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Retail SEO and SEM – 20 techniques to improve retail site visibility

Author's avatar By Dave Chaffey 21 Mar, 2012
Essential Essential topic

Presented to the Internet Retailing Expo conference in Birmingham

The techniques I recommended in this talk are reviewed for a case study company with their permission. Although the recommendations use a retail example, they apply to other types of business also.

Here's a preview of the recommendations:

1. Identify Consumer search behaviours NOT just keyword lists

2. Use a gap analysis to drive performance

3. Improve your brand messages: Communicate your OVP for a smooth customer journey

4. Check the relevance of blended search – here Google Places

5. Don’t forget the second biggest search engine…

6. Evaluate paid search YouTube options

7. Obsess about links

8. Obsess more about content

9. Integrate “added value content”

10. You can always re-engineer your title tags more…

11. Even keyword density analysis can help…something you shouldn’t do?

12. Make the most of your home page and high-level utility pages

13. Get the balance right oncategory and sub-category pages

14. Review category pages for semantic markup

15. Beat the Panda

16. Don’t forget the power of internal linksSource: Smart Insights: The right type of Internal Links?

17. Paid search innovations 1. Autofilled email lead-gen and also…offer extensions

18. Paid search innovations 2. Ad extensions

19. Paid search innovations 3. Placement targeting and remarketing

20. Take Google+ seriously!

Author's avatar

By Dave Chaffey

Digital strategist Dr Dave Chaffey is co-founder and Content Director of online marketing training platform and publisher Smart Insights. 'Dr Dave' is known for his strategic, but practical, data-driven advice. He has trained and consulted with many business of all sizes in most sectors. These include large international B2B and B2C brands including 3M, BP, Barclaycard, Dell, Confused.com, HSBC, Mercedes-Benz, Microsoft, M&G Investment, Rentokil Initial, O2, Royal Canin (Mars Group) plus many smaller businesses. Dave is editor of the templates, guides and courses in our digital marketing resource library used by our Business members to plan, manage and optimize their marketing. Free members can access our free sample templates here. Dave is also keynote speaker, trainer and consultant who is author of 5 bestselling books on digital marketing including Digital Marketing Excellence and Digital Marketing: Strategy, Implementation and Practice. In 2004 he was recognised by the Chartered Institute of Marketing as one of 50 marketing ‘gurus’ worldwide who have helped shape the future of marketing. My personal site, DaveChaffey.com, lists my latest Digital marketing and E-commerce books and support materials including a digital marketing glossary. Please connect on LinkedIn to receive updates or ask me a question.

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