Over the last few years the overall shift towards eCommerce has accelerate globally. People are getting more and more used to online orders, online returns and choosing the right products online.
In addition, more and more people that are dreaming to become entrepreneurs cosider opening their businesses in eCommerce as well. We sat down with Sasha Matviienko to discuss what entrepreneurs should be looking at when launching their online stores.
How Many businesses out there are eCommerce now?
It is difficult to accurately determine the exact number of businesses that are currently eCommerce. However, according to recent estimates, there are currently over 20 million eCommerce businesses worldwide, and this number is expected to continue to grow in the coming years.
Websites come in all shapes and sizes – from small Shopify stores to international giants like Amazon.
I know that your agency specializes in SEO. How is eCommerce SEO different?
eCommerce SEO is different from traditional SEO in a few key ways:
- The number of pages – category pages, product pages, there tends to be a lot more pages on eCommerce websites as opposed to service-based businesses.
- Product pages: eCommerce websites have a lot of product pages, each with its own unique content. This requires a different approach to keyword research and optimization compared to traditional websites.
- Product titles and descriptions: Product titles and descriptions need to be optimized for both search engines and users. This requires a different approach to writing and keyword optimization compared to traditional websites.
- User experience: eCommerce websites need to be user-friendly and easy to navigate in order to encourage users to complete a purchase. This requires a focus on things like site speed, mobile-friendliness, and usability.
- Customer reviews: Customer reviews are a key factor in eCommerce SEO as they help to build trust and credibility with potential customers. This requires a strategy for encouraging and managing customer reviews.
- Product categories and filters: eCommerce websites often have many product categories and filters, which need to be optimized in order to improve the user experience and help search engines understand the website’s structure.
There is more, but let me not make the whole interview about this particular question.
Which pages tend to be more important – category or product?
Both, but in their own ubique way. Category pages are important because they help people navigate on the website. There is also a couple of Technical SEO considerations, when it comes to the category page filters and duplicate content issues.
However, for many businesses, product pages are the main pages that rank on Google. As a result, it is incredibly important to create in-depth and helpful content for these pages.
Some pages go truly in-depth on the amount of content, which helps prospects that are doing their research, but also helps the business to rank on Google. For example, BestLife4Pets goes really deep with their content on the product pages here or here.
Are reviews important for eCommerce?
Yes, reviews are important for ecommerce because they provide valuable information to potential customers and can significantly impact their purchasing decisions. Reviews can help establish credibility and trust in a brand or product, as they provide insight into the experiences of other customers.
They can also help improve the overall customer experience by highlighting areas for improvement and identifying common issues or concerns. Additionally, reviews can increase search engine rankings and improve the visibility of a product or brand online, leading to increased sales and revenue.
How many reviews does an average product need?
It is difficult to determine an exact number of reviews that an average product needs as it depends on various factors such as the type of product, the target audience, and the competition in the market. However, generally speaking, having a good number of positive reviews can help increase the credibility and trustworthiness of a product.
Some research suggests that having at least 30-50 reviews can provide a good representation of the overall satisfaction of customers and can help potential customers make informed purchasing decisions. Ultimately, the goal should be to consistently gather and respond to customer feedback to continually improve the product and customer experience.
Some brands & products will have more than 100 reviews, other will have 10-20.
But you should always be looking to increase the number of reviews, as they improve User Experience on you website. That’s why we recommend our clients
Overall, would you say it is harder or easier to market an eCommerce business?
This really depends. Based on what I’ve seen product is definitely the king.
In other words, if you pick the right product it may be a lot easier to close sales. However, if a product is wrong, sales will be a lot harder to close.
Some eCommerce businesses may find it easier to market their products or services due to the nature of the product, the demand for it, and the competition in the market. Other eCommerce businesses may find it more challenging to market their products or services due to a lack of demand, a saturated market, or limited resources.
Ultimately, the difficulty of marketing an eCommerce business will depend on a variety of factors, including the business’s target audience, marketing strategy, and overall goals.
Sasha Matviienko is an entrepreneur, author of the Internet Marketing System, and founder of growth360 – Digital Marketing agency, located in Toronto.
