How to position an online store? A guide for beginners

Your online store may have the most beautiful graphics, the most intuitive interface and the best products on the market, but if customers can’t find it on Google, it might as well be an invisible castle in the clouds. In a digital world where more than 68% of experiences begin with a search query, lack of visibility is practically a death sentence for an e-commerce business.

Global online sales are estimated to reach a dizzying $6.88 trillion by 2025. Unfortunately, along with demand, competition is increasing at the same time. Fortunately, there are proven methods to help your store stand out from the crowd.

This guide will take you step-by-step through the SEO process for your online store, from basic optimization to advanced techniques to increase your visibility in search engines.

What does online store positioning consist of?

Online store positioning is a set of activities aimed at increasing your site’s visibility in organic (free) search results. This process involves adapting the store to the requirements of search engine algorithms, primarily Google, which determine the order in which pages are displayed in response to a user’s query.

We can divide online store SEO into two main areas:

• On-site optimization – includes all activities performed directly within your site:
  • Technical optimization (loading speed, responsiveness)
  • Site structure and internal linking
  • Content (product descriptions, categories, blog)
  • Meta tags and other elements visible to robots
• Off-site optimization – activities carried out outside your site:
  • Building an external link profile
  • Social media marketing
  • Building brand reputation online

Successful SEO for an online store requires a strategic approach to both. The goal is not only to attract more visitors, but also to improve the quality of traffic – to bring users to your site who are genuinely interested in your products and ready to buy.

Why should you position your online store?

Year	Global e-commerce sales
2026	$7.41 trillion
2027	$7.96 trillion

The above data from eMarketer clearly shows that the e-commerce market is growing rapidly. In 2024, the value of online retail sales reached $6.33 trillion, an increase of 8.76% over the previous year. This trend will continue, with the market expected to reach nearly $8 trillion by 2027.

Successful positioning of an online store brings a number of tangible benefits:

• Increased organic traffic – users naturally arrive at your site through a search engine, without having to pay for each click
• Higher credibility – sites in the first position in search results are more trusted by customers
• Better return on investment – unlike paid advertising, the effects of SEO are long-lasting
• Competitive advantage – in many niches, competitors are still not taking full advantage of SEO opportunities

What’s more, users coming to the site from organic search results have a higher conversion rate than those clicking on ads. This is because they are in the process of actively searching for products or solutions, rather than being mere passive recipients of ads.

Where to start with SEO for an online store?

Successful SEO for an online store requires a systematic approach. Here are the key steps to start with:

1. SEO audit – know your starting point

Before you start making changes, you should understand exactly how your store is currently visible to search engines and where the problems are. A good SEO audit should include:

• Technical analysis (loading speed, errors, indexation)
• Evaluation of content and meta tags
• Analysis of the site structure
• External link profile study
• Identification of strengths and weaknesses

Tools to help you conduct a basic audit:

• Google Search Console
• Google Analytics
• Screaming Frog (free version allows you to scan up to 500 URLs)
• PageSpeed Insights

An SEO audit will help you identify the most important areas for improvement and prioritize your efforts.

2. competitive analysis – what can you learn from the leaders?

You don’t have to break down an open door. A thorough analysis of your competitors, who are already performing well in search engines, can provide you with valuable insights:

• What keywords are they positioning their sites for?
• What kind of content attracts traffic?
• Where do they get external links from?
• How is their site structure built?

With this analysis, you can identify:

• Gaps in the market that competitors are not exploiting
• Proven strategies that work in your niche
• Realistic goals for your store

3. keyword research – understand what customers are looking for

The foundation of any SEO strategy is thorough keyword research. You need to find out what phrases potential customers are using when looking for products similar to yours. Effective keyword research for an online store should include:

• Search intent – is the user looking to make a purchase or just looking for information?
• Phrase popularity – how many people per month search for a given keyword?
• Competitiveness – how difficult will it be to achieve high rankings for a given phrase?
• Conversion potential – which phrases translate best into sales?

Selecting the right keywords is not just a matter of their popularity. Matching the different stages of the purchase path is key:

Path stage	Example query	Content type
Awareness	“how to choose a good laptop”	Guides, blog articles
Consideration	“gaming laptop to 5000 zł”	Comparisons, rankings
Decision	“Dell G15 5515 price”	Product cards, reviews

Tools to help with keyword research:

• Google Keyword Planner
• Ubersuggest (partly free)
• Keywords Everywhere (browser extension)
• Answer the Public

4. technical optimization – take care of the basics

Even the best content won’t work if your store has technical problems. Here are the key aspects of technical optimization:

Page loading speed

• Optimize images (size, format)
• Minimize CSS and JavaScript code
• Use your browser’s cache
• Consider using a CDN (Content Delivery Network).

According to research, as many as 53% of users leave a site that takes longer than 3 seconds to load. Each second of delay can reduce conversions by up to 7%!

Responsiveness

• Adapt your store for mobile devices
• Make sure the interface elements are large enough
• Verify correct operation on different screen sizes

Correct HTML code

• Fix bugs in the code
• Use semantic HTML tags
• Optimize the structure of headings (H1-H6)

Indexing and crawling

• Create and optimize robots.txt file
• Generate and submit a sitemap (sitemap.xml)
• Monitor indexing errors in Google Search Console

5. optimize the structure of the online store

The way your store’s content is organized has a huge impact on both the user experience and the ability of search engines to understand your site. Here are the most important elements of structure optimization:

Transparent category hierarchy

• Use a logical and intuitive structure of categories and subcategories
• Maintain a flat hierarchy (3-4 levels maximum)
• Use understandable category names that include keywords

Friendly URLs

• Create short and descriptive URLs
• Use keywords in URLs
• Avoid technical parameters in URLs
• Use hyphens (-) instead of underscores (_) as separators

An example of a good URL:

https://twoj-sklep.pl/laptopy/do-gier/lenovo-legion-5-pro

An example of a bad URL:

https://twoj-sklep.pl/produkty?id=1234&cat=67&sort=price

Internal linking

• Create links between products (e.g., “similar products”)
• Link from blog content to relevant categories and products
• Use descriptive anchor texts with relevant keywords
• Remember breadcrumbs (crumb navigation)

A well-organized store structure makes it easy for customers to find what they are looking for, and for search engines to understand the relationship between different pages on your site.

Content optimization in an online store

Content is one of the most important elements of SEO for an online store. Well-written, unique and valuable content not only pleases search engine algorithms, but also increases customer trust and promotes conversions.

Category page optimization

Category pages are often overlooked in the optimization process, yet they are the ones that can attract significant traffic from search engines. Here’s how to optimize them:

• Unique introductory content – each category should contain a unique description (minimum 300-500 words) that:
  • Includes relevant keywords
  • Explains what products are in the category
  • Helps customers choose the right product
• Meta tag optimization:
  • Title – unique, containing the main keyword, 50-60 characters
  • Description – encouraging clicks, 150-160 characters
  • H1 header – containing the name of the category and the main keyword
• Filters and sorting:
  • Provide the ability to filter products by various criteria
  • Ensure that pages with filters are not indexed (to avoid duplication of content)

Product card optimization

Product cards are the heart of your online store. Their proper optimization can significantly affect search engine positions and conversion rates:

• Unique product descriptions:
  • Avoid copying descriptions from manufacturers
  • Create valuable content (min. 300-500 words)
  • Focus on customer benefits
  • Use keywords in a natural way
• Optimized photos:
  • Use high quality photos
  • Optimize file size
  • Add alt attributes containing keywords
  • Use multiple photos showing the product from different sides
• Structural data:
  • Implementing schema.org for products
  • Adding ratings and reviews
  • Indication of availability, price and other parameters
• Ability to review products:
  • Encourage customers to leave feedback
  • Respond to reviews (both positive and negative)
  • Use reviews as unique content

Company blog as SEO support

A company blog is a powerful tool to support the positioning of an online store. It allows you to create content that answers the questions of potential customers and covers different stages of the purchase path.

Benefits of blogging:

• Increase the number of indexed pages
• Ability to target news phrases
• Building authority in the industry
• Additional internal linking capabilities

Effective blog content for an online store:

• Shopping guides and guides
• Product comparisons
• Trends and news in the industry
• Seasonal content (e.g., “How to choose a gift for Father’s Day”)
• Case studies and customer success stories

Remember to always link from your blog content to relevant categories and products in your store, thus increasing their visibility and sales potential.

Building a link profile for an online store

External links (backlinks) remain one of Google’s most important ranking factors. High-quality links from authoritative sites significantly increase your store’s visibility in search results.

Strategies for acquiring valuable links

Content marketing – Creating valuable content that naturally attracts links:

• Extensive tutorials and guides
• Unique market research and analysis
• Infographics and other visual materials
• Interactive tools

Collaboration with influencers and industry experts:

• Collaborative content creation
• Product Reviews
• Interviews and expert responses

Whisper marketing and PR:

• Building relationships with journalists
• Sending press releases about news and innovations
• Participation in industry discussions

Industry and local directories:

• Registration in reliable business directories
• Presence in local company databases
• Membership in industry organizations

Remember that when it comes to links, quality always trumps quantity. One link from an authoritative industry site can be worth more than hundreds of links from low-value directories.

Monitoring and analysis of the effects of positioning

Positioning is an ongoing process that requires regular monitoring and analysis of results. Here are the key indicators you should track:

• Keyword positions
  • Track how your store’s position changes for key phrases
  • Pay attention to trends (ups and downs)
• Organic movement
  • Number of users from organic results
  • Landing pages from organic traffic
  • Rejection rate and time spent on site
• Conversions from organic traffic
  • Conversion rate
  • Value of orders from organic traffic
  • ROI of SEO activities

Tools for monitoring SEO effects

Successful positioning of an online store requires the right analytical tools. Here are three of the most important ones that should be in every e-commerce marketer’s arsenal:

Google Analytics

Google Analytics is an essential tool for analyzing website traffic. In the context of SEO for an online store, it allows you to:

• Tracking organic traffic sources (from which search engines and using which phrases)
• Analysis of user behavior (purchase paths, rejection rate, time spent on site)
• Monitoring conversions (which pages generate the most sales)
• User segmentation (demographics, interests, devices)
• Create custom reports tailored to the specific needs of your business

Setting up goals in Google Analytics allows you to track exactly which SEO activities translate into specific business results, which is crucial for optimizing your marketing budget.

Google Search Console

Google Search Console is a tool that provides information directly from Google about how the search engine sees your site. It allows you to:

• Monitoring page indexation (how many pages from your store are in Google’s index)
• Tracking technical errors (crawling problems, 404 errors, etc.)
• Analysis of queries (which phrases bring traffic, what is their average position, CTR)
• Verification of compliance with Mobile-Friendly Test
• Testing of page loading speed (Core Web Vitals).
• Submit site maps and monitor their status

Search Console also provides notifications of site security issues and manual actions taken by Google, which is invaluable in responding quickly to potential penalties.

Position tracking tools

Specialized tools such as Senuto, Ahrefs or SERanking allow you to closely monitor your store’s position in search results:

• Senuto – a Polish tool particularly well suited for local market analysis:
  • Position monitoring with accuracy to specific locations in Poland
  • Analysis of visibility compared to competitors
  • Investigating the potential of key phrases for the Polish market
• Ahrefs – a comprehensive SEO analysis tool:
  • Tracking positions in multiple international markets
  • External link profile analysis
  • Study of competitors’ content marketing strategies
  • Identification of content gap opportunities
• SERanking – a comprehensive SEO monitoring tool:
  • Daily item updates
  • Tracking changes in search engine results (SERPs)
  • Monitoring of competitors’ activities
  • Advanced reporting with white-label capabilities

Regular analysis of data from these tools will help you identify effective strategies and areas that need further optimization. You will achieve the best results by integrating data from all three types of tools, which will give you a complete picture of the effectiveness of your SEO efforts.

The most common mistakes in online store positioning

Avoid these common mistakes that can hinder your store’s growth:

1. Ignoring mobile optimization – most traffic today comes from mobile devices, and Google uses mobile-first indexing.
2. Duplication of content – duplication of product descriptions, categories or blog content can lead to indexing problems.
3. Poor quality content – short, unoptimized product descriptions help neither users nor search engines.
4. Neglecting meta tags – the lack of unique title and description for each page reduces CTR in search results.
5. Ignoring analytical data – failure to monitor effects prevents necessary adjustments.
6. Insufficient UX optimization – a user-friendly store is also a search engine-friendly store.
7. Using techniques that do not comply with Google’s guidelines – attempts to cheat the algorithms can lead to penalties and filters.

When is it worth considering working with an SEO agency?

Positioning an online store on your own is possible, especially in the early stages. However, at some point you may encounter challenges that require professional support:

• Competitive market with strong players
• Difficulty in breaking through to the first page of results
• Lack of time for regular SEO activities
• Need for faster and more significant results
• Technical problems requiring specialized knowledge

The cost of professional SEO for an online store depends on many factors, such as:

• Competitiveness of the industry
• Current store visibility
• Scope of necessary optimization activities
• Expected time to achieve results

When choosing an SEO agency, pay attention to:

• Portfolios and case studies
• References from existing customers
• Transparency and methodology of operation
• Approach to reporting results

Do you need professional SEO support for your online store?

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Summary – the key to successful SEO for your online store

Successful positioning of an online store is a long-term process that requires a systematic approach and patience. The most important elements to keep in mind:

1. Solid technical foundation – speed, responsiveness, friendly structure
2. Valuable content – unique product and category descriptions, blog
3. Relevant keywords – tailored to users’ intentions
4. Thoughtful linking – both internal and external
5. Regular analysis and optimization – monitor effects and make improvements

Remember that SEO is not a one-time activity, but an ongoing process. Search engine algorithms are constantly changing, as are user behavior and competitor strategies. Regularly updating your knowledge and adjusting your SEO strategy is the key to long-term success.

By investing time and resources in optimizing your store for search engines, you are building a sustainable source of traffic and potential customers that will pay off for years to come.