Have you ever heard of the phrase “build it and they will come?” Well, that is exactly what some ecommerce businesses think about SEO. They concentrate on building their website without worrying about proper optimization to get people to visit in the first place. This is a huge mistake! In this blog post, we are going to be discussing 6 common misconceptions that are holding your ecommerce business back from reaching its full potential.
Over the past 15 years, I’ve worked with a number of businesses that have “accidentally found success” with SEO. But… As we all know, Luck is not a business strategy.
In this blog post, I want to share 6 common statements I hear regularly that are costing a lot of businesses big $$$.
Misconception 1: “My site is already optimized”
What you really mean to say: I ran a Google search for “keywords” and used those terms in my meta data, title tags, images alt text etc.
Most people think they are optimizing their website properly because they followed the provided tips by an SEO company or individual that built it for them. And while this might be true… It’s not enough! Don’t forget about your on-page optimization as well as off-site factors like backlinks and social media activity (more on this later). You should always review your own web pages and sites before handing over control of these aspects to someone else. If you don’t know needs improvement then how can anyone else?
Misconception 2: “I don’t need to worry about my title tags because I use a CMS”
What you really mean to say: I don’t need to worry about my title tags because a CMS does it for me
WordPress is a great platform and there are many benefits of using one. However, the biggest reason people use WordPress is because they know how easy it makes managing their website or blog. This includes updating content which means that your meta data needs to be spot on every time! You control what goes into each page’s head section so make sure its unique and relevant for all pages (especially products) across the site.
Misconception 3: “I’m not going to invest in SEO because it’s too expensive and complicated”
What you really mean to say: I don’t know enough about SEO yet and would like to learn more before spending money on it
There is a lot of information out there that can be overwhelming. You may not even realize how much time goes into an effective campaign which means the cost might scare you away from considering it at all! However, with proper training most business owners are able to do their own marketing without having to hire someone else. The key is just making sure they have access to quality resources so they can do things correctly in the first place rather than having them done incorrectly (and therefore needing outside help). At least give yourself some time or take advantage of free tools / software before dismissing this option completely.
Misconception 4. “Google doesn’t care about me anymore so what’s the point?”
What you really mean to say: I don’t have the time or resources required to keep my site up-to-date with Google’s guidelines
You may not realize that there are actually hundreds of SEO experts out there who do nothing but create strategies for clients that include following Google updates. The truth is, if they didn’t want businesses using their services then it would be much easier for them just block everything instead of providing a blanket statement about how some sites will be affected in the near future. This means even with all these changes, most SMBs can still reach their target audience through Adwords and other paid advertising options (in addition to organic search results).
Misconception 5: “If people want information on my business, they can just search for it online.”
What you really mean to say: I don’t know that there is a better place for people searching for my business than on search engines like Google
You may not realize this, but most companies still do no invest in online advertising. It’s true! Many businesses can be found all over the web and especially through social media channels; however, these searches generally occur when they are already looking at your website or blog (after finding it organically). Searching for information about your industry/products before coming across your site means most of them won’t have any reason to click since their query will more likely produce results from other sources. This is why having an active presence on major platforms such as Facebook & Twitter isn’t enough anymore if you want to be found by people who are not already familiar with you.
Misconception 6: “SEO is only for big businesses with lots of money to spend.”
What you really mean to say: I don’t think my business has the resources (time, money) to invest in SEO
It’s true that larger companies with a high budget can afford more options and therefore may see better results; however, this doesn’t necessarily mean they will. Smaller businesses often receive organic rankings without spending as much because of their location and industry competition. The goal is not about outspending your competitors but rather getting yourself noticed through different means such as social media or even pay per click campaigns if necessary. If you want positive ROI now then it might be best for smaller operations to focus on one or two channels at first until those begin generating revenue before focusing on another platform like paid advertising which require additional time & money to manage.
Honestly, I could go on for days with the excuses that I hear… The truth is that SEO can benefit any business as long as there are enough people searching for the products you are selling.
Of course, we’ll help your website rank better in search engines like Google and Bing but it all starts with a complimentary website analysis from Shawn the SEO Geek to see where you stand today. If you’re interested in getting started now, reach out and let us know! We offer free consultations so there’s no risk at all of spending money on something without knowing whether or not it will work for your company.
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