Retail SEO, Ranked

Technical SEO is applied widely to sites to rank higher on search engines like Google and Bing. A site must be discoverable where most shoppers start their journey. The search bar that sits at the top of retail giants like Amazon and Walmart is just as important for the customer journey as the one on Google or Bing. The ability to quickly navigate a site, find relevant products, and get good information will determine the short and long-term success of an ecommerce site. Here are the three general categories that make Retail SEO successful:

The Categories

Simplicity

Shoppers don’t want to take an essay when they hop on Target.com. They want to find relevant products in as short a time as possible. This is where browse nodes and product taxonomy come into play. The fewer clicks that separate a browser and its filled shopping cart, the more likely they become a buyer.

Relevance

While related to simplicity, relevance is how the products that show up after a search align with what the customer wants. Retailers that use keywords in their product copy and metadata, or enforce standards on the brands that sell on their site, see improved discoverability of relevant products. This affects the ability to run a profitable ad business, as well as the likelihood that customers will shop there instead of a competitor.

Speedy

Believe it or not, in 2024, consumers care about load times. It is a fast-paced world, and some sites haven’t caught up. Optimizing sites for speed is necessary for profitability. According to research by Google, having load times increase from just 1 second to 3 seconds increases the chance of a customer bouncing by 32%. At 5 seconds, it’s risen to 90%. 

Flashy images and graphics are great, but if the page’s form doesn’t meet it’s function, money will be left on the table.

With this in mind, let’s take a look at the top online retailers’ pros and cons of Retail SEO. 

The Retailers

HomeDepot.com (191.0 million visits)

Pros:

1. Extensive Use of Structured Data: Home Depot uses structured data to provide detailed product information in search results.
2. User-Friendly Navigation: The site’s navigation is user-friendly and well-organized, which helps with SEO.
3. Comprehensive Product Descriptions: Product pages on Home Depot often have comprehensive descriptions and specifications, enhancing their SEO value.

Cons:

1. Broken Links: There are instances of broken links, which can negatively impact SEO.
2. Duplicate Content Issues: Similar products can lead to duplicate content, affecting SEO performance.
3. Slow Mobile Load Times: The mobile version of the site can sometimes be slow to load, impacting user experience and rankings.

Amazon.com (2,076.1 million visits)

Pros:

1. Fast Load Times: Amazon’s website is optimized for speed, reducing bounce rates and improving user experience across devices.
2. Comprehensive Schema Markup: Amazon utilizes rich snippets and schema markup to enhance search results with product ratings, availability, and pricing, improving click-through rates.
3. Catalog Depth & Price: Amazon maintains the largest catalog of product SKUs, as well as some of the lowest prices.

Cons:

1. Duplicate Content Issues: With millions of product listings, Amazon often needs help with duplicate content, which can negatively impact searchability when duplicate products compete for the same spots.
2. Thin Content Pages: Some product pages lack comprehensive descriptions, leading to thin content that doesn’t create buyer confidence.
3. Complex URL Structures: Amazon’s URLs can be lengthy and complex, making them less user-friendly and harder to navigate.

eBay.com (543.8 million visits)

Pros:

1. User-Generated Content: eBay benefits from a wealth of user-generated content, such as reviews and product descriptions, enhancing readability and trust among consumers.
2. Mobile Optimization: eBay’s mobile site is well-optimized, ensuring a smooth user experience and fast load times.
3. Onsite Content: While the internal linking, mentioned below, could be improved in content, the breadth and quality of retail media makes the consumer journey easier and more informed. Browse node pages contain relevant content and links to other relevant categories.

Cons:

1. Outdated Content: Some listings on eBay remain outdated, which can harm the site's overall SEO health.
2. Inconsistent Internal Linking: The internal linking structure is not always consistent, which can impede efficient movement between products and browse nodes.
3. Duplicate Listings: Multiple sellers listing the same product can create duplicate content issues, reducing the number of relevant products for consumers trying to look at multiple products.

Walmart.com (492.7 million visits)

Pros:

1. Robust Internal Linking: Walmart excels in creating a robust internal linking structure, boosting site navigation and discoverability of relevant products.
2. Optimized Images: Walmart’s product images are well-optimized with descriptive alt text, improving image search results onsite, as well as improving buyer confidence.
3. Fast Page Speed: Walmart’s website is optimized for fast loading times, enhancing user experience.

Cons:

1. Broken Links: There are occasional issues with broken links on Walmart’s site, which can negatively impact user experience and SEO.
2. Thin Content: Some product pages have minimal content, which can affect search rankings and user engagement.

Etsy.com (276.2 million visits)

Pros:

1. Unique Product Descriptions: Etsy benefits from unique product descriptions created by individual sellers, which enhances SEO through the relevance of each product.
2. Strong Community Engagement: High levels of community engagement and user reviews contribute positively to Etsy’s SEO. Consumers are more likely to trust their peers than they are a brand.
3. Effective Use of Keywords: Etsy guides its sellers on effective keyword usage for their catalog of handmade products.

Cons:

1. Variable Quality of Listings: The quality of product listings can vary greatly from seller to seller, leading to inconsistent SEO outcomes.
2. Limited Control Over Technical SEO: Individual sellers have limited control over technical SEO aspects, which can hinder individual and overall site performance.
3. Duplicate Content: Similar products listed by multiple sellers can result in duplicate products, leading to fewer relevant listings appearing for customers.

Target.com (217.4 million visits)

Pros:

1. Structured Data Markup: Target effectively uses structured data markup to enhance search results with rich snippets.
2. Curated Catalog: Much like their in-store experience, Target has a limited catalog of higher-value items than competitors like Walmart. This is also true of their 3rd party marketplace, leading to fewer, but more relevant products.
3. Fast Load Times: Target’s website is optimized for fast load times, which improves user experience by making searches and site navigation faster.

Cons:

1. Occasional Redirect Issues: Target’s site sometimes suffers from redirect issues that can confuse users and increase the bounce rate.
2. Thin Content on Product Pages: Many product pages have minimal content, affecting their ability to rank well in search results, leading to fewer relevant products for consumers.

BestBuy.com (155.0 million visits)

Pros:

1. Rich Media Content: Best Buy utilizes rich media content like videos and high-quality images, which enhances user engagement and influences conversion.
2. Strong Internal Linking: The internal linking structure is strong, aiding in consumer site navigation.
3. Effective Use of Keywords: Best Buy effectively uses keywords in product titles and descriptions, improving the relevance of search results.

Cons:

1. Complex URL Parameters: The use of complex URL parameters can make it difficult for search engines to crawl the site effectively.
2. Inconsistent Meta Tags: Meta tags are not always consistently applied, leading to missed SEO opportunities.
3. Duplicate Content: Multiple cases of duplicate content/prodcuts being listed. Oftentimes multiples of the same product with different feature sets will be listed, making the shopping journey more complex.

Big Lots: A Case Study in Missed SEO Opportunities

Big Lots is a significant retailer in the furniture market with substantial brick-and-mortar sales but needs more effective technical SEO strategies, leaving potential traffic and revenue untapped.

Pros:

1. Large Product Catalog: Big Lots has a diverse and extensive product catalog, a potential goldmine for SEO if properly optimized. The bread-and-butter is furniture, but they sell various other discounted items from shower faucets to office supplies.
2. Brand Recognition: Big Lots is a well-known name in discount furniture. This boosts buyer trust and conversion rate.
3. Local SEO Potential: With numerous physical locations, Big Lots has the potential to convert on their site, as well as drive traffic to local stores.

Cons:

1. Poor Website Structure: The website lacks a coherent structure, making it difficult for users to navigate the site or find the correct category.
2. Lack of Optimized Content: Most product pages lack extensive content, relying on basic attributes like size and color, rather than thorough descriptors. As well, many categories lack informational content to guide and inform buyers.
3. Slow Page Load Times: The site suffers from slow load times, and poorly optimized pages, leading to buyer frustration, and ultimately, lost sales.

Looking Ahead

While the top online retailers in the United States excel in various aspects of technical SEO, there are still areas for improvement. Amazon, eBay, Walmart, Etsy, Target, Home Depot, and Best Buy demonstrate strong SEO practices but also face challenges like duplicate content, inconsistent meta tags, and occasional technical issues. Big Lots, on the other hand, highlights how neglecting technical SEO can result in significant missed opportunities. By addressing these issues, retailers can enhance their SEO performance, drive more traffic, and ultimately boost their bottom line.