How Much Content is Best for SEO in Ecommerce?

The cardinal rule of digital marketing is as true now as it has ever been – content is most certainly king. However, that’s not to say that more necessarily means better, especially when dealing with ecommerce.

By all means, content should be added to each and every page of your ecommerce site, whether it’s in the form of product descriptions, blog posts or FAQs. Strategically placed SEO keywords are also helpful for allowing Google’s bots to identify your site as relevant to a user’s search term, while regularly updated content is conducive to a higher ranking in search engine results pages (SERPs).

Having said all that, it’s important to focus on quality over quantity. Poorly written content that is rich in keywords but low in value to the end-user will likely be skimmed over and navigated away from, increasing your bounce rates and harming your SERP standings far more than a couple more keywords ever will.

With that in mind, it’s imperative that you find the right sweet spot between uploading enough content to keep both customers and search engines satisfied, but not overloading them with useless information that’ll only bog them down. Here are a handful of handy tips on how to go about traversing that tightrope and getting your ecommerce content strategy just right.

Focus on humans, not algorithms

Who are you really trying to please – the consumers who visit your site, or the search engine algorithms which direct them there? Of course, you want to satisfy both interests in an ideal world, but prioritising the former will almost invariably lead to beneficial results with the latter, too.

This, in a nutshell, is what you should be aiming to do with every piece of content on your site. Apply this philosophy to all of the other tips laid out below and you’ll soon see positive results from both quarters – more traffic on your site, and more browse-to-buy conversions once they’ve arrived there.

Make descriptions useful

By and large, ecommerce sites require less content than, say, someone working in banking or accountancy or IT. That’s because the products on offer are generally more intuitively understood by the site visitor and in many cases, a simple photograph will suffice in giving them an instant grasp of what you’re selling.

Of course, a more detailed description of the product should always accompany any photographs, including perhaps the dimensions of the item, the materials it’s made from and how it’s used. However, they should always follow the photograph itself. No one wants to scroll down half a page of text to see what it is they’re buying.

Link intelligently

Internal linking within your site is a great way to help consumers navigate around it easily and find the products that they’re after. It also keeps them on your site longer, diminishing bounce rates and reflecting favourably upon your site in the eyes of Google and other search engines.

With that in mind, work hard to provide users with links that are likely to appeal to them. This could include relevant subcategories of a product type they are already browsing, as well as individual products that are similar to the one they are viewing and perhaps promotional offers, new product lines or trending items.

Another Awesome SEO Article: On-Site vs Off-Site SEO for Ecommerce

Position yourself as an authority with blog posts

Aside from product descriptions, a blog is an excellent way for an ecommerce site to regularly update the copy on its site, since fresh content is conducive towards good SEO performance. But instead of uploading post after post of useless waffle stuffed full of keywords that no one will find helpful, you should concentrate on crafting thoughtful content which adds real value to your site.

One strategy for doing so could be through the publication of “How to” guides, demonstrating how your products can be used for optimal effect. Informative articles can position you as an authority in the sector in which you operate, commanding respect and repeat business from your customers and high ranks in SERPs.

Nip issues in the bud with an FAQ

Another type of content that brings value is having a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page on your ecommerce site. Not only can this scoop up search engine users who are looking for a solution to a particular problem, but it can allow you to redirect them to the product that you sell which can help them find that solution.

Having a page where people can access the answers they need without having to contact you is just good customer service, as well. The FAQs can even be regularly updated to include new questions as and when they arrive, through product reviews, emails or call centre queries.

A content strategy for content customers

The bottom line with all of these pointers is to keep the customer satisfied, and the SERP rankings will follow. Armed with the above knowledge, you should draw up a content strategy that incorporates regularly updated copy on your site which, yes, does contain SEO keywords – but which most importantly has the end-user in mind.

Striking such a balance might seem like a daunting task for those uninitiated in the ins and outs of digital marketing, which is why we’re here. At Bing Digital, we’re eCommerce SEO experts on every level and we can bring our insider knowledge of how to craft a quality content strategy to your business, resulting in excellent SEO performance, ecstatic customers and bigger profit margins.

To learn more about how we can apply our expertise to your store, get in touch with us today.