You built a great ecommerce store. You found good products. You launched your site and started some ads.
But when you search for your products on Google, they're nowhere to be found.
Your competitors show up. Amazon shows up. Everyone except you.
This happens to most new ecommerce businesses. The reason is simple: your pages aren't optimised for search engine results pages.
Most ecommerce platforms make it easy to build a store. But they don't make your product pages visible to Google. Without optimisation, you're invisible online.
Organic sales? That's where the real money is.
Instead, here's what's probably happening to your store:
- You search for your products and can't find them
- Your organic traffic is almost zero
- You depend completely on paid ads for visitors
- Competitors with similar products outrank you
The good news? This is fixable. And some fixes work fast.
Why Smart Store Owners Stay Invisible
You're focused on running your business. Managing inventory. Serving customers. You shouldn't need to be an ecommerce SEO expert.
But here's what happens when pages launch without optimisation:
- No keyword targeting - Google doesn't know what searches should show your pages
- Generic page titles - Your pages blend in with everyone else's
- Missing descriptions - Google creates bad snippets for your pages
- Unoptimised images - You miss tons of potential traffic
- Poor internal linking - Your best pages can't help your new ones rank
Each issue makes the others worse. Together, they create a wall between your products and customers.
What This Costs You
Let's be honest. These days, shopping starts with online search. Shoppers are savvy enough to ignore paid ads and click organic results instead. You want your online store in the top 3 of Google results for this reason.
If you're not showing up organically, you're missing most potential customers.
Plus, you're stuck paying for traffic you should get free. And what happens when ad costs rise or your accounts get suspended? This can be a disaster for ecommerce sites that aren't organically ranking product pages.
The Fix: 9 Optimisation Problems (And Quick Solutions)
Let's find what's keeping your pages hidden. As we go through each issue, you'll spot several on your own site. But don't worry - most have quick fixes.
Problem 1: You're Targeting the Wrong Keywords
What's happening: You named your product pages based on your internal product names. Not what customers actually search for.
Example: You sell "Women's Athletic Footwear" but customers search for "women's running shoes."
Why this kills rankings: Google matches searches to content using keywords. If you don't use terms people search for, you won't show up.
Quick win: Check your top 5 ecommerce product pages. Go to Google and type what you think customers search for. Do your pages show up? If not, you're targeting the wrong terms.
The fix: Use tools like SEMrush or Ubersuggest to find what people actually search for and dip your toes into keyword research
Look for keywords that:
- Get high keyword volume (100+ monthly searches)
- Have low to medium competition
- Match what you sell
- Show buying intent (words like "buy," "best," "shop")
For ecommerce, focus on these valuable keyword types:
- Transactional: "buy running shoes online" (converts best)
- Commercial: "best running shoes 2025" (high purchase intent)
- Informational: "how to choose running shoes" (top of funnel)
- Brand + product: Your brand name plus product type
Action step: Pick one product page. Find 3 keywords people search for that describe that product. Update your page title to include the main one.
Problem 2: Your Content Doesn't Help Customers Decide
What's happening: Your product pages have thin descriptions that could describe any similar product. With no unique search terms, it could be the same item to Google. Your category pages just list products with duplicate content and no helpful information.
Why this hurts: Google rewards helpful content that shows expertise. Generic content signals your pages aren't valuable.
Thin content fails Google's useful content guidelines (Experience, Expertise, Authority, Trust - more on that later).
Quick win: Pick your best-selling product. Read the description out loud. Could it describe any competitor's similar product? If yes, rewrite it.
The fix: Make your content actually helpful
Don't just list features in the description and item information of your product pages. Explain benefits in unique product descriptions. Address concerns. Show usage scenarios.
Bad: "Bluetooth wireless headphones with noise canceling"
Good: "Block out office noise and take calls hands-free with these comfortable wireless headphones. Battery lasts 8 hours - perfect for full workdays."
Category pages: Add buying guides. Include sizing information. Create curated collections for different customer types.
Blog content: Create guides that help customers choose better:
- "How to pick running shoes for flat feet"
- "Best gaming laptops under $1000"
- "Size guide for women's jackets"
Action step: Rewrite one product description to focus on benefits, not just features. Include why someone would want this specific product.
Problem 3: Your Images Are Invisible to Google
What's happening: Your product images have names like "IMG_1234.jpg." You have no image alt text or image meta tags. Your images are huge files that impact your page speed, and nobody likes a slow website.
Why this matters: Google's image parsing tools can't actually see images. It reads filenames and alt text to understand what images show. Bad image optimisation means missing traffic from image search. Add huge, page speed impacting images into the mix and it's a recipe to find yourself in the SERP graveyard.
Quick win: Right-click on a product image on your site. Look at the filename. If it's generic (like IMG_0001.jpg), you're missing opportunities.
The fix: Rename image files using descriptive names with keywords
Bad: "IMG_1234.jpg"
Good: "womens-black-nike-running-shoes.jpg"
Add alt text: Describe what's actually in the image.
Bad: "Product image"
Good: "Woman wearing black Nike running shoes on outdoor trail"
Optimise file size: Use tools like TinyPNG or convert to WebP format for faster loading.
Action step: Rename and add alt text to the images on your best-selling product page. It takes 5 minutes and can bring new traffic, particularly when Google Images can act as a fully functional storefront for busy shoppers.
Problem 4: Your Page Titles Kill Click-Through Rates
What's happening: Your meta title tags are generic, duplicated with identical content, or just your product name. They don't give people a reason to click through to your web pages.
Why this destroys rankings: Title tags are what people see in search rankings. Bad titles get fewer clicks. Low click-through rates signal to Google that your pages aren't relevant.
Quick win: Search for one of your products on Google. Look at your result. Would you click on it? If not, your title needs work.
The fix: Whip your titles into shape
Good title formula: [Primary Keyword] - [Benefit/Value] - [Brand]
- Bad: "Running Shoes - YourStore"
- Good: "Women's Running Shoes - Free Shipping & Returns - Nike"
- Bad: "Gaming Console"
- Good: "PS5 Console - In Stock Now - Best Price Guarantee"
Rules for good titles:
- Keep under 60 characters
- Include your main keyword near the start
- Make each title unique
- Give people a reason to click (free shipping, best price, in stock)
Action step: Rewrite the titles for your top 3 product pages using this formula.
Problem 5: Your Page Structure & Site Infrastructure Confuses Everyone
What's happening: Your pages have no headings, multiple H1 tags, or confusing organisation. Content is just walls of text.
Why this hurts: Google uses headings to understand your content marketing and shopping systems. Poor structure makes it harder for Google to know what your pages are about. And people can't scan your content easily.
Quick win: Look at one of your product pages. Can you quickly find the information you want? If not, it needs better organisation.
The fix: Use proper heading structure
- One H1 per page (your main title)
- Multiple H2s for main sections
- H3s under H2s for subsections
Example for a product page:
H1: Women's Nike Air Max Running Shoes
H2: Product Overview
H2: Key Features
H3: Cushioning Technology
H3: Breathable Design
H2: Size Guide
H2: Customer Reviews
Action step: Add clear H2 headings to break up content on one product page. Use headings that describe what's in each section.
Problem 6: Your Meta Descriptions Don't Sell
What's happening: Your meta descriptions are missing, duplicate content, or generic. To avoid displaying unnecessary assets, Google creates its own descriptions using random text from your pages.
Why this costs clicks: Meta descriptions are your elevator pitch in search results. Bad descriptions mean fewer people click, even when you rank well.
Quick win: Search for your store name on Google. Look at how your pages appear in search results. Are the descriptions of the product pages compelling? Do they match what's on the page? You can quickly improve conversion rates by making your products look better on search engines.
The fix: Use the following formula to bring your unique spin to your meta descriptions and tell Google to keep their paws off.
Good description formula: [What you offer] + [Key benefit] + [Call-to-action]
- Bad: "Running shoes available at our store with shipping"
- Good: "Premium women's running shoes with advanced cushioning. Free shipping & 60-day returns. Shop now!"
Rules for descriptions:
- Keep under 160 characters
- Include your target keyword naturally
- Highlight what makes you different
- Use action words
- Make each description unique
Action step: Write new meta descriptions for your top 5 pages. Think of them as mini ads for your pages.
Problem 7: Your Pages Don't Link to Each Other
What's happening: Your pages exist alone with few links between related content and specific pages that would support one another. Customers can't easily find related products.
Why this kills SEO: Internal links and structured data help Google discover pages and understand how they relate. Google is a robot, after all. They also pass authority from strong pages to weaker ones.
Quick win: Look at a product page. Are there links to related products or categories? If not, you're missing easy opportunities.
The fix: Link strategically
- Product pages to related categories
- Related products to each other ("customers also viewed")
- Blog posts to relevant products
- Category pages to featured products
Use descriptive link text:
- Bad: "Click here"
- Good: "Best women's running shoes for beginners"
Action step: Add 3-5 internal links to one page. Link to related products, categories, or helpful content.
Problem 8: Your URLs Look Unprofessional
What's happening: Your URLs are auto-generated from the wordpress framework or PHP version, with numbers and parameters like /product.php?id=12345 or they're confusing nested structures.
Why this hurts: Clean URLs help Google and users understand what pages are about. Messy URLs look unprofessional and get fewer clicks.
Quick win: Look at your product page URLs. Do they include relevant words or just numbers and codes?
The fix: Implement good URL structure
- Use keywords that describe the page
- Keep it simple and readable
- Use hyphens (not underscores) between words
- Avoid numbers and parameters when possible
Check out these examples:
- Bad: /product.php?id=12345
- Good: /womens-nike-running-shoes/
- Bad: /category/footwear/athletic/running/womens/
- Good: /womens-running-shoes/
Action step: If you're adding new products, use clean URLs. For existing products, only change URLs if they're really bad (and set up redirects from old URLs).
Problem 9: You Look Like Every Other AI-Generated Store
What's happening: Your product descriptions sound generic. You have no customer reviews visible. Your About page is basic (sorry). Your social media links go nowhere or show no activity.
Why this matters more now: AI tools are flooding ecommerce with generic stores and content. Google is getting better at spotting authentic brands versus AI-generated sites. Real brands with genuine social proof rank higher.
The AI problem: Anyone can now create an ecommerce store with AI-written descriptions and stock photos in hours. This makes authentic brands more valuable than ever. Credibility and trust are no longer just nice to haves - they're essential.
Quick win: Look at your main competitor's product page, then yours. Do they look nearly identical? If yes, customers have no reason to choose you.
The fix: Build real social proof
Customer reviews: Get genuine reviews and display them prominently. Use tools like Trustpilot, Google Reviews, or your platform's review system.
Show real activity:
- Post regularly on social media (even just 2-3 times per week)
- Share customer photos using your products
- Respond to comments and messages
Be human in your content:
- Write About pages that tell your actual story
- Include real photos of your team or workspace
- Share why you started the business
- Mention specific expertise or background
Local connections: If you have a physical location, mention it. Local businesses often rank higher than faceless online-only stores.
User-generated content:
- Ask customers to share photos with your products
- Create branded hashtags
- Feature customer stories on your site
Why this helps SEO
Google's E-E-A-T guidelines reward sites that show:
- Experience: You've actually used/sold these products
- Expertise: You know what you're talking about
- Authority: Others recognise you as credible
- Trust: People feel safe buying from you
As AI continues to dominate the online world, we are noticing the need to add two more letters to this acronym:
- Notability: You warrant recognition and stand out as a player worth watching
- Transparency: You're open about who you are and what you're selling (hello, unique About Us page)
Social signals also help rankings
- Links from social media
- Brand mentions across the web
- User engagement with your content
- Reviews and ratings
Action step: Add a customer review section to your best-selling product. If you don't have reviews yet, email recent customers and ask for feedback. Even 2-3 genuine reviews make a difference.
Quick Wins You Can Do Today
Don't try to fix everything at once. Start with these high-impact changes:
30 minutes or less:
Rewrite titles for your top 5 product pages
Add alt text to images on your best-selling products
Write meta descriptions for your main category pages
1 hour:
Add internal links between related products
Improve one product description to focus on benefits
Add clear H2 headings to break up content on key pages
This weekend:
Research keywords for your top 10 products
Optimize images (rename files, compress for speed)
Audit your site for duplicate titles and descriptions
Don't Ignore Technical Issues
We don't need to get into deeper technical elements like canonical tags and schema markup just yet (feel free to search our glossary for some useful nuggets on these), but it's important to address some technical stuff to ensure there aren't any big bright red flags on your site. Even perfect content won't rank if technical problems block Google.
Check these technical basics
✅ Does your site work well on mobile? (Google uses mobile-first indexing)
✅ Do pages load fast? (Use Google PageSpeed Insights to test)
✅ Can Google crawl your site? (Check Google Search Console for errors)
✅ Do you have an XML sitemap submitted to Google?
Most ecommerce platforms handle these automatically. But it's worth checking.
PRO TIP: Use Google PageSpeed Insights to test core web vitals such as your loading speed, interactivity, and visual stability scores.
Track Your Progress
Set up monitoring:
- Google Search Console (free) - tracks rankings and click-through rates
- Google Analytics (free) - monitors traffic and conversions
What to watch:
- Technical fixes should reduce errors
- Better titles should increase click-through rates
- Content improvements should boost rankings
- You should see measurable traffic increases
Your 4-Week Action Plan
Week 1: Foundation
- Fix any technical issues blocking Google
- Improve titles and descriptions for your top 10 pages
- Set up Google Search Console if you haven't
Week 2: Content
- Research high volume and long tail keywords for your main products
- Rewrite thin product descriptions - avoid keyword stuffing by making the content truly useful
- Add internal links between related pages and product variations
Week 3: Images and Structure
- Optimise images on your best-selling products
- Add clear headings to break up content
- Check that category pages have helpful information
Week 4: Branding and Trust
- Add customer reviews to your best-selling products
- Update your About page with your real story
- Set up consistent social media presence
- Start collecting user-generated content from customers
Your Organic Sales Won't Know What Hit 'Em
Your ecommerce pages aren't ranking because they're not optimised. But this isn't mysterious or complicated.
Most issues have straightforward fixes. And some improvements work fast.
You don't need to become an SEO expert. You just need to make your pages helpful for customers and clear for Google.
Start with the quick wins. Pick one problem and fix it today. Then tackle the next one tomorrow. Before you know it, your organic traffic, and therefore your organic sales will start heading in the right direction. Free money baby.
Remember, every optimisation compounds. Fix enough issues and your pages will start appearing for searches your customers actually make.
The question isn't whether you should fix these problems. It's how quickly you can get started.
Need help getting this done faster?
We help ecommerce stores fix these exact optimisation issues and start ranking for customer searches.
Learn more about our ecommerce SEO services or contact us for a free audit of what's keeping your pages from ranking.