Running an e-commerce store means constantly battling for visibility in search engine rankings. You might have a great product, a well-designed website, and even a solid marketing plan—but if your SEO isn’t right, you’re missing out on potential sales.
Many online stores make critical SEO mistakes that silently hurt their rankings, traffic, and revenue. The problem? These mistakes aren’t always obvious. Some seem minor but can significantly impact how search engines view your site.
Let’s go over the most common SEO mistakes e-commerce websites make, how they affect your business, and, most importantly, how to fix them.
1. Duplicate Content is Dragging You Down
Search engines love unique content, but many e-commerce sites unknowingly fill their pages with duplicate product descriptions, category pages, and URLs.
This is often because:
- The same product is listed under multiple categories, generating duplicate URLs.
- Product descriptions are copied from the manufacturer, meaning hundreds of other websites have identical content.
- Filters and sorting options create multiple versions of the same page.
Duplicate content confuses search engines because they don’t know which version to prioritize, leading to lower rankings or some pages getting ignored altogether.
How to Fix It
The best way to avoid duplicate content is to write unique product descriptions instead of copying them from suppliers. If you have similar products, tweak the descriptions to highlight different features.
Use canonical tags (rel=”canonical”) to tell search engines which page is the main version. If filters or sorting options generate unnecessary URLs, use noindex tags to prevent them from being indexed.
2. Poor Site Structure Hurts User Experience and Rankings
A confusing website structure isn’t just frustrating for visitors—it also makes it harder for search engines to crawl and index your pages properly.
When your site isn’t well-structured:
- Customers struggle to find products, leading to higher bounce rates.
- Important pages might not get indexed, meaning they won’t show up in search results.
- Link authority (the SEO power of your pages) doesn’t flow properly, affecting rankings.
How to Fix It
Start by ensuring your site follows a logical hierarchy. Every product should be within three clicks of the homepage.
Use breadcrumb navigation (Home > Category > Product) to help users and search engines understand page relationships. Also, submit an XML sitemap to Google Search Console so search engines can crawl your site effectively.
3. Slow Loading Speeds Are Driving Customers Away
Nobody likes a slow website. If your pages take too long to load, customers will leave before they even see what you’re selling.
According to research, 53% of mobile users abandon a site that takes longer than 3 seconds to load. Google also considers page speed a ranking factor, meaning that slow websites get pushed down in search results.
How to Fix It
Optimize your images by compressing them before uploading. Large image files are one of the biggest culprits of slow loading times.
Enable browser caching so that returning visitors don’t have to reload everything from scratch. Minify your website’s CSS, JavaScript, and HTML to remove unnecessary code. If your site is still slow, switch to a better hosting provider that can handle higher traffic efficiently.
4. Missing Alt Text and Meta Descriptions Are Wasted SEO Opportunities
Many eCommerce sites ignore image alt text and leave meta descriptions blank, even though these elements are essential for SEO.
Why they matter:
- Alt-text helps search engines understand images, improving rankings in Google Image Search.
- Meta descriptions appear in search results and influence whether people click on your site.
How to Fix It
Always include descriptive alt text for product images. Instead of “img123.jpg”, use “Men’s Leather Wallet with RFID Protection” to provide context.
Write compelling, keyword-rich meta descriptions that encourage clicks. Instead of generic text like “Buy shoes online,” use “Discover high-quality running shoes with free shipping and 30-day returns.”
5. Poor Keyword Research Means You’re Targeting the Wrong People
Many e-commerce businesses either target keywords that are too broad (making them difficult to rank for) or don’t do any keyword research at all.
If you’re optimizing for “shoes,” you’re competing with massive brands like Nike and Adidas. On the other hand, if you choose specific, long-tail keywords like “best running shoes for beginners,” you have a much better chance of ranking.
How to Fix It
Focus on buyer-intent keywords—terms that indicate a user is ready to make a purchase. Instead of just “headphones,” target “best wireless noise-canceling headphones under $100”.
Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, or SEMrush to find relevant keywords with high search volume but lower competition.
6. Broken Links and Poor Internal Linking Hurt Rankings
Broken links frustrate users and tell search engines that your site isn’t well-maintained. If you have internal links leading to 404 pages, search engines may start devaluing your website.
At the same time, a weak internal linking strategy means important pages don’t get enough authority to rank well.
How to Fix It
Regularly check for broken links using tools like Google Search Console or Screaming Frog. Fix any errors by redirecting old links to relevant pages.
Improve your internal linking strategy by linking related product pages and blog posts. If a product is out of stock, link customers to a similar product instead of leaving them at a dead end.
How Digital Shaping Helps E-commerce Brands Fix SEO Mistakes
Fixing these SEO mistakes isn’t just about ranking higher—it’s about improving customer experience, increasing sales, and building a strong online presence.
At Digital Shaping, we help e-commerce brands:
- Audit and fix SEO issues affecting rankings.
- Optimize content with the right keywords and meta tags.
- Improve site speed and mobile responsiveness.
- Develop internal linking strategies that enhance site navigation.
If your site is struggling with SEO, the sooner you fix these mistakes, the sooner you’ll see results.
Final Thoughts: Fix These SEO Mistakes to Boost Your Sales
SEO isn’t just about getting traffic—it’s about getting the right traffic and converting visitors into customers. Many e-commerce websites struggle with SEO, but most mistakes can be fixed with the right strategies.
By addressing duplicate content, poor site structure, slow loading times, missing SEO elements, weak keyword targeting, and broken links, you can improve your rankings, user experience, and revenue.
If you need expert help, Digital Shaping can guide you through the process and ensure your eCommerce store is fully optimized for search engines.🚀 Avoid costly SEO mistakes—book a consultation with Digital Shaping today!