When it comes to driving organic traffic, not all SEO strategies are created equal. Applying traditional SEO tactics might not be enough if you’re running an online store. eCommerce SEO plays by a different set of rules — and if you want your product pages to rank and sell, understanding those differences is key.
Let’s break it down.
1. Scale: Managing Thousands of Pages
Traditional websites often have a handful of core business pages and a blog. eCommerce websites? Hundreds, if not thousands, of product and category pages. That volume introduces complexity. Duplicate content risks, crawl budget management, and site architecture become much more important. Scalable solutions like automated internal linking and dynamic metadata ensure search engines can efficiently index your entire catalog.
2. Keyword Intent: It’s All About the Buy
eCommerce SEO zeroes in on transactional keywords — the terms people use when they’re ready to buy. Think: “buy printer ink online” or “best price miso soup” or even “size 10 Nike runners.” These keywords signal a strong purchase intent and drive revenue for online retailers. Traditional SEO, on the other hand, focuses more on informational and consideration queries. The intention of this content is to educate and inform, not always to drive conversions.
3. Technical Complexity: More Moving Parts
From product schema to faceted navigation to inventory issues, eCommerce sites come with unique technical challenges. Poor setup can tank visibility — fast. A solid technical SEO foundation ensures your product pages are crawlable, indexable, and ready to rank. For traditional sites, the technical requirements are often simpler and easier to maintain.
4. Content Strategy: Product-First Thinking
Where traditional SEO leans on blog content to drive traffic, eCommerce SEO demands optimized product descriptions, category pages, and user-generated content like reviews to earn clicks. If your product pages don’t clearly signal what it’s selling — or worse, if it’s missing key keywords — you’re leaving sales on the table. Structure your product pages to sell with a detailed description and feature, along with crisp imagery.
Don’t Let Your Products Hide
Having unoptimized product pages means missing out on hundreds (or thousands) of potential customers each month. It’s that simple.
If your competitors are outranking you, it’s not by accident — their websites are optimized to win.
Want to change that? Let’s talk. Method + Metric helps eCommerce stores turn search traffic into sales.