E-commerce SEO mistakes and how to avoid them 

1. Ignoring best practices for product descriptions 

The mistake: Many e-commerce websites rely on manufacturer’s descriptions for product information, leading to duplicate content across multiple websites. Alternatively, some might not provide enough information, missing out on the opportunity to include valuable keywords. 

The solution: Create unique, keyword-rich descriptions for your products. This not only helps to avoid the penalties associated with duplicate content but also improves user experience and engagement. 

2. Failing to optimise for mobile 

The mistake: In today’s mobile-first world, not having a mobile-optimised website can severely hinder your SEO efforts, as Google prioritises mobile-friendly websites in its rankings. 

The solution: Implement responsive design to ensure your site is accessible and navigable on all devices. Regularly test your site’s mobile performance and user experience to ensure compliance with SEO best practices. 

3. Not using SEO-friendly URLs 

The mistake: Complex URLs that are difficult to read and understand can negatively affect your site’s SEO. URLs with session IDs or dynamic parameters can be particularly problematic. 

The solution: Use clear, concise, and descriptive URLs that include relevant keywords. This not only helps with SEO but also improves user experience.  

4. Poor site structure and navigation 

The mistake: A confusing site structure with poor navigation can hinder search engines from properly indexing your site and make it difficult for users to find what they’re looking for. 

The solution: Organise your site hierarchy logically. Use breadcrumb navigation and categorise products in a way that makes sense to both users and search engines. This can improve both SEO and the shopping experience. 

5. Not implementing structured data 

The mistake: Falling to use structured data markup can mean missing out on opportunities for your products to stand out in SERPs with rich snippets such as ratings, prices and stock availability. 

‍The solution: Implement and regularly update Schema.org markup to help search engines better understand and display your content. This can lead to enhanced visibility and click-through rates. 

6. Neglecting image optimisation 

The mistake: Images that are too large can slow down your site, negatively impacting user experience and SEO. Additionally, not optimising alt tags with relevant keywords means you’re missing out on a key opportunity to optimise your site for SEO. 

The solution: Compress your images without losing quality and always use descriptive, keyword-rich alt tags. This helps improve page load times and provides a context for search engines. 

7. Overlooking internal linking

The mistake: Underutilising internal linking can lead to missed SEO benefits. Effective internal linking improves site navigation, helping search engines index your pages more effectively and increasing the authority of your site. 

The solution: strategically link to relevant product and category pages where appropriate. This not only helps with SEO but also enhances the user’s ability to discover additional products. 

8. Not focusing on content beyond products 

The mistake: Concentrating solely on product pages and neglecting content creation can limit your ability to attract organic traffic. It may also reduce engagement with users who are not yet ready to buy.

The solution: Develop a content strategy that includes blogs, how-to guides, and other helpful resources that relate to your products. This can attract a broader audience and build authority and trust. 

9. Inadequate keyword research 

The mistake: Choosing the wrong keywords - or not doing keyword research at all - can detail your SEO efforts. In addition, high competition on broad terms or irrelevant keywords can waste resources. 

The solution: Conduct thorough keyword research. Focus on long-tail keywords that match your target audience’s search intent and integrate them naturally into your content. 

10. Ignoring SEO analytics and tools

The mistake: Not tracking your SEO progress or ignoring data from analytics can lead to missed opportunities and correction of ongoing issues. 

‍Solution: Regularly monitor your SEO performance using tools such as Google Analytics and Google Search Console. Use the insights gained to refine your strategies and fix issues. 

Key takeaways 

By recognising and addressing these common mistakes, you can ensure your e-commerce SEO strategy drives traffic, engages visitors, and converts clicks into customers. Always remember that SEO is an ongoing process that requires continuous improvement and adaptation to new trends and algorithm updates. 

‍

If you’d like to know more about how your e-commerce SEO strategy is performing, book a 30-minute consultation call with one of our experts. 

‍