SEO can be a complex and time-consuming process, but it can be very effective in driving traffic to a website. That’s why it has become an essential component of any online marketing strategy.
However, In the future, SEO is likely to become even more important as search engines become more sophisticated and as consumers increasingly rely on online search to find information and products. As a result, businesses that want to be successful online will need to invest in SEO.
If you are running (or want to run) a Shopify store you should consider Shopify SEO for optimizing your store for the search engines. It will not only give your business a huge boost but will also increase your brand value and reputation.
Don’t know where to start? Don’t worry, this comprehensive guide on Shopify SEO is for you. It will guide you from the beginning to success in a very conventional way. So, gain knowledge from this guide and then either optimize your store yourself or hire a reputed firm for Shopify SEO services.
How important is SEO?
Let me answer this question with four major factors.
- The majority of traffic originates from organic search
According to a study by Statista, organic search accounts for 53.3% of all website traffic. This means that more than half of all visitors to a website come from search engines, such as Google, Bing, and Yahoo.
- Paid advertising expenses are rising
The cost of paid advertising is also rising. In fact, the average cost per click (CPC) for Google AdWords has increased by 20% in the past year. This means that businesses are spending more money to get their ads seen by potential customers.
- SEO is free traffic
SEO is a free way to improve your website’s ranking in search engines. By optimizing your website for relevant keywords, you can attract more visitors to your site without having to pay for advertising.
- Ranking first in search engines can increase daily traffic by up to 30%
The higher your website ranks in search engines, the more traffic you will receive. In fact, a study by Moz found that ranking first in Google can increase daily traffic by up to 30%.
As you can see, SEO is an important part of not just Shopify stores’ marketing strategy but of each and every online business. By investing in SEO, you can improve your website’s ranking in search engines, attract more visitors, and increase your sales.
Before you begin: Essentials for Improving Shopify SEO
Before you begin working on optimizing the SEO of your Shopify store, there are a few things you must do first. They are as follows:
- Purchase a custom domain (if not)
Your store requires its own domain in order to flourish in SEO. Custom domains build trust with potential customers who click through from search engines and are also more memorable. If you’re still using brandname.myshopify.com, it’s time to switch to a custom domain, such as brandname.com. A custom domain will cost you between $10 and $20 per year.
- Connect Google Analytics
Google Analytics is a free tool that helps you track website traffic and measure the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns. By connecting Google Analytics to your Shopify store, you can see how many people are visiting your site, where they are coming from, and what pages they are viewing. This information can help you improve your SEO by optimizing your website for the keywords that people are using to find you.
- Verify website to Google Search Console
Google Search Console (GSC) is a free tool from Google that helps you track your website’s performance in search engines. By verifying your Shopify store with GSC, you can see how your pages are ranking in search results, identify any errors that may be affecting your ranking, and submit sitemaps to help Google index your pages more quickly.
- Have a responsive theme
A responsive theme is a theme that is designed to look good and function properly on all devices, including desktop computers, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. By using a responsive theme, you can ensure that your website will be accessible to all of your customers, regardless of what device they are using.
- Unlock your store for public
If your Shopify store is password protected, it will not be indexed by search engines. To make your store visible to search engines, you need to unlock it for public access. You can do this by going to your Shopify admin panel and clicking on the “Settings” tab. Then, under the “General” section, uncheck the box next to “Password Protect My Store.”
- Choose a paid Shopify plan
The free Shopify plan does not include some of the features that are essential for SEO, such as Google Analytics and Google Search Console. If you want to improve your Shopify store’s SEO, you should choose a paid plan that includes these features.
By following these essentials, you can improve your Shopify store’s SEO and attract more visitors to your site.
Technical SEO
Technical SEO is the process of optimizing a website’s technical infrastructure to make it easier for search engines to crawl and index its pages. This includes factors such as page speed, mobile-friendliness, and site structure.
Technical SEO is important for Shopify stores because it can help improve their ranking in search engines. A well-optimized Shopify store will be more likely to appear in search results, which can lead to increased traffic and sales.
There are a number of things that Shopify store owners can do to improve their technical SEO. Some of the most important include:
Logical internal linking strategy
An internal link is a link that points from one page on your website to another page on your website. Internal links are important for SEO because they help search engines crawl and index your website. They also help users navigate your website and find the information they are looking for.
A logical internal linking strategy is a strategy that uses internal links to connect related pages on your website. This helps search engines understand the structure of your website and the relationships between your pages. It also helps users find the information they are looking for more easily.
To create a logical internal linking strategy, you need to:
- Identify your most important pages: These are the pages that you want to rank well in search engines.
- Create internal links from these pages to other related pages: This will help search engines understand the structure of your website and the relationships between your pages.
- Use relevant anchor text: The anchor text is the text that appears on the link. Make sure that the anchor text is relevant to the page that you are linking to.
- Use descriptive titles and headings: The titles and headings of your pages should be descriptive and informative. This will help users understand what the page is about and will also help search engines understand the content of your pages.
Optimizing page speed
Search engines prefer websites that load quickly. There are a number of things that Shopify store owners can do to improve their page speed, such as minifying CSS and JavaScript files, optimizing images, and using a content delivery network (CDN).
Making your store mobile-friendly
More and more people are using their mobile devices to search the web. To ensure that your Shopify store is visible to these users, you need to make sure that it is mobile-friendly. You can do this by using a responsive theme or by adding a mobile-specific stylesheet to your store.
Fix Website errors
Fixing website errors is very important for SEO. Website errors can prevent search engines from crawling and indexing your pages, which can hurt your website’s ranking in search results.
Some of the most common website errors include:
- 404 errors: 404 errors occur when a page cannot be found. This can happen if the page has been moved, deleted, or renamed.
- 500 errors: 500 errors occur when there is an internal server error. This can happen for a variety of reasons, such as a software bug or a hardware failure.
- 403 errors: 403 errors occur when you are not authorized to access a page. This can happen if you are not logged in or if you do not have the correct permissions.
If you find any website errors, it is important to fix them as soon as possible. You can use a website crawler to find errors on your website. Once you have found the errors, you can fix them by editing your website’s code or by contacting your web hosting provider.
Optimizing your site structure
The structure of your Shopify store can have a big impact on its SEO. Make sure that your pages are well-organized and that they use clear and descriptive titles and headings. You should also avoid using duplicate content on your site.
Image search optimization strategy
Image search optimization is the process of optimizing images on your website so that they can be found in image search results. Image search is a popular way for people to find information on the web, and optimizing your images can help you reach a wider audience.
There are a few things you can do to optimize your images for image search:
- Use descriptive alt text: Alt text is the text that appears when an image cannot be displayed. Make sure that your alt text is descriptive and informative. This will help users understand what the image is about and will also help search engines understand the content of your images.
- Use relevant file names: The file name of an image is the name that appears in the address bar of your browser. Make sure that your file names are relevant to the image. This will help users and search engines understand what the image is about.
- Use high-quality images: High-quality images will look better in search results and will be more likely to be clicked on by users. Make sure that your images are high-resolution and that they are well-lit.
Submitting your sitemap to Google Search Console
Google Search Console (GSC) is a free tool that helps you track your website’s performance in search engines. By submitting your Shopify store’s sitemap to GSC, you can help Google index your pages more quickly and accurately.
By following these tips, Shopify store owners can improve their technical SEO and improve their chances of ranking well in search engines.
On-Page SEO
On-Page SEO is the process of optimizing your Shopify store’s website pages for search engines. This can be done by using relevant keywords, creating a clear and concise title, and using descriptive headings.
Keyword Research and Uses
Keyword research is the process of finding keywords that people are using to search for information online. Once you have found the right keywords, you can use them to optimize your Shopify store for search engines.
There are a few different ways to do keyword research. One way is to use a keyword research tool, such as Google AdWords Keyword Planner or Moz Keyword Explorer. These tools will help you find keywords that are relevant to your business and that have a high search volume.
Another way to do keyword research is to look at the keywords that your competitors are using. You can do this by using a tool like SEMrush or Ahrefs. These tools will show you the keywords that your competitors are ranking for.
Once you have found the right keywords, you can use them to optimize your Shopify store for search engines. You can do this by using the keywords in your title, headings, and throughout your content.
Targeting Match Search Intent
Once you have chosen your keywords, you need to make sure that you are targeting the right search intent. Search intent is the reason why someone is searching for a particular keyword. There are four main types of search intent:
- Informational: People who are searching for informational intent are looking for information. They may be looking for a definition, a tutorial, or a review.
- Navigational: People who are searching for navigational intent are trying to find a specific website or page. They may be looking for your website, a competitor’s website, or a government website.
- Transactional: People who are searching for transactional intent are looking to buy something. They may be looking for a product, a service, or a coupon.
- Commercial: People who are searching for commercial intent are looking to learn more about a product or service. They may be looking for reviews, comparisons, or pricing information.
When you are targeting search intent, you need to make sure that your content is relevant to the keyword and that it answers the user’s question. You also need to make sure that your content is easy to read and understand.
Content Optimization Strategies
There are a few different ways to optimize your content for search engines. One way is to use relevant keywords in your title, headings, and throughout your content. You should also make sure that your content is well-written and easy to read.
Another way to optimize your content for search engines is to use images and videos. Images and videos can help to break up your text and make your content more visually appealing. They can also help to improve your search engine ranking.
Finally, you should make sure that your content is up-to-date. Search engines prefer fresh content, so you should update your content on a regular basis.
By following these tips, you can improve your Shopify store’s On-Page SEO and improve your chances of ranking well in search results.
Off-Page SEO
Off-Page SEO is the process of improving your Shopify store’s ranking in search engines by building links to your website from other websites. Links from other websites are a signal to search engines that your website is credible and authoritative.
There are a few different ways to build links to your Shopify store. One way is to create high-quality content that people will want to link to. Another way is to participate in online communities and forums. You can also reach out to other websites and ask them to link to your website.
Active Link Building
Active link building is the process of building links to your website by reaching out to other websites and asking them to link to you. This can be done by sending emails, submitting your website to directories, or participating in link-building campaigns.
Active link building can be effective, but it is important to do it carefully. If you build too many links too quickly, search engines may see it as spam and penalize your website.
Passive Link Building
Passive link building is the process of building links to your website without actively seeking them out. This can be done by creating high-quality content, participating in online communities, and being active on social media.
Passive link building is a slower process than active link building, but it is more sustainable in the long run.
Outsource Shopify SEO Services for better and faster result
Outsourcing Shopify SEO services from a reputed professional SEO company can help you achieve better results faster. An experienced SEO company such as OTT SEO will have the knowledge and expertise to help you improve your Shopify store’s ranking in search engines. They can also help you with tasks such as keyword research, content optimization, and link building.
If you are looking to improve your Shopify store’s SEO, then outsourcing to a professional SEO company is a great option. Here are some of the benefits of outsourcing Shopify SEO services:
- Save time: Outsourcing Shopify SEO services can save you a lot of time. SEO is a complex and time-consuming process. By outsourcing it to a professional SEO company, you can free up your time to focus on other aspects of your business.
- Get better results: An experienced SEO company will have the knowledge and expertise to help you improve your Shopify store’s ranking in search engines. They can also help you with tasks such as keyword research, content optimization, and link building.
- Get peace of mind: Outsourcing Shopify SEO services can give you peace of mind. You can rest assured knowing that your Shopify store’s SEO is being handled by a professional SEO company.
If you are considering outsourcing Shopify SEO services, then be sure to do your research and choose a reputable SEO company. There are many SEO companies out there, so it is important to find one that is a good fit for your needs.
-
By SEO
- May 23, 2023
By SEO
