The document discusses best practices for on-page SEO tailored for eCommerce websites using Miva Merchant, emphasizing the importance of page structure, mobile optimization, and unique product content. Key strategies include leveraging user-generated content, optimizing site speed, and proper use of meta tags and canonical links to improve search engine visibility and user experience. Action items are provided for effective SEO management, including fixing URLs, optimizing for mobile, and developing a detailed content strategy.

1. BRENNAN HEYDE
ON PAGE SEO &
MIVA MERCHANT

2. Overview
How to structure your pages for maximum
SEO
Creating Great Product Content
Leveraging User Generated Content to boost
your on page content
Ensuring Your Site is Optimized for Mobile
Top 3 Action Items To Take Home

3. Understanding SEO
WHAT IS SEO?

4. Think Like A Search Engine
What Does Google Want to show its users?
• The best site available for what they are searching for
• FAST
• Great user experience
• Relevant content / products
• Mobile/Tablet Optimized (Responsive)

5. SEO BASICS

6. On Page v.s Off Page SEO
On Page Search Engine Optimization
• Page Structure (HTML)
• URLS
• Site Content & Keywords
• Page Speed
• Mobile Optimized
Off Page Search Engine Optimization
• Links, Links, Links
• Domain Authority
• PageRank, Age

8. 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

9. 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

10. Canonical Tag
Tells 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 / Facets
• Sorting Controls
• Multiple links to the same product

11. Search Friendly Links
Best Practices:
• Use Your Keywords in the URL Structure
• Keep them human readable, short
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.

12. Search Friendly Links
Miva’s URL Management

14. The Basics Still Matter
• Page Title with Keywords
• Content with Keywords
• Canonical Tag
• Keywords in URLs
• Results: Indexed Page and generating traffic

15. Correct HTML Markup
• Use Proper HTML structure on your pages
• - H1, H2, H3
• - Move CSS / JavaScript to External Files
• - Crawl-able Navigation

16. 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.
Google Sitemap

17. Google Webmaster Tools
• Great Free Tool (From Google)
• Fix Crawl Errors, See Duplicate title tags

18. Page Speed
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

19. Tools For Checking Page Speed

20. CREATING
GREAT
PRODUCT
CONTENT

21. Content Is King
Writing Great Content is the single greatest thing
you can do to help you sites rankings
How:
• Blog
• Product Reviews
• Videos
• Unique Product Descriptions

22. 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

24. jbugs.com SEO Strategy
•Our
#1
focus
was
trying
to
make
the
user
experience
be:er
to
increase
overall
conversion
•Put
industry
professionals
In
charge
of
wri@ng
Product
Specific
and
Category
Specific
content
•
We
were
specific
with
any
and
all
dimensions
possible,
giving
detail
on
the
look
and
feel,
and
informing
the
customer
of
the
material
the
product
was
made
of
if
necessary.
•Wri@ng
exact
dimensions
and
product
specifics
is
not
always
going
to
get
you
ranked
on
Google,
but
it
will
get
you
a
new
customer
•We
also
used
highly
searched
key
terms
in
the
page
content
for
products
and
categories
alike
•We
realized
that
focusing
our
efforts
on
our
customers
was
more
important
than
focusing
on
Google
and
other
search
engines

25. 1 Year Results
Year
Over
Year
#s
-­‐
eCommerce
Conversion
Rate
increase
of
about
16%
-­‐
Bounce
Rate
decrease
of
about
5%
-­‐
Revenue
per
Purchase
increase
of
over
22%
-­‐
Organic
Sessions
increase
of
almost
5%

26. 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

27. BLOG

28. 28

29. 29

30. 30

31. USER
GENERATED
CONTENT

32. 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, Shopper Approved, Bazzar
Voice

34. 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

35. Sample Review Email

36. 36

37. Mobile Optimized
RESPONSIVE
WEB DESIGN

39. “Mobilegeddon”
• April 21, 2015 Google implemented algorithm
change that penalized sizes in Mobile Search
Results if they were not optimized for a mobile
device
• Google Wants to display the best site with the best
experience to the customer

40. Tools to Check Your Site
• https://www.google.com/
webmasters/tools/mobile-
friendly/

41. 41
ACTION ITEMS

42. Action Items
• Fix URLs
• Canonical Meta Tag
• Google Sitemap
• 301 Redirects / 404s
1. Properly Structure Your Pages

43. Action Items
2. Optimize Your Site For Speed
• Measure your current load times
• Optimize Images, Reduce asset load time
• Gzip Compression
• Utilize Caching
• Utilize Content Delivery Network (CDN)

44. Action Items
• Beat your competitors with better images and more
detailed descriptions
• Utilize User Generated Content (Reviews)
• Become a industry expert in your field through
blogging
3. Develop A Content Strategy

45. Additional Resources
• http://moz.com/blog/perfecting-onpage-
optimization-for-ecommerce-websites
• Tools
• http://moz.com/
• http://www.semrush.com/

46. DOWNLOAD THIS SLIDE AT:
WWW.SLIDESHARE.NET/MIVAMERCHANT
THANK YOU