How to Fully Optimise an E-commerce Store for SEO

As someone who's worked with numerous Wix e-commerce stores, I've found that proper SEO optimisation can dramatically improve visibility and sales.

 

Here's my approach to optimising a Wix e-commerce store for search engines

Site Structure Optimisation

The foundation of good e-commerce SEO starts with proper site structure:

1. Create a logical hierarchy with your main categories leading to subcategories and then to products

2. Limit the click depth - ideally, users should reach any product within 3 clicks from the homepage

3. Use Wix's SEO panel to customise URLs, making them short, descriptive and keyword-rich

URL Optimisation

I've found that properly structured, keyword-rich URLs significantly impact SEO performance:

URL Structure Best Practices

• Keep URLs short and descriptive

• Include your primary keyword near the beginning

• Use hyphens to separate words (not underscores)

• Remove unnecessary words (a, the, and, etc.)

• Maintain a consistent URL pattern across the site

Examples of Optimised URLs

• Category page: /mens-leather-wallets/ (not /category-12345/)

• Product page: /mens-leather-wallets/bifold-brown-leather-wallet/ (not /product-p12345/)

• Blog post: /blog/how-to-care-for-leather-wallet/ (not /blog/post-12345/)

How to Optimise URLs in Wix

1. Go to your Wix dashboard and select "SEO Tools."

2. Choose "SEO Setup" to access the URL customisation options

3. For each page, click "Edit SEO Settings."

4. Under "URL Slug," enter your optimised URL format

5. Remember to maintain your site structure with proper categorisation

Handle URL Changes Carefully

When optimising existing URLs:

1. Use Wix's 301 redirect tool to point old URLs to new ones

2. Update internal links to reflect the new URL structure

3. If the page had significant traffic, monitor performance closely after the change

On-Page SEO Elements

These are the critical elements I focus on for each product page:

Title Tags

 

Create unique, keyword-rich titles for every page following this pattern:

• Product pages: [Product Name] | [Key Feature] | [Brand Name]

• Category pages: [Category Name] | [Shop/Collection] | [Brand Name]

Meta Descriptions

Write compelling meta descriptions that:

• Include your target keyword naturally

• Have a clear call to action

• Stay between 120-155 characters

• Highlight unique selling points or promotions

Product Descriptions

I've found these practices work best:

• Write unique, detailed content for each product (at least 300 words)

• Organise content with subheadings

• Include both technical specifications and benefits

• Naturally, incorporate relevant keywords

• Use bullet points for scannable content

 

Image Optimisation

For e-commerce, image optimisation is crucial:

• Rename image files with descriptive, keyword-rich names before uploading

• Add alt text to all images describing what's shown

• Compress images for faster loading without sacrificing quality

• Consider adding product dimensions in the filename (useful for Google Shopping)

Technical SEO for Wix

Wix has improved its technical SEO capabilities significantly:

1. Use Wix's built-in mobile optimisation tools to ensure responsive design

2. Enable HTTPS (Wix does this automatically)

3. Implement schema markup for products using Wix's schema settings

4. Set up and verify your site with Google Search Console

5. Create and submit an XML sitemap (Wix generates this automatically)

6. Use Wix's 301 redirect tool for any product URLs that change

Content Marketing Strategy

Beyond basic optimisation, I've found these content strategies particularly effective:

1. Create in-depth buying guides for your main product categories

2. Develop a blog with how-to content related to your products

3. Create seasonal content addressing trending searches

4. Build comparison guides between popular products

Local SEO (if applicable)

If you have a physical location:

1. Create and optimise your Google Business Profile

2. Add your business NAP (Name, Address, Phone) to the footer

3. Create a dedicated "Contact" page with an embedded Google map

4. Consider creating location-specific landing pages if serving multiple areas

Monitoring and Improvement

Finally, establish a system for ongoing optimisation:

1. Set up Google Analytics and connect it to your Wix dashboard

2. Monitor key performance metrics monthly (organic traffic, bounce rate, conversion rate)

3. Track keyword rankings for your target terms

4. Regularly update and refresh content on top-performing pages

5. Identify underperforming pages and test improvements

 

Remember that SEO is a long-term strategy. In my experience working with Wix stores, significant improvements typically take 3-6 months to materialise, but the results are well worth the consistent effort.