SEO for Ecommerce: Beginner’s Guide to Getting Your Store Found on Google

Nearly half of ecommerce traffic comes from Google’s organic search. If your store isn’t showing up organically, you’re likely losing sales, spending too much on ads, and missing a key trust-building touchpoint. 

That’s where SEO for ecommerce comes in. It’s the process of making your online store more visible in search results so shoppers can actually find, and trust, you when they’re ready to buy.

In this guide, you’ll learn:

• Why SEO is important for ecommerce
• The simple steps to start improving your store’s visibility
• The most common mistakes to avoid

Let’s get started.

Quick Summary: How to do SEO for Ecommerce

1. Conduct keyword research & understand the search intent
2. SEO your product and category pages
3. Implement technical SEO
4. Market your content & build backlinks
5. Track your results and make improvements

What Is SEO for Ecommerce?

SEO for ecommerce means optimizing your product and category pages so they show up when people search to buy. It’s about making sure your store appears in front of shoppers at the exact moment they’re ready to make a purchase.

This is different from regular SEO. A blog post or news site might optimize for readers looking for information. Ecommerce SEO focuses on buying intent—the searches people make when they already have their wallets out.

If you’re brand new to search engine optimization, start with our Basic SEO Guide for Beginners for a quick foundation before diving into ecommerce specifics.

Why Is SEO Important for Ecommerce?

Shoppers tend to trust organic search results much more than ads. 78% of consumers trust organic product recommendations, and 64% are more likely to buy after discovering products organically. That trust can turn curiosity into sales. 

SEO lowers customer acquisition costs. You invest time once, then traffic flows without paying per click. Over time, that compounds into big savings and steady visibility.

Higher ranking means more clicks. The top organic result gets around 39.8 % of clicks—nearly 4 times more than the third spot at 10.2 %. That elevated visibility boosts both traffic and sales potential. 

Rank #3 vs #8 can make a big difference. The first result can garner nearly 40 % of clicks, the second about 18.7 %, and the third around 10.2 %. Sites lower down get only a tiny share.

You can also explore why this matters more deeply in our Improve Search Visibility post.

How to Do SEO for an Ecommerce Website (Step-by-Step)

1. Keyword Research & Search Intent

Think like a shopper, not a marketer. Ask yourself: What would someone type right before buying my product?

For ecommerce, focus on transactional phrases. Someone searching “buy wireless headphones” is ready to shop, while “how do noise-canceling headphones work” is just looking for information.

Tools to find buyer-focused keywords:

• Google Autocomplete: Start typing your product name and see what phrases pop up.
• Amazon Suggestions: A goldmine for product-related searches.
• Google Keyword Planner: Helpful for search volume estimates.

Match keywords to funnel stages:

• Informational → blog content (“how to make cold brew coffee”)
• Commercial → comparison guides (“best budget espresso machine”)
• Transactional → product pages (“buy Breville Barista Express”)

Use informational terms for blog posts and guides that lead people into your store. Save the transactional keywords for your product and category pages.

Want more help writing content that ranks? Check out our Guide to SEO-Friendly Blogging.

2. On-Page SEO for Product & Category Pages

Your product and category pages are where sales happen—so they need to be optimized for both search engines and shoppers.

Key steps:

• Write unique product descriptions. Don’t copy text from the manufacturer. Create clear, helpful descriptions that answer buyer questions.
• Optimize titles, meta descriptions, and URLs. Keep titles under 60 characters, highlight benefits in the meta description, and use simple, keyword-rich URLs (e.g., /wireless-headphones instead of /product-12345).
• Use alt text and descriptive image names. Search engines can’t read images, but they can read alt text. Describe the product in plain words.
• Encourage and display customer reviews. Reviews add trust and provide natural keyword-rich content that boosts rankings. Learn more in our post on Leveraging Customer Reviews.
• Improve category pages. Add a short 200–300 word buying guide at the top of each category page to help shoppers make decisions and give Google more context.

Done well, on-page SEO not only helps you rank—it also builds trust and makes it easier for shoppers to say “yes” to your products.

3. Technical SEO & Site Structure

Technical SEO makes sure your store runs smoothly so Google can crawl it and shoppers can use it without frustration.

Start with the basics:

• Make your site fast and mobile-friendly. Most online shopping happens on phones. A slow site drives customers away.
• Use HTTPS for security. Secure sites build trust and are favored by Google.
• Keep navigation simple. Stick to a clear structure: Home → Category → Product. Don’t bury products too deep.
• Avoid duplicate content. If the same product appears in multiple places, use redirects or canonicals so Google knows which version to rank.
• Submit your sitemap. Upload your XML sitemap to Google Search Console so search engines can find all your important pages.

A strong technical foundation not only helps with SEO but also signals credibility. Learn more about building customer trust in our post on Online Brand Protection.

4. Content Marketing & Backlinks

Your store isn’t just a place to list products—it should also be a resource. That’s where content marketing comes in.

Ways to use content marketing for ecommerce SEO:

• Start a blog. Target informational searches like “best coffee for cold brew” that bring new shoppers into your funnel.
• Publish helpful resources. Buying guides, product comparisons, and FAQs not only answer customer questions but also help you rank for more keywords.
• Earn backlinks. Ask suppliers or partners to link to your store on their “where to buy” pages. Reach out to relevant blogs for product mentions or reviews.
• Encourage user-generated content (UGC). Customer reviews, photos, and testimonials add trust and naturally refresh your site with keyword-rich content.

Want to go deeper? Explore these guides:

• How to Build Backlinks
• How to Increase Blog Traffic
• Blogging Trends

5. Track & Improve

SEO isn’t set-and-forget. To keep growing, you need to measure what’s working and make improvements over time.

What to track:

• Traffic: Are more people visiting your store from Google search?
• Rankings: Are your target keywords moving up the results page?
• Conversions: Are visitors from organic search actually buying?

Tools to use:

• Google Analytics to track traffic and sales.
• Google Search Console to see which keywords bring clicks and find technical issues.

Quick wins to look for:

• Update page titles and meta descriptions to increase click-through rates.
• Rewrite thin product descriptions into helpful, unique content.

Don’t delete out-of-stock pages. Keep them live, suggest alternatives, or add restock alerts. Redirect only if the product is gone for good—otherwise you lose the page’s SEO value.

Over time, small updates add up. See more ways to refresh content in our guide on How to Optimize Old Blog Posts.

Common Ecommerce SEO Mistakes to Avoid

Avoiding these mistakes keeps your SEO strong and makes your store easier to find.

Conclusion

SEO is how small online stores compete with big brands. You don’t need a huge budget—you just need to show up when shoppers are searching.

Even small changes make a difference. A faster site, clearer product titles, and visible customer reviews can all drive more traffic and sales.

Want expert help building an ecommerce SEO strategy that drives traffic and revenue? Brand911 helps online stores grow their visibility and win more customers. Learn more about our SEO services.

FAQs

How long does ecommerce SEO take?

You’ll usually see quick wins in 1–3 months—like better click-through rates from updated titles or faster load times. Stronger results, such as ranking higher for competitive keywords and driving consistent sales, typically build over 6–12 months.

Is paid advertising still necessary?

Yes. Paid ads deliver immediate visibility, while SEO builds long-term growth. The best strategy is to use both: ads for quick results and SEO for steady, compounding traffic.

What should I do with out-of-stock products?

Don’t delete the page. Keep it live, add a clear “out of stock” message, and suggest alternatives. If possible, let shoppers sign up for restock alerts. Redirect only if the product is permanently discontinued.