I. Website Basics and Server Status Codes
A website’s existence on the Internet depends on server support, and server status codes are the “language” of communication between the server and the browser.
200
This is the most ideal status code, indicating that the server has successfully processed the request and the web page content has been loaded smoothly. For e-commerce websites, product and category pages should all have this status. Otherwise, search engines won’t be able to find your pages, let alone display them to users.
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301 Moved Permanently
When a website changes its domain name or adjusts its URL structure, a 301 redirect is used to transfer the weight of the old URL to the new one. This ensures that users and search engines can smoothly access the new content, and the previously accumulated SEO value won’t be lost.
404 Not Found
It means that the server can’t find the requested resource, which may be due to a wrong link or a deleted page with an unupdated link. If an e-commerce website has many 404 errors, it will not only lead to a poor user experience but also affect SEO. Therefore, it’s necessary to check regularly and deal with the issues in a timely manner.
5xx Server Errors
This represents that there is a problem with the server, such as a 500 internal error or a 503 service unavailable. Frequent errors will cause search engines to reduce the crawling frequency and may even remove the website from the index, directly affecting sales and user trust. It’s crucial to choose a good hosting service and monitor it regularly.
There are various website hosting methods. Shared hosting is cheap but its performance is easily affected. Dedicated hosting has good performance but is expensive. VPS (Virtual Private Server) is in between, with independent resources, and it has good performance, control, and scalability. For e-commerce websites, shared hosting can be used as a transition during the startup stage, and as the business develops, it can be upgraded to VPS or dedicated hosting to improve website speed and stability.
Website Hosting Services (Hosting) and VPS
Services like Siteground and Hostinger provide technical support and SEO settings. VPS has good performance and can run SEO tools. The following is a list of some mainstream WordPress hosting service providers. For websites like Shopify, they rent from the official Shopify platform, which is public and not selectable by users.
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II. Core Elements of Page SEO
Page SEO refers to the optimization done directly within the website, which can improve the website’s ranking in search results.
Title Tag
It is the title of a web page, displayed in search results and the browser tab. It should accurately describe the page content and contain the target keywords, with a length controlled within 30 – 60 characters. For e-commerce product pages, the Title Tag can include the product name, brand, and promotional words to attract users to click.
Meta Description
It is a brief summary of the web page content. Although it doesn’t directly affect the ranking, it can increase the click-through rate. It should concisely summarize the page content, highlighting the product’s selling points, advantages, and promotional information.
H1 Tag
It is the main title of the page. Each page should have only one H1 tag, and it should be placed at the top. Use the product name directly to enable users and search engines to quickly understand the core of the page.
Header Tags (H2 – H6)
They are used to define subheadings, constructing the page’s hierarchical structure, making it easier for users to read and for search engines to understand the content. Reasonable use of keywords can also contribute to SEO. For e-commerce product pages, H2 can be used to introduce product features, and H3 can be used for further detailed descriptions.
I have written an article about this part before, titled “Essential HTML Code Knowledge for SEO”.
III. Key Points of Content Optimization
Content is the key to attracting users and search engines.
Keywords
The words that users enter in the search engine are keywords, which are divided into brand keywords and non-brand keywords. E-commerce websites need to conduct keyword research for product and category pages, covering both general terms and specific attribute words to meet the needs of different users.
Keyword Density
It refers to the frequency of keywords appearing in the web page content. Now search engines pay more attention to the naturalness of the content. Don’t stack keywords; just integrate them naturally when writing product descriptions.
Long-tail Keywords
They are longer and more specific keyword phrases. Although their search volume is low, their search intent is clear, and the conversion rate is high. E-commerce websites can dig out long-tail keywords related to product models, colors, sizes, etc.
LSI Keywords
These are words semantically related to the target keywords. Although there is a debate about whether they directly affect the ranking, using them can help search engines understand the page content. When describing products, cover more related words such as product attributes and uses.
IV. Image Optimization Techniques
Images are essential for e-commerce websites, and image optimization is also very important. Adding Alt Text to images can not only help special users understand the images but also enable search engines to recognize the image content. By adding relevant keywords, it can also improve the image’s search ranking and drive traffic to the website. The Alt Text of product images should be clear and accurate, including the product name and important attributes.
V. Technical Elements Boosting SEO
The technical settings of a website have a great impact on SEO.
Canonical Tags
E-commerce websites are prone to having pages with similar content. Using canonical tags tells search engines which page is the preferred one, avoiding penalties for duplicate content and concentrating the link weight.
Schema Markup
Adding structured data markup can enable search engines to better understand the web page content and display richer information in the search results, such as product prices, reviews, etc., increasing the click-through rate and conversion rate. E-commerce websites should make good use of this.
Sitemap.xml
It is like a map of the website, listing all the pages of the website in XML format. Search engine crawlers can quickly discover and crawl each page of the website through it, especially those pages that may be difficult to access directly through internal links. For e-commerce websites, regularly updating the Sitemap.xml and adding newly launched product pages, newly published blog articles, etc. in a timely manner can help search engines comprehensively index the website content and improve the website’s inclusion rate. For example, for newly launched limited-edition products, reflecting them in the Sitemap.xml in a timely manner can allow search engines to discover and include them more quickly, increasing the product’s exposure opportunities.
Robots.txt
This is a text file used to tell search engine crawlers which pages can be crawled and which pages should not be crawled. In e-commerce websites, if you have some internal management pages, test pages, or pages containing sensitive information that you don’t want to be indexed by search engines, you can set them in the Robots.txt file. However, be cautious when setting it to avoid mistakenly blocking the crawling of important pages, which may affect the website’s SEO effect.
Index and Noindex
The Index instruction tells search engines that they can crawl and index the page, which is the default setting for most normal pages to ensure that the page can be displayed in the search results. The Noindex instruction, on the contrary, tells search engines not to index the page. In an e-commerce scenario, for example, a temporary promotional page of a product that you don’t want to be searched for after the event ends, or some duplicate content pages that you don’t want to disperse the weight, you can use the Noindex instruction. However, note that using Noindex may prevent the page from being found by users through search, so make decisions carefully.
CDN (Content Delivery Network)
A content delivery network is a group of servers distributed in different geographical locations. E-commerce websites using CDN can cache the website’s static resources (such as images, CSS, JavaScript files) on servers closer to the users. In this way, when users visit the website, these resources can be loaded more quickly, improving the page loading speed. For example, when a European user visits a cross-border e-commerce independent website, the CDN can provide resources from a server node in Europe, greatly reducing the data transmission delay, optimizing the user experience, and also having a positive effect on the SEO ranking, because page loading speed is one of Google’s important ranking factors.
VI. The Mysteries of Links
Links are an important basis for search engines to determine the importance of web pages.
Internal Linking
These are the links between pages within a website. They can help users navigate, enable search engines to understand the website structure, and transfer link weight. E-commerce websites should establish a clear internal linking structure, for example, linking product detail pages to relevant category pages.
External Linking
It refers to linking from your own website to other websites. High-quality external links can enhance the website’s credibility, but use them with caution on product pages to avoid directing users to competitors.
Backlinks
These are the links from other websites to your own website. High-quality backlinks are a recognition of the website, and their quantity and quality affect the website’s ranking. E-commerce websites should actively strive for high-quality backlinks. I also explained this in detail in a previous article titled “The Role of External Links in SEO Websites”.
Dofollow Link and Nofollow Link
A Dofollow Link can transfer link weight and improve the ranking of the linked page; a Nofollow Link is used for websites that are not trusted, paid links, etc. Although it doesn’t transfer weight, it can bring traffic. When obtaining backlinks for e-commerce websites, strive for Dofollow Links, and use Nofollow Links for handling user comments and paid promotions.
Link Equity and Link Building
Link Equity refers to the value transferred by links. High-quality Dofollow backlinks can bring more link weight. Link Building is the process of obtaining backlinks. E-commerce websites can obtain backlinks through high-quality content, cooperation, etc.
Link Farm and Anchor Text
Link Farm is a black-hat SEO method. Never touch it, or you will be punished by search engines. Anchor Text is the clickable text of a hyperlink. It should be related to the content of the linked page and contain keywords. When building links for e-commerce websites, use descriptive anchor text containing keywords.
VII. Principles of Search Engines and Tools
Understanding how search engines work and making good use of relevant tools can make SEO more efficient.
Google Algorithm
It is the set of rules and systems that Google uses to rank search results, taking into account factors such as keyword relevance and website quality, and it will be updated continuously. E-commerce websites should focus on the quality of product information, user experience, and website authority. This article tells you “What Are the Main Google SEO Algorithms” and also explains “Why Google Algorithms Are Always Being Updated”.
Googlebot and Bingbot
They are the web crawlers of Google and Bing respectively, responsible for crawling web page content. E-commerce websites should ensure that they can smoothly crawl and index important pages.
Bing Webmaster Tools and Google Search Console
These tools can help website administrators monitor the website’s performance in Bing and Google search results, check crawling errors, index status, etc. E-commerce websites should make full use of them.
Google Analytics
It is a tool for analyzing website traffic and performance. E-commerce websites can use it to understand user behavior, optimize SEO strategies, and improve the user experience.
Google sandbox
New websites or low-quality websites may experience a “sandbox period”, during which it is difficult to improve their rankings. New e-commerce websites should focus on providing high-quality content, actively promoting, and building links to get out of the sandbox as soon as possible.
VIII. Unveiling SEO Strategies
Different SEO strategies are suitable for e-commerce websites at different stages and with different needs.
On-page SEO, Off-page SEO, and Technical SEO
On-page SEO is page optimization, Off-page SEO is off-site optimization, and Technical SEO is technical optimization. E-commerce websites should take all three aspects into account to improve the overall SEO effect.
White-hat SEO, Black-hat SEO, and Grey-hat SEO
White-hat SEO complies with the rules and can achieve long-term development; Black-hat SEO violates the rules and will be punished; Grey-hat SEO has risks. E-commerce websites should adhere to the white-hat SEO strategy.
Content marketing and Local SEO
Content marketing attracts users through high-quality content and enhances the website’s authority; Local SEO is important for e-commerce enterprises with physical stores or those serving specific regions. They should optimize local information to attract local customers.
IX. The Close Relationship between User Experience and SEO
Only when the user experience is good can the website rank high in search engines.
Bounce rate and Time on page
A high bounce rate indicates a poor user experience, while a long time on the page shows that users are interested. E-commerce websites should optimize content and navigation to reduce the bounce rate and increase the time users stay on the page.
Page load speed and Mobile-friendliness
A fast page load speed can improve the user experience and is also a ranking factor for Google; mobile-friendliness is also crucial. E-commerce websites should optimize images and code and adopt a responsive design.
Breadcrumb navigation
Breadcrumb navigation makes it convenient for users to understand their location and return to the previous page. It can also help search engines understand the website structure. E-commerce websites should use it reasonably.
X. Recommended Essential SEO Tools
Mastering these tools can make SEO work easier.
Yoast SEO and Rank Math
They are WordPress plugins that can optimize content, generate sitemaps, add structured data markup, etc. They are available in both free and paid versions.
SEMrush and Ahrefs
These are powerful SEO tool suites covering multiple aspects such as keyword research and competitor analysis. They are paid services.
Google Keyword Planner
It is a free keyword research tool in Google Ads, which can display search volume and trends.
Yandex
It is a search engine in Russia, providing tools for optimizing websites targeting the Russian market.
SEO is a long-term process that requires continuous learning and practice. I hope this article can help novice independent website owners easily understand SEO English terms and quickly learn to use English tools like Screaming Frog. I wish everyone good rankings in the independent website SEO race!