You probably already know that search engine optimization (SEO) is the best way for small businesses to reach customers and boost sales. This practice is all about getting your website to rank high when users search using keywords related to your business. In this article, we will use jewelry brands as an example to outline the best SEO tips for small local businesses.
The problem is that jewelry is one of the most competitive online markets. Competing for a spot against brands that have already built deep and lasting connections with customers is an uphill battle. Luckily, not all is lost. Here are three SEO tips to help you improve visibility and sales.
1. Focus on Long-Tail Keywords
Long-tail keywords, which contain three or more words, are critical for jewelry brands. If you want to improve SEO, they’re much more useful than short-tail keywords that have just one or two words.
Why? Because “diamond ring” is a generic and highly competitive search term, and it’s extremely hard to rank for it if your business isn’t a household name like Kay or Zales. On the other hand, keywords like “princess cut diamond engagement ring” and “1 carat cushion diamond ring” are specific and targeted. The more specific the keyword, the more likely it is to be a search term used by shoppers ready to buy your product.
There are many free SEO tools that can help you quickly identify the best keywords for your pages. Once you’ve identified them, focus on creating high-value content with these long-tail keywords. This includes
2. Optimize for Local
Think that not having a brick-and-mortar store means you don’t have to optimize for local SEO for jewelry? Think again! You can still leverage your local market by optimizing for it. Many jewelry shoppers are searching locally and prefer only to purchase if they can see the products in person.
Local SEO allows you to target these customers. After all, 28.5 percent of Google users click the first organic result, and 17.5 percent of users click the second result.
To start optimizing for local, you should update your Google My Business and Yelp pages. These should include geo-targeted keywords as well as relevant business information. You’ll also want to make use of other local SEO techniques, like creating an optimized location page on your website, encouraging customers to leave online reviews, and optimizing for voice search.
3. Focus on Unique Product Descriptions
The third of our SEO tips for jewelry brands has to do with product descriptions. One common mistake is to use the same descriptions all over your website. Instead, each item should have a unique description where you highlight the main attributes–the more detailed, the better.
For example, you should include information about the type of metal, cut, carat, color, clarity, and defining characteristics. Additionally, add details that might be relevant to the customer. What kind of clasps are used? Is it scratch-resistant or rust-resistant? Try to include at least 300 words of original, unique copy for each description, and be sure to front-load the most important information. If your site is hosted on WordPress/WooCommerce or a popular shopping cart platform, you can use a tool like Yoast to audit the SEO of each description.
The in-depth description should use words that a customer would likely use when searching for that item (i.e., those long-tail keywords mentioned previously). Having more detail makes it easier for the customer to find what they’re looking for, and it also gives them the information needed to decide whether to purchase the item.
The Main Secret to SEO
As saturated as the jewelry market is, SEO for jewelry can be tricky. However, if you focus your energy on long-tail keywords, optimizing for local shoppers, and creating unique product descriptions, you’re more likely to achieve prominent Google rankings.
The most important thing, though, is consistency. SEO is not a set-it-and-forget-it task. It’s a constant, continual process. So keep at it, and don’t give up. As long as you’re committed to the goal and you follow a few best practices, you will see results.