Most e-commerce stores see search engine optimization (SEO) as a quick task. But the stores that win at SEO treat it like a product. Just as you continually improve your products and marketing, you should also enhance your SEO over time. This shift in how you approach SEO has enabled e-commerce businesses to generate millions of dollars over the past few years.

Projects vs. Products: What's the Difference?

Projects have a start and end date. Products have a life cycle. When you treat SEO like a product, you focus on improving it. You also focus on how well it works and how to make it grow. It's not just about checking off a list.

Many businesses don't understand this. They see SEO as a short-term cost. They think they can invest in SEO for a few months and then be done with it. But if you want your business to grow, you need to think long-term. You need to view SEO as a permanent part of your business.

Thinking of SEO as a short-term cost can also lead to problems. Some businesses focus too much on things like:

• How many blog posts do they get

• How many links do they build

They think that if they do these things, they will automatically rank high on Google. But that's usually not how it works.

Why a Product-Based Approach Works

When you work with an agency that employs a product-based approach, it examines the data. They find ways to improve things. Sometimes, this means doing something different than what was planned.

For example, instead of writing blog posts, they might build collection pages. This is because they see that the collection pages have a better chance of generating revenue more quickly. If that's the case, wouldn't you want to focus on what will make you more money?

Some businesses only care about checking off a list. They don't care about the data that shows how to increase revenue. This way of thinking will likely fail in the long run.

A product-based approach means continually analyzing data and refining your strategy. A project-based approach doesn't leave room to change. It just assumes things will work out.

With a product-based approach, you're responsible for the results, not just the tasks.

What Does Product-Based SEO Look Like?

Here are some things you need to know about product-based SEO:

Have a Road Map, But Be Flexible

You should have a long-term plan. However, you should also be prepared to adjust that plan. Change it based on what you learn. This could be every 30, 60, or 90 days.

Built-in Features

Think of your SEO strategy as building in features. These features could be:

• Content clusters

• Collection pages

• Link building

• Page improvements

Don't do everything all at once. Instead, ship each feature and see how it works. Then, you can improve it over time.

Prioritize Results, Not Just Tasks

When you make a product, not every idea makes it into the final product. The same is true for SEO. Not every keyword, blog post, or technical fix will lead to better results.

Some blog posts are not worth writing for an e-commerce store. Some keywords may not generate additional revenue. You need to be able to throw away these things. A checklist doesn't allow for that.

Build Systems for the Long Term

Build systems within your website. Examples of systems include:

• Internal linking

• Site structure

• Programmatic SEO

These systems should help your SEO grow over time. If you treat SEO like a checklist, some parts of your website will fall behind.

Update Your Goals

Your goals should change to match your business. Completing a checklist can increase your chances of receiving more opportunities in the future. Your company should be growing. You need to update your SEO strategy to match that growth.

You should focus on things like:

• Organic search revenue

• Customer trust

• Customer acquisition cost (CAC)

• Customer lifetime value (LTV)

These things are more important than just blog traffic or the appearance of your pages.

Tie SEO into Your Whole Brand

SEO should not be separate from the rest of your business. Many businesses launch new products or marketing campaigns. But, they don't tell their SEO team until later.

When you tie in every marketing channel, the benefits grow. You should get buy-in from other teams. This includes:

• Paid media

• Creative

• Retention

• User experience (UX)

• Conversion rate optimization (CRO)

When everyone works together, your product and marketing efforts will be much more effective.

Conclusion

If you treat SEO as a project, you will likely not achieve the desired results. You will likely spend money for a few months and then stop. And, you will probably be unhappy with the results.

If you want SEO to work, you need to treat it like a product. See it as a long-term investment. Let it grow over time.

Ready to take your e-commerce SEO to the next level? Contact an agency today to learn more about product-based SEO strategies.