Welcome to another episode of the Ecom Ops Podcast! This week, we dive into the world of search engine optimization (SEO) with Louis Smith, an expert in e-commerce SEO. Louis shares his journey, insights, and strategies for optimizing e-commerce stores to boost traffic and revenue.
About
Louis Smith, an eCommerce SEO Consultant, began his journey with a computing degree, gaining expertise in coding and website development. His career took a pivotal turn towards marketing, particularly eCommerce SEO, where he discovered the profound impact SEO could have on increasing product sales and overall business ROI. As a freelance Shopify SEO expert, Louis has dedicated his life to mastering Google’s updates and perfecting his craft. His passion for SEO is evident through the daily eCommerce guides and tips he shares on LinkedIn.
Visit Louis Smith’s website to learn more about his services and achievements. Louis has worked with renowned brands such as Otrium, Ling’s Moments, LifeHack, and Lenovo, helping them generate significant revenue through effective SEO strategies. With over nine years in the industry, he has aided over 50 eCommerce brands, generating more than £80 million in MRR for a single client. His services include SEO audits, link building, content marketing, and technical SEO, specializing in platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and Magento. Louis’s commitment to delivering exceptional results and freeing up clients’ time to focus on business growth is highly praised by his clientele.
The Key Takeaways
The Journey to SEO Mastery
- From Agency to E-Commerce Expert
Louis Smith discovered his passion for SEO in 2015 while working at an agency. He noticed the untapped potential in e-commerce stores and fell in love with the psychology behind optimizing web stores for better sales. His journey has involved working with both small brands and Fortune 500 companies, gaining valuable experience along the way.
Key Strategies for E-Commerce SEO
- Understanding the Importance of Hierarchy
Louis emphasizes that one of the most common mistakes in e-commerce SEO is neglecting website hierarchy. Properly organizing navigation, internal linking, and category structures can significantly impact traffic and profits. Regular audits and updates based on trends and customer behavior are crucial for maintaining an effective hierarchy.
- The Role of Different Platforms
While SEO success can be achieved on various e-commerce platforms, Louis prefers Shopify for its out-of-the-box technical advantages and seamless integrations. WooCommerce offers flexibility for customization, and Magento is suitable for larger stores. Each platform has its own set of benefits and challenges.
Staying Ahead with SEO
- Adapting to Google’s Changes
SEO is a constantly evolving field, with Google frequently updating its algorithms. Louis recommends creating annotations to monitor changes and their impacts, researching algorithmic updates, and staying informed about new features like AI-generated answers in search results.
- The Necessity of Link Building
Link building remains essential for SEO. Quality links from relevant and authoritative websites can boost rankings. Louis advises focusing on niche relevance and avoiding low-quality link-building services that don’t add real value.
Content Marketing and AI
- Creating Valuable Content
Content marketing continues to be vital for connecting with customers. Brands should provide valuable guides and articles that can be used across various channels, including emails and social media. Louis advises using AI tools for content creation but emphasizes the importance of human editing to maintain quality and authenticity.
- Essential SEO Tools
Louis shares his go-to SEO tools, including Google Search Console, GA4, Screaming Frog, and SimilarWeb. These tools help in monitoring performance, understanding audience behavior, and analyzing market competition.
Conclusion
In this episode, Louis Smith provides a comprehensive guide to mastering SEO in e-commerce. By focusing on website hierarchy, staying updated with Google’s changes, and leveraging quality link building and content marketing, brands can significantly improve their online presence and profitability. Tune in for more expert insights and actionable strategies!
Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to the Ecom Ops Podcast for more expert insights and strategies. Follow us on social media for the latest updates!
The No.1 eCom Operations hack
“In 99 % of the time, you can improve traffic just by working on the website hierarchy by improving internal linking, top level categories, sub -level categories and building down from that. And the impact you can have on that could hugely impact traffic and profits.”
