Understanding SEO Basics
What is SEO?
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) refers to the practice of optimizing a website so it ranks higher in search engine result pages (SERPs). This process involves enhancing the website’s design, content, and functionality to make it attractive to search engines and more accessible and user-friendly to visitors.
Why SEO is important for an e-commerce business?
SEO plays a vital role in e-commerce businesses for several reasons. High rankings on search engines like Google and Bing can lead to increased organic traffic, which often translates into more sales. SEO helps businesses reach their target audience effectively as people who search for specific products or services are more likely to make a purchase. Plus, a well-optimized e-commerce site provides a better user experience, building trust and credibility with customers.
Different types of SEO: On-page, Off-page, and Technical SEO
Understanding the different types of SEO is fundamental to creating a holistic strategy. On-Page SEO refers to all the actions taken directly within your website to improve its position in search rankings. This includes content creation, keyword optimization, and usability.
Off-Page SEO focuses on increasing the domain authority of your website by earning backlinks from other reputable sites. Social media marketing, guest blogging, and influencer marketing are popular off-page SEO techniques.
Technical SEO refers to non-content elements of your website. It includes strategies to improve a site’s backend structure and foundation, such as enhancing page speed, mobile-friendliness, and indexing.
Relevant Statistics about BigCommerce and SEO Impact on Sales
- E-commerce has been on a rapid growth trajectory, and platforms like BigCommerce have been pivotal in this trend. Understanding the correlation between SEO and sales can help illustrate the potential impact of optimizing your BigCommerce store. (source)
- As of 2022, BigCommerce powered over 60,000 online stores across 120 countries, a clear indicator of its popularity and reach. (source)
- Organic search is the primary source of website traffic, with SEO leading to 1000%+ more traffic than organic social media. (source)
- If your BigCommerce store has a local component, consider this: “Near me” or “close by” type searches grew by more than 900% over two years. Local SEO strategies can help tap into this demand. (source)
- SEO leads have a 14.6% close rate, while outbound leads (such as direct mail or print advertising) have a 1.7% close rate. This statistic highlights the potential of SEO in driving more sales. (source)
- The #1 result in Google’s organic search results has an average CTR of 31.7%, and the top 3 results get 75.1% of all clicks. This underlines the importance of aiming for high rankings in search results. (source)
- Nearly 73% of internet users will access the internet solely via mobile devices by 2025. This fact highlights the importance of mobile optimization for your BigCommerce store. (source)
These statistics paint a compelling picture of the potential SEO has to impact sales for your BigCommerce store. With thoughtful strategies and continuous optimization, you can tap into the power of SEO to drive more traffic, improve user experience, and ultimately, increase conversions and sales.
Remember that SEO is a long-term strategy, and the impact on sales may not be immediate. However, with persistence and continual optimization, the benefits of SEO can be substantial.
Implementing SEO on BigCommerce
BigCommerce offers a range of powerful SEO features right out of the box. Understanding and effectively implementing these features can significantly improve your store’s organic traffic and search rankings. It can be a competitive advantage, as a properly optimized BigCommerce store stands a better chance of attracting and retaining customers. To make the most of these SEO features, you need to fully grasp their potential and how to tailor them to your unique needs.
Keyword Research and Strategy
Keywords play an essential role in SEO as they guide search engines to your website and help your target audience locate your business amidst the competition. Effective keyword research and a well-crafted keyword strategy can significantly enhance your store’s visibility and search rankings.

Technical SEO for Bigcommerce
Bigcommerce provides a robust suite of features to bolster your store’s technical SEO, including mobile-responsive themes, site speed optimization tools, and automatically generated XML sitemaps and robots.txt files. These features help enhance your website’s visibility and user experience.
Key Technical SEO Features in Bigcommerce
Some of the key technical SEO features in Bigcommerce include:
- Mobile-friendly design: Bigcommerce themes are mobile-responsive, ensuring your website looks great on all devices.
- Site speed optimization: You can optimize your website speed for a better user experience and improved search rankings.
- XML sitemaps and robots.txt: These files, automatically generated by Bigcommerce, aid search engines in understanding and crawling your site.
- SSL and HTTPS: Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) is a security protocol that provides a secure connection between a user’s web browser and your website.
- Structured data and schema markup: Bigcommerce automatically applies schema markup to product pages to enhance SEO.
Off-Page SEO for Bigcommerce
Off-page SEO activities can contribute significantly to your website’s visibility and rankings. These activities often include:
- Building Backlinks: Backlinks from reputable sites in your industry can enhance your site’s credibility and search rankings.
- Social Media Signals: Social media activity can indirectly boost your SEO by driving traffic to your website and increasing brand awareness.
- Online Reputation and Reviews: Online reviews and ratings can impact your SEO and your customers’ buying decisions.
Local SEO, Tools & Plugins, and SEO Success Tracking for Bigcommerce
This part of our Bigcommerce SEO guide covers local SEO, the various SEO tools and plugins available for Bigcommerce, and how to track and measure your SEO success.
Enhancing Your BigCommerce Store for SEO
In addition to the core SEO strategies discussed earlier, there are several other elements you might consider when optimizing your BigCommerce store for search engine optimization. These elements can further enhance your store’s visibility and user experience.
Interactive Elements
Incorporating elements like infographics, videos, or interactive diagrams could make the content more engaging and easier to digest. It could also potentially increase the time users spend on the page, which can be beneficial for SEO.
User Testimonials and Reviews
If you have testimonials from customers who have seen success with your SEO services, consider adding them. Authentic reviews and testimonials can build trust and provide social proof.
Call-to-Action (CTA)
A clear and compelling CTA can guide users towards the next steps you want them to take. This could be to contact you for a consultation, request a quote, download a resource, or subscribe to a newsletter.
SEO Checklist or Resource Downloads
Offering a downloadable resource, like how-to guides, can provide value to your users and also allow you to collect email addresses for future marketing efforts.
Regular Updates
SEO is an ever-evolving field. It could be beneficial to regularly update the guide with new trends, algorithm updates, or tools. This ensures your content stays relevant and valuable.
Remember, while it’s important to optimize for search engines, the primary focus should be on delivering valuable and user-friendly content to your readers. If you have a great resource that users appreciate, the SEO will follow.
Mastering BigCommerce SEO: Tips, Tricks, and Strategies
BigCommerce has experienced incredible growth over the years due to its unique features, making it one of the most powerful and versatile eCommerce platforms. However, in order to outpace your competitors, you need to partner with BigCommerce SEO experts to gain access to a wealth of incredible tools and features that will power up your lead generation and conversion stats.
Advanced Bigcommerce SEO Tips and Strategies
This final part of our guide covers additional SEO tips and tricks for Bigcommerce, when and how to hire professional help, and a conclusion summarizing the importance of SEO for your Bigcommerce store.
Final Points for Bigcommerce SEO
This final part of our guide covers additional SEO tips and tricks for Bigcommerce, when and how to hire professional help, and a conclusion summarizing the importance of SEO for your Bigcommerce store.
Comprehensive BigCommerce SEO Checklist
Keyword Research
- Identify primary and secondary keywords for your store.
- Conduct competitor keyword analysis.
- Consider user intent in your keyword strategy.
- Regularly review and update your keyword list.
On-Page SEO
- Write unique, engaging content incorporating your keywords.
- Use header tags (H1, H2, etc.) to structure your content.
- Optimize meta titles and meta descriptions with keywords.
- Use keywords in your URLs.
- Implement alt tags for all images.
- Ensure each page on your website is easily navigable and user-friendly.
- Leverage structured data (Schema Markup) for product pages.
Technical SEO
- Ensure your website is mobile-friendly.
- Implement SSL for a secure website (HTTPS).
- Optimize your website’s load speed.
- Utilize BigCommerce’s CDN for better performance.
- Regularly check for and fix 404 errors and redirect issues.
- Utilize an XML sitemap and submit it to search engines.
- Implement canonical URLs to avoid duplicate content.
- Implement hreflang tags if your store operates in multiple languages.
Off-Page SEO
- Develop a high-quality backlink strategy.
- Utilize social media channels to promote your store and products.
- Engage with industry influencers and bloggers.
- Implement a review strategy to build trust with potential customers.
Local SEO (If applicable)
- Optimize your website for local search.
- Set up and optimize your Google My Business profile.
- Ensure your business’s name, address, and phone number (NAP) are consistent across all platforms.
- Encourage and respond to online customer reviews.
Content Strategy
- Develop a content calendar and regularly publish high-quality blog posts.
- Utilize different forms of content, including videos, infographics, and podcasts.
- Implement internal linking within your blog posts and product pages.
- Keep content fresh by updating existing pages and blog posts.
SEO Analytics and Reporting
- Regularly check your site’s performance using Google Analytics and Search Console.
- Set up goal tracking in Google Analytics to monitor conversions.
- Regularly monitor keyword rankings and update your strategy as needed.
- Conduct regular SEO audits to identify areas of improvement.
Remember, SEO is a continual process and it’s important to stay updated with the latest trends and changes in the algorithm. Regularly monitor your results and adjust your strategies accordingly.
Keep in mind, this is a general checklist. Your website may need more specific optimizations depending on its structure, target audience, industry, and competition. For an in-depth analysis and personalized strategy, consider consulting with a BigCommerce SEO agency or expert.
Top 10 Things to Avoid That Could Negatively Impact Your BigCommerce SEO Rankings
- Ignoring Mobile Responsiveness: As mobile searches dominate, Google uses mobile-first indexing. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, it could hurt your rankings. Make sure your BigCommerce store uses a responsive theme and offers a seamless experience across all devices.
- Neglecting Site Speed: Site speed is a crucial ranking factor. Slow loading times can increase bounce rates and negatively affect your SEO. Continually monitor your site’s speed and take steps to optimize it, like reducing image sizes, minifying code, and using a content delivery network (CDN).
- Keyword Stuffing: While it’s important to include keywords in your content, excessive or unnatural use (known as keyword stuffing) can harm your SEO. Always aim for a natural and reader-friendly use of keywords.
- Duplicating Content: Duplicate content can confuse search engines and hurt your rankings. Each page on your site should have unique content. Ensure that you use canonical tags to prevent duplicate content issues.
- Neglecting Meta Descriptions and Title Tags: Meta descriptions and title tags help search engines understand your content. Ignoring these elements can negatively impact how your site is understood and ranked. Make sure each page has a unique and descriptive title tag and meta description.
- Ignoring Structured Data (Schema Markup): Schema Markup helps search engines understand your content better and can enhance your visibility in SERPs. Not using it, especially for product pages, is a missed opportunity.
- Overlooking Image Optimization: Images can slow down your site and, if not properly tagged, miss out on potential traffic. Always compress images, use descriptive file names, and add alt tags.
- Building Low-Quality Backlinks: Building backlinks from low-quality or irrelevant sites can do more harm than good. Focus on earning high-quality, relevant backlinks that add value to your site.
- Ignoring Local SEO (If applicable): If you have a physical location or target a specific geographical area, ignoring local SEO could hurt your visibility. Optimize your Google My Business profile, gather reviews, and ensure consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone number) information across all platforms.
- Neglecting SEO Analytics: Ignoring SEO analytics means you’re flying blind. Regular analysis helps identify what’s working, what’s not, and where to focus your efforts. Tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console are invaluable for monitoring your site’s performance.
Remember, SEO is an ongoing process and requires consistent monitoring and adjusting. Avoid these common pitfalls to ensure your BigCommerce store’s success. If needed, consider enlisting the help of BigCommerce SEO experts or an agency to guide you through the process.
Explore the world of BigCommerce SEO | FAQs
What is SEO for BigCommerce?
SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, for BigCommerce involves optimizing your online store to improve its visibility in search engine results. It includes strategies to improve on-page and off-page factors that search engines consider when ranking websites.
Why is SEO important for my BigCommerce store?
SEO is essential for any online business. It helps your store rank higher in search engine results, making it more visible to potential customers. This can lead to increased traffic, more conversions, and ultimately higher revenue.
How can I improve my BigCommerce store’s SEO?
Improving your store’s SEO involves a variety of strategies, including keyword optimization, content creation, on-page SEO improvements, off-page SEO activities, technical SEO enhancements, and local SEO optimization.
How do I perform keyword research for my BigCommerce store?
Keyword research involves finding and analyzing the terms that people enter into search engines. You can use tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Ahrefs to find relevant keywords for your store.
What is on-page SEO?
On-page SEO refers to all the measures that can be taken directly within your website to improve its position in search rankings. This includes things like content optimization, keyword optimization, meta tags, header tags, URL structure, and image optimization.
What is off-page SEO?
Off-page SEO refers to actions taken outside of your own website to impact your rankings within search engine results pages. This primarily involves improving the perception of your site’s popularity, relevance, trustworthiness, and authority.
What is technical SEO?
Technical SEO refers to the process of optimizing your website for the crawling and indexing phase. It involves various settings and optimizations that make your website easy to crawl, understand, and index by search engines.
How can I speed up my BigCommerce website?
You can improve your site’s speed by optimizing images, reducing the number of plugins, and utilizing caching. Regularly monitoring your site’s speed and making necessary adjustments can ensure a fast, user-friendly experience.
What is a backlink, and why is it important?
A backlink is a link from another website to your site. They are important because search engines use them as a signal of trust and authority, which can improve your site’s ranking in search results.
What is local SEO, and how does it relate to my BigCommerce store?
Local SEO is the process of optimizing your online presence to attract more business from relevant local searches. If your BigCommerce store also has a physical location or targets a specific area, local SEO can help increase your visibility in local search results.
How often should I conduct an SEO audit for my BigCommerce store?
It’s recommended to conduct an SEO audit for your BigCommerce store at least twice a year. However, if you make major changes to your site or notice a significant drop in traffic or rankings, it may be beneficial to perform an audit sooner.
Can I handle BigCommerce SEO on my own, or should I hire a professional?
Whether to handle BigCommerce SEO on your own or hire a professional depends on your resources, expertise, and the complexity of your website. If you lack the time or knowledge to handle SEO effectively, hiring a professional can be a worthwhile investment. They can provide expert guidance and help implement strategies that will improve your site’s SEO performance.
How do I choose the right SEO professional or agency for my BigCommerce store?
When choosing an SEO professional or agency, consider factors such as their experience, reputation, transparency, and communication. They should have a track record of success in e-commerce SEO, be open about their strategies, and communicate clearly and regularly about their progress.
What SEO tools should I use for my BigCommerce store?
There are numerous SEO tools that can help you optimize your BigCommerce store, including Google Analytics, Google Search Console, SEMrush, Moz, and various BigCommerce apps and plugins.
What is schema markup, and why is it important for BigCommerce SEO?
Schema markup is a form of structured data that helps search engines understand the content on your site and provide more informative results to users. It’s important for BigCommerce SEO because it can improve your visibility in search results and increase your click-through rate.
How does social media influence SEO for my BigCommerce store?
While social media isn’t a direct ranking factor, it can indirectly influence your SEO. Sharing your content on social media can increase your online visibility, generate traffic to your site, and potentially lead to more backlinks.
How do I create SEO-friendly content for my BigCommerce store?
Creating SEO-friendly content involves using relevant keywords, providing valuable and unique information, using header tags for organization, linking to relevant internal and external content, and optimizing your images.
How does mobile responsiveness impact my BigCommerce SEO?
Mobile responsiveness is a key ranking factor for search engines. If your website is not mobile-friendly, it could negatively impact your rankings, especially for mobile searches. BigCommerce themes are mobile-responsive, ensuring your website looks great and functions well on all devices.
What are meta tags and why are they important for BigCommerce SEO?
Meta tags are snippets of text that describe a page’s content. They don’t appear on the page itself but in the page’s code. Meta tags are important because they help search engines understand what your page is about, and they can influence click-through rates from search results.
How can I track my BigCommerce SEO success?
You can track your SEO success by using tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console, which provide valuable data on your site’s traffic, user behavior, and performance in search results. Regularly reviewing and analyzing this data can help you understand the effectiveness of your SEO efforts.
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