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How Can I Rank Higher On Google Search Results?
In order to rank higher on Google search results, it will take a lot of hard work on your end.
How to Start Ranking Higher
Here are a list of things you can do to help your SEO improve organically. These SEO strategies are mini campaigns that you can start right now. Just remember, that real SEO takes a lot of effort and is a long-term commitment. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Just keep working on it and you’ll notice your site traffic increasing over the next year.
If you’re just a beginner? to Shopify, I recommend tackling the first three techniques:
- Creating meta descriptions
- Optimizing your images with image ALT Text
- Acquiring reviews for your products
For intermediate level? Shopify sellers, I recommend continuing further into some more advanced techniques:
- Building backlinks
- Blogging on your site
- Creating a campaign where you target keywords in your industry and/or niche
Create Meta Descriptions for All Products & Pages
Meta descriptions are extremely important! They are the little description that you see on search results that tell you what a page is all about.
Often times people confuse meta descriptions with a normal product description, but they are actually different. A product description is visible on your actual product page (this is what customers read when they are on your product page). A meta description is only visible on the search engine results page (SERP).
When you’re filling out your product information, make sure that you are filling out both your product description and your products’ meta description.
If you leave this blank, Google will have a hard time trying to figure out what your product is and they probably won’t show you in search results. This is a huge missed opportunity to gain more customers and drive organic traffic to your site. So make sure you fill out as much information as possible!
Check out our guide (which includes a video tutorial): How To Write Amazing Meta Descriptions
Fill out the meta description box with some info about your product
Optimize all Images with Image ALT Text
Do all of your images have ALT Text? The purpose of an ALT Text is to help screen readers (for the seeing-impaired). In addition, ALT Text are also very important for improving your overall SEO.
Why? ALT Text are a key piece of information that Google uses to understand what your photo is all about. Keep in mind that Google is just a computerized robot sorting through files. It doesn’t have eyes to see what your website is all about. It uses information provided in your ALT Text to make sense of the images on your site.
Google expects you to fill out this information. The more information you give them about your photos, the better.
Make sure at least one of your ALT Text contains a keyword that is relevant to your product. So if you’re selling coffee beans, one of your ALT Text should be “coffee beans.” This will help your chances of showing up in search results.
Check out our guide on how to optimize the product images: Top 7 Product Image Tips
Don’t leave your ALT text empty! Make sure to fill this in for all product images
Create Product Pages that SELL!
Do your product pages persuade customers to click the “Add to Cart” button or are you product pages boring? If you’re not sure, ask a friend or relative to take a look at one of your products. Ask them, “Would you buy it? Or do you need more information?”
They just might tell you that they need a more convincing description or better images. Would a product video help calm their nerves and help them finish their checkout process?
These are all great questions to ask. Uploading a product and adding an image is just the start. You need to make sure that your product pages are optimized not just for search engines, but also for customers!
Check out our guide: 5 Ways to Optimize your Product Page To Drive Traffic
Also, don’t miss out on our 11 Most Inspiring & Beautiful Shopify Stores of 2018
Does your product page sell people or drive them away?
Get 5 Star Reviews for Your Products
Reviews are super important for SEO because they are searchable by search engines. Google can crawl your website and see all of the product reviews on your entire site. Oftentimes, product reviews contain keywords that relate to the product your selling.
For example, let’s suppose you had an outdoor store and sold waterproof tents.
One of your reviews might say, “This is the best waterproof tent I’ve ever used! I would highly recommend.” Google will see this and know that you sell waterproof tents and can then recommend you in search results whenever someone searches for this specific product.
Reviews also serve as social proof. They convince customers to buy your product because other people liked it.
Lastly, having colorful star ratings is a great way to pop out in search results. In order to get your star ratings to appear in search results, you’ll need to install ‘Get Clicked! SEO’ which inserts the necessary structured data into your Shopify store.
Learn how to start getting reviews from customers: How to Display Product Reviews on Google Search Results
Getting positive reviews is crucial for showing up in search results with a star rating
Build Up Backlinks
Basically a backlink just means that someone on another website is linking to your website. How do you get these amazing backlinks to boost your SEO?
Try to get people to write about your company by doing interviews, interviewing experts in your industry, get featured in relevant magazines or make connection with people in your industry/niche.
You can also start guest blogging for websites that allow you to place a ‘follow-link’ on your author’s bio. If your company isn’t that well established or famous yet, it’s better to start small and aim for indie publications and small blogs.
Backlinks show Google that you are a reputable site that have content that people are interested in.
Start Blogging
Having an active blog on your website is essential for improving your overall SEO and rank with search engines. Google favors websites that have a lot of unique, quality content on their site. Show Google that you’re the expert in your niche!
Write about things related to your shop.
Think about every possible article related to your products, and start typing articles people will want to read!
Of course, you’ll also want to think about what kinds of articles people are searching for (or else you risk never being read). Although it can take a lot of time to start ranking in search results, it’s totally worth it! And the payoff can be incredible. Having regular readers is a key way to gaining new customers.
Most people start seeing results within a year, but again good things take time. Try to aim for around 10,000 words a month on average at least if you decide to take this on. Create an editorial calendar and get to work!
Need some inspiration? Check out our Adolab Blog
Starting up a blog can drive traffic to your Shopify store
Target Keywords in Your Niche
Do your best to rank for keywords that you are trying to target in your niche or industry. First you’ll need to do some initial research using a tool such as Get Clicked SEO to narrow down your scope.
Some other keyword planning tools include Google’s Keyword Planner on GoogleAds and Moz’s Keyword Explorer.
For example, let’s suppose your website is an online tea company.
You might want to rank for ‘best tea’ and ‘buy tea online.’ Figuring out what keywords you need to rank for can help you create product descriptions that are rich in keywords.
This enables Google to understand that you’re an expert in this arena and/or offer these types of products that people are looking for. You can also use these keywords in your blog articles which can help you appear more frequently in search results.
Use a free tool like Moz to discover keywords you can target
I hope this helps to answer your questions about how to start ranking on Google search results.
Helpful SEO Resources to Help Grow Your Shopify Store
Here are some helpful SEO articles to get you started on ranking higher on Google.
- 5 Quick SEO Tips for Your Shopify Store
- Google Image SEO for Shopify Merchants
- Google My Business: 6 Benefits of Creating a Store Listing
- 5 Ways to Optimize your Product Page to Drive Traffic
- Shopify HTML sitemap: 4 Awesome Benefits for your Store!
- Top 7 Product Image Tips: A Guide for Shopify Sellers
- How to Write an Amazing Meta Description & Get More Clicks!
- How to Display Product Reviews on Google Search Results