How I Used SEO to Drive 40k Visits to My E-commerce Store

When I decided to set up my e-commerce store, my goal was to gain independence from marketplaces and have full control over my brand and services. While this journey has its challenges, focusing on SEO has been key to our success.

Marketing is Crucial

Creating a business plan is important, but it's useless without a solid marketing strategy. Marketing can be overwhelming, especially with the numerous channels available. Initially, I tried to promote my business on various platforms like Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and manage my SEO, all while running the business and handling customer service. This approach was unsustainable, leading me to focus solely on SEO.

Focusing on SEO

SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is simple in theory but challenging in practice. It's about establishing your expertise through valuable content and earning links from other sites to boost your search engine rankings. The beauty of SEO is that while it can be tough to master, it offers long-term benefits and can drive traffic to your site for years.

Creating a Blog

A blog is essential for showcasing your expertise and building trust with both Google and your customers. It also helps generate links to your site, improving your search engine rankings. By linking to your product pages from your blog, you create a conversion funnel that turns readers into customers.

Selling the Right Product to the Right Audience

Online selling differs from physical retail. It’s driven by keyword searches, so it's crucial to create products that match what users are searching for. Conduct keyword research to understand what your future customers are looking for and tailor your product offerings accordingly.

Keyword Research

To find the perfect keywords for my products, I use tools like Keysearch, Secockpit, and Ahrefs. Here’s my checklist for good keywords:

• Related to my niche
• Decent search volume
• At least $0.5 CPC in Google Adwords
• Evergreen or buying intent content
• Competitors with lower domain authority

Once I find good keywords, I integrate them into my site and blog to rank better in search results.

Increasing Domain Authority

Domain Authority (DA) reflects how authoritative your site is. Higher DA makes it easier to rank for keywords and drive traffic. To boost DA:

• Guest post on other sites
• Create valuable blog content
• Partner with relevant websites for link exchanges
• Develop content that others want to link to

Exploring New Niches

Once you master keyword research and SEO, new markets and opportunities become visible. For instance, expanding my French e-commerce store to the US market required adapting my product keywords and offerings to match local demand.

Translating Your Site

Expanding to markets with different languages can significantly boost your reach. Tools and AI can help translate your site efficiently. Targeting languages like French and Spanish opens up substantial new customer bases.

Final Thoughts

Focusing on your own website for online sales helps build your brand, protect margins, and maintain control over your sales strategy. Adapting to the market is key to long-term success.

I hope you find this content useful. Share your own SEO experiences in the comments!