{"id":13473,"date":"2025-07-10T15:46:48","date_gmt":"2025-07-10T15:46:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/10\/run-an-ecommerce-seo-audit-in-4-stages-free-workbook\/"},"modified":"2025-07-10T15:46:48","modified_gmt":"2025-07-10T15:46:48","slug":"run-an-ecommerce-seo-audit-in-4-stages-free-workbook","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/10\/run-an-ecommerce-seo-audit-in-4-stages-free-workbook\/","title":{"rendered":"Run An Ecommerce SEO Audit in 4 Stages [+ Free Workbook]"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>An ecommerce SEO audit is a 360-degree review of your website\u2019s SEO performance in terms of technical setup, on-page optimization, site structure, backlink profile, and more.<\/p>\n<p>Think of it like a routine check-up for your online store.<\/p>\n<p>Instead of waiting for traffic to drop or sales to slow down, you can proactively find and fix problems before they spiral into revenue leaks.<\/p>\n<p>Done right, an SEO audit helps you:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Identify ways to improve rankings and user experience<\/li>\n<li>Detect issues affecting your organic performance<\/li>\n<li>Protect and sustain long-term growth<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>More importantly, this audit creates an SEO strategy grounded in data, not guesswork.<\/p>\n<p>In this guide, I\u2019ll break down a 4-stage process for conducting an ecommerce SEO audit.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve also prepared a free audit workbook to help you document findings, prioritize fixes, and drive measurable results.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-sm-down\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/icon-tip.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">        <\/figure>\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<blockquote class=\"sc-quote\">\n<p>Download <a title=\"Ecommerce SEO Audit Workbook by Backlinko\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheets\/d\/1E6TxG3eA7GJuU5d239KE8HSifGd08egjb78J21XohqM\/copy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">our free ecommerce SEO audit workbook<\/a> to follow along with our 4-stage approach and resolve issues effortlessly. You\u2019ll also get a troubleshooting guide with fixes for the most common SEO issues.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Backlinko \u2013 Ecommerce SEO Audit Workbook\" alt=\"Backlinko \u2013 Ecommerce SEO Audit Workbook\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.76571428571429\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/06\/backlinko-ecommerce-seo-audit-workbook.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-md-up\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/icon-tip.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">                <\/figure>\n<p>                                <cite class=\"sc-name media-body media-middle\"><br \/>\n                                    <\/cite>\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_81 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/10\/run-an-ecommerce-seo-audit-in-4-stages-free-workbook\/#Core_Components_of_an_Ecommerce_SEO_Audit\" >Core Components of an Ecommerce SEO Audit<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/10\/run-an-ecommerce-seo-audit-in-4-stages-free-workbook\/#1_Technical_SEO\" >1. Technical SEO<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/10\/run-an-ecommerce-seo-audit-in-4-stages-free-workbook\/#2_On-Page_SEO\" >2. On-Page SEO<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/10\/run-an-ecommerce-seo-audit-in-4-stages-free-workbook\/#3_UX_and_Performance\" >3. UX and Performance<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/10\/run-an-ecommerce-seo-audit-in-4-stages-free-workbook\/#4_Off-Page_SEO\" >4. Off-Page SEO<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/10\/run-an-ecommerce-seo-audit-in-4-stages-free-workbook\/#5_Competitive_Analysis\" >5. Competitive Analysis<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/10\/run-an-ecommerce-seo-audit-in-4-stages-free-workbook\/#Stage_1_Can_Google_Find_My_Store_and_Products\" >Stage 1: Can Google Find My Store and Products?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/10\/run-an-ecommerce-seo-audit-in-4-stages-free-workbook\/#Check_If_Your_Pages_Are_Indexed_in_Google\" >Check If Your Pages Are Indexed in Google<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/10\/run-an-ecommerce-seo-audit-in-4-stages-free-workbook\/#Ensure_Key_Pages_Are_in_Sitemap_and_Crawlable\" >Ensure Key Pages Are in Sitemap and Crawlable<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/10\/run-an-ecommerce-seo-audit-in-4-stages-free-workbook\/#Identify_and_Fix_4xx5xx_Errors_That_Hurt_Visibility\" >Identify and Fix 4xx\/5xx Errors That Hurt Visibility<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/10\/run-an-ecommerce-seo-audit-in-4-stages-free-workbook\/#Use_Canonical_Tags_to_Avoid_Duplicate_Content\" >Use Canonical Tags to Avoid Duplicate Content<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/10\/run-an-ecommerce-seo-audit-in-4-stages-free-workbook\/#Stage_2_Do_People_Discover_and_Visit_My_Pages\" >Stage 2: Do People Discover and Visit My Pages?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/10\/run-an-ecommerce-seo-audit-in-4-stages-free-workbook\/#Optimize_Titles_and_Meta_Descriptions_for_Clicks\" >Optimize Titles and Meta Descriptions for Clicks<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/10\/run-an-ecommerce-seo-audit-in-4-stages-free-workbook\/#Add_Structured_Schema_for_Rich_Results\" >Add Structured Schema for Rich Results<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/10\/run-an-ecommerce-seo-audit-in-4-stages-free-workbook\/#Map_Target_Keywords_to_the_Right_Pages\" >Map Target Keywords to the Right Pages<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/10\/run-an-ecommerce-seo-audit-in-4-stages-free-workbook\/#Optimize_Images_and_Add_Alt_Text\" >Optimize Images and Add Alt Text<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/10\/run-an-ecommerce-seo-audit-in-4-stages-free-workbook\/#Stage_3_Are_Visitors_Staying_and_Buying\" >Stage 3: Are Visitors Staying and Buying?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/10\/run-an-ecommerce-seo-audit-in-4-stages-free-workbook\/#Improve_Load_Times_and_Mobile_Usability\" >Improve Load Times and Mobile Usability<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/10\/run-an-ecommerce-seo-audit-in-4-stages-free-workbook\/#Simplify_Page_Design_and_UX\" >Simplify Page Design and UX<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/10\/run-an-ecommerce-seo-audit-in-4-stages-free-workbook\/#Fix_Pages_Targeting_the_Same_Keyword\" >Fix Pages Targeting the Same Keyword<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-21\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/10\/run-an-ecommerce-seo-audit-in-4-stages-free-workbook\/#Add_Internal_Links_to_Boost_Relevance\" >Add Internal Links to Boost Relevance<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-22\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/10\/run-an-ecommerce-seo-audit-in-4-stages-free-workbook\/#Stage_4_Where_Am_I_Behind_My_Competitors\" >Stage 4: Where Am I Behind My Competitors?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-23\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/10\/run-an-ecommerce-seo-audit-in-4-stages-free-workbook\/#Audit_and_Strengthen_Your_Backlink_Profile\" >Audit and Strengthen Your Backlink Profile<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-24\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/10\/run-an-ecommerce-seo-audit-in-4-stages-free-workbook\/#Uncover_Keyword_Gaps_and_Ranking_Opportunities\" >Uncover Keyword Gaps and Ranking Opportunities<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-25\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/10\/run-an-ecommerce-seo-audit-in-4-stages-free-workbook\/#How_to_Prioritize_SEO_Issues_You_Identify_in_a_Site_Audit\" >How to Prioritize SEO Issues You Identify in a Site Audit<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-26\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/10\/run-an-ecommerce-seo-audit-in-4-stages-free-workbook\/#Impact\" >Impact<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-27\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/10\/run-an-ecommerce-seo-audit-in-4-stages-free-workbook\/#Effort\" >Effort<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-28\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/10\/run-an-ecommerce-seo-audit-in-4-stages-free-workbook\/#Scope\" >Scope<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-29\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/10\/run-an-ecommerce-seo-audit-in-4-stages-free-workbook\/#Prioritization_Framework\" >Prioritization Framework<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-30\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/10\/run-an-ecommerce-seo-audit-in-4-stages-free-workbook\/#Troubleshooting_Guide\" >Troubleshooting Guide<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-31\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/10\/run-an-ecommerce-seo-audit-in-4-stages-free-workbook\/#Build_a_Store_That_Google_and_Shoppers_Love\" >Build a Store That Google (and Shoppers) Love<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Core_Components_of_an_Ecommerce_SEO_Audit\"><\/span>Core Components of an Ecommerce SEO Audit<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Unlike a traditional <a title=\"How to Do a Website Audit in 5 Steps (+ Checklist)\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/website-audit\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">website audit<\/a>, a well-rounded SEO audit for ecommerce focuses on five key components.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-sm-down\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/03\/icon-remember-v2.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">        <\/figure>\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<blockquote class=\"sc-quote\">\n<p><strong>Key difference:<\/strong> A website audit focuses on improving website performance and user experience. On the flip side, an SEO audit targets issues and opportunities to level up your site\u2019s organic visibility and traffic.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__visual-chart backlinko-image\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Core Components of Ecommerce SEO Audit\" alt=\"Core Components of Ecommerce SEO Audit\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.83428571428571\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/07\/core-components-of-ecommerce-seo-audit.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-md-up\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/03\/icon-remember-v2.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">                <\/figure>\n<p>                                <cite class=\"sc-name media-body media-middle\"><br \/>\n                                    <\/cite>\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Technical_SEO\"><\/span>1. Technical SEO<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><a title=\"Technical SEO: The Ultimate Guide\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/technical-seo-guide\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technical SEO<\/a> ensures search engines can find, crawl, and index your website.<\/p>\n<p>It prevents critical issues like:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Slow <a title=\"Page Speed and SEO: The Complete Guide\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/hub\/seo\/pagespeed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">page speed<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a title=\"Duplicate Content and SEO: The Complete Guide\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/hub\/seo\/duplicate-content\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Duplicate content<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Broken internal links<\/li>\n<li>Wasted crawl budget<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This is important for ecommerce websites since URL structures and large inventories can create crawlability concerns.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_On-Page_SEO\"><\/span>2. On-Page SEO<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><a title=\"On-Page SEO: The Definitive Guide + FREE Template\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/on-page-seo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">On-page SEO<\/a> allows search engines to understand the content and purpose of each page on your site.<\/p>\n<p>A strong on-page setup includes title tags, meta descriptions, headers, and more.<\/p>\n<p>It also covers internal linking patterns to ensure link equity flows to your most important pages.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_UX_and_Performance\"><\/span>3. UX and Performance<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>This part of the audit evaluates:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Mobile responsiveness<\/li>\n<li><a title=\"Core Web Vitals: Essential Guide to Improving Site Performance\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/hub\/seo\/core-web-vitals\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Core Web Vitals<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Overall usability<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It helps optimize your UX, so visitors can easily navigate your store, stay longer, and convert.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Off-Page_SEO\"><\/span>4. Off-Page SEO<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><a title=\"Off-Page SEO: The Complete Guide\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/off-page-seo-guide\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Off-page SEO<\/a> looks at external signals that influence your site\u2019s authority, such as:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a title=\"Google E-E-A-T: How to Create People-First Content (+ Free Audit)\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/google-e-e-a-t\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">E-E-A-T<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a title=\"What Are Backlinks in SEO &amp; Why You Need Them\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/hub\/seo\/backlinks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Backlinks<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Online reviews<\/li>\n<li>Brand mentions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Put simply, off-page SEO covers everything outside your website that shows search engines you\u2019re a trustworthy brand.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Competitive_Analysis\"><\/span>5. Competitive Analysis<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><a title=\"How to Conduct an SEO Competitor Analysis [Comprehensive]\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/seo-competitor-analysis\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Competitive analysis<\/a> assesses how your site stacks up against other brands.<\/p>\n<p>Benchmarking your performance against competitors helps you find gaps and opportunities to outrank competitors on organic search.<\/p>\n<p>Now that you know <strong>what<\/strong> to audit, let\u2019s walk through <strong>how to do it<\/strong> \u2014 step by step.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ll break it down into four practical stages that map back to the core components.<\/p>\n<p><a title=\"Ecommerce SEO Audit Workbook by Backlinko\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheets\/d\/1E6TxG3eA7GJuU5d239KE8HSifGd08egjb78J21XohqM\/copy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Download our free audit workbook<\/a> to better understand every step and implement them for your business.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Backlinko \u2013 Ecommerce SEO Audit Workbook \u2013 Stages\" alt=\"Backlinko \u2013 Ecommerce SEO Audit Workbook \u2013 Stages\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.95428571428571\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/06\/backlinko-ecommerce-seo-audit-workbook-stages.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Stage_1_Can_Google_Find_My_Store_and_Products\"><\/span>Stage 1: Can Google Find My Store and Products?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-sm-down\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/03\/icon-remember-v2.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">        <\/figure>\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<blockquote class=\"sc-quote\">\n<p><strong>Goal:<\/strong> Make sure products appear in organic search<\/p>\n<p><strong>Tools to use:<\/strong> Sitebulb, Screaming Frog, Semrush Site Audit, Google Search Console<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-md-up\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/03\/icon-remember-v2.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">                <\/figure>\n<p>                                <cite class=\"sc-name media-body media-middle\"><br \/>\n                                    <\/cite>\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>A good ecommerce SEO audit starts by checking whether <a title=\"Top 12 Search Engines Use Instead of Google\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/search-engines\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">search engines<\/a> can actually find, crawl, and index your pages.<\/p>\n<p>No matter how well you <a title=\"9 Ecommerce Website Optimization Tactics [Expert Insights]\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/ecommerce-website-optimization\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">optimize pages<\/a>, they won\u2019t rank or drive traffic if they\u2019re invisible to search engines.<\/p>\n<p><strong>In short:<\/strong> This stage lays the groundwork for everything else that follows.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s what to look for in this stage:<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Check_If_Your_Pages_Are_Indexed_in_Google\"><\/span>Check If Your Pages Are Indexed in Google<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>A web page becomes visible in search results and starts ranking only after it\u2019s added to a search engine\u2019s index.<\/p>\n<p>Start your audit by heading to <a title=\"Google Search Console: The Definitive Guide\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/google-search-console\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Google Search Console (GSC)<\/a> to review the index status for your pages.<\/p>\n<p>Open your GSC dashboard and go to the \u201c<strong>Pages<\/strong>\u201d report under the index section.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"GSC \u2013 Indexing Pages \u2013 Overview\" alt=\"GSC \u2013 Indexing Pages \u2013 Overview\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.91142857142857\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/04\/gsc-indexng-pages-overview.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>The report will list all non-indexed pages with specific reasons:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Discovered \u2013 currently not indexed<\/li>\n<li>Crawled \u2013 currently not indexed<\/li>\n<li>Excluded by \u2018noindex\u2019 tag<\/li>\n<li>Page with redirect<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"GSC \u2013 Why pages aren\u2019t indexed\" alt=\"GSC \u2013 Why pages aren't indexed\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.95142857142857\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/02\/gsc-why-pages-arent-indexed.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>If pages aren\u2019t added to Google\u2019s index, it could be due to issues with page quality, <a title=\"Why Is Crawl Budget Important for SEO?\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/hub\/seo\/crawl-budget\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">crawl budget<\/a>, or duplicate content.<\/p>\n<p>Use the \u201c<strong>URL Inspection<\/strong>\u201d tool to learn why a page isn\u2019t indexed yet.<\/p>\n<p>In this example, the URL has been discovered but not indexed.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"GSC \u2013 URL is not on Google\" alt=\"GSC \u2013 URL is not on Google\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.29\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/02\/gsc-url-is-not-on-google.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>Press the \u201c<strong>Request Indexing<\/strong>\u201d button to manually submit a page for indexing.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ensure_Key_Pages_Are_in_Sitemap_and_Crawlable\"><\/span>Ensure Key Pages Are in Sitemap and Crawlable<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>A clean, accurate sitemap helps <a title=\"How Do Search Engines Work? (Quick Guide for Beginners)\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/how-search-engines-work\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">search engines<\/a> discover your most important pages.<\/p>\n<p>Your <a title=\"Sitemap: What Is It &amp; Why Your Website Needs One\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/hub\/seo\/sitemaps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">sitemap<\/a> should include hierarchical URLs for all types of pages, like categories, products, product versions, and more.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s what an ecommerce store\u2019s sitemap looks like:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Aurabora \u2013 Ecommerce store\u2019s sitemap\" alt=\"Aurabora \u2013 Ecommerce store's sitemap\" data-aspect-ratio=\"1.1457142857143\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/06\/aurabora-ecommerce-stores-sitemap-scaled.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>Check whether your sitemap is updated automatically whenever you add new pages.<\/p>\n<p>Open Google Search Console and go to the \u201c<strong>Sitemaps<\/strong>\u201d section.<\/p>\n<p>This report shows when your sitemap was last submitted and read by Google. It also highlights the status and number of URLs discovered.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"GSC \u2013 Click on sitemap\" alt=\"GSC \u2013 Click on sitemap\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.30571428571429\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/09\/gsc-click-on-sitemap.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>At the same time, check your <a title=\"Robots.txt and SEO: Complete Guide\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/hub\/seo\/robots-txt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">robots.txt file<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>This file tells search engines which parts of your site they shouldn\u2019t crawl.<\/p>\n<p>Go to yoursite.com\/robots.txt to see if you\u2019re <strong>unintentionally<\/strong> blocking any pages or folders.<\/p>\n<p>You can use <a title=\"Google Search Console\" href=\"https:\/\/search.google.com\/search-console\/not-verified?original_url=\/search-console\/settings\/robots-txt?utm_source%3Dwmx%26utm_medium%3Ddeprecation-pane%26utm_content%3Drobots-testing-tool&amp;original_resource_id\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Google\u2019s robots.txt Tester<\/a> to validate your setup.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"GSC \u2013 Settings \u2013 Robots.txt tester\" alt=\"GSC \u2013 Settings \u2013 Robots.txt tester\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.37857142857143\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/06\/gcc-settings-robots-txt-tester.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-sm-down\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/icon-further-reading.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">        <\/figure>\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<blockquote class=\"sc-quote\">\n<p><strong>Further reading:<\/strong> <a title=\"19 Sitemap Examples for Any Type of Website (+ Best Practices)\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/sitemap-examples\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">19 Sitemap Examples for Any Type of Website (+ Best Practices)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-md-up\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/icon-further-reading.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">                <\/figure>\n<p>                                <cite class=\"sc-name media-body media-middle\"><br \/>\n                                    <\/cite>\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Identify_and_Fix_4xx5xx_Errors_That_Hurt_Visibility\"><\/span>Identify and Fix 4xx\/5xx Errors That Hurt Visibility<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Check your HTTPS status codes to discover pages with 4xx or 5xx errors.<\/p>\n<p>These errors explain why search engines can\u2019t access your pages.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Site Audit \u2013 Backlinko \u2013 HTTPS Status Codes\" alt=\"Site Audit \u2013 Backlinko \u2013 HTTPS Status Codes\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.74142857142857\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/06\/site-audit-backlinko-https-status-codes.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>Use tools like Screaming Frog and Semrush Site Audit to check your HTTPS status codes.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s how to do it with Semrush:<\/p>\n<p>Go to the <a title=\"SEO Audit Tool: Run a Free Audit of Your Website | Semrush\" href=\"https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/siteaudit\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Site Audit<\/a> tool, and add your domain.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Semrush \u2013 Site Audit \u2013 Start\" alt=\"Semrush \u2013 Site Audit \u2013 Start\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.58571428571429\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/06\/semrush-site-audit-start.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>Follow the <a title=\"Configuring Site Audit\" href=\"https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/kb\/539-configuring-site-audit\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">steps in this guide<\/a> to configure and customize your Site Audit project before running the crawl.<\/p>\n<p>When you\u2019re ready, hit \u201c<strong>Start audit<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Ste Audit Settings \u2013 Backlinko\" alt=\"Ste Audit Settings \u2013 Backlinko\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.72857142857143\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/11\/site-audit-settings-backlinko.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>Once the results are in, navigate to the \u201c<strong>HTTPS<\/strong>\u201d part of the audit overview.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Site Audit \u2013 Backlinko \u2013 Overview \u2013 HTTPS box\" alt=\"Site Audit \u2013 Backlinko \u2013 Overview \u2013 HTTPS box\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.86428571428571\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/06\/site-audit-backlinko-overview-https-box.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>Here, you\u2019ll see any issues with HTTPS status codes and how to fix them.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Site Audit \u2013 Backlinko \u2013 HTTPS status codes issues\" alt=\"Site Audit \u2013 Backlinko \u2013 HTTPS status codes issues\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.98142857142857\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/06\/site-audit-backlinko-https-status-codes-issues.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>You can also go to the \u201c<strong>Crawled Pages<\/strong>\u201d section in your report and filter data based on status codes.<\/p>\n<p>For example, I applied the \u201c<strong>Issue Status<\/strong>\u201d filter to find pages with broken or blocked status codes.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Site Audit \u2013 Crawled Pages \u2013 Advanced filters\" alt=\"Site Audit \u2013 Crawled Pages \u2013 Advanced filters\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.41\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/06\/site-audit-crawled-pages-advanced-filters.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>Here are the filtered results showing all the pages meeting this criteria:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Site Audit \u2013 Filtered Crawled Pages\" alt=\"Site Audit \u2013 Filtered Crawled Pages\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.71\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/06\/site-audit-filtered-crawled-pages.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>Review all the pages showing errors and plan ways to fix each type of error.<\/p>\n<p>For example, if a page showing the 404 error is outdated and no longer needed, you can remove it from your sitemap.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-sm-down\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/icon-further-reading.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">        <\/figure>\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<blockquote class=\"sc-quote\">\n<p><strong>Next steps:<\/strong> Check out our detailed guide on <a title=\"How to Find (and Fix) Broken Links\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/how-to-find-and-fix-broken-links\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">fixing broken links<\/a> to improve your site\u2019s SEO health.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-md-up\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/icon-further-reading.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">                <\/figure>\n<p>                                <cite class=\"sc-name media-body media-middle\"><br \/>\n                                    <\/cite>\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Use_Canonical_Tags_to_Avoid_Duplicate_Content\"><\/span>Use Canonical Tags to Avoid Duplicate Content<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Ecommerce sites often struggle with duplicate content due to multiple product variants or filtering options.<\/p>\n<p>This can confuse search engines and affect your rankings.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s why <a title=\"How to Specify a Canonical with rel=&quot;canonical&quot; and Other...\" href=\"https:\/\/developers.google.com\/search\/docs\/crawling-indexing\/consolidate-duplicate-urls\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">canonical tags<\/a> are important to tell search engines your<br \/>\npreferred version of a page.<\/p>\n<p>For example, the athleisure brand Alo Yoga uses canonical tags for color variants, such as:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Steel grey:<\/strong> airlift-intrigue-bra-steel-grey<\/li>\n<li><strong>Anthracite:<\/strong> airlift-intrigue-bra-anthracite<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>To prevent search engines from seeing these pages as duplicate content, each product variant includes a canonical tag pointing to a single, main product URL.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Alo Yoga \u2013 Each product variant includes a canonical tag\" alt=\"Alo Yoga \u2013 Each product variant includes a canonical tag\" data-aspect-ratio=\"1.1071428571429\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/06\/each-product-variant-includes-a-canonical-tag-scaled.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>Use free canonical checker tools like <a title=\"Detailed.com\" href=\"https:\/\/detailed.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Detailed<\/a> to check whether all product variants are canonicalized to the main URL.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Stage_2_Do_People_Discover_and_Visit_My_Pages\"><\/span>Stage 2: Do People Discover and Visit My Pages?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-sm-down\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/03\/icon-remember-v2.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">        <\/figure>\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<blockquote class=\"sc-quote\">\n<p><strong>Goal:<\/strong> Attract more clicks from organic search<\/p>\n<p><strong>Tools to use:<\/strong> Semrush Site Audit, Google\u2019s Rich Results Test, Google Search Console<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-md-up\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/03\/icon-remember-v2.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">                <\/figure>\n<p>                                <cite class=\"sc-name media-body media-middle\"><br \/>\n                                    <\/cite>\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Your next step is optimizing your pages to <a title=\"How to Rank Higher On Google (13 Steps)\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/rank-high-on-google\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">rank well<\/a> and appeal to searchers.<\/p>\n<p>Focus on improving how your listings appear in search engine results pages (SERPs) and matching them to the right <a title=\"Search Intent and SEO: How to Optimize for User Goals\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/hub\/seo\/search-intent\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">search intent<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>This optimization can boost impressions, traffic, and, ultimately, revenue.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s what to check in this stage:<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Optimize_Titles_and_Meta_Descriptions_for_Clicks\"><\/span>Optimize Titles and Meta Descriptions for Clicks<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Title tags and <a title=\"Meta Tags: What They Are &amp; How to Use Them to Boost Your SEO\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/meta-tags\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">meta descriptions<\/a> are often the first thing searchers see.<\/p>\n<p>Are yours compelling enough to earn the click?<\/p>\n<p>For example, when I search for \u201chealthy soda,\u201d I find this page by Zevia Soda.<\/p>\n<p>The title tag emphasizes its main value proposition: Zero Sugar Natural Flavored Soda.<\/p>\n<p>And the meta description doubles down on this, highlighting zero calories and the variety of flavors.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Google SERP \u2013 Healthy soda\" alt=\"Google SERP \u2013 Healthy soda\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.23857142857143\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/06\/google-serp-healthy-soda.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-sm-down\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/icon-tip.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">        <\/figure>\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<blockquote class=\"sc-quote\">\n<p><strong>The bottom line:<\/strong> Write clear, convincing copy for these tags within the ideal word count. Write 60 characters for title tags and 100-120 for meta descriptions to ensure they display well on mobile.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-md-up\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/icon-tip.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">                <\/figure>\n<p>                                <cite class=\"sc-name media-body media-middle\"><br \/>\n                                    <\/cite>\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Use <a title=\"Backlinko\u2019s free SEO checker\" href=\"https:\/\/tools.backlinko.com\/seo-checker\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Backlinko\u2019s free SEO checker<\/a> to find any critical issues here.<\/p>\n<p>Add any page and hit \u201c<strong>Check SEO<\/strong>\u201d to get started.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Backlinko \u2013 Free SEO Checker \u2013 Aloyoga \u2013 Check SEO\" alt=\"Backlinko \u2013 Free SEO Checker \u2013 Aloyoga \u2013 Check SEO\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.38142857142857\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/06\/backlinko-free-seo-checker-aloyoga-check-seo.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>Here\u2019s how the tool flags issues related to your page\u2019s title, headings, meta description, and other elements:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Backlinko \u2013 Free SEO Checker \u2013 Aloyoga \u2013 Issues Overview\" alt=\"Backlinko \u2013 Free SEO Checker \u2013 Aloyoga \u2013 Issues Overview\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.74571428571429\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/06\/backlinko-free-seo-checker-aloyoga-issues-overview.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Add_Structured_Schema_for_Rich_Results\"><\/span>Add Structured Schema for Rich Results<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><a title=\"Schema Markup 101: Boost Your SEO &amp; Improve Search\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/schema-markup-guide\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Schema markup<\/a> with tags like Product, Review, and FAQs can enhance your listings with rich snippets.<\/p>\n<p>Visual cues like pricing, ratings, discounts, and delivery details simplify the shopping experience and can boost CTR for your pages.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s how they look:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Google SERP \u2013 Cookware sets \u2013 Popular products\" alt=\"Google SERP \u2013 Cookware sets \u2013 Popular products\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.76142857142857\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/06\/google-serp-cookware-sets-popular-products.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<p><a title=\"Rich Results Test - Google Search Console\" href=\"https:\/\/search.google.com\/test\/rich-results\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Google\u2019s Rich Results Test<\/a> is a helpful tool to validate your schema markup with all these elements.<\/p>\n<p>For example, I ran a test for a hair oil <a title=\"20 Effective Product Page Examples (+ Best Practices)\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/product-page-examples\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">product page<\/a> to see what kind of rich snippets it has.<\/p>\n<p>The report indicated that this page has four snippets, but some of them are invalid.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Rich Results Test \u2013 Product snippets\" alt=\"Rich Results Test \u2013 Product snippets\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.77\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/06\/rich-results-test-product-snippets.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>On further analysis, I discovered that one of the snippets is missing the review and rating fields.<\/p>\n<p>This product listing won\u2019t qualify for full rich results unless you add such required fields to your schema.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Rich Results Test \u2013 Product missing field\" alt=\"Rich Results Test \u2013 Product missing field\" data-aspect-ratio=\"1.01\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/06\/rich-results-test-product-missing-field.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>That\u2019s how you can review schema markup for individual pages.<\/p>\n<p>To check the schema for <strong>all<\/strong> your pages, revisit your <a title=\"SEO Audit Tool: Run a Free Audit of Your Website | Semrush\" href=\"https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/siteaudit\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Site Audit<\/a> report on Semrush.<\/p>\n<p>In the Overview section, you\u2019ll see data for the \u201c<strong>Markup<\/strong>\u201d category.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Site Audit \u2013 Backlinko \u2013 Overview \u2013 Markup box\" alt=\"Site Audit \u2013 Backlinko \u2013 Overview \u2013 Markup box\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.86571428571429\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/06\/site-audit-backlinko-overview-markup-box.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>Press \u201c<strong>View details<\/strong>\u201d to get deeper insights about your site\u2019s schema.<\/p>\n<p>For example, the report shows:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Number of pages with markup<\/li>\n<li>Kind of schema markup for all pages<\/li>\n<li>Type of structured data available for your pages.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Site Audit \u2013 Backlinko \u2013 Markup report\" alt=\"Site Audit \u2013 Backlinko \u2013 Markup report\" data-aspect-ratio=\"1.2085714285714\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/06\/site-audit-backlinko-markup-report-scaled.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Map_Target_Keywords_to_the_Right_Pages\"><\/span>Map Target Keywords to the Right Pages<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Another crucial task in this stage is checking whether your keywords align with the actual <a title=\"SEO Behavioral Factors: How User Actions Impact Rankings\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/user-behavior-and-seo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">user behavior<\/a> and intent.<\/p>\n<p>Map each page to its target keywords and search intent.<\/p>\n<p>Evaluate this map to find pages targeting the wrong keywords or intents. Here\u2019s an example:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__visual-chart backlinko-image\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Align Keyword Research with Customer Language\" alt=\"Align Keyword Research with Customer Language\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.60571428571429\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/07\/align-keyword-research-with-customer-language.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>You can also run a Google search for your low-ranking keywords and see the kind of pages appearing in <a title=\"What Are SERPs &amp; Why Are They Important for SEO?\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/hub\/seo\/serps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SERPs<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Then, compare these top-ranking pages with your content to find areas of improvement.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-sm-down\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/icon-further-reading.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">        <\/figure>\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<blockquote class=\"sc-quote\">\n<p><strong>Further reading:<\/strong> <a title=\"6 Proven Steps to Master Ecommerce Keyword Research\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/ecommerce-keyword-research\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">6 Proven Steps to Master Ecommerce Keyword Research<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-md-up\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/icon-further-reading.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">                <\/figure>\n<p>                                <cite class=\"sc-name media-body media-middle\"><br \/>\n                                    <\/cite>\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Optimize_Images_and_Add_Alt_Text\"><\/span>Optimize Images and Add Alt Text<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Your online store can drive significant traffic by optimizing images and multimedia assets.<\/p>\n<p>Image optimization can:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a title=\"What Is Search Engine Visibility? And How to Increase It\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/hub\/seo\/visibility\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Improve search visibility<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Rank for visual search terms<\/li>\n<li>Help search engines understand your content<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>I searched \u201cblue ceramic dinner plates\u201d to see this in action.<\/p>\n<p>Below the usual product listings, the images section also shows product listings for people to browse more options.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Google SERP \u2013 Blue ceramic dinner plates \u2013 Images\" alt=\"Google SERP \u2013 Blue ceramic dinner plates \u2013 Images\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.94571428571429\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/06\/google-serp-blue-ceramic-dinner-plates-images.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>As a part of your audit, check whether your images have relevant file names and keyword-rich alt text.<\/p>\n<p>Semrush\u2019s Site Audit report will also flag images missing alt text attributes.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Site Audit \u2013  Backlinko \u2013 Issues \u2013 Alt attributes\" alt=\"Site Audit \u2013 Backlinko \u2013 Issues \u2013 Alt attributes\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.93285714285714\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/06\/site-audit-backlinko-issues-alt-attributes.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-sm-down\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/icon-further-reading.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">        <\/figure>\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<blockquote class=\"sc-quote\">\n<p><strong>Further reading:<\/strong> <a title=\"15 Image SEO Tips for Better Image Optimization\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/image-seo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">15 Image SEO Tips for Better Image Optimization<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-md-up\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/icon-further-reading.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">                <\/figure>\n<p>                                <cite class=\"sc-name media-body media-middle\"><br \/>\n                                    <\/cite>\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Stage_3_Are_Visitors_Staying_and_Buying\"><\/span>Stage 3: Are Visitors Staying and Buying?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-sm-down\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/03\/icon-remember-v2.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">        <\/figure>\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<blockquote class=\"sc-quote\">\n<p><strong>Goal:<\/strong> Improve on-site user experience and increase conversions<\/p>\n<p><strong>Tools to use:<\/strong> Google PageSpeed Insights, Google Mobile-Friendly Test, GTmetrix, Hotjar<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-md-up\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/03\/icon-remember-v2.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">                <\/figure>\n<p>                                <cite class=\"sc-name media-body media-middle\"><br \/>\n                                    <\/cite>\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The next part of your audit explores how shoppers interact with your site and whether they convert or bounce.<\/p>\n<p>You want to know:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Are people spending enough time in your store?<\/li>\n<li>Are they dropping off after viewing one product?<\/li>\n<li>Is something in the user journey causing friction?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If people constantly leave your store without buying, your site\u2019s UX might need help.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s what to check in this stage:<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Improve_Load_Times_and_Mobile_Usability\"><\/span>Improve Load Times and Mobile Usability<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Slow pages = Poor experience = Higher bounce rate.<\/p>\n<p>An ecommerce site audit reveals which pages are loading slowly and need your attention.<\/p>\n<p>It also tests your website\u2019s responsiveness across different screens, especially mobile devices.<\/p>\n<p><a title=\"PageSpeed Insights\" href=\"https:\/\/pagespeed.web.dev\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Google PageSpeed Insights<\/a> is a trusted tool for evaluating your store\u2019s user experience based on Core Web Vitals:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><a title=\"How to Improve Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) in Under an Hour\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/lcp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)<\/a>:<\/strong> Measures loading speed<\/li>\n<li><strong>First Input Delay (FID):<\/strong> Tracks time to interactivity<\/li>\n<li><strong>Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS):<\/strong> Checks visual stability during load<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Here\u2019s an example report I generated:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"PageSpeed Insights \u2013 Backlinko \u2013 Mobile\" alt=\"PageSpeed Insights \u2013 Backlinko \u2013 Mobile\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.75571428571429\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/02\/pagespeed-insights-backlinko-mobile.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>This page failed to meet the benchmark for a good user experience for mobile devices.<\/p>\n<p>Remember to check the page speed specifically for mobile since <a title=\"Mobile-first Indexing Best Practices | Google Search Central | Documentation\" href=\"https:\/\/developers.google.com\/search\/docs\/crawling-indexing\/mobile\/mobile-sites-mobile-first-indexing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Google\u2019s mobile-first indexing<\/a> approach prioritizes mobile devices.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-sm-down\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/icon-further-reading.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">        <\/figure>\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<blockquote class=\"sc-quote\">\n<p><strong>Further reading:<\/strong> <a title=\"Mobile SEO: The Definitive Guide\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/mobile-seo-guide\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mobile SEO: The Definitive Guide<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-md-up\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/icon-further-reading.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">                <\/figure>\n<p>                                <cite class=\"sc-name media-body media-middle\"><br \/>\n                                    <\/cite>\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Simplify_Page_Design_and_UX\"><\/span>Simplify Page Design and UX<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Design plays a crucial role in instilling confidence among potential customers.<\/p>\n<p>When you deliver a frictionless user experience with good design elements like CTAs, trust badges, and accessible navigation, users stick around for longer.<\/p>\n<p>This sends powerful signals to search engines and improves <a title=\"10 Important SEO Metrics to Track\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/hub\/seo\/metrics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SEO metrics<\/a> like <a title=\"Dwell Time in SEO\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/hub\/seo\/dwell-time\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">dwell time<\/a>, page views, bounce rate, and more.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, <a title=\"We Analyzed 11.8 Million Google Search Results. Here\u2019s Wh...\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/search-engine-ranking\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">our ranking factors study<\/a> reveals that pages with a higher \u201ctime on site\u201d tend to rank higher in Google.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-sm-down\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/icon-further-reading.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">        <\/figure>\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<blockquote class=\"sc-quote\">\n<p><strong>Get it right:<\/strong> Check out our best practices for <a title=\"SEO Friendly Web Design\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/hub\/seo\/seo-friendly-design\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SEO-friendly web design<\/a> to create an intuitive user experience for your store.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-md-up\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/icon-further-reading.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">                <\/figure>\n<p>                                <cite class=\"sc-name media-body media-middle\"><br \/>\n                                    <\/cite>\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Fix_Pages_Targeting_the_Same_Keyword\"><\/span>Fix Pages Targeting the Same Keyword<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Ecommerce sites often have multiple pages targeting the same keyword, like category filters or similar products.<\/p>\n<p>As a result, many pages compete against each other for a keyword.<\/p>\n<p>Since search engines can\u2019t decide which page to rank higher, your rankings are diluted.<\/p>\n<p>Refer to your <a title=\"SEO Audit Tool: Run a Free Audit of Your Website | Semrush\" href=\"https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/siteaudit\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Site Audit<\/a> report to find errors pointing to duplicate content and identify:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Near-identical pages competing for the same keywords<\/li>\n<li>Variants (color, size) are published as separate URLs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-sm-down\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/icon-tip.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">        <\/figure>\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<blockquote class=\"sc-quote\">\n<p><strong>Pro tip:<\/strong> Use canonical tags, merge similar pages, or differentiate your content to fix cannibalization issues. Explore these solutions in our guide on <a title=\"Keyword Cannibalization: Why Avoid It and How to Fix It\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/keyword-cannibalization\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">keyword cannibalization<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-md-up\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/icon-tip.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">                <\/figure>\n<p>                                <cite class=\"sc-name media-body media-middle\"><br \/>\n                                    <\/cite>\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Add_Internal_Links_to_Boost_Relevance\"><\/span>Add Internal Links to Boost Relevance<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Strategic <a title=\"Internal Linking for SEO: The Complete Guide\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/hub\/seo\/internal-links\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">internal links<\/a> create logical paths between pages, keep users engaged longer, and distribute authority.<\/p>\n<p>So, even if searchers land on one of your blog posts, they can find their way to a relevant product page and make a purchase.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s how Tonal, a fitness equipment brand, does this in its articles:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Tonal \u2013 Internal links to boost relevance\" alt=\"Tonal \u2013 Internal links to boost relevance\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.90571428571429\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/06\/tonal-internal-links-to-boost-relevance.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Stage_4_Where_Am_I_Behind_My_Competitors\"><\/span>Stage 4: Where Am I Behind My Competitors?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-sm-down\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/03\/icon-remember-v2.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">        <\/figure>\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<blockquote class=\"sc-quote\">\n<p><strong>Goal:<\/strong> Identify and close SEO gaps to outperform competitors<\/p>\n<p><strong>Tools to use:<\/strong> Semrush SEO Toolkit, Moz Link Explorer, SimilarWeb<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-md-up\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/03\/icon-remember-v2.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">                <\/figure>\n<p>                                <cite class=\"sc-name media-body media-middle\"><br \/>\n                                    <\/cite>\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>In the final stage of your ecommerce SEO site audit, broaden the scope and look at the competition.<\/p>\n<p>If a competitor ranks above you for key terms or earns better backlinks, they\u2019re claiming traffic that could be yours.<\/p>\n<p>So, understand your competitive landscape to identify missed opportunities for your SEO efforts.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Audit_and_Strengthen_Your_Backlink_Profile\"><\/span>Audit and Strengthen Your Backlink Profile<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Backlinks are another critical <a title=\"Search Engine Ranking Factors\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/hub\/seo\/ranking-factors\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ranking signal<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>If you operate in a competitive category, backlinks can have a decisive impact on your organic visibility and traffic.<\/p>\n<p>Start with a <a title=\"How to Conduct a Backlink Audit: Tips, Tools, &amp; Examples\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/step-by-step-backlink-audit\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">backlink audit<\/a> to see where you currently stand.<\/p>\n<p>This audit will help you discover:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>High-authority domains are already linking to your site<\/li>\n<li>Toxic or spammy links that may hurt your rankings<\/li>\n<li>Pages earning the most backlinks (and why)<\/li>\n<li>Opportunities to reclaim or build new backlinks<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>You can also benchmark your backlink profile against competitors and plan the next steps.<\/p>\n<p>I used Semrush\u2019s <a title=\"Backlink Gap\" href=\"https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/analytics\/gap\/backlinks\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Backlink Gap<\/a> tool to compare Fabletics\u2019 backlink profile with two competitors.<\/p>\n<p>You can add up to four main competitors and press \u201c<strong>Find prospects<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Backlink Gap \u2013 Fabletics \u2013 Find prospects\" alt=\"Backlink Gap \u2013 Fabletics \u2013 Find prospects\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.68\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/06\/backlink-gap-fabletics-find-prospects.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>The tool will analyze every site\u2019s backlinks and show you curated prospects for your site.<\/p>\n<p>You can find the best, strong, weak, shared, and unique domains that link to your competitors but not to you.<\/p>\n<p>For Fabletics, the tool suggests domains like healthline.com, usnews.com, americanexpress.com, and more.<\/p>\n<p>Use this data to prioritize outreach or content partnerships for your <a title=\"Link Building: The Definitive SEO Guide\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/link-building\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">link-building efforts<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Backlink Gap \u2013 Fabletics \u2013 Prospects for\" alt=\"Backlink Gap \u2013 Fabletics \u2013 Prospects for\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.73857142857143\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/06\/backlink-gap-fabletics-prospects-for.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Uncover_Keyword_Gaps_and_Ranking_Opportunities\"><\/span>Uncover Keyword Gaps and Ranking Opportunities<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Use tools like Semrush\u2019s Keyword Gap or SimilarWeb to see which keywords your competitors rank for but you don\u2019t.<\/p>\n<p>This can help you:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Identify new content opportunities<\/li>\n<li>Strengthen underperforming pages<\/li>\n<li>Reclaim rankings for keywords you\u2019ve lost visibility on<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Focus especially on high-intent, bottom-funnel terms that drive conversions, not just traffic.<\/p>\n<p>For example, let\u2019s say a competitor ranks for \u201cbuy minimalist running shoes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>If you sell the same type of product but don\u2019t appear in search, that\u2019s a clear gap \u2014 and a chance to win back visibility.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Prioritize_SEO_Issues_You_Identify_in_a_Site_Audit\"><\/span>How to Prioritize SEO Issues You Identify in a Site Audit<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>When you\u2019re looking at a laundry list of issues from your SEO audit, it\u2019s easy to feel overwhelmed.<\/p>\n<p>Everything looks important. Where do you even begin?<\/p>\n<p><a title=\"Ecommerce SEO Audit Workbook by Backlinko\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheets\/d\/1E6TxG3eA7GJuU5d239KE8HSifGd08egjb78J21XohqM\/copy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Our SEO audit workbook<\/a> automatically calculates the priority level based on every issue\u2019s impact, effort, and scope.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Backlinko \u2013 Ecommerce SEO Audit Workbook \u2013 Stage one\" alt=\"Backlinko \u2013 Ecommerce SEO Audit Workbook \u2013 Stage one\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.39571428571429\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/06\/backlinko-ecommerce-seo-audit-workbook-stage-one.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Impact\"><\/span>Impact<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Find out how fixing an issue will move the needle for your business.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Will it increase traffic, rankings, or conversions?<\/li>\n<li>Or, will it go largely unnoticed by search engines and shoppers?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The easiest way to determine impact is by looking at which pages are affected.<\/p>\n<p>If high-revenue category or product pages are at stake, it\u2019s a high-impact problem.<\/p>\n<p>But if the problem is restricted to low-ranking blog posts, then the stakes are lower.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Effort\"><\/span>Effort<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Once you\u2019ve categorized issues on a scale of low to high impact, consider the effort required to fix each one.<\/p>\n<p>Realistically calculate effort in terms of time, technical complexity, and capacity required to resolve a problem.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Scope\"><\/span>Scope<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Scope looks at scale.<\/p>\n<p>Estimate how big the problem is by checking if it\u2019s:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Isolated<\/li>\n<li>Page-level<\/li>\n<li>Site-wide<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>And if it\u2019s a page-level concern, you want to zoom into the type of pages affected.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Prioritization_Framework\"><\/span>Prioritization Framework<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Here\u2019s how you can prioritize issues based on impact, effort, and scope:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Priority 1 (Quick wins):<\/strong> Resolving these concerns can lead to significant SEO gains without draining resources<\/li>\n<li><strong>Priority 2 (Can be urgent):<\/strong> Some of these issues need attention because they can affect your key revenue drivers<\/li>\n<li><strong>Priority 3 (Rarely urgent):<\/strong> Automating or handling these issues in monthly cycles is a good bet<\/li>\n<li><strong>Priority 4 (Low impact):<\/strong> Spending resources on these time-consuming tasks can delay more meaningful work<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Here are a few examples to see this prioritization framework in action:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Backlinko \u2013 Ecommerce SEO Audit Workbook \u2013 Issues\" alt=\"Backlinko \u2013 Ecommerce SEO Audit Workbook \u2013 Issues\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.37714285714286\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/06\/backlinko-ecommerce-seo-audit-workbook-issues.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Troubleshooting_Guide\"><\/span>Troubleshooting Guide<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>We created a quick guide listing the solutions for some of the most common SEO issues for ecommerce stores.<\/p>\n<p>When you\u2019re ready with a prioritized list, refer to this guide to find potential causes and solutions quickly.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Backlinko \u2013 Ecommerce SEO Audit Workbook \u2013 Troubleshooting Guide\" alt=\"Backlinko \u2013 Ecommerce SEO Audit Workbook \u2013 Troubleshooting Guide\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.52571428571429\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/06\/backlinko-ecommerce-seo-audit-workbook-troubleshooting-guide.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Build_a_Store_That_Google_and_Shoppers_Love\"><\/span>Build a Store That Google (and Shoppers) Love<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Your online store has untapped potential.<\/p>\n<p>A structured SEO audit gives you clarity to realize this potential.<\/p>\n<p>It pinpoints where you\u2019re losing traffic, which pages are underperforming, and what fixes will move the needle.<\/p>\n<p>Work through our ecommerce SEO audit checklist to identify issues and implement solutions.<\/p>\n<p>And when you\u2019re ready to level up your strategy, check out our guide on the <a title=\"6 Proven Ecommerce SEO Strategies to Rank Higher\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/ecommerce-seo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">best strategies for ecommerce SEO<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s packed with examples, workflows, and tools to help you turn organic traffic into your best-performing channel.<\/p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/ecommerce-seo-audit\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Run An Ecommerce SEO Audit in 4 Stages [+ Free Workbook]<\/a> appeared first on <a href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Backlinko<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>An ecommerce SEO audit is a 360-degree review of your website\u2019s SEO performance in terms of technical setup, on-page optimization, site structure, backlink profile, and more. Think of it like a routine check-up for your online store. Instead of waiting for traffic to drop or sales to slow down, you can proactively find and fix problems before they spiral into revenue leaks. Done right, an SEO audit helps you: Identify ways to improve rankings and user experience Detect issues affecting your organic performance Protect and sustain [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13474,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"h5ap_radio_sources":[],"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13473","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-backlinko"],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/icon-tip-bSCtQk-600x400.png","featured_image_src_square":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/icon-tip-bSCtQk-600x600.png","author_info":{"display_name":false,"author_link":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/author\/craig\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13473","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13473"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13473\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13474"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13473"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13473"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13473"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}