SEO for E-commerce Websites
More traffic is good. The right traffic is better.
Having worked in e-commerce for over 10 years, one thing has always stayed the same:
you need to make it easy for customers.
Whether that’s:
– finding what they’re looking for
– navigating your site
– or completing a purchase
SEO plays a big role in this, not just in getting people to your site, but in making sure the right people land on the right pages.
A lot of e-commerce businesses reach a point where they start asking:
– Why is my product not showing on Google?
– How do I get on page 1 of Google?
– How do I rank higher on Google?
The answer usually isn’t one thing; it comes down to how your site is structured and how well it matches what people are actually searching for.
Does SEO work for e-commerce?
Yes, but only when it’s structured properly.
E-commerce SEO isn’t about trying to rank your homepage for everything.
It’s about building a site that shows up across multiple search moments.
If you’re new to how this works, here’s a simple breakdown of how SEO actually works.
What is the SEO strategy for e-commerce?
A strong e-commerce SEO strategy is built around structure, content and intent.
There’s a lot of opportunity across your site, including:
– product pages
– category pages
– brand pages
– supporting content
Start with structure: categories and brands
Let’s take a beauty e-commerce store as an example.
If you’re selling across multiple brands and categories: cosmetics, skincare, haircare, your site should reflect that clearly.
That means:
– category pages for each product type
– brand pages for each brand you stock
From there, you build content around how people actually search.
For example: “Kerastase vs Redken” “best shampoo for dry hair”
These aren’t product searches; they’re decision-stage searches.
If your site can answer those questions clearly, you:
– bring users onto your site
– build trust
– and guide them toward a purchase
It’s not about products — it’s about problems
A common mistake in e-commerce is focusing only on products.
Pages like:
– “What is Kerastase”
– “About our brand”
…have their place, but they’re not what drives traffic.
Customers are searching for:
– “best shampoo for dry hair”
– “how to fix frizzy hair”
– “what conditioner should I use for curly hair”
If you can:
– identify those problems
– create content that answers them
– and link naturally to your product pages
that’s where SEO turns into sales.
Internal linking is where it all comes together
Your site shouldn’t feel like a catalogue. It should feel connected.
For example:
– blog or advice content links to product pages
– product pages link back to categories
– categories support broader search terms
This helps:
– users navigate more easily
– Google understands your site
– and builds authority across your product range
What about single-brand e-commerce stores?
If you’re not selling multiple brands and instead have your own product line, the approach shifts slightly.
Instead of brand pages, you focus on: becoming the authority on your product category
For example, if you sell self-tanning products:
You’d map out content around:
– common problems (streaking, dryness, colour tone)
– comparisons
– how-to guides
– product education
And position your product as the solution within that content.
SEO, AI and how people search today
People aren’t just using Google anymore.
They’re asking questions in tools like ChatGPT and seeing AI-generated answers in Google.
These systems don’t randomly choose content.
They pull from:
– websites with strong topical relevance
– clear, well-structured answers
– consistent, useful content
In other words: the same signals good SEO builds.
A real example
I’ve tested this approach on my own food blog, Anne’s Appetite.
By focusing on one topic: “custard”. And building content around the questions people search, I’ve been able to show up:
– in Google search results
– and within AI-generated answers
If you’re wondering how long it takes to see this kind of traction, here’s what to expect.
No matter the business type — same principle
Whether it’s real estate or e-commerce, the principle is the same:
understand how people search build content around that structure your site accordingly
If you’re weighing up whether SEO is worth investing in, this breaks it down simply.
How to get more traffic (and sales) from SEO
There’s no single tactic that drives growth.
But the e-commerce sites that perform well tend to:
– show up across multiple search queries
– provide useful, relevant information
– guide users toward a purchase
SEO supports all of this, not by forcing sales, but by meeting customers where they already are.
How I approach SEO for e-commerce
When I work with e-commerce clients, I focus on:
– mapping out your product and category structure
– identifying high-intent search opportunities
– building content that answers real customer questions
– connecting your pages through internal linking
The goal isn’t just more traffic.
It’s to create a system where: traffic turns into customers
Common questions about e-commerce SEO
Why is my product not showing on Google?
In most cases, it’s not a technical issue. It’s that Google doesn’t yet see your product pages as relevant or authoritative for the searches people are making. This usually comes down to structure, content, and how your pages connect.
How do I get on page 1 of Google?
There’s no shortcut. It comes from building pages that match what people are searching, and consistently adding content that supports those searches over time.
How do I rank higher on Google?
Ranking higher isn’t about one change; it’s about improving how your site is structured, how useful your content is, and how clearly Google understands what you offer
Ready to grow your e-commerce traffic?
If your site isn’t bringing in consistent traffic or sales, it’s usually not being found or not connecting with what customers are actually searching.
I can help you map out a clear content and SEO strategy tailored to your products and audience.