-date to reflect evolving audience characteristics.
17. Adapt to Trends: Stay attuned to shifting demographic trends to adjust strategies accordingly.
18. Monitor Engagement: Track engagement metrics to measure the success of your targeted campaigns.
19. Refine Over Time: Refine strategies based on ongoing analysis and feedback from the audience.
20. Build Trust: Consistently deliver relevant, personalized content to build trust and loyalty.

By leveraging demographic data in audience targeting, marketers unlock the potential to create impactful campaigns that resonate on a personal level. Understanding the unique characteristics of your audience empowers you to deliver the right message through the right channels, fostering deeper connections and driving meaningful results.

The post 3 Steps to Define Your Target Audience for Your SEO Program appeared first on Bruce Clay, Inc..