In the past, when it came to search engine optimization (SEO) on e-commerce sites, webmasters only needed to worry about search rankings. But today search engine results pages (SERP) features are becoming even more important than rankings.
SERP features are the information that displays in search results that go beyond organic site listings. As these features stand out on the page, they grab the attention of users more than standard listings.
While there are
16 different SERP features, here are three of the most useful features for e-commerce sites and how you can optimize your site for them:
Sitelinks
Sitelinks are links to individual pages within your site that appear underneath the organic result. These links stand out on the page, creating better click-through rates (CTR) than standard listings. They also help users find what they’re looking for faster.
Google only provides sitelinks on search pages if they feel they are relevant and if you’ve structured your site properly. So it’s important for your site to have a clear navigational structure. You should also add a sitemap.xml file to your Google Search Console account.
Tweets
The tweet SERP feature displays your company’s latest tweets underneath your organic listing. If your tweets contain calls to action, such as an announcement of sales, this can help drive traffic to your site.
The more followers you have and the more often you tweet, the more likely your tweets will show up underneath your listing. So, it’s important for you to develop your company’s presence on Twitter, and you can do this by consistently providing useful content on the platform.
Featured Snippets
Google often displays a featured snippet at the top of the search page in response to actionable queries made by users, such as how they can do something. This snippet displays in large fonts in a box raised above the page, giving it great visibility and a high CTR.
To get your site featured in this snippet, it first must be at the top or near the top of the search rankings. Your site must also have content that answers the user’s query. This means that you must constantly publish useful content on your site’s blog. It’s not good enough for your site to have the best products at the best prices. It must also become a resource of information.
In conclusion, while site rankings are still an important SEO metric, SERP features are just as important if not more so. Webmasters should actively develop their sites with them in mind.