The guys and gals at Google have the power to shift whole industries.
Google updates always shake up the digital marketing world, as was the case with the Helpful Content update of August 2022, the tweak in September 2023, and most recently, with its core update in March 2024.
The Impact
These updates have significantly impacted traffic for many websites globally, particularly content-driven sites. Amid all the chaos and horror stories of traffic disappearing overnight, eCommerce sites emerge as winners, seeing boosts in traffic and visibility.
Why might that be? Let’s first understand a bit more about the updates.
Understanding the Updates
I don’t delve deep into the intricacies of each update. Instead, let’s discuss their overall purpose. They are meant to enhance the quality of search results by prioritising content that genuinely helps users.
There is a general feeling that searchers are growing tired of what they deem to be a subpar, worsening experience with Google. This general dissatisfaction necessitated a crackdown on spammy, low-quality content clogging up search results. The update had a particularly harsh impact on informational websites that relied heavily on ad revenue and affiliate links.
The idea is to shift the algorithm in favour of more substantive, valuable information. Which leads us on to eCommerce.
The Inverse: The Rise of eCommerce
Let’s return to the question: why a rise in eCommerce traffic?
eCommerce platforms often live and die by their ability to offer visitors useful information. They inherently rely on detailed information to convert visitors into customers. The elements of a good eCommerce site – product descriptions, reviews, and clear images – all align well with Google’s recalibration to helpfulness.
They deliberately, definitionally guide users toward better-informed purchase decisions.
But how can you make the most of the natural inclinations the algorithm has toward your eCommerce site?
Key Strategies for E-commerce Success Post-Updates
Focus on the following strategies:
Enhance Product Reviews
Product reviews are more critical than ever. They provide genuine, user-generated content (UGC) that Google values highly. Encourage your customers to leave detailed reviews that go beyond the basics to offer meaningful insights. If possible, encourage other forms of UGC, such as photos and videos. The benefits of these are twofold:
- They give a boost to SEO
- They help build credibility and trust with other customers (we all like to see hard evidence of a product in action!)
Write Detailed Product Descriptions
Go beyond basic specifications to write thorough and well-crafted product descriptions. That means well-polished – make them concise, error-free, and readable. Also, ensure you emphasise the benefits of the features to communicate how the product solves a problem for the customer through various use cases. Highlight any unique selling points if possible.
Again, these more detailed product descriptions satisfy two elements:
- They offer the potential for keyword-rich text to boost SEO.
- They convert visitors into customers by providing them with the information they need to make a purchasing decision.
Optimise the Technical Side of Things
Technical SEO remains a cornerstone of successful e-commerce sites. Ensure your site meets Google’s Core Web Vitals requirements:
- Loading times
- Ease of interactivity
- Visual stability
A fast responsive site ranks better while also providing a smoother user experience. You know this intuitively; we don’t tend to spend too long on a site that doesn’t perform well. Don’t expect your customers to stick around, either. A site that works well will reduce your bounce rates and, in turn, likely increase your conversions.
Holistic SEO Optimisation
Your SEO tasks go beyond the technical. This includes:
- Optimising your titles, tags, and meta descriptions.
- Performing keyword research and applying this to all your content
- Ensuring a logical site structure
- Regularly updating your content and removing outdated or irrelevant pages
Contact Donohue Consultancy for a free SEO action plan tailored to your business needs.
Use Schema Markup
Implementing schema markup can help search engines understand your content better and enhance how your pages are displayed in search results. For e-commerce sites, this can mean rich snippets that display product ratings, prices, and availability directly in the search results.
Why eCommerce Sites Are Winning
When you think about it, there are three key ways in which eCommerce sites perfectly match the updates.
- The nature of online shopping means these sites are constantly updated with fresh content (new products, new reviews, inventory changes, etc.)
- eCommerce sites often feature detailed, structured data (a dream for a search engine desperate to categorise things!)
- The increasing trend of online shopping. More and more people use the internet to shop, so Google reacts accordingly to what users are mainly doing: buying! It must ensure users find the best and most helpful shopping options quickly.
The Future of eCommerce SEO
Of course, the algorithm updates don’t guarantee success; the landscape is competitive, and you still need to find a competitive edge. You also can count on further evolution in the algorithm. Here are a couple of brief recommendations for your eCommerce site:
- Leverage user-generated content wherever possible. It’s going to boost SEO and is becoming increasingly imporant as customers trust their peers over brands.
- Invest in video content to demonstrate your products. Short-form video is the top trend marketers report leveraging in 2023.
- Focus on mobile optimisation as browsing habits change. Smartphones now account for 70% of online retail visits worldwide.
At Donohue Consultancy, we always keep our finger on the pulse of the latest SEO trends for eCommerce.
We want to see your eCommerce business thrive in this new environment. If you need help navigating these changes and optimising your site for success, contact Donohue Consultancy for some tailored expertise. Let us help you stay ahead in the ever-evolving world of e-commerce SEO.
