“SEO” is the buzzword today when you are aspiring for a higher rank over the search engines and the same goes for an e-commerce website. However, you must have also heard another term, “search engine friendly”- interestingly these two terms, “SEO” & “search engine friendly” are often used interchangeably but in reality, there is a major difference between the two. Ohh! That’s something! How does it matter exactly? Well, in simple words, you have to make your online store search engine friendly first, before you embark on your SEO activities with the site.
The post below reveals the difference between the two terms and also discusses expert suggestions on how to make your e-commerce site search engine friendly.
SEO Versus Search Engine Friendly
As we get down to discuss SEO Vs. search engine friendly, we need to get a clear understanding of the two.
Well, SEO is something that we do- a certain set of external activities that we do to improve the optimization of the site over the Google search engine. These activities include link building, improving domain authority etc. The SEO process is time-consuming and would take even longer if your e-commerce site does not host a search engine-friendly infrastructure. Basically, making your online store “search engine friendly” means structuring, hosting, developing and designing it in a way that is preferred by the search engine and visitors. Once you have the search engine-friendly backdrop in place, then you can go on with your search engine optimization tactics.
Making your site search engine friendly first
Responsive website design is the common trend today when it comes to designing a site as it champions the trendy “mobile first” maxim in the modern “smart” genre. It implies designing a web platform which would first meet the requirements of mobile users rather than desktop browsers. Yes, the desktop browsing part is handled well by responsive sites but it's mobile-enabled browsing that’s what they are themed around primarily. The notion of SEO vs Search engine friendly follows such a similar temperament.
When it comes to making your mark in digital marketing, the focus would be on building your site with the “search engine friendly first” mindset. As mentioned earlier, it would mean designing the site’s user experience, site management and content development revolving around the “search engine friendly” quotient right from the very beginning. When your website is already powered with a search engine-friendly backdrop, you have better chances of ranking higher and quicker. It also takes less time to find success with SEO activities on a site which already hosts a strong search engine-friendly foundation. On the other hand, it would be difficult to see results with SEO activities on a site that doesn’t show a Google-compatible backdrop. In simple words, making your e-commerce site search engine friendly first before you work on SEO strategies, makes your life easier.
Need of a search engine-friendly site for ranking
You must know that the nature of user interaction with your site plays a decisive role in determining your online store’s ranking on the Google engine. The most important requisites for a search engine-friendly online store are easy navigation for users, distinct CTA buttons and certainly concise, clear data that could be consumed in seconds only.
Understand the basic concept here- Google aims to be the numero uno search engine of the world. Now to meet this premier goal, it has to extend only the most useful & relevant results that perfectly match up with the user’s specific search query. In case, someone using Google makes a search, clicks on a site & then leaves it immediately (the “bounce” thing) - Google would deem the website irrelevant and useless and consequently lower its rank. Thus, metrics such as time on site, click-through rate & bounce rates actually matter when it comes to ranking your site.
Tips to make your online store search engine friendly
The 4 important tips to make your website search engine friendly are-
Fresh, informative and updated content
Content is king for any website as it is through which your visitors gain information about your products. Hence, you have to be your best quality here. Focus on fresh and resourceful content for every page and don’t forget the timely upgrades. Outdated content is always harmful to a site’s ranking.
Catchy and informative product description
The product description that you use should start with a catchy headline- pulling enough to make the visitor go through your description. Go for a compact description with legible mention of features and specifications. Deploy images to show proper usage of the product.
Easy navigation
Fast and smooth navigation is one of the most defining aspects of any search engine-friendly website. If the page takes more than 2 seconds to load or the menu bar is not arranged properly, your visitor would look elsewhere.
Be mindful of URLs
The tip here is to focus on keyword-powered URLs for your product pages. Try to use words rather than numbers for the URLs.
Ranking on highly competitive Google is never a cakewalk but with the right search engine-friendly backdrop, things are a wee bit easier.
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