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Ecommerce SEO

For online store owners who want shoppers to find product and category pages in search. We audit your store, then fix technical, category and product issues in a agreed order.

Get a store audit planSee how the process works
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  • Technical store audits covering crawling, indexing and site speed
  • Category and product page optimization for large catalogs
  • Monthly reporting on agreed priorities

Quick answer

Ecommerce SEO is the work of making an online store's product, category and content pages easier for search engines to crawl, understand and show to shoppers. Pugmarks Media starts with a site audit, then fixes technical issues, category pages and product pages in an agreed order, with monthly reporting.

01Overview

Why Ecommerce SEO SEO is different

Ecommerce SEO is search optimization built around an online store's structure: thousands of product and category URLs, changing stock and prices, and shoppers who search with buying intent. It differs from SEO for a brochure or service site because the main risks are scale and duplication, not a shortage of pages.

Take a store selling running shoes. One shoe can exist in six colors and eight sizes, and each variant may create its own URL. Filters for brand, size and price can multiply that into tens of thousands of near-identical pages. Search engines then spend their crawling time on pages that add little, while the category pages that should attract shoppers get less attention.

Ecommerce SEO addresses this by deciding which pages deserve to appear in search and which should be consolidated or kept out. Variants usually point to one main product page. Filter combinations are allowed in search only when shoppers actually look for them, such as "women's trail running shoes."

Content also works differently. Manufacturer descriptions copied across many stores give search engines no reason to prefer yours. Unique titles, clear specifications, honest reviews and structured data (code that labels price, availability and ratings) help each product page stand apart.

Stores also change daily. Products sell out, get discontinued or move categories, so a store needs rules for handling those pages rather than one-off fixes. Platform choice matters too, and our comparison of WordPress vs Shopify for SEO covers some of those trade-offs.

02Scope

What we do for Ecommerce SEO

  1. Technical store auditsWe crawl your store for indexing errors, duplicate URLs, slow templates and thin pages. Store owners and in-house developers receive a prioritized issue list to work from.
  2. Faceted navigation controlWe decide which filter and variant URLs search engines should crawl or ignore. This helps stores with large catalogs stop crawl time being spent on near-identical pages.
  3. Shopper keyword mappingWe match buying-intent searches, including comparison and attribute queries, to specific categories and products. You receive a keyword map tied to URLs, built with your best-selling lines in mind.
  4. Category page optimizationWe update titles, headings, copy and internal links on priority category pages. Merchants who depend on broad product groups get clearer pages for both shoppers and search engines.
  5. Product page templatesWe set rules for titles, descriptions, images and structured data across product pages. Stores with hundreds or thousands of listings can apply them at scale instead of editing each page.
  6. Monthly progress reportingWe report monthly against the priorities agreed with you. Owners and marketing leads see what was fixed, what is in progress and what comes next.

03Specialities

Ecommerce SEO specialities

Each one has its own page with the detail for that kind of practice or service.

04Process

How our Ecommerce SEO works

6 steps. You always know what's next.

The same path for every engagement.

  1. 11-3 days (estimate)

    Hold a discovery call

    We learn your catalog size, platform, target markets and sales priorities. You share store access and goals, and you receive a short summary of what we will review and what we need from you.

  2. 21-2 weeks (estimate)

    Audit the store

    We crawl the store for indexing errors, duplicate variant URLs, filter pages, slow templates and thin content. You provide analytics and Search Console access and receive a prioritized issue list.

  3. 3About 1 week (estimate)

    Agree strategy and work plan

    We turn audit findings into an ordered plan covering technical fixes, category pages and product templates. You review and approve it, and nothing goes live before you do.

  4. 41-3 weeks (estimate)

    Map shopper keywords to pages

    We match buying-intent searches, including comparisons and attribute queries, to specific categories and products. You receive a keyword map tied to URLs, with gaps marked for new pages or guides.

  5. 53-8 weeks (estimate)

    Implement fixes and page updates

    We set rules for faceted navigation, then update category copy, product templates, structured data and internal links. Your developers or ours ship the changes; you approve samples first.

  6. 6Monthly, ongoing

    Report monthly and refine

    We track crawling, indexing, rankings and organic sales against the agreed priorities, then adjust the plan. You receive a monthly report and a call to discuss the next set of tasks.

05Deliverables

What you get

Ecommerce SEO deliverables, what each one covers, how often it is delivered and when it begins in an engagement
DeliverableWhat it isCadenceStarts in
Discovery summaryNotes on catalog size, platform, markets and sales prioritiesOne-timeDiscovery stage
Technical store auditCrawl review of indexing errors, duplicate URLs, slow templates and thin pagesOne-time, then rechecked quarterlyAudit stage
Prioritized issue listOrdered fixes for developers and store owners to work fromOne-time, updated as neededAfter the audit
Strategy and work planAgreed order of technical, category and product workOne-time, reviewed quarterlyBefore changes go live
Faceted navigation rulesDecisions on which filter and variant URLs search engines crawl or skipOne-time, adjusted as the catalog changesFirst set of fixes
Shopper keyword mapBuying-intent searches matched to specific categories and productsQuarterlyStrategy stage
Category and product page updatesTitles, descriptions, structured data and unique contentMonthlyAfter the work plan is agreed
Internal linking improvementsLinks that connect categories, products and guidesMonthlyAfter the work plan is agreed
Progress reportReview of work done and progress against agreed prioritiesMonthlyFirst full month of work

06Trust

Compliance and trust considerations

  • Compliance in ecommerce SEO means making sure the content that helps a store rank also follows consumer protection, advertising and privacy rules. Those rules vary by jurisdiction and change over time. The notes below are general information, not legal advice, so check your own obligations with a qualified professional.
  • Our team flags content and tracking questions like these during the audit. Your legal or compliance adviser makes the final decisions.

07Proof

Results for clients like you

Only results our clients have approved for publication. No made-up logos or numbers.

Dental · Houston, TX · Example+118%Calls from the Google listing per month

Three-dentist general practice, Houston

08Compare

Ecommerce SEO: in-house team, agency or Pugmarks Media

Swipe to compare →

Comparison of an in-house team, a typical agency and Pugmarks Media for ecommerce SEO, across six criteria.
CriteriaIn-houseTypical agencyPugmarks
Time to startDepends on hiring and trainingVaries by agency onboardingDiscovery call and site audit first, then an agreed plan
SpecializationDeep knowledge of your own brandOften a mix of industries and services25+ SEO specialists, including technical store audits
Catalog-scale expertiseGrows with your own store onlyVaries by teamFaceted navigation and variant URL control are part of the work
ReportingSet internallyVaries, often monthly or quarterlyMonthly, against agreed priorities
Cost modelSalaries, tools and management timeRetainer or project feeDepends on scope; see the pricing page
FlexibilityEasy to redirect, slower to add skillsOften bound by contract scopeWork plan agreed with you before changes go live

09Cost

What does Ecommerce SEO cost?

Ecommerce SEO cost depends mainly on three things: the size of the store, the number of countries or languages you sell in, and how competitive your product categories are. A store with a few hundred products in one market needs less work than a large catalog with many filters and variants. For a quote scoped to your store, contact our team with your platform, catalog size and target markets.

Package prices are published so you can compare before you call.

See all packages

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Still have a question?

Ask us directly. We reply with honest next steps, even if that means we're not the right fit.

Ask our team
How long does ecommerce SEO take to work?

Ecommerce SEO typically takes several months before changes show clearly in search performance, and the timing depends on store size, competition and how quickly fixes are released. Technical fixes can be picked up sooner than category content. Results are not guaranteed, so we agree priorities first and report on them monthly.

Is ecommerce SEO worth it for a small online store?

Ecommerce SEO can be worth it for a small store when shoppers already search for your products and you want less reliance on paid ads. A store with a few hundred products usually needs a narrower scope. An audit shows whether the gaps are big enough to justify ongoing work.

What is included in an ecommerce SEO audit?

An ecommerce SEO audit is a crawl-based review of how search engines see your store. We check indexing errors, duplicate variant URLs, filter pages, slow templates and thin content. You receive a prioritized issue list that developers and store owners can work through in order.

How much does ecommerce SEO cost?

Ecommerce SEO cost depends on catalog size, the number of countries or languages you sell in, and how competitive your categories are. Platform and the amount of technical cleanup also matter. Contact us with your platform, catalog size and target markets, and we will explain how the work would be scoped.

What is the first step when hiring an ecommerce SEO agency?

The first step with us is a discovery call, followed by a site audit. We then agree a strategy and work plan with you before any changes go live. How long each step takes depends on your site's size and how quickly we receive access to your accounts.

Does ecommerce SEO work on Shopify or Magento stores?

Ecommerce SEO applies to any platform, including Shopify and Magento, though the fixes differ. Each platform handles variant URLs, filters and templates in its own way. We review your specific setup in the audit. Our guide on WordPress vs Shopify for SEO covers platform trade-offs.

Can ecommerce SEO hurt my store if done wrong?

Yes, poorly planned ecommerce SEO can hurt a store, for example by blocking useful pages, mishandling redirects or changing URLs without a plan. That is why we agree a work plan with you before any changes go live. Technical changes are also rechecked after release.

How will I know whether ecommerce SEO is working?

You will know through monthly reporting measured against the priorities we agreed at the start. Reports track the work completed and how the agreed pages and issues are performing in search. Because outcomes depend on many factors, we avoid promising specific rankings, traffic or revenue.

Get in touch

Talk to our team about your store audit

Share your platform, catalog size and target markets, and we will explain how a store audit would be scoped. Your first step is a discovery call, followed by a site audit.

Contact our team Free SEO checklist