Ecommerce SEO Checklist: A Step-by-Step Guide to Optimise Your Online Store

Search Engine Optimisation is crucial for ecommerce websites. It helps your store rank higher in search results, driving organic traffic and boosting sales. But ecommerce SEO can feel overwhelming, given the many elements you need to optimise. This detailed checklist breaks down everything you need to know in simple, easy-to-follow steps.

Why SEO Is Essential for Ecommerce

SEO ensures that your online store is visible to people searching for the products you sell. Unlike paid ads, SEO brings long-term results by consistently driving organic traffic. Without it, your store might struggle to stand out in a crowded market.

Ecommerce SEO Checklist

Let’s dive into the ultimate checklist to optimise your ecommerce store for SEO.

1. Keyword Research: Start with the Right Keywords

Keywords are the foundation of SEO. They help search engines understand what your pages are about and connect them with relevant search queries.

How to Do It:

• Find Keywords: Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, or Ubersuggest to discover terms people use to search for your products.
• Focus on Long-Tail Keywords: These are longer, more specific phrases like “best running shoes for women” instead of just “shoes.”
• Group Keywords: Categorise keywords by product pages, categories, and blog topics.

2. Optimise Title Tags and Meta Descriptions

Title tags and meta descriptions are the first things users see in search results. They should be clear, compelling, and include your target keywords.

Best Practices:

• Title Tags: Keep them under 60 characters and place your primary keyword at the beginning.
  • Example: “Buy Women’s Running Shoes Online – Free Shipping”
• Meta Descriptions: Write 150–160 characters summarising the page and include your keyword.
  • Example: “Shop the best women’s running shoes. Lightweight, comfortable, and affordable. Free shipping on all orders.”

3. Structure Your Website for SEO

A well-structured website makes it easier for users to find products and for search engines to crawl your site.

Key Tips:

• Flat Structure: Keep your website structure simple. Users should reach any page within 3 clicks from the homepage.
• Breadcrumb Navigation: Use breadcrumbs to help users and search engines understand page hierarchy.
  • Example: Home > Women’s Shoes > Running Shoes
• Optimise URLs: Use short, descriptive URLs with keywords.
  • Example: www.example.com/womens-running-shoes

4. Improve Site Speed

Slow websites frustrate users and hurt your SEO rankings. A fast-loading ecommerce store provides a better user experience and ranks higher on Google.

Steps to Speed Up:

• Compress images without losing quality (use tools like TinyPNG).
• Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN) to deliver content faster.
• Minimise the use of heavy scripts and plugins.

5. Optimise Product Pages

Product pages are the heart of an ecommerce site. They should be optimised for both users and search engines.

Key Elements to Optimise:

• Product Titles: Include primary keywords.
  • Example: “Men’s Leather Wallet – Slim, Durable, and Stylish”
• Descriptions: Write unique, detailed descriptions highlighting benefits and features.
• Images: Use high-quality images with descriptive file names (e.g., black-leather-wallet.jpg) and add alt text for accessibility.
• Customer Reviews: Display reviews to build trust and improve conversions.

6. Mobile Optimisation: Make Your Store Mobile-Friendly

Most users shop on mobile devices, so a mobile-optimised store is essential.

Tips for Mobile SEO:

• Use a responsive design that adjusts to different screen sizes.
• Ensure buttons and links are easy to tap.
• Test your site using Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test.

7. Use Schema Markup

Schema markup helps search engines understand your content better and can enhance your visibility with rich snippets.

Types of Schema for Ecommerce:

• Product Schema: Displays product details like price, availability, and ratings in search results.
• Review Schema: Highlights customer ratings.
• FAQ Schema: Adds FAQs to search results, improving CTR.

8. Create High-Quality Content

Content marketing is a powerful way to attract and engage users while boosting your SEO.

Content Ideas for Ecommerce:

• Blog Posts: Write about topics your customers care about, like “How to Choose the Best Running Shoes.”
• Buying Guides: Help users make informed decisions.
• FAQs: Answer common questions about your products.
• Product Videos: Demonstrate how to use your products.

9. Internal Linking: Connect Your Pages

Internal linking helps users navigate your site and distributes SEO value across your pages.

How to Do It:

• Link related products (e.g., “You May Also Like” or “Customers Also Bought” sections).
• Add links to categories and subcategories.
• Use descriptive anchor text (e.g., “shop women’s running shoes” instead of “click here”).

10. Secure Your Site with HTTPS

Google prioritises secure websites. An HTTPS-secured site builds trust with users and improves rankings.

How to Get HTTPS:

• Purchase an SSL certificate from your hosting provider.
• Ensure all pages redirect to the HTTPS version.

11. Focus on Local SEO (If Applicable)

If you have a physical store or target a local audience, local SEO can drive foot traffic and sales.

Local SEO Tips:

• Claim and optimise your Google My Business listing.
• Use local keywords like “best running shoes in New York.”
• Encourage customer reviews on Google and other platforms.

12. Optimise for Voice Search

Voice search is growing rapidly, and optimising for it can give you an edge.

Voice Search Tips:

• Target conversational, long-tail keywords.
  • Example: Instead of “buy shoes online,” optimise for “where can I buy affordable running shoes online?”
• Answer common questions in your content (e.g., FAQs).
• Optimise for local queries (e.g., “shoe stores near me”).

13. Fix Technical SEO Issues

Technical SEO ensures that your site is crawlable and indexable by search engines.

Technical SEO Checklist:

• Sitemap: Create and submit an XML sitemap to Google Search Console.
• Robots.txt: Ensure your robots.txt file allows crawling of essential pages.
• Broken Links: Regularly check for and fix broken links.
• Canonical Tags: Prevent duplicate content issues by using canonical tags.

14. Encourage Backlinks

Backlinks (links from other websites to yours) are one of the most important ranking factors. They signal authority and trustworthiness to search engines.

How to Build Backlinks:

• Partner with influencers to review your products.
• Write guest posts for niche blogs.
• Create shareable content like infographics and guides.
• Get listed in directories relevant to your industry.

15. Monitor Analytics and Performance

SEO is an ongoing process. Regularly tracking your performance helps identify what’s working and what needs improvement.

Tools to Use:

• Google Analytics: Track traffic, user behaviour, and conversions.
• Google Search Console: Monitor your search rankings and fix indexing issues.
• Ahrefs or SEMrush: Analyse your SEO performance and competitors.

16. Track and Optimise for Core Web Vitals

Core Web Vitals are a set of metrics Google uses to measure user experience.

Key Metrics:

• Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): Measures loading performance.
• First Input Delay (FID): Measures interactivity.
• Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): Measures visual stability.

17. Optimise Your Checkout Process

The checkout process impacts user experience and conversions. A smooth checkout process reduces cart abandonment.

Best Practices:

• Offer guest checkout.
• Minimise the number of steps.
• Provide multiple payment options.
• Optimise the checkout page for mobile.

Final Thoughts

SEO is a game-changer for ecommerce businesses, but it requires ongoing effort. This checklist covers all the essential elements to optimise your store for search engines and users. Start by addressing the basics, like keyword research, title tags, and product pages, and gradually work on more advanced aspects, such as schema markup and voice search optimisation.

By following this checklist, you’ll create an ecommerce store that not only ranks higher but also provides an excellent shopping experience for your customers.