Ecommerce SEO 101: Conversion Rate Optimization Tips

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Janet Lee
By Janet Lee

May 19, 2023

A good ecommerce SEO strategy goes beyond basic page metrics to turn website traffic into sales. This is called conversion rate optimization (CRO) and it is a crucial tactic for any ecommerce company.

With careful planning and an expertly designed website, you can improve your conversion rates and turn website visitors in paying customers. This post will give you show you how it's done.

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7 Tips To Improve Ecommerce SEO

Ecommerce SEO doesn't have to overly complicated. With a few simple tweaks, you can boost the volume and quality of your website traffic while giving your sales a nice boost.

1. Efficient Searches for Essential Products

The functionality of a simple search box is an essential part of any ecommerce website. Shopping online is about efficiency amid a wide range of options, and consumers like to find exactly what they are looking for with speed and accuracy.

When your search box is easy to find with a prime location on the header of your home page, users will be more likely to find the specific product or service information that attracted them to your website in the first place.

2. Encouraging Customer Feedback

Product reviews are an important part of the online shopping experience, and when consumers can read authentic, positive reviews of your product or service, they will be more likely to convert into a customer. The opportunity to learn about the satisfaction and enjoyment other consumers have had with your products is a strong motivator for additional sales of similar products.

3. Efficient, Accessible Support

When a potential customer has a question, the ease in which he or she can find an answer has a strong effect on the ability to turn this prospect into a dedicated customer.

Offering quick attention with a live operator or live chat agent can mean the difference between gaining a customer or missing the mark for your conversion rate optimization goals. Customers expect quick answers when shopping online, and engaging them with immediate answers to their questions is the ticket to gaining solid sales.

4. High-Quality Content for Conversion Rate Optimization

When your website has a professional look and style, consumers will be more likely to trust the value of your product and the efficiency of your service. Including complete, detailed product descriptions, instructional videos and high-quality images can help turn traffic into sales.

Like a brick-and-mortar store, your website should be visually engaging and provide an enjoyable shopping experience for your customers. It should also be optimized for search at deeper levels. 

5. Simplify the Checkout Process

When your website’s analytics indicate that you lose many of your customers during checkout, the issue may be an unclear process or an overly complex payment system. The checkout portion of your business website should be simple and include clear information about the steps required to complete the order. Offering multiple payment methods is a thoughtful convenience for your customers based on the way they prefer to do their online shopping.

6. Entice Customers With Free Shipping

When shopping online, prospective customers pay close attention to the additional shipping charges that may add a significant amount to the cost of purchasing a product. When shipping is added to the total cost of the order, the customer may decide to look for the product elsewhere online or shop locally to avoid shipping.

When your business takes the step of offering free shipping, there are no surprises in the shopping cart that might cause your customer to hesitate before completing the order.

7. Study Your Best Options

Testing the features of your website is a valid way to ensure that your audience is finding your website appealing to visit and easy to navigate. Performing A/B tests is a simple way to try out new ideas and analyze the performance of two different formats.

For example, changes to button text styles and colors can make them more visible for placing orders. You may also see positive changes with your conversion rate optimization if you simplify navigation or add a direct call to action.

Each website and audience may respond in different ways, and relying on standard features may not be ideal for your ecommerce business needs. With A/B testing, it is imperative to test just one feature at a time and to utilize your analytics to see changes in traffic and the conversion rate between two different options.

The opportunity to test – rather than guess what will appeal to customers – two different versions of essential parts of your website will give you the information you need to make excellent ecommerce SEO choices.

Optimizing Your Ecommerce Website

Identifying potential improvements, defining your sales goals and optimizing your website for ecommerce SEO will allow you to enjoy more customer conversions based on your current website traffic. As a marketing strategy, it’s a smart way to continue to grow your business and increase the return on your investment.

Our team at WEBITMD understands ecommerce inside out and we know what Direct-to-Consumer brands need to grow. Contact us today to get started or download your free Growth Stack Guide below to learn how we do it.

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