mivacon chicago - seo basics
DESCRIPTION
Miva Merchant is an ever-evolving ecommerce platform that adds dozens of new features every year. Learn about the latest features built into Miva Merchant, and how to implement them in your business for maximum effect.TRANSCRIPT
BRENNAN HEYDE, VP DEVELOPER RELATIONS
ON PAGE SEO WITH MIVA MERCHANT
TALK OVERVIEWHow to structure your pages for maximum SEO
Creating Great Product Content
Utilizing Structured Data for Maximum visibility in the Search Engines
Leveraging User Generated Content to boost your on page content
Top 3 Action Items To Take Home
SEO BASICS
ON PAGE V.S OFF PAGE SEOOn Page Search Engine Optimization
• Page Structure (HTML)
• URLS
• Site Content
Off Page Search Engine Optimization
• Links, Links, Links
• Domain Authority
• PageRank
PAGE TITLES• One of the most important on page elements
• Displayed on the Search Results Pages
• Unique, descriptive, contain keyword you’re trying to target
PAGE TITLES
Default Titles in Miva are:
Category Page: Store Name + Category Name
Product Page: Store Name + Product Name
Pro Tip: Setup a custom Product / Category field, to allow you item level control over page titles.
META TAGS• Description & Keywords
• Focus on Description because it may be used in the search results pages
• <meta name="description" content="The most flexible & secure ecommerce software on the market. Build your online store today with shopping cart platform by Miva Merchant.”>
• Click Through Rate is a factor in your ranking
META TAGSMiva Provides built in setting for Meta Tags, and allows you to create new ones
CANONICAL TAGTells Google what is the “correct” URL to a page. Single line added to the page templates:
<link rel="canonical" href="http://www.mivamerchant.com/universe" />
Helps for:
• Pagination
• Filters
• Multiple links to the same product
CANONICAL TAG
Storefront - SFNT
Category Page - CTGY
Product Page - PROD
Tag should match your correct URL Structure
Goes in the Head Tag
SEARCH FRIENDLY LINKSBest Practices:
• Use Your Keywords in the URL Structure
Example:
• /category-name.html is better than /1716162.html
Product URLs
• Try not have category code in URL, However if you do make sure you are using the canonical tag to “pick” one.
SEARCH FRIENDLY LINKS
CORRECT HTML MARKUP• Use Proper HTML structure on your pages
• - H1, H2, H3
• - Move CSS / JavaScript to External Files
• - Crawl-able Navigation
GOOGLE SITEMAP
This is easy and should be done by everyone
What is it?
An XML Sitemap tells google about each one of your pages, how often it changes and any new pages you may add.
Template Data Feed / Custom Miva Page
GOOGLE WEBMASTER TOOLS• Great Free Tool (From Google)
• Fix Crawl Errors, See Duplicate title tags
PAGE SPEEDSmall but important Factor in Search Rankings
Page Speed is more important for an commerce store. Speed directly impacts conversion optimization
Every site in here has room for improvements in regards to page speed
CREATING GREAT
PRODUCT CONTENT
CONTENT IS KINGWriting Great Content is the single greatest thing you can do to help you sites rankings
How:
• Blog
• Product Reviews
• Videos
• Unique Product Descriptions
PRODUCT DESCRIPTIONS
• Your product descriptions should be sales copy to sell your products.
• If possible do not use the manufactures description
• Use your product description to differentiate your products from your competitors
• Tell a story, evoke emotion, use keywords people would use to find that product
HOW TO CREATE UNIQUE PRODUCT
DESCRIPTIONS• Write it yourself - You know your products best
• Hire someone in house
• Outsource it:
- fiverr.com
- craigslist.com
- freelancer.com
- odesk.com• Focus on top 20% of products
BLOG
STRUCTURED DATA
STRUCTURED DATAWhat is it?
• Rich Snippets, schema.org, Microdata
Answer:
• Tags you put on your pages to give Search Engines more information about your products so they can better display them in the Search Results
STRUCTURED DATA
SOCIAL TAGGINGOpen Graph (Facebook) / Google +
A series of Meta Tags to define elements about a page:
Title
Type
Image
URL
Twitter Cards
URL
Title
Description
Image
USER GENERATED CONTENT
PRODUCT REVIEWS• User Generated Content (and SEO copy) for your
products
• Let your existing customers “convince” your potential customers your product is worth buying
• It is easy to setup and get started
• Combined with structured data tags (schema.org) allows you to display reviews in Search Engine Results Pages
• Check Out: PowerReviews, Yotpo
PRO TIP: ASK FOR REVIEWS• 14 to 30 days post purchase send an
email asking customers to review the products they purchased
• Very Effective
• Make it easy and automated
SAMPLE REVIEW EMAIL
ACTION ITEMS
• Fix URLs
• Canonical Meta Tag
• Google Sitemap
• 301 Redirects / 404s
ACTION ITEMS
Add Structured Data / schema.org Tags to Products
Set it and Forget it
https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/146750
ACTION ITEMSSetup Product Reviews
Ultimate Reviews & Follow On Contact for Automation
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
• http://moz.com/blog/perfecting-onpage-optimization-for-ecommerce-websites
• Tools
• http://moz.com/
• http://www.semrush.com/
THANK YOUQuestions / Comments?
Brennan HeydeVP Developer Relations, Miva Merchant