Post Hummingbird Ecommerce SEO Services
Hummingbirds are cool, except if you have an e-commerce website which is why it is important to choose an e-commerce SEO firm that is familiar with the effects from the recent Hummingbird algorithm update which specifically impacted e-commerce websites.
Most eCommerce businesses have no clue as to the effects of the recent Google changes after releasing its Hummingbird search algorithm under the radar in August. Hummingbird supposedly will impact 90 percent of all search queries. Hence the reason to select SEO companies who are in tune with Google changes, and are proactive to adapt specific changes in the SEO services for eCommerce websites.
Hummingbird – What Changes for eCommerce SEO Service Providers?
The main objective of Hummingbird is to strive for greater speed and accuracy. A biggest part of accurate search results is to understand the searcher’s intent, especially as more searches lean toward a conversation. Google believes that searchers are looking for answers, and they tend to phrase certain types of searches as questions or complex phrases rather than a simple search using keywords.
As a result, Google’s goal of Hummingbird is to handle complex queries parsing the meaning behind phrases as a whole rather than individual keywords within an individual search query.
In addition, Google aims to display more answers directly on the search results page rather than requiring searchers to click on a result to get their answer. With the Hummingbird announcement on August 23, 2013, Google also announced new features like the Knowledge Graph comparison charts used for comparison search queries
Hummingbird is the most dramatic algorithm change since 2001, according to Amit Singhal, senior vice president of Google’s core ranking team. If you think of algorithm updates as regular maintenance like an oil change on a car’s engine or changing spark plugs to improve the cars performance, the Hummingbird algorithm release is more like rebuilding the engine from scratch.
Naturally the detail Google is willing to provide on Hummingbird consists of new technology integrated with some of the pieces that are still working well for Google, and to insure the best search experience possible. In summary, if you are using an ecommerce website built on Magento ,Volusion, or Open Cart to name a few, you need to make sure your SEO company is fully aware of these changes and the effects on your ecommerce business.
Keys to Ecommerce Success
No matter what type of website you have, it is all about the users experience, especially if you are selling through ecommerce. User experience is king in the modern aged SEO world, if you are not integrating the best practices for SEO and user experience you can expect to be left behind. Every website should be based on the three second rule, in the first three seconds a visitor should be able to:
- Know who you are.
- Know what you do.
- Have an easy way to contact you ether by phone or email submission.
User experience is crucial to a successful of any ecommerce site no matter what you are selling. Consider Amazon.com, Overstock.com, Zappos.com, there are a few user experience factors that these successful ecommerce sites have in common.
In the fast paced world of ever changing technology we live in, no one wants to click through three pages of non-relevant content to finally see the price or manufacturer of a product they are interested in purchasing, this only adds a barrier to sales, thus, upfront pricing and product descriptions are an absolute necessity for converting traffic into sales. Product search and sorting options also enhance the user experience, for example, showing highest or lowest priced items, top-selling items, newly added items or relevant items at the top of the on-site search query.
One important factor for ecommerce sites and user experience is site speed and performance. A website that loads images and files quickly is clearly related to increased search traffic and increased conversion rates. Google has started considering site speed and page load time as a new organic search ranking factor. So, we can determine that faster sites are clearly correlated with increased search rankings and positive user experience. For example, which search result would you rather click on: One that lists your search topic and a review or one that includes reviews, availability, price and a photo? That’s a rhetorical question.
Social Media & SEO 2013-2014
Don’t underestimate the power of social media, Google does take Likes, Shares and Retweets into consideration when determining search rankings and counts them as votes towards your sites organic page ranking. Adding Facebook Like, Share and Twitter Tweet buttons to the product description page is now a Best Practice, and will allow users to link to the site through social media. Interacting and engaging with your customers through social media is a great way to increase brand awareness, increase conversions, and allow you to manage the good and bad experience of your customers.
SEO for eCommerce is highly competitive and will continue to evolve as more retailers grasp the concept of selling their products online. Learning from others and your competitors to better understand the search engines and consumer behavior is critical to the success of your ecommerce success. Taking the time to find a reputable source for ecommerce SEO management services is one of the most important steps to having a successful campaign.
Here are some of the facts, by 2017, 60% of all U.S. retail sales will involve the Internet somehow, either as a direct e-commerce transaction or as part of a shopper’s research on a laptop or mobile device, according to a new report by Forrester Research Inc.
Approximately 10.3% of total retail sales in the U.S. in five years will be online purchases, or $370 billion in web sales compared to $3.6 trillion in total retail sales.
Merchants are realizing they must take E-commerce seriously and are looking to integrate some type of online product or service selling in their internet strategy this year. The impact if they do not is potentially losing market share in their industry or vertical, or experiencing a drastic decrease in sales revenue. We also know that the early adapters who have integrated an ecommerce website have made a huge land grab in their markets, and as this continues to evolve, so will the technology of shopping online. This is also obvious with the recent partnership formed by the US Postal service and Amazon.com, as they are testing Sunday delivery in 2 markets, New York and Los Angeles, knowing that UPS does not provide Sunday delivery, and Fed Ex has limited offerings.
For more information on how we operate as the top Fort Lauderdale SEO company that specializes in eCommerce marketing please call us today!
About The Author
Jason Hawkins / http://www.themiamiseocompany.com
Jason Hawkins is the CEO & Co-Founder of The Miami SEO Company. He has over ten years of experience in search engine optimization, conversion rate optimization and lead generation. His core responsibilities include identifying ways to increase value of services rendered, training staff on advanced SEO topics, and A/B testing internal processes to consistently improve client return on investment.
