Are you an online retailer, selling to the public via e-commerce? That is, can your customers choose what they want to buy from your website, pay for it, and then have it delivered direct? If the answer is YES, read on. We have some great insights into SEO for e-commerce businesses.

First, let’s help you get started by doing a quick self-test. Answer the following questions with either a Yes or No.

1. Do you include an image for each individual product for sale on your website?
2. Is there a brief description for each individual product for sale on your website?
3. Do you provide a search facility to enable customers to find any product?
4. Do you use indexing to help customers see where they are and know where to go?
5. Do you store purchase information in order to learn about your customers buying behaviour?
6. Do your customers have to register and login before they can purchase from you?

If you answered NO to any of these questions, then read on. The following list contains actions pertaining to each of the above questions. You can use these actions to ensure your e-commerce is being used to its full potential as an SEO device.

1. Make sure each product you sell has an image that is labelled and tagged so it is searchable on Google images.
2. Make sure each product you sell has a description which uses keywords that your customers would use to find that product. It will then show up on Google shopping searches.
3. Adding a comprehensive search facility on your site means that you will need to correctly index and tag every item, but in doing this, you are making every item more searchable on Google too, especially if you add a search facility which is powered by Google.
4. Indexing and categorising your products into groups, and showing customers where they are, makes it easier for them to navigate the site and browse around. Look at EBay and Amazon for excellent examples of this. They have departments, sections, and sub-categories that can all be seen and easily clicked on so shoppers can go backwards and forward throughout the online store easily and retrace their steps as required.
5. Store all purchase information for each customer. You can do this by lining a database to your CMS. This allows you to tap into customer behaviours and trends, as well as know who will be interested in certain special offers or new products.
6. Ensure each customer registers prior to a purchase. You can offer a social media login to make it quick and easy for them, but it is invaluable as a way of building a relationship with customers, gathering their details, and developing solid metrics and statistics on what you are selling, who to, and how often.

Before you start working on the above points, please check out How to Improve the Shopping Experience of Your Customers?