Shopify is a large platform that supports millions of e-commerce websites. If you're running a Shopify store and not getting the visibility you desire due to low traffic, then you should consider exploring ways to drive organic traffic to your store and enhance its visibility.
In this blog, we are going to introduce a few key Shopify SEO practices that you can implement to drive traffic to your store.
What Is the Shopify Platform?
Shopify provides a platform for eCommerce businesses regardless of their size to create online stores and sell their products across the globe. Shopify makes it easier for you to sell products directly on popular social media platforms with ease.
Shopify is an ideal choice for eCommerce entrepreneurs to set up their online stores within their budget. Shopify boasts features like product catalogs, payment processing, shipping, inventory management, and more, which enhance the functionality of your store.
Link Your Store to Google Search Console and Bing
Webmaster Tools
Google search console and Bing Webmaster tools help index web pages of your Shopify store and keep track of your content across the website to ensure that your web pages are visible in search results.
Additionally, these tools also provide you with the sources from where the maximum traffic to your website originates. With the help of search analytics, you can get insight into the performance of your site and identify the areas, which require SEO improvements.
This data helps you tackle any technical SEO errors in the nick of time. Connecting your Shopify store with these two tools allows Google and Bing to acknowledge the presence of your store, expanding its visibility to a broader audience.
Choose a Custom Domain Name:
Once you create your Shopify store, you'll automatically receive a 'myshopify.com' domain name. Custom domains are usually viewed as more professional and trustworthy by both search engines and users, which may result in higher click-through rates and improved search engine visibility.
You are provided with options to purchase a custom domain either directly through Shopify or from any reputable third-party domain registrar.
SEO for Search Engines:
SEO for search engines helps increase the discoverability of your website online. Writing product descriptions, titles, and summaries with targeted keywords communicates directly with search engines, which leads to improved visibility of your site.
Providing clarity on your content increases the chances of your website being displayed in search results. By optimizing images with descriptive filenames and alt tags, you can enhance accessibility and pave the way for additional possibilities for ranking in image searches.
Improve Site Structure for Seamless Navigation:
It is very important to have a well-structured site as it guides search engine crawling and indexing of your store and makes sure your store's pages are accurately displayed in search results for relevant queries. It also helps distribute link equity evenly throughout your site. Seek a clear navigation path that leads users directly from your homepage to your product pages.
Engage Your Audience with Engaging Content:
Content marketing is a great way to drive organic traffic by providing audiences with informative content they can relate to. To optimize your content, add the right keywords that people are likely to use while browsing.
Enhancing your SEO not only strengthens your online presence but also fosters trust among your audience, motivating them to visit your site for information and potential purchases.
Conduct Keyword Research to Improve Your Site’s Visibility
You need to identify the target keywords to maximize the visibility of your product and category pages in search results for relevant queries. Multiple tools are available to help you research the keywords your target customers use when searching for the products you offer.
Google Keyword Planner, Google Trends, Ahrefs, and Semursh are the few most effective tools for comprehensive keyword research. These tools help you gather information about keywords, such as search volume, traffic, and those used by competitors. Additionally, you can collect keywords commonly used by users based on their region and country.
Adopt Link Building Strategy:
Link building proves effective in enhancing your store’s visibility on search engines. This strategy entails forging partnerships and exchanging links with reputable websites in your industry. This not only boosts traffic to your site but also elevates your store's credibility and improves its search engine ranking.
Successful link building necessitates the creation of high-quality, relevant content that other websites consider valuable and worthy of linking to. This method conveys to search engines, which establishes your site as a trusted source of reliable information. Consequently, it amplifies your SEO endeavors and ultimately drives up sales.
Fix 404 (broken links) Errors:
Broken links (404) can have negative impacts on your Google ranking. They also affect the user experience. Leverage tools such as Google Search Console or Screaming Frog to conduct scans on your site for broken links, then use Shopify’s URL redirect feature to redirect them to another page.
Enhance Mobile Responsiveness:
While all Shopify themes are designed to be mobile-friendly, it's essential to thoroughly test your store on different devices to guarantee an optimal shopping experience.
Take advantage of Shopify's built-in mobile view preview to make any necessary changes to images, menus, and checkout processes.
Optimize Robots.txt file:
In your robots.txt file, you specify which pages on your website search engines should crawl and index. Shopify automatically creates a default robots.txt file, which you can customize to improve crawling. This process includes directing search engines to keep their focus on specific pages of your site.
With robots.txt, you can make those primary pages accessible to a wider audience, thereby generating organic traffic.
Encourage Customers to Share Reviews:
Positive reviews from satisfied customers serve as social proof, establishing trust with potential buyers. Encouraging happy customers to share their experiences through positive reviews can strengthen your store’s credibility. Sharing these experiences on social media can expand your reach even further, driving more organic traffic as potential customers are swayed by the positive feedback from others.
Start Email Marketing:
Email marketing helps you make direct communication with both your existing and potential customers. You can use the emails you collect from different touchpoints to establish a direct line of communication and indulge in conversation with your audience.
Regularly sending newsletters, product updates, and exclusive offers helps keep your brand at the forefront of customers' minds, encourages repeat visits to your store, and can maintain long-lasting relationships with customers.
Conclusion:
Shopify SEO practices are essential for driving organic traffic to your store and improving its visibility on search engines. The above-mentioned SEO tips contribute to a comprehensive SEO strategy. By following these practices, you can enhance your store's online presence, increase traffic, and strengthen long-term relationships with customers.
