eCommerce SEO: What are Keywords and How Do You Use Them?

As an online seller, chances are that you’ve heard the terms “SEO” and “keywords.” SEO, or search engine optimization, is a strategy that is meant to help you appear higher for relevant searches. For example, SEO is commonly used to increase the ranking of websites in search engines, thus putting your site in front of more potential customers. 

However, SEO is also important for marketplaces. People also search for what they are looking for directly on marketplaces like Amazon or eBay. Whether you sell on your website, on marketplaces, or both, SEO and keywords are crucial for your online business. 

Read on to learn more about keywords and how you can use them. 

Keywords

Keywords are individual words and short phrases that define the topic of your content. For SEO purposes, they are what searchers enter as “search queries” to find the content they are looking for. Every piece of content on your page, including video, images, and the written copy can be simplified into words and phrases, which are your primary keywords. Your keywords should be relevant to common searches so that you have a greater likelihood to rank among top results and draw in your target audience. 

The Importance of Keywords

Keywords should bridge the gap between what people search for and the content you provide. You want to rank high in search results so that you can drive traffic to your eCommerce site or product pages. Keywords are one powerful aspect of SEO that will impact how high you rank for relevant searches. 

Keywords must be tailored to your audience. Maybe you describe what you offer in a way that’s different from how people look for it. For your content to rank higher, you need to use the language of your audience and incorporate the keywords they are looking for. To do this, you’ll need to perform keyword research, speak with your customers, and explore the top keywords in your industry. 

Long-Tail Keywords 

“Dog,” “bowl,” and “dog food” are all keywords, but so are combinations of different keywords. Combinations of multiple terms are long-tail keywords. In this case “the best dog food bowl” may be a long-tail keyword. 

Singular keywords have a very high search volume, but that means they are VERY competitive. You may want your pet supply brand to rank for “dog,” but it will be tough to rank above the man different dog-relevant sites and businesses out there. 

Singular keywords are also pretty vague. If someone searches for “dog” you have no idea what they are looking for. They may be looking for cute photos of dogs, a certain breed, dog food, or any number of other things. 

On the other hand, long-tail keywords have more clear intent. If someone searches for “the healthiest dog food” you have a pretty good idea of what they want. Additionally, long-tail keywords have less competition, meaning it’s easier to make your mark. 

How to Use Keywords

Keywords are very helpful for SEO, but they have to be used intentionally. You cannot just throw keywords around on your website or product pages. Creating valuable content is a great way to incorporate keywords. For example, you could add a “blog” section to your website and share informational, educational, and interesting content that includes important keywords. 

Some keyword rules to follow are:

• Employ unique keywords on each page of your site. 
• Include keywords in the title tag and body of content. 
• Distinguish what your content is about. 
• Work your primary keywords into your URL if possible
• Add keywords to your image alt attributes. 
• The meta description should contain keywords. 
• Product titles and descriptions should include keywords. 

Keywords and Your Content Strategy 

Keywords are essential for an effective content strategy. Remember, content can include your website, social media, and marketplaces. One way to use keywords for your strategy is to start with the keyword and then create content around it. However, you may also have content that can be adjusted to match keywords. 

Identify the primary keyword for each article and organize content to keyword map. Examine the search volume, organic traffic, and other key metrics. 

Each page on your site or each product page on a marketplace should address a unique keyword. Ideally, your homepage should target a broad industry term, with your articles and product pages addressing more specific terms. 

While keywords are very helpful, they can also be time-consuming to implement. Let Listing Mirror simplify and streamline your multichannel selling so you have more time to address keywords. Need to update keywords for product pages on multiple platforms? Our listing management feature makes it easy to create and update listings for all of your channels in one place. To learn more about how our #1 multichannel listing software can help your business, start your risk-free 14-day trial. Please click the button below.

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