6 reasons why technical SEO is key to your online store's growth
Every online store owner knows how important search engine visibility is. However, SEO is not just about keywords and content strategies. Technical SEO - a set of techniques and optimizations that improve the technical aspects of your website and make it easier for search engines (especially Google) to crawl, index and rank your online store - plays a crucial role. Let's take a look at why every online store owner should give technical SEO the proper attention.
1. Page load speed affects users and search engines
Page load speed plays a significant role not only for user convenience, but also for Google itself. Studies show that users quickly lose interest if a page takes longer than a few seconds to load. Thus, online stores with fast loading times not only serve their customers better, but also get better rankings from search engines. Site speed primarily affects conversion rate, which means that a faster online store = higher chances of sales.
How to improve loading speed?
Optimizing images, minimizing unnecessary scripts and using CND (Content Delivery Network) is guaranteed to help you in improving your loading speed. Also, focus on reducing unnecessary redirects and effective cache management.
2. URL structure and internal linking - content cleanup
Maintaining a clear and logical URL structure and internal linking is key to making it easy for search engines to navigate your content. Structured and understandable URLs that contain relevant keywords and are free of unnecessary parameters help search engines and users quickly understand what the page is about.
Internal linking helps Google's robots to easily navigate between your e-commerce store's pages, improving the chances of quality indexing. For example, if you have a strong product on sale, link to it from relevant blog articles or descriptions of other products.
3. Mobile optimization - the foundation of modern SEO
More than half of all online purchases are made on mobile devices, which is why Google puts a lot of emphasis on mobile usability. The mobile version of your online store definitely needs to be fast, clear and user-friendly, otherwise you will end up in a situation where Google will lower your ranking, which leads to a lower position in the search engine.
How to do it?
Make sure your online store loads smoothly on all types of devices and has a responsive design that automatically adapts to different screen sizes.
4. Website security - HTTPS as standard
Site security is another factor that Google takes into account. For an online store, HTTPS protocol is absolutely crucial, not only for SEO but mainly for customer trust. No one wants to shop on an online store that is not secure. Google itself prefers online stores with HTTPS, and if your online store is still running only on HTTP, it's high time to switch to a secure option.
5. Structured data- get more attention in search results
Structured data allows your online store to appear in search results with enhanced information such as product ratings, prices, availability and other details available to users. This data not only helps search engines better understand your site's content, but also attracts users' attention on the search page itself.
Our tip: Using schema.org tags is a proven way to implement structured data, and it can mean a significant increase in organic traffic by making your results more appealing.
6. Error handling and correction - eliminating 404 and other issues
No one wants to encounter a "404 - page not found" when browsing your online store. Technical SEO also deals with detecting and fixing errors that can affect customer impression and search engine rankings. This includes not only 404 errors, but also other issues such as duplicate content, redirects or broken links. By regularly monitoring and fixing these errors, you can ensure a smooth visit to your online store and prevent customer churn.
Conclusion
Technical SEO is a complex discipline that has a major impact on the success of an online store in the online world. A properly optimized online store is faster, clearer, more secure and better indexed by search engines will translate into better rankings in search results and an increase in organic traffic. Any online store owner who is serious about their business should include technical SEO in their overall growth strategy.