Product pages are the primary income-generating avenues for ecommerce sites. They are the final step in the buyer’s journey, where the interest of potential customers translates into action.
Therefore, it’s only natural for businesses to pay more attention to these “money pages” over others.
One critical facet in securing a favorable purchase decision is optimizing product pages for SEO.
If your current lingering thought is, “How exactly can I do that?” You’ve come to the right place.
Keep on reading as this resource takes a deep dive into product page SEO.
Before we explore the how it’s essential to answer the why first.
Why is it necessary to make SEO-friendly product pages in the first place?
For this, we must revisit the fundamental definition of SEO or search engine optimization.
Search engine optimization involves improving a website’s visibility in organic search engine results.
It covers a series of processes, such as optimizing your website’s content, structure, and technical aspects to make it easier to find. Well-optimized websites work better in attracting visitors and providing value to users.
From the definition, we can find three key benefits to optimizing product pages for SEO:
Well-optimized product pages are more likely to move up search engine rankings. This lets site owners surpass their competitors. Landing on Google’s first page means users do not miss your page when searching for your products and services.
Ecommerce sites cannot afford to rank on Google’s second page, or third page, etc.
Why?
A case study by Backlinko revealed that many users ignore links after page 1. This means low-ranking product pages will have limited online visibility. In worst cases, the limited visibility may translate to lower sales potential.
Growth in organic traffic is the direct result of securing a high SERP positioning. Backlinko discovered that organic positions #1-3 get the majority of clicks at 27.6%, 15.8%, and 11%, respectively. The click-through rates decline significantly to a meager 2.4% for SERP position #10.
So, how does organic search traffic relate to conversion rate? Simply put, more visitors means more sales opportunities.
Think of it like casting a wide net versus using a single fishing rod. An effective SEO strategy draws in a large pool of potential customers. And with more site visitors, your chances of converting them into buyers increase.
Visiting your product page is one thing. However, giving customers a worthwhile buying experience is a different matter.
One pillar of product page SEO is ensuring a positive user experience for buyers on your money pages. This involves:
A seamless buying experience solidifies the potential customers’ purchasing decisions.
Implementing SEO for product pages is essential for any online business. Read on to discover the best ways to optimize your product pages:
A strong foundation for product page SEO starts with keyword research. This process allows you to understand customers’ minds and search queries.
Product pages are typically intended for bottom-of-the-funnel leads. These people already know what they want, so targeting keywords with lower search volume and difficulty, a.k.a. long-tail keywords, is safe.
Make sure the product name includes the manufacturer. You may also add the SKU if necessary. This is relevant for technical products or small components in bigger machinery.
The more specific, the better.
Here’s an example of a brand, Chloé, that does a wonderful job being specific in naming their jewelry:
Screenshot provided by the author
Product descriptions are your product page’s elevator pitch. This section can influence a potential customer’s decision to buy, even if they want the product.
Write informative and engaging descriptions. Avoid keyword-stuffing your content because this will make your product page appear spammy. Also, ensure your description free from spelling errors, as this might turn users off, increasing bounce rates.
The key is identifying the target audience’s interests for the greatest user engagement.
Here’s an example of Toynk’s product description on their Naruto action figure:
Screenshot provided by the author
If you’re a reseller, avoid copying the description from the original manufacturer’s page. Doing so can result in duplicate content, as other resellers may do the same. Always keep your product descriptions original.
People read product page titles and meta descriptions first in search results. Ensure you properly format and optimize these metadata. They might influence whether users click on your page or not.
The first thing to remember is how many characters you can fit on the meta information:
Keep your metadata within these limits; otherwise, Google might cut them out if they’re too long.
Incorporate relevant keywords. You may also include your brand or the manufacturer on the meta title. Plus, highlight notable product attributes or patented technology in the meta description.
Check out Timberland’s meta title and description for one of their trekking boots:
Screenshot provided by the author
Many site owners often overlook the page’s URL during product page optimization. After all, customers do not fixate on the slug, right?
This is far from the truth.
Customers are becoming more particular about the pages they visit. As such, your product URL must reflect the content of your product page.
Using the same Timberland hiking boots example, here is its URL:
While Timberland used certain codes in the link, they also included the product’s name. This assures customers they are on the official page.
Online shoppers cannot physically touch your products. That said, adding product images or videos is their next best alternative.
Use high-quality media to boost the user experience. Ensure to capture several angles of and in different environments or lighting conditions. This helps you manage buyer expectations about your products.
Look at how Bad Days are Temporary presents their images on their website:
Screenshot provided by the author
While using clear images is imperative, image optimization is equally important. Compress your image size to reduce load times without compromising image quality.
Moreover, descriptive alt-texts should be added to explain the content of the image to visually challenged users and search engine crawlers.
Breadcrumbs show visitors the path they’ve taken to reach the product page. These navigational aids are beneficial for user experience and SEO.
They help users see their current location on your website and navigate to previous pages if needed. Breadcrumbs also help web crawlers understand the hierarchy of your website’s pages.
Apple uses breadcrumbs in its online store. You can find it at the bottom of the page, right above the footer links:
Screenshot provided by the author
Rich snippets, or rich results, display extra information about your products on SERPs. Instead of the standard blue link and meta description, you can add details to boost your CTR.
Online stores can achieve this by implementing product schema markup. Site owners only have to insert code snippets into their website’s HTML.
Here are some details you can add:
Here’s an example of a rich snippet:
Many online businesses see customer reviews as a double-edged sword.
Positive reviews place your products in a favorable light. These reviews may convince shoppers to complete the sale.
Meanwhile, entrepreneurs think negative reviews scare off buyers. In reality, these unfavorable reviews help your credibility. It humanizes your brand, demonstrating transparency and social proof.
Plus, negative reviews can help showcase your customer service skills.
Take a look at how Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria handled a negative review:
Screenshot provided by the author
Customer reviews allow shoppers to share user-generated content. Think of them as free advertising, especially if favorable.
Many shoppers go straight to the “Buy” button. But others might have a million questions before making informed decisions.
Besides product details, having an FAQ section addresses any reservations they might have. Curate a list of questions that many customers have asked you before. Then, integrate them on your product page.
Liquid Death does a fantastic job on its FAQ page. Plus, they also maintain their entertaining and edgy persona:
Screenshot provided by the author
Potential customers visiting your product page with transactional intent are likely to buy. Featuring relevant products that pair well with the target item lets you capitalize on their buying intent.
Internal links to complementary products may encourage buyers to add more items to their carts. This may increase their average order value.
Relevant product recommendations also improve the shopping experience. Customers can find what they need and explore more products in your catalog.
This is what product recommendations look like, by The Wine Shop:
Screenshot provided by the author
Beyond SEO efforts, e-commerce websites must promote their business across all marketing facets. Integrating social sharing buttons does just that.
With social sharing buttons, visitors can share your items on social media platforms. This can help boost an online store’s brand awareness and social media presence. You may attract new customers and boost sales depending on who shares your products.
Including social media buttons on your product pages can also improve the response rate of campaigns sent using a cold emailing tool, as it allows your target customers to learn more about you by reviewing your social media history.
It doesn’t cost anything to include social sharing buttons. Not adding one to an online store is a huge missed opportunity.
Optimizing for local search might seem counterintuitive since we’re discussing online stores. But we must also recognize businesses with both physical stores and online presence.
7 out of 10 people are more likely to visit local businesses registered on Google. In other words, online presence is crucial even for click-and-mortar businesses.
Here are tips to optimize product pages for local SEO:
Page load speed is a non-negotiable quality if you want product pages to rank high on Google. A blazing-fast product page creates a seamless shopping experience. Google notices these signals and rewards compliant pages with a higher search position.
Like page speed, mobile-friendliness is another indispensable quality for Google. According to Pew Research, 76% of American adults shop on mobile. Not optimizing product pages for mobile means missing out on 3 out of 4 potential customers.
Backlinks are widely recognized ranking factors on Google. When your product pages receive backlinks from reputable websites, Google treats those as endorsements, increasing their value and relevance. This results in improved search engine rankings.
However, many SEO professionals have an unhealthy fixation on dofollow backlinks. In reality, even nofollow backlinks, like those from social media platforms, are adequate to spread awareness about your products.
Check out the following strategies to help you build quality backlinks to product pages:
Product pages are just as important as your other content marketing facets. Since these pages drive the most revenue to your website, dominating Google searches must be your priority. With higher search engine visibility comes increased relevant traffic and potential sales.
We covered 14 practical SEO tips to aid in your quest for product listing optimization. While these strategies are proven effective, remember that SEO is an ever-evolving field. Don’t be afraid to get creative and experiment with additional ways to boost the visibility of your e-commerce store.
Know this, we’re rooting for you!Looking for more ways to improve your content and product pages for SEO? Check out our blog page for more tips!