Ecommerce SEO Audit: 6 Essential Steps for Online Store Success

Running an ecommerce SEO audit might sound as exciting as watching paint dry, but trust me, it’s the difference between a store that thrives and one that gets lost in search results.

Let’s say you just opened a new shop in a busy mall. You’ve got the best products, a beautiful layout, and competitive prices—but no one walks in. Why? Maybe your store is hidden behind a column, the signage is unclear, or the doors won’t open properly. That’s exactly what happens to an ecommerce website that isn’t optimized for search engines.

If your online store isn’t showing up in search results, loading too slowly, or failing to convert visitors into buyers, it’s time for a thorough ecommerce website audit.

In this blog post, we’re breaking down a step-by-step ecommerce SEO audit checklist that will help you fix hidden issues, boost search engine rankings, and turn your website into a sales-driving machine. Let’s get started.

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What Is an Ecommerce SEO Audit?

An ecommerce SEO audit is like a full-body checkup for your online store. It looks at everything—your homepage, product pages, category pages, technical setup, and even off-page SEO-like backlinks. If search engine bots struggle to crawl your site or pages load too slowly, you’re losing customers before they even get a chance to shop.

An SEO audit will help you identify broken links, duplicate content, slow load times, and keywords that you’re missing that may be preventing you from ranking higher in search engines. These fixes will make your site more visible on search engine pages, which will help you get more organic traffic and increase sales.

Not only that, AI-driven tools like ChatGPT and SurferSEO can assist in keyword research, content creation, and even optimizing product descriptions for better search performance.

Let me be frank with you — an SEO audit is not a quick endeavor. But these are things you should not skip, it’s like hearing weird noises in your car and hoping it won’t break down. A well-optimized ecommerce site receives lots of organic traffic, clicks, and sales.

Why an Ecommerce SEO Audit Matters

Running an ecommerce SEO audit isn’t just a technical task—it’s the difference between showing up in search results or getting buried under competitors. If your ecommerce website isn’t optimized, search engines won’t rank it well, and customers won’t find you.

Think of it like this: You wouldn’t open a physical store without checking if the signage is visible, the aisles are easy to navigate, or the checkout process is smooth. The same applies to your online store—if pages take forever to load, search engine bots struggle to crawl your site, or your content is outdated, you’re losing potential sales.

An SEO audit helps you:
✔ Find and fix technical issues that block rankings (like slow site speed and broken links)
✔ Improve on-page SEO to make your content more relevant to search engines
✔ Strengthen backlinks and off-page SEO to build authority
✔ Optimize for user experience, ensuring visitors stay and convert

Without regular SEO checkups, your ecommerce business risks falling behind. A thorough ecommerce website audit keeps your store competitive, visible, and profitable.

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Step 1: Conduct a Technical SEO Audit

For the first part of auditing your ecommerce site, you need to make sure it’s built for search engines and users alike. If your site has broken pages, loads too slowly, or isn’t mobile-friendly, it won’t rank well—no matter how great your products are.

Here are the steps you should follow to fix technical SEO issues and improve your search engine rankings:

A. Check Site Crawlability and Indexability

Before you optimize anything, make sure search engines can actually find and understand your ecommerce site. If Google can’t crawl and index your pages properly, they won’t show up in search results, no matter how good your SEO is.

Verify Search Engine Indexing

1. Open Google Search Console and go to the Coverage Report. This section shows which pages Google has indexed and which ones it’s ignoring.
2. Look for any pages under “Excluded” or flagged with “Error.” These are the ones search engine bots couldn’t access or decided not to index.
3. Click on each issue to get more details. Some common problems include:
   • Blocked by robots.txt: If important pages are being blocked, remove the restriction in your robots.txt file.
   • Noindex meta tags: If a page is mistakenly tagged as “noindex,” update the settings to allow it.
   • Crawl errors: Server issues or broken pages can prevent indexing—fix these ASAP.
4. Once the issues are resolved, request reindexing through Google Search Console to restore those pages to search results.

Run a Full Site Crawl

1. Use a site crawling tool like Screaming Frog SEO Spider or Sitebulb to scan all of your pages. These tools simulate how search engine bots crawl your site and highlight any red flags.
2. Review the report and look for common issues:
   • 404 errors (broken pages): If customers or Google land on dead pages, fix them by setting up proper redirects.
   • Redirect chains: Too many redirects in a row can make your site slower and confuse search engines. Clean up unnecessary redirects.
   • Duplicate URLs: Forms of the same page (like with and without “www” or “https”) can cause duplicate content issues—use canonical tags to fix this.
3. Prioritize fixing broken links and indexing issues first. If Google can’t properly crawl your ecommerce website, your rankings will take a hit.

To improve search engine crawlability, ensure your XML sitemaps are updated and submitted in Google Search Console. Use robots.txt to block low-value pages and analyze server logs to identify crawling inefficiencies.

B. Optimize Site Architecture and URL Structure

A messy, confusing layout makes it harder for both search engine bots and customers to find what they’re looking for. Optimizing your site architecture and URL structure keeps everything organized and improves your search engine rankings.

Check Website Navigation & Hierarchy

1. Keep pages within three clicks of the homepage. If it takes more than three clicks to reach a product page, your navigation is too complicated.
2. Organize categories logically. Group products in a way that makes sense to both customers and search engines. Example:
   • Good: Home > Women’s Shoes > Running Shoes
   • Bad: Home > Shoes > Miscellaneous > SKU 12345
3. Use breadcrumb navigation. Breadcrumbs help users understand where they are in your store and improve internal linking for SEO.

Improve URL Structure

1. Use short, clean URLs with relevant keywords. URLs should be descriptive but not too long. Example:
   • ✅ example.com/best-running-shoes (SEO-friendly)
   • ❌ example.com/category12345/shoes56789?productid=987654 (too complex)
2. Avoid special characters, numbers, or long query strings. These make URLs hard to read and don’t help with SEO. Stick to words separated by hyphens.
3. Make URLs consistent across your store. If your category pages follow one format, product pages should too.

To sum it up, for the best SEO performance, URLs should be concise, readable, and keyword-rich. Avoid underscores—use hyphens instead since search engines treat them as space separators. Also, ensure URLs are structured logically, such as /best-running-shoes instead of long query strings.”

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C. Improve Page Speed and Core Web Vitals

A slow ecommerce website drives customers away faster than a long checkout line. Site speed isn’t just about convenience—it directly impacts search engine rankings, conversions, and bounce rates. 

If your pages take too long to load, search engines will push them lower in search results, and frustrated shoppers will leave before making a purchase.

Test Your Site’s Speed

1. Go to Google PageSpeed Insights and enter your homepage URL.
2. Review the performance score—a score above 90 is ideal, but anything below 50 indicates urgent fixes.
3. Look for specific issues affecting speed, such as:
   • Large images slow down load times
   • Too many scripts blocking rendering
   • Excessive server response times

Optimize for Faster Loading

1. Compress images using TinyPNG or ShortPixel to reduce file sizes without sacrificing quality.
2. Minimize JavaScript and CSS files with plugins like Autoptimize or WP Rocket to remove unnecessary code and speed up rendering.
3. Enable browser caching so returning visitors don’t have to reload every element each time they visit.
4. Use a CDN (Content Delivery Network) like Cloudflare to distribute content across multiple servers, reducing load times for users in different locations.

Additional note: Google measures page experience using Core Web Vitals: Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) assesses loading speed, First Input Delay (FID) evaluates interactivity, and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) determines visual identity and stability. 

A well-optimized page should have an LCP under 2.5 seconds and a minimal CLS score to avoid unexpected layout shifts.

D. Ensure Mobile Responsiveness

If your ecommerce site isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re losing potential sales. Google also prioritizes mobile-first indexing, meaning your mobile experience affects your search engine rankings. A frustrating mobile experience can send visitors straight to a competitor.

Run a Mobile-Friendly Test

1. Go to Google PageSpeed Insights and enter your website URL.
2. Review the results. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, Google will highlight specific issues.
3. Fix common problems like:
   • Text too small to read – Increase font size for readability.
   • Clickable elements too close together – Ensure buttons and links have enough spacing.
   • Content wider than the screen – Adjust CSS so pages scale properly on smaller devices.

A mobile-responsive ecommerce website makes it easier for shoppers to browse, buy, and return. If your mobile experience is clunky, your rankings and revenue will take a hit.

For a better mobile experience, consider implementing Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) to enhance load times, use Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) for app-like browsing, and compress images for faster mobile performance.

E. Secure the Website with HTTPS

Trust is everything in ecommerce. If shoppers see a “Not Secure” warning in their browser, they might think twice before entering their payment details. Google also prioritizes secure websites, so having HTTPS isn’t just about security—it helps with search engine rankings too.

Check SSL Certificate Status

1. Open your website in a browser and look for the lock icon in the address bar.
2. If you see “Not Secure,” your site is missing an SSL certificate, which encrypts data and protects transactions.
3. Fix it by getting an SSL certificate from your hosting provider. Many providers offer free SSL certificates through Let’s Encrypt, or you can upgrade to a premium version for added security.
4. After installing the SSL certificate, update all internal links to use HTTPS instead of HTTP. Also, redirect old HTTP URLs to their secure HTTPS versions to prevent duplicate content issues.

A secure ecommerce site keeps customer data safe, improves search engine rankings, and builds trust—essential for turning visitors into buyers.

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Step 2: Conduct an On-Page SEO Audit

Optimizing individual pages is just as important as fixing technical issues. A strong on-page SEO strategy helps search engines understand your content while making it easier for customers to find and engage with your ecommerce site.

A. Optimize Keywords Across Your Website

If you’re not using the right keywords, you’re missing out on potential buyers. The goal isn’t just to rank high—it’s to rank for search terms your customers are actually using. That’s where keyword research and strategic keyword placement come in.

Find the Right Keywords

1. Use Google Keyword Planner or Ubersuggest to track relevant keywords with high search volume but low competition.
2. Prioritize long-tail keywords that match user intent. Instead of just “gaming laptop,” go for “best budget gaming laptop”—these are more specific and more likely to convert.
3. Check what competitors are ranking for using Ahrefs or Semrush and identify content gaps you can fill.

Always remember that keyword optimization should align with search intent. Transactional keywords belong on product pages, while informational keywords should be used in blog content. Use long-tail keywords and semantic SEO for better search rankings.

Integrate Keywords Naturally

1. Place primary keywords strategically in:
   • Title tags
   • H1 (main heading)
   • Meta descriptions
   • First 100 words of content
   • Image alt text
2. Write for humans, not just search engines. Avoid keyword stuffing—it makes content unreadable and can actually hurt search engine rankings.
3. Use variations of your target keywords throughout the page to keep the flow natural while improving relevance.

Optimizing for relevant keywords helps search engines know your content well, improving your visibility in search results and boosting organic traffic to your ecommerce website.

B. Improve Meta Titles and Descriptions

Meta titles and descriptions impact search engine rankings and click-through rates. Make sure they’re optimized to attract both search engines and users.

Check and Update Meta Tags

1. Open Screaming Frog and go to the Meta Titles & Descriptions report.
2. Ensure every page has unique, compelling meta tags.

Write Click-Worthy Titles & Descriptions

1. Keep titles under 60 characters and include a clear keyword.
2. Limit meta descriptions to 160 characters and highlight a key benefit.
3. Use a strong call to action to encourage clicks.

Optimized meta tags help your ecommerce site rank better in search results and increase organic traffic.

C. Audit Content for Quality and Uniqueness

Search engines favor high-quality, unique content, and so do shoppers. Weak or duplicate product descriptions can hurt your ecommerce site’s visibility and credibility.

Review Product & Category Page Content

1. Write unique, detailed descriptions—avoid copying manufacturer text.
2. Use bullet points, FAQs, and customer reviews to provide extra value.

Encouraging user-generated content, such as customer reviews and Q&A sections, adds freshness to your pages and strengthens SEO signals.

Improve Readability

1. Break up long text with H2 and H3 subheadings for easy scanning.
2. Keep language simple and conversational—shoppers should understand it at a glance.

For better accessibility, content should be voice-search-friendly, optimized for easy readability, and compliant with ADA guidelines to ensure inclusivity

D. Optimize Internal Linking

A solid internal linking strategy assists search engines scan your ecommerce site more efficiently while guiding visitors to relevant pages. Done right, it improves search engine rankings, increases organic traffic, and keeps shoppers engaged longer.

Strengthen Internal Links

1. Identify high-performing pages
   • Use Google Analytics to find pages with the most traffic and conversions.
   • Prioritize linking these pages to product or category pages that need a boost.
2. Ensure all key pages are internally linked
   • No important page should be an orphan—each should be linked at least once from another relevant page.
   • Example: If a product is frequently bought with another, link them in the description.
3. Use descriptive anchor text
   • Instead of “Click here,” use keywords related to the linked page (e.g., “shop wireless noise-canceling headphones”).
   • This helps search engines understand the content and improves search engine rankings.
4. Add internal links in strategic places
   • Product pages: Link to related items or category pages.
   • Blog posts: Guide users to relevant products or deeper guides.
   • Category pages: Link to best-selling or trending products.
5. Keep it natural
   • Don’t overdo it—stick to 2–5 internal links per page where they make sense.

An effective internal linking structure is built using a pillar-cluster model, with general pillar pages linked to more niche subtopics. This model also helps with SEO, as it allows for the distribution of link equity between relevant content.

Step 3: Evaluate Off-Page SEO and Backlinks

Your ecommerce website isn’t just ranked based on what’s on your site—search engines also consider your site’s authority, which is influenced by backlinks and brand mentions. A strong off-page SEO strategy helps build credibility and improve search engine rankings.

A. Analyze Your Backlink Profile

Check Backlinks Using Ahrefs or Moz

1. Use Ahrefs, Moz, or Semrush to check which websites are linking to your ecommerce site.
2. Look for low-quality or spammy backlinks—links from irrelevant, suspicious, or low-authority sites can hurt rankings.
3. If you find toxic links, submit them to Google’s Disavow Tool to stop them from negatively impacting your site.

Build High-Quality Backlinks

1. Reach out to industry blogs and influencers to give guest posts with links back to your site.
2. Get featured on news sites and reputable directories related to your industry.
3. Partner with suppliers, manufacturers, or complementary businesses to exchange relevant backlinks.

B. Monitor Brand Mentions and Social Signals

Your brand’s reputation plays a role in how search engines view your ecommerce business. If people are talking about your store online, that’s a good sign—but you need to monitor these conversations.

Track Brand Mentions with Google Alerts

1. Set up Google Alerts for your brand name to see where and how your store is being mentioned online.
2. If you find positive mentions, engage with them to build relationships and credibility.
3. If you come across negative mentions, respond professionally to maintain trust and manage your brand’s image.

Strong off-page SEO and backlinks tell search engines that your ecommerce site is credible and authoritative, improving your rankings in search results.

C. Use User-generated Content & SEO

Google values fresh, authentic content, and UGC provides exactly that—continuous, relevant updates that improve keyword rankings and engagement.

How UGC Improves SEO & Conversions:

• Boosts Organic Visibility – User reviews naturally include long-tail keywords, helping content rank for niche search queries.
• Increases Trust & Credibility – Authentic testimonials and ratings establish brand authority and encourage conversions.
• Enhances Engagement Metrics – UGC keeps visitors on your site longer, reducing bounce rates and increasing time on the page.
• Drives Click-Through Rates (CTR) – Star ratings and customer feedback in search results attract more clicks.

Affiliate Editorial Reviews & SEO

While customer reviews focus on personal experiences, affiliate editorial reviews offer in-depth, expert evaluations of products and services. These reviews play a crucial role in SEO and conversions:

• Provides High-Quality, Expert Content – Affiliate reviews offer structured, well-researched insights that position your brand as an authority.
• Enhances E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) – Google values editorial content backed by expertise, helping brands rank higher.
• Drives Qualified Traffic – Affiliate reviews target high-intent users, increasing conversion rates and revenue.
• Supports Backlink Strategies – Well-crafted affiliate reviews often get shared and linked to, improving domain authority.

Encourage customers to leave detailed reviews, ask questions in forums, or share experiences on social media. The more genuine engagement your brand generates, the stronger its SEO and conversion potential.

D. Utilize Case Studies: How Real-World Data Strengthens SEO & Conversions

Case studies provide tangible proof of content performance, demonstrating how strategic SEO efforts translate into measurable traffic, engagement, and rankings. Below are three case studies that highlight the power of user-generated content and affiliate editorial reviews in driving organic growth.

Case Study 1: The Best Detachable Camera Flash Kits

• Published On: 11/23/2022
• Total Traffic: 37K
• Monthly Traffic Average: 1,233/month
• Organic Keywords: 21
• Backlinks: 5
• Notable Keywords: “detachable camera flash,” “detachable flash”

This product review showcases how expert recommendations drive organic traffic. With a high domain authority and relevant keyword rankings, this piece proves the value of in-depth, well-structured content in the affiliate space.

Case Study 2: Top Biotin Supplements and Why They Are Worth Taking

• Published On: 03/03/2022
• Total Traffic: 3K
• Monthly Traffic Average: 428/month
• Organic Keywords: 169+
• Backlinks: 4
• Notable Keywords: “best biotin brand,” “what is the best biotin supplement,” “the best biotin”

This case study highlights the power of informative, health-related product reviews. The extensive keyword reach demonstrates how well-optimized content ranks for numerous search terms, ensuring long-term visibility and conversions.

Case Study 3: How to Dye Your Hair at Home

• Published On: 10/07/2022
• Total Traffic: 7.8K+
• Monthly Traffic Average: 744/month
• Organic Keywords: 28+
• Avg. Time on Page: 7:51 minutes
• Notable Keywords: “wash out hair dye Walmart,” “strip of hair dyed behind the ear,” “how to dye front of hair strands”

This evergreen “how-to” content piece illustrates the importance of engaging, informative articles. The high average time on the page indicates strong reader interest, making it an excellent example of content that sustains organic traffic over time.

Step 4: Improve User Experience & Conversion Rates

Search engine optimization for ecommerce websites not only helps in getting rankings but also helps in conversion. If they don’t see what they need in your shop or get frustrated during the payment process, they’ll simply walk out without spending anything. A frictionless experience keeps the customers entertained and aids in sales.

A. Test Website Navigation and UX

A confusing site layout can drive potential customers away. Fixing user experience (UX) issues ensures people can easily find what they need.

Conduct a UX Audit

1. Use Hotjar or Microsoft Clarity to track user behavior and see where visitors drop off.
2. Identify friction points—are people getting stuck on certain pages? Are they abandoning carts at checkout?
3. Make sure your navigation menu is clear, with logical categories and search functionality.

B. Simplify Checkout Process

A complicated checkout process is one of the biggest reasons for cart abandonment. Keep it fast and frustration-free.

Reduce Checkout Steps

1. Enable guest checkout—forcing users to create an account before purchasing adds unnecessary friction.
2. Display a progress bar so customers know how many steps are left. A simple, predictable process makes them more likely to complete the purchase.
3. Minimize form fields—only ask for essential information to speed things up.

Enhancing UX and conversion rates means ensuring that your ecommerce site isn’t just ranking well in search results but is also converting traffic into revenue.

Step 5: Implement Advanced SEO Strategies

Once the basic SEO strategies are implemented on the ecommerce website, there are various advanced techniques that these websites can follow to appear higher in the search results. Voice search and local SEO optimization ensure that you get noticed by more potential customers than your competitors.

A. Optimize for Voice Search

As more people use voice assistants like Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant, optimizing for voice search helps your store appear in relevant queries.

Use Conversational Keywords

1. Use AnswerThePublic or Google’s “People Also Ask” section to find common voice search questions related to your products.
2. Optimize content for natural, question-based phrases like “What are the best running shoes for beginners?” instead of short, robotic keywords.

Add FAQ Schema Markup

1. Format FAQs properly using Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper so search engines understand your content.
2. Implement FAQ schema on product pages and blogs to increase visibility in voice search results.

B. Strengthen Local SEO (If Applicable)

If your ecommerce business also has a physical location or serves specific regions, local SEO can bring in more foot traffic and local orders.

Claim and Optimize Google Business Profile

1. Make sure your Google Business Profile is fully set up with your correct Name, Address, and Phone Number (NAP) across all listings.
2. Upload high-quality images of your store or products to improve engagement.
3. Encourage customer reviews and respond to them—Google rewards active, well-maintained listings with higher rankings.

Also, to capture ‘near me’ searches, optimize your Google Business Profile with location-based keywords, use LocalBusiness schema for search visibility, and keep NAP (Name, Address, Phone) details consistent. Encourage customer reviews to boost local rankings.

Step 6: Track and Maintain SEO Performance

SEO is not something to be done once — it is a long-term practice. Monitoring your ecommerce website’s performance helps to make sure that your efforts aren’t in vain and that you can nip issues in the bud before they impact your search results.

A. Set Up Analytics for Continuous Monitoring

You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Setting up Google Analytics and Google Search Console gives you the data needed to track progress.

Enable Google Analytics and Google Search Console

1. Set up Google Analytics 4 (GA4) to monitor organic traffic, user engagement, and revenue metrics.
2. Use Google Search Console to track search performance, indexing issues, and keyword rankings.
3. Check Core Web Vitals reports to ensure your site speed and usability meet Google’s standards.
4. Fix render-blocking elements, defer JavaScript loading, and use caching strategies to boost page speed. Google PageSpeed Insights and Lighthouse can help diagnose performance issues.

Essential SEO Tools for a Comprehensive Ecommerce SEO Audit

Running an ecommerce SEO audit without the right tools is like trying to fix a car without a wrench—you won’t get very far. The good news? There are powerful tools that can help you track rankings, find technical issues, and improve your site’s performance. 

Here’s the table format for your SEO Tools for Ecommerce SEO Audit:

These tools are important for conducting a thorough ecommerce SEO audit, helping businesses identify technical issues, keyword opportunities, and performance improvements for their online stores.

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Keep Your Ecommerce SEO in Check—It’s Never “Set and Forget”

SEO isn’t something you do once and call it a day. Search engines evolve, algorithms change, and competitors keep optimizing. If you want your ecommerce site to rank high, drive consistent organic traffic, and convert visitors into buyers, you need to keep auditing, tweaking, and improving.

We’ve covered everything—from technical SEO audits to on-page optimization, backlinks, user experience, and advanced SEO strategies. Now it’s your turn.

• Run your first SEO audit. Use tools like Google Search Console, Screaming Frog, and Ahrefs to spot issues.
• Fix what’s slowing you down. Speed up your site, improve mobile usability, and clean up broken links.
• Keep tracking progress. Set up Google Analytics to monitor traffic, conversions, and rankings.

SEO isn’t about doing everything at once—it’s about making steady, data-driven improvements that keep your ecommerce business ahead. The sooner you start, the sooner you’ll see results