E-commerce SEO basics for beginners

SEO (search engine optimisation) simply means making a page clear enough that Google understands what it is about, and that someone searching for that product finds it and clicks. It is not magic, and it does not happen in a day. This guide covers the basics you can do yourself in your store.

Start from what people actually type

Before you write a name or description, ask yourself: if I were a customer who wanted this product, what would I type into search? People type "genuine leather bag", not "morning elegance". So use the words a customer would type in the product name and description, while describing the product truthfully.

The product name

• Write the name plainly: the type of product and its most important quality (material, kind).
• Do not stack many words one after another. The name should read like a product name.
• Give each product a different name. Duplicate names confuse customers and search engines.

The description

• Write a description specific to each product, not one pasted across all products or copied from the supplier's site.
• Explain what the customer wants to know: the material, the size in numbers, the use, and what is in the box.
• Write it in ordinary language. A description written for people serves search better than one stuffed with keywords.

Page title, page description and product link in Hekana

On any product's edit page there is a Search engine listing section. It has:

• Page title: what appears as the headline in a search result.
• Meta description: the lines under the headline in the result.
• URL handle: letters, numbers and hyphens. If you change it, the old link keeps working.

The section shows a Search result preview, so you see how the product will look in a result before you save. If you have not written a title and description, the preview asks you to add them.

The product page also has Product improvement, which shows how complete the product's data is, suggests keywords you can copy and use in the description, and lists the missing fields worth completing.

Categories and images

• Put every product in a clear category. A category helps customers find similar products, and helps search understand your store.
• Use real photos of the product in good quality. The picture affects the buying decision, which is what matters in the end. More in the product page guide.

Let Google know about your store

Add your store to Google Search Console so you can see which pages Google found and which searches brought people. The steps are in the guide to appearing in Google results. If you connect a domain of your own, the steps are in the domain guide.

Start with your most important products

You do not have to edit every product in a day. Start with the products that sell the most, or that you want to sell more, and give each a good name, description and page title. Then carry on with the rest.

Common mistakes

• Copying the supplier's description as it is.
• Product names full of words that mean nothing.
• Changing a product link all the time. In Hekana the old link keeps working, but there is no reason to change it without cause.
• Expecting results in days. SEO takes time, so track it over weeks.

Frequently asked questions

Where do I change a product's page title and description?

On the product's edit page, in the Search engine listing section: Page title and Meta description.

If I change a product link, does the old one stop working?

No. The dashboard states that the old link keeps working after the change.

How do I see how the product will look in search?

The same section has a Search result preview that updates as you type.

Where do I add my store to Google?

In Google Search Console, with the steps in this guide.

Next

If you have not added your products yet, start with adding your first product, then review the product page so the visitors who arrive go on to order. More about the store: your store feature.