The Most Important Shopify SEO Tips for Higher Rankings

Estimates are high that the majority of businesses fail. 

Many SHOPIFY stores fail. 

It's difficult to pinpoint an exact percentage of Shopify stores that fail in the first year; it's not public.

However, a significant number of e-commerce businesses will not succeed in their initial years.

According to Failory.com, around 80-90% of e-commerce businesses fail within their first few years. 

This rate is not specific to Shopify but serves as a general estimate.

The list of reasons for ecommerce failure?  

It starts with not pricing products for profitability. That's key.

Personally, I worked for YEARS without making a profit large enough to pay myself a salary. I'm not proud of it but I think it's important to talk about: if you can't pay yourself what you want or need to live, you do not have a business.

Then the marketing piece: how do you constantly get found in the Internet's sea of website pages? Most ecommerce site gurus will say, it's all about the ads. 

But I want to push back. I believe it's all about the SEO. Other must haves? A quality product, great customer service, and a great off site SEO strategy that dominates the internet.

Of course, having a Shopify expert on your team helps, too. 

If you'd like, you can book a call with me (Crystal, I'm an approved Shopify partner).

Securing higher search engine rankings is crucial for businesses and content creators alike. 

Implementing effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategies can be the difference between getting lost in the vast ocean of content or standing out as a beacon of value.

In this comprehensive guide, we'll delve into the most essential SEO tips that will propel your Shopify store to the top of search results, driving increased traffic, engagement, and ultimately, success in the digital realm. 

Whether you're an experienced marketer or a beginner, these actionable insights will help you optimize your website and content for maximum visibility and impact. 

So, let's dive in and unlock the true potential of your online presence!

Using Keywords In The Right Places

Every website page shares a set of elements where you can maximize these SEO tips. 

These include the page title (for product page SEO, this also means the product title).

Additionally, every page can have multiple layers of headers that nest under each other: H2, H3, H4, H5, and H6.

Header 2s designate a change in topic.

Header levels 3+ break down the top level topic into even more detail.

Search engines crawl your header information, so it's important to utilize the keywords defined in your keyword research WITHIN each header.

Next, you can sprinkle the other keywords related to your main term (aka your "seed" keyword) throughout the page.

Lastly, you'll want to include your top keyword and possibly related keywords in your meta data (Meta title and meta description).

Focus on Great UX (User Experience) 

To focus a block of your website on great User Experience (UX), follow these essential steps:

Understand your target audience 

Conduct user research to determine the demographics, preferences, and pain points of your users.

If you have access to past customers, you could create a short survey and offer a cup of coffee gift card in exchange for their time.

This information will help you create content and designs that cater to their needs and expectations.

Ensure clear and intuitive navigation 

Organize your website's structure in a logical, easy-to-follow manner.

Use clear headings, subheadings, and menus to guide users through your site.

Make sure important information and frequently accessed pages are easily accessible.

Doing this with sticky notes or postcards FIRST is a cheap and easy way to layout the process.

Optimize page loading speed 

A fast-loading website is crucial for a positive user experience.

Optimize your images, use compression techniques, and websites like tinypng.com to make your images smaller and reduce load times. If you use a website builder like Shopify, these optimizations are built into the theme. One less thing to worry about!

Create responsive design 

Ensure your website is compatible with various devices, screen sizes, and resolutions.

Implement a responsive design that adapts seamlessly to different screens, providing a consistent and enjoyable browsing experience.

Again, if you use a CMS (Content Management System) like Shopify, your biggest challenge will be choosing a theme!

Use whitespace effectively 

Whitespace helps to improve readability and reduce cognitive overload.

Strategically use whitespace to break up large blocks of text, highlight important elements, and create a clean, uncluttered layout.

Remember: you don't have to tell your visitors EVERYTHING, just what they need to know to keep moving in their journey with you.

Choose the right typography (fonts, etc.)

Use legible, easy-to-read fonts and maintain a consistent typography hierarchy throughout your website.

Proper font size, line spacing, and contrast are essential for an enjoyable reading experience. Script fonts are pretty but hard to read! Use with caution!

Incorporate engaging visuals 

Use high-quality images, videos, and illustrations to captivate users and enhance your website's overall appeal.

Visuals should complement your content and contribute to the overall user experience.

I like to mix it up with horizontal images, pinterest sized graphics and infographics if I can.

Ensure accessibility 

Design your website to be accessible to all users, including those with disabilities.

Follow accessibility guidelines, such as WCAG 2.0, to ensure your website is usable by everyone. Again, shout out to CMS platforms for incorporating this.

Solicit user feedback 

Regularly collect user feedback through surveys, usability tests, and other methods to identify areas for improvement. Continuously iterate on your design based on user feedback to enhance the overall UX. This goes beyond the initial survey in step one. Never stop learning about your audience! Just like any other relationship, paying attention to their needs is crucial to the relationship's success.

Monitor and analyze user behavior 

Use analytics tools, like Google Analytics, to track user behavior on your website.

Analyze key metrics, such as top pages, referrals, time on site, and conversion rates, to identify trends and make data-driven improvements to your UX.

Look for patterns of what is working and what is not. Build on what's working and eliminate everything else!

Target Relevant Primary Keyword Research To Improve Off Page SEO

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Secondary Keywords

Secondary keywords, also known as LSI (Latent Semantic Indexing) keywords or long-tail keywords, are related terms or phrases that complement your primary keyword. 

They provide additional context and help search engines understand the content better. 

Using secondary keywords can improve your content's relevance, increase its visibility in search results, and attract more organic traffic.

Here's how you can find secondary keywords:

Google Autocomplete 

Type your primary keyword into the Google search bar and observe the suggested phrases that appear. These suggestions can be potential secondary keywords related to your main topic.

Google Related Searches 

After searching for your primary keyword on Google, scroll down to the bottom of the search results page to find a list of related searches. These can serve as secondary keywords to include in your content.

Google Keyword Planner 

Use Google Ads' Keyword Planner tool to generate a list of keyword ideas based on your primary keyword. Filter the results to find relevant secondary keywords with lower competition and decent search volume (100+).

Keyword research tools 

Utilize tools like Ubersuggest, Keywords Everywhere,  or Keyword Surfer (this one's a FREE chrome extension!) to conduct keyword research.

These tools can provide you with a list of related keywords, including secondary keywords, based on your primary keyword.

Analyze competitors 

Examine the content of your top-ranking competitors for your primary keyword. You can do this using Ubersuggest, Semrush or Ahrefs.

Identify the related terms and phrases they use to get an idea of potential secondary keywords.

User intent and questions 

Consider the questions and problems users might have related to your primary keyword. Use platforms like Quora, Reddit, or AnswerThePublic to discover commonly asked questions and incorporate them as secondary keywords.

Remember to use secondary keywords naturally throughout your content, avoiding keyword stuffing, and maintain a focus on providing valuable information to your readers.

So How Does This Help You Rank Higher on Google?

Incorporating secondary keywords in your content can help you rank higher on Google in several ways:

Enhanced relevance and context 

Secondary keywords provide additional context to your content, helping search engines understand it better.

This improved understanding can lead to a more accurate and relevant ranking in search results for a wider range of search queries.

Semantic search 

Google's algorithms rely heavily on semantic search, which focuses on understanding the intent behind a user's query rather than just matching exact keywords.

By using secondary keywords related to your primary keyword, you're signaling to Google that your content covers various aspects of a topic, making it more likely to rank higher.

Long-tail keywords 

Secondary keywords often include long-tail keywords, which are longer, more specific phrases with lower search volume but less competition. 

Most importantly, they have higher search intent, which means "the searcher" is closer to making a purchase than just gathering information.

By targeting these long-tail keywords, you can rank higher for niche search queries and attract more targeted traffic.

Reduced keyword stuffing

Using secondary keywords allows you to avoid overusing your primary keyword, which can be perceived as keyword stuffing by Google. 

Keyword stuffing may lead to penalties or lower rankings.

Including secondary keywords naturally throughout your content ensures a more balanced approach and adherence to Google's guidelines.

User experience 

Incorporating secondary keywords can improve user experience by providing comprehensive information on a topic.

High-quality content addresses users' needs and questions. 

It's more likely to be shared, linked to, and engaged with, which can positively impact your search rankings.

See how we tied that into a bow? 

By using secondary keywords strategically and creating valuable content, you can improve your chances of ranking higher on Google and attracting more organic traffic.

Repurpose Your Videos as Blog Posts

Recreating videos into blog posts is a great strategy for on-site SEO for several reasons:

Content diversification 

Not everyone learns the same or prefers their content in a written format or a visual format or an audio format.

In education, we call this learning styles.

Transforming videos (or audio!) into blog posts allows you to cater to different audience preferences, as some users prefer reading articles while others enjoy watching videos. 

This approach helps you reach a larger audience and keeps them engaged with your content.

Improved accessibility

Converting videos into written content makes your information more accessible to users with hearing impairments and those who may not have the bandwidth to watch videos. 

Additionally, it allows users to consume content in situations where reading a blog might not be ideal, such as while driving or doing other activities.

Increased dwell time

When you offer both video and written content, users are more likely to spend more time on your website, exploring various formats. 

Higher dwell time signals to search engines that your content is valuable and engaging, which can contribute to improved rankings.

More indexable content

Search engines can index written content more easily than video content.

By converting videos into blog posts, and vice versa, you create more indexable content that can rank higher in search results and drive more organic traffic to your site.

Keyword targeting 

Blog posts provide an opportunity to incorporate primary and secondary keywords naturally throughout the text. 

This improves your chances of ranking for targeted keywords and attracting more relevant traffic.

Internal linking opportunities

Blog posts offer ample opportunities for internal links, which can help distribute link equity across your site, improve site structure, and boost the overall SEO value of your website.

Social sharing

Written content is often easier to share on social media platforms than videos. 

By recreating videos into blog posts, and blog posts into videos, you increase the likelihood of your content being shared, which can lead to more referral traffic and potentially improved search rankings.

Repurposing content

Converting videos into blog posts allows you to maximize the value of your existing content.

You can reach new audiences, expand your content library, and establish yourself as an authority in your niche without having to create entirely new content.

By recreating videos into blog posts, you enhance your on-site SEO efforts, increase the visibility of your content.

This provides a more comprehensive and accessible experience for your audience.

Spend as much time on the SERPs as you do in tools

My podcast partner B is always saying that you should look at the Google Search Results to improve your SEO.

Spending as much time on the SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages) as you do in SEO research tools holds significant SEO value for several reasons:

Understanding user intent

Analyzing SERPs helps you understand the user intent behind specific search queries. 

By observing the top-ranking results, you can gauge what type of content users are seeking and tailor your content accordingly to meet their needs.

Competitor analysis

Examining SERPs allows you to identify your top competitors for specific keywords and assess their content strategies. 

This information enables you to adapt your approach and develop content that outperforms your competition.

Discovering content gaps

Spending time on SERPs can help you spot content gaps in your niche. 

Identifying topics or subtopics not adequately covered by existing content presents an opportunity for you to create valuable, in-depth resources that address those gaps and potentially rank higher in search results.

My strategy is always: how can I meet my client on their journey before they need me?

Staying up-to-date with search algorithms

Google and other search engines frequently update their algorithms, affecting how content is ranked. 

Regularly monitoring SERPs can help you stay informed about these changes and adjust your SEO strategy accordingly.

Evaluating featured snippets and rich results

Reviewing SERPs allows you to analyze featured snippets, rich results, and other special search features that can drive additional traffic to your website. 

Understanding how these features work and which types of content are being featured can inform your content creation and optimization efforts.

Identifying long-tail keywords

Long-tail keywords often have lower competition and higher conversion rates. 

By analyzing SERPs, you can identify long-tail keywords that may not appear in traditional keyword research tools, giving you a competitive advantage.

Refining your on-page SEO

Observing the top-ranking pages on SERPs can provide insights into effective on-page SEO techniques, such as title tags, meta descriptions, and header usage. 

Ask yourself, what about their headline or description might make a searcher click? 

You can apply these learnings to optimize your own content for better rankings.

Assessing link-building opportunities

Examining the backlink profiles of top-ranking pages can reveal valuable link-building opportunities, such as guest posting, resource page links, or broken link building.

By spending time on SERPs and SEO research tools, you can develop a well-rounded understanding of the search landscape, user intent, and competition.

Ultimately, this will help you create more effective SEO strategies and improve your website's search performance.

Consider on-page SEO, but not everything you publish has to be search-friendly

My podcast partner B is making a lot of appearances in this article. Probably because she is so brilliant!

She says, write for people first, but consider the bots. Or something like that.

A business owner should consider on-page SEO as it plays a crucial role in improving a website's visibility, driving organic traffic, and increasing the chances of converting visitors into customers. 

On-page SEO involves optimizing various elements of your web pages, such as title tags, meta descriptions, headers, and content.

This makes them more appealing to both search engines and users.

However, not everything you publish has to be search-friendly. 

There are certain types of content, such as opinion pieces, personal stories, or time-sensitive announcements, that may not necessarily align with SEO best practices but can still provide value to your audience. 

It's essential to strike a balance between creating content that caters to search engines and content that engages and resonates with your target audience. 

By doing so, you can build a loyal customer base, establish your brand's authority, and foster long-term success for your business.

Have a Master List of Topics (and Relevant Long-tail Keywords)

In my opinion, this is where the magic of Surfer SEO enters the arena.

In the past, researching keywords, determining search intent, figuring out which target keyword to go after and why - all of those were separate steps in a lengthy process.

However, Surfer SEO combines all of those tools into one. Their ai dissects the relationships that search engine crawlers create. 

If you know what keyword you want to win, Surfer will show you how to build topical authority for that keyword with a variety of blog post recommendations. 

You will have the chance to sort those recommendations by search intent, search volume, and the difficulty for ranking.

Try Surfer today and use my link so that they know I sent you!

Continue Learning About SEO

If you enjoyed this blog post, you'll love the podcast that I co-host with my business bestie, Brittany Herzberg.

We talk about all things SEO on The Simple and Smart SEO Show Podcast.

We typically release episodes every week.

We also have a private podcast called SEO Shorts, and we take a deeper dive into our podcast episodes to give you SEO tactics that you can implement right away.

We'd love for you to join our podcast community and ask any questions that you might have!

Listen to The Simple and Smart SEO Show Podcast on Apple Music.

Listen to The Simple and Smart SEO Show Podcast on Spotify.

Train your website visitors to search for your brand

I was just talking to my dad about this yesterday.

I've had a few clients email me and ask, I see you on Etsy, Amazon, and your website. 

Where's the best place to order?

This is a high quality question!

And it reinforces my belief that to build a successful brand, you have to have consistent content across as many platforms as you can. 

Why? Because your potential clients are searching everywhere!

And showing up consistently in search results, on multiple platforms, is how you build a brand that dominates the Internet!

Training your website visitors to search for your brand involves increasing brand awareness and making your brand memorable.

Here are some strategies to encourage users to search for your brand:

Consistent branding

Maintain a consistent brand identity across all channels, including your logo, color scheme, typography, and tone of voice. 

This consistency helps users recognize and remember your brand. 

Create valuable content people can use or enjoy: 

Choose an offsite SEO driver (for me, it's Pinterest) where people are looking for the stuff you sell. 

Publish often and share tips, advice, or pictures of your services to show that you solve problems for your target audience.

This content can be in the form of blog posts, videos, infographics, or podcasts. When users find your content valuable, they are more likely to remember and search for your brand.

Optimize for branded keywords: You should show up first for the name of your business! 

Include your brand name in title tags, meta descriptions, headers, and content where appropriate. 

This optimization helps search engines associate your brand with relevant content and improves your visibility for branded searches.

Leverage social media

Social media is an important part of off site SEO. Actively engage with your audience on social media platforms to build brand awareness and loyalty. 

Share your content, participate in conversations, and address customer concerns to foster a positive brand image.

Email marketing 

Use email marketing to stay connected with your audience, share updates, and promote your content. By consistently appearing in their inbox, you keep your brand top of mind and encourage users to search for it.

Public relations and outreach

Collaborate with influencers, bloggers, or industry experts to increase your brand's exposure. Guest posting, interviews, and joint ventures can help introduce your brand to new audiences and encourage them to search for your brand.

Offline marketing

Don't overlook offline marketing efforts, such as events, sponsorships, or print advertisements, to increase brand awareness and encourage users to search for your brand online.

Remarketing campaigns

Implement remarketing campaigns to target users who have previously visited your website but didn't convert. By reminding them of your brand through targeted ads, you can encourage them to search for your brand again.

Monitor and improve

Regularly analyze your website traffic, branded search volume, and user behavior to identify areas for improvement. 

Adjust your strategies based on data-driven insights to optimize your efforts in training visitors to search for your brand.

By implementing these strategies, you can increase brand awareness, foster customer loyalty, and encourage users to actively search for your brand online.

Create Branded Keywords

Creating branded keywords involves combining your brand name with relevant terms or phrases that users are likely to search for when seeking products or services similar to yours. 

To generate branded keywords, start by identifying your core offerings, unique selling points, and the needs of your target audience. 

Next, brainstorm potential terms or phrases that users might associate with your brand and offerings. 

These could include product names, service categories, specific features, or benefits. 

Once you have a list of potential terms, combine them with your brand name to create branded keywords. 

For example, if your brand name is "TechGuru" and you offer smartphone repair services, some branded keywords could be "TechGuru smartphone repair" or "TechGuru iPhone screen replacement." 

Be sure to use these branded keywords naturally throughout your website content, title tags, meta descriptions, and headers to improve visibility in search results. 

Additionally, monitor your branded keyword performance using analytics tools and refine your strategy based on data-driven insights. 

By creating and optimizing branded keywords, you can enhance brand awareness, increase organic traffic, and attract more qualified leads to your business.

Conduct Regular Site Audits

Regular site audits are essential for maintaining optimal website performance, identifying issues, and improving your search engine rankings.

I like to use Ubersuggest for this. It's simple, straightforward, and created for business owners who may not know a lot about tech.

Here are some key areas you should focus on during regular site audits:

Technical SEO

Check for technical issues such as broken links, crawl errors, duplicate content, incorrect redirects, and XML sitemap issues.

Ensure that your website is mobile-friendly and has a logical site structure (If you're using a CMS like Shopify or Wix, this is usually built in.)

On-page SEO 

Review your title tags, meta descriptions, header tags, image alt text, and URL structure for optimization opportunities.

Make sure your content is well-structured, keyword-optimized, and easy to read.

Off-page SEO

Analyze your backlink profile to identify low-quality or spammy backlinks and disavow them if necessary. Look for new link-building opportunities through guest posting, resource pages, or influencer outreach.

Site speed

Evaluate your website's loading speed using tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix.

Identify and address factors that may be slowing down your site, such as large images, render-blocking JavaScript, or excessive HTTP requests.

User experience (UX) 

Assess the overall user experience on your website, including navigation, readability, and design.

Identify areas for improvement and implement changes to enhance usability and user satisfaction.

Content quality 

Review your content for relevance, accuracy, and depth. Update outdated information, remove thin or low-value content, and expand upon topics that could benefit from more comprehensive coverage.

Conversion rate optimization (CRO)

Examine your website's conversion funnel, including calls-to-action, forms, and landing pages. Identify any obstacles that may be preventing users from converting and implement changes to improve conversion rates.

Google Search Console and Analytics 

Monitor your website's traffic, engagement, and conversion metrics using tools like Google Analytics. Use this data to identify trends, uncover issues, and make informed decisions about your marketing and SEO strategies.

Website Security 

Regularly check for security vulnerabilities, such as outdated plugins or software, and ensure that your site is using HTTPS.

Again, a trusted CMS like Shopify will take care of this for you.

Competitor analysis 

Keep an eye on your competitors' websites to identify new trends, strategies, or content ideas that you can incorporate into your own website.

By conducting regular site audits in these areas, you can proactively address issues, optimize your website's performance, and ultimately improve your search engine rankings and user experience.

Leverage the pillar-cluster model

Stop thinking so hard.

Help yourself and just get Surfer SEO!

Surfer makes leveraging the pillar-cluster model easy.

The model involves creating a comprehensive content strategy that focuses on covering a broad topic (pillar) and its related subtopics (clusters). 

This approach not only helps you establish authority in your niche but also improves your website's SEO performance. 

To implement the pillar-cluster model, begin by identifying a central topic relevant to your target audience and industry. 

Create a pillar page that serves as an in-depth resource for this main topic, providing a thorough overview and linking to related cluster content. 

Next, develop individual cluster pages that delve into specific subtopics, offering detailed information and addressing various aspects of the broader subject. 

Ensure that each cluster page links back to the pillar page, creating a cohesive internal linking structure that makes it easy for both users and search engines to navigate your content. 

As you continue to produce new content, expand your cluster pages to cover additional subtopics and keep your pillar page up to date. 

By leveraging the pillar-cluster model, you can create a well-organized and interconnected content library that enhances user experience, boosts your search engine rankings, and positions your brand as an authority in your field.

Build A Content Calendar And Stick To It

Building a content calendar and sticking to it is crucial for maintaining a consistent publishing schedule, staying organized, and ensuring that your content marketing efforts align with your overall business goals.

Check out this master task list that I created that gives you ideas on the tasks involved.

To create a content calendar, start by outlining your objectives, such as increasing brand awareness, driving organic traffic, or generating leads. 

Next, determine the types of content you want to produce, such as blog posts, videos, or social media updates, and establish a realistic publishing frequency based on your resources.

Also, consider this: a lot of what you plan here will need to be done in "sprints".

So although it is ideal to publish consistently, what's most important is that you PUBLISH.  

Most content formats have tools that can schedule for you. But even if such a tool doesn't exist, I say it's better to blast out the content in a sprint format rather than not at all. 

This is assuming two things: that you are posting evergreen content and you are posting on an evergreen platform.

Evergreen platforms and content are search engine type platforms and content that people will always be looking for. (Not, "flash sale through the weekend" type content).

So. Having said that, please continue.

Conduct keyword research and brainstorm topic ideas that resonate with your target audience and support your objectives. 

Once you have a list of content ideas, organize them into a calendar format, specifying the publication dates, content formats, target keywords, and any additional notes or tasks. 

This calendar can be created using a spreadsheet, project management tool, or specialized content calendar software.

Share the calendar with your team members to ensure everyone is on the same page and assign responsibilities for content creation, editing, and promotion. 

Regularly review (I say quarterly, I put it as a task on the calendar!) and update your content calendar to account for any changes in your goals, industry trends, or audience preferences. 

By building a content calendar and sticking to it, you can streamline your content production process, maintain consistency, and maximize the effectiveness of your content marketing strategy.

Create a link-building strategy

Think about link building like a popularity contest. I'm not a huge fan of popularity contests so let's call it a credibility contest. 

Every site on the internet that links to your website is a vote for your credibility. 

However, not all votes are created equal.

I'm not going to get into domain authority here but a bunch of low authority (low-quality) sites voting for you isn't as good as a bunch of high authority sites (high quality) voting for you.

To effectively build high-quality backlinks for your eCommerce store, think about the type of sites, bloggers, etc. that would want to link back to you.

Brian Dean from Semrush calls these "linkreators".

That's actually who you want to target because they target your customers as well - and they will link back to your site.

Additionally, consider collaborating with influencers, bloggers, or industry experts to promote your products through reviews, sponsored posts, or giveaways. 

These collaborations can generate valuable backlinks and increase exposure to new audiences. 

Another strategy is to submit your eCommerce store to relevant business directories, ensuring that your store's information is accurate and up-to-date. 

You can also reach out to websites that publish resource pages or curated lists related to your industry, suggesting your store as a valuable addition. 

Participating in online communities, forums, or social media groups can help you establish credibility and form relationships with potential link-building partners. 

Lastly, monitor your competitors' backlink profiles using SEO tools to identify potential link-building opportunities and stay ahead of the competition. 

Please, don't just read through this list and think, ok, someday I'll do this. Choose one thing that you could try everyday for the next 30 days and see what happens! 

Focus on “Top of the Funnel” Keyword Phrases

You have almost reached the end of my SEO tips article.

I want to take a deep breath because we have covered a lot.

I know you may be searching for accountability so I'm working on a course that will guide you through the process. 

However, if you're still trying to figure out how all of the pieces fit together, I want to tell you exactly how to cast a wide net that will help you develop everything we discussed in this article.

If you already have a buyers journey mapped out, focus on conversion.

If not ....

Start with the top of the funnel.

Focusing on "Top of the Funnel" keyword phrases involves targeting broad, informational search terms that appeal to users in the initial stages of their buyer's journey. 

These users are typically seeking information, knowledge, or solutions to a problem rather than being ready to make a purchase. 

By creating content that addresses these early-stage queries, you can attract a wider audience, increase brand awareness, and position your brand as a helpful resource. 

As users progress through the funnel, they become more familiar with your brand and offerings, making them more likely to consider your products or services when they reach the decision-making stage. 

To identify top-of-the-funnel keywords, conduct keyword research to find relevant search terms with high search volume and low to medium competition. 

These keywords often take the form of questions or phrases related to general industry topics, common problems, or introductory guides. 

Once you have a list of top-of-the-funnel keywords, create engaging, informative, and valuable content around these topics, such as blog posts, videos, or infographics. 

By focusing on top-of-the-funnel keyword phrases, you can effectively capture the attention of potential customers early in their journey, nurture their interest, and ultimately guide them towards conversion.

Master the SERP overlap test

The SERP overlap test is a method used in SEO to assess the similarity or overlap between two or more websites' search engine ranking performance for a specific set of keywords. 

This test helps identify potential competitors and evaluate their content strategies by comparing how often their pages appear together in search results.

Performing a SERP overlap test involves the following steps.

Select a set of target keywords

Choose a list of relevant keywords that you want to analyze for your website and the competitor's website.

Track rankings for each website

You can do this manually with this guide or use an SEO tool, like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Ubersuggest to perform competitor research.

Manually, you want to track the search engine rankings for each website based on these target keywords.

Compare the rankings

Analyze the data to see how often both websites rank on the same search engine results pages (SERPs) for the chosen keywords.

Calculate the overlap percentage

Determine the percentage of overlapping keywords in the SERPs between the two websites.

The higher the percentage, the more similar the websites are in terms of keyword targeting and competition.

If you want to skip the math, you can look at the fourth step through a qualitative approach and utilize a matrix. 

Determine what elements the top ranking pages have in common. Also document whether the ranking pages are blog posts, product pages, or something else. 

This helps you identify "search intent" and whether or not this keyword makes sense for your Shopify store to attempt to win.

The SERP overlap test provides valuable insights into your competition and helps you understand which keywords are driving traffic to both your website and your competitors'. 

By identifying areas of overlap, you can refine your SEO strategy, optimize your content, and differentiate your website from the competition to improve your search engine rankings.

Questions about these SEO Tips?

If you have any questions or need further clarification on the SEO tips discussed in this blog, please don't hesitate to reach out to me, Crystal Waddell. 

I'm here to help you navigate the complexities of SEO and ensure your website achieves its full potential. 

To get started, you can schedule an audit with me, which will provide valuable insights into your site's current performance and areas for improvement. 

The Technical SEO audit, in particular, is a fantastic starting point if you're unsure where to begin. 

This comprehensive assessment will identify technical issues, content optimization opportunities, and other crucial factors that can significantly impact your search engine rankings and overall online visibility. 

So, let's work together to optimize your website's SEO strategy and unlock its true potential.

Contact me today to start your journey towards better search engine visibility and success.