Were you aware that the notion of search engine optimisation (SEO) can trace its roots as far back as 1997?
While online marketing was still a relatively new concept at the time, it would not take long for such strategies to become an integral portion of any successful e-commerce campaign. SEO has remained pivotal within the digital business community ever since. Let’s therefore examine some basic concepts that every novice should become familiar with at an early stage.
Partnering with a Solid E-Commerce Platform
One of the most common mistakes that budding entrepreneurs make is to believe that they must rely solely upon their own efforts when developing a solid SEO campaign. Thankfully, this is hardly the case. One example of how third-party expertise will work wonders can be seen in this informative Shopify SEO guide.
From canonicalisation and analytics to website loading times and using the proper HTML tags, it pays to work with the best in the business. Considering the fact that Shopify is employed by 4.6 million e-commerce sites in the United States alone, why not take full advantage of such expertise?
The Social Side of Things
Social media marketing and SEO have also developed a hand-in-hand relationship. Word of mouth is one of the most important factors that consumers will analyse before committing to a specific product or service. This is why any successful e-commerce portal will make an effort to establish a presence across platforms such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and LinkedIn. Social media advertising also requires very little capital; an ancillary benefit for businesses that are grappling with budgetary concerns.
Keeping it Close to Home
Traditional SEO techniques tend to be associated with reaching as large of a target audience as possible. While this is still true to an extent, we have begun to witness a slight paradigm shift. The notion of local SEO is now gaining momentum, and for good reason. The ability to resonate with a smaller demographic provides several bespoke advantages such as:
- Increased visibility within a discrete marketplace
- Transparency and brand awareness
- Higher local search engine rankings
- Straightforward sales and pipeline management
- Streamlined customer engagement
Developing a pronounced presence within local online circles is yet another way to capitalise upon novel opportunities while remaining one step ahead of the competition.
The End-User Experience
Some businesses believe that SEO is primarily concerned with “behind-the-scenes” issues such as HTML tags and keyword density. Although these are part of the equation, they are but a handful of facets. Modern search engine optimisation must also focus upon the end-user journey. Online customers expect a streamlined experience, and anything less could very well cause them to look elsewhere.
Note that this is only an extremely brief overview of what you need to know about SEO in 2024. As the online e-commerce sector continues to evolve, there is no doubt that additional tips and tricks will emerge. Keeping abreast of these recommendations is the best way to enjoy long-term success.
