Building an outstanding e-commerce website is only the beginning. Ensuring that people can find your site, particularly through dominant search engines like Google, is crucial.
Today, I’m embarking on a journey to enhance our site’s discoverability.
The first task is setting up the Google Search Console, a powerful tool that provides analytics and feedback, helping to monitor our site’s performance on Google.
Setting Up Google Search Console
Navigating to the Plugin SE Section to Add a New Plugin
To start, I need to go over to the plugin section in SE. Here, I can add a new plugin. This is the place where I manage all my plugins.
Finding the SEO Plugin
In the search bar, I type in “AIO SEO” to find the All-in-One SEO Plugin. It’s important because it’s a step towards making my site visible on search engines like Google.
Installing and Activating the SEO Plugin
Once I’ve found the All-in-One SEO plugin, I proceed to install and activate it. After that, I can access all my plugins from the page where they are listed.
Linking to Google Search Console from the Dashboard
On the dashboard of the All-in-One SEO, I’m prompted to connect to Google Search Console. Clicking the connect button takes me to the general settings page.
Finalising the Google Search Console Connection
To complete the connection, I select Google Search Console from the Web Master Tools in the settings. By following the prompts, I allow the necessary accesses and finish the connection process. This ensures my site is verified and can use sitemaps effectively.
Creating and Activating an XML Sitemap
Heading to SEO Control Panel Sitemaps Area
I started by looking for the All-in-One SEO plugin. It’s easy to find. Just type AIO SEO in the search bar.
Once I installed and activated it, I was taken to a dashboard where I could manage all the plugins.
From there, on the sidebar, I went to the All-in-One SEO section. This led me directly to the dashboard, which provided a way to connect the site to Google Search Console. This connection helps Google find and rank my website by automatically sending sitemaps.
Making Sure the Sitemap is Active
On the dashboard, I ensured that my XML sitemap was activated. To do this, I clicked on the sitemaps option.
This feature allows search engines like Google to go through all my website’s pages, providing them with a clear understanding of each page’s content.
It’s crucial to have the sitemap toggle switched on so that Google can effectively index my site’s information and deliver accurate results to users searching online.
Improving Internal Links
Leveraging Tools for Easy Internal Links
I often use specific plugins to make sure internal linking is smooth and efficient. One useful tool is the all-in-one SEO plugin, which I can find by searching for “AIO SEO” in the plugin section.
Once it’s set up, connecting it to Google Search Console is straightforward and provides a fantastic way to monitor my site’s status on search engines.
Benefits of Using Plugins:
- Automation: Saves time by automatically suggesting internal links.
- Efficiency: Reduces the manual effort of adding links to each page.
- Accuracy: Suggests relevant links, making it easier to create meaningful connections between pages.
Boosting Website Structure with Internal Links
When search engines like Google analyse my website, the structure set by internal links plays a crucial role.
These links help create a map that guides Google through my site’s content, helping it understand what each page covers.
Steps to Enhance Site Structure:
- Enable XML Sitemap: Allows search engines to navigate the site effectively.
- Set Relevant Focus Keyphrases: Helps search engines identify the key topics on each page.
- Increase Internal Links: Ensures pages connect in a logical way, improving navigation and context for search engines.
Starting the SEO Configuration Guide
Identifying the Website Category
The first step involves selecting what kind of website you have. For me, it’s a virtual shop. This helps tailor the SEO settings, making it simpler for search engines like Google to understand and promote your site.
Modifying Homepage Title and Meta Description
Next, it’s crucial to set an appealing homepage title and meta description. Initially, mine was generic and unhelpful, so I switched it to something more attractive, such as “The Best Online Mountain Bike Shop”.
The meta description provides a brief summary of your site, ensuring it reflects what your potential visitors would be interested in.
Adding Extra Site Details
On the following screen, there’s an option to include more information about your site. It’s advisable to fill in these sections accurately.
Although we won’t explore the added variables today, ensuring this data is complete can significantly help your site’s SEO performance.
Reviewing Search Visibility and URL Format
The final part involves examining how your site appears in searches and the URL setup.
Initially, my site was labelled “New E-commerce Website”, and the URL lacked structure. Improving these details is essential for drawing more visitors and giving a professional impression.
With the right information, it becomes much easier for search engines to recommend your site to users.
Evaluating SEO Dashboard Information
Examining Products and Main Keywords
When I took a look at the SEO dashboard, it became clear that we have 15 products but none have a primary keyword.
This is crucial because a focus keyword helps Google find and suggest these products to users. I need to ensure each product has a well-chosen main keyword that matches what potential customers are searching for.
Understanding SEO Website Score
Our website has an SEO score of 61. While this isn’t bad, there’s room for improvement.
The dashboard gives me a detailed list of tasks that can boost our SEO. I see some basics are already in place, but other areas, like internal linking and meta descriptions, need attention.
Conducting a Full Website Check
I decided to perform a thorough website audit using the checklist provided on the dashboard.
It showed that we lack internal links, which are crucial for building site structure and context.
Google uses these links to understand my site better, so I need to add more links to ensure my website is suggested at the best possible times. Adding these links manually can be time-consuming, but it’s essential for improving our site’s visibility.
Strengthening Your SEO Plan
Spotting and Improving Basic SEO Components
To get your website noticed, you need to address some essential SEO factors.
I recommend starting with Google Search Console. It’s a powerful tool that offers valuable insights and helps boost your website’s presence on Google.
Installing the All-in-One SEO plugin is another step that helps in this process. After installation, connect it to the Google Search Console. This allows the plugin to submit sitemaps automatically, making it easier for Google to understand your site.
Once that’s set up, focus on XML sitemaps. Enabling these sitemaps ensures that search engines can see all content on your site and accurately assess what each page is about, improving the chances of your site appearing in search results.
Boosting Website Structure with Internal Hyperlinks
Internal links are crucial for building context and site structure. They help search engines like Google understand the relationship between pages.
When I create internal links, it forms a web of connections. This makes it easier for search engines to provide accurate information when a user searches.
Adding internal links doesn’t have to be difficult. There are tools available that can automate this task, saving a lot of time, especially if your site has numerous pages or blog articles.
It’s a simple way to provide more structure, making it easier for search engines to find and recommend your content.