A Quick Tip to Make Your Products More Discoverable in Search Engines

12 min read

In the bustling world of ecommerce, standing out from the competition is a constant challenge. For merchants with large product catalogs or those in highly competitive industries, a well-thought-out SEO strategy can make all the difference. One of the most effective yet often overlooked components of this strategy is URL customization.

In this blog post, we’ll explore how customizing your URL structure can help your search engine visibility, enhance user experience, and, ultimately, drive more traffic to your online store.

Why SEO Matters for Business Owners

If you’re an ecommerce entrepreneur, you’ve likely heard about the importance of SEO. But why does it matter so much?

Simply put, SEO is the process of optimizing your website to rank higher on search engine results pages (SERPs). Higher rankings mean more visibility, which can translate into more traffic and, ultimately, more sales.

Consumers rely heavily on search engines to find products and services in today’s digital landscape. If your business isn’t appearing on the first page of search results, you’re missing out on potential customers. Investing in SEO can ensure that your products are more discoverable, leading to increased traffic and higher conversion rates.

What Are Custom Slugs?

Custom slugs are specific parts of a URL that you can customize to better reflect the page’s content. A slug is the portion of the URL that comes after the domain name and is typically separated by hyphens.

For example, in the URL “www.example.com/custom-slugs-for-seo,” the slug is “custom-slugs-for-seo.”

Now, compare these two URLs. Which one do you think customers are most likely to click?

onlinestore.com/products/733g894hy5 — the slug is not customized
onlinestore.com/products/denim-jacket — the custom slug is easy to understand and looks more professional and trustworthy.

Using custom slugs allows you to create more descriptive and keyword-rich URLs. Instead of a random string of numbers and letters, a custom slug will enable you to craft a URL that both search engines and humans can easily understand and remember. This simple change can make a significant impact on your search engine rankings.

Shoppers are more likely to click on URLs when they are clear and concise

Why Custom Slugs Matter for SEO (and Your Business)

Now, let’s see how exactly custom slugs can help improve your SEO game:

Enhanced SEO-Ranking

Search engines like Google prefer concise and descriptive URLs. A simplified URL structure not only helps search engines crawl your site more efficiently but also makes your links appear cleaner and more professional.

By removing unnecessary elements, such as numbers and special characters, you can create URLs that are straightforward and easy to read.

Improved User Experience

User experience (UX) is a crucial factor that search engines consider when ranking websites. Simplifying your product URLs can greatly enhance UX by making your site easier to navigate.

Plus, descriptive custom slugs make the URL more trustworthy. When users see a clean, descriptive URL, they are more likely to click on it and trust the content behind it.

This increased trust can lead to higher click-through rates (CTR), resulting in increased traffic and better overall performance for your online store.

Easier to Share and Remember

Short, custom URLs are much easier to share, whether through social media, emails, or anywhere online. When your product URLs are concise and to the point, customers can easily remember and share them with others. This ease of sharing can significantly increase your website’s reach and attract more potential customers.

You’ll also appreciate the convenience of custom slugs when sharing your product links in your marketing campaigns.

Enhanced Navigability

A clean URL structure makes it easier for users to understand the hierarchy and organization of your site. This improved navigability not only enhances the user experience but also encourages visitors to spend more time exploring your products. The longer visitors stay on your site, the higher your chances of converting them into paying customers.

Creating Custom Slugs for Products

Given the importance of custom slugs for SEO, choosing an ecommerce platform that supports them is crucial. If your online store doesn’t allow you to customize product and category URLs, it may prevent you from fully optimizing your SEO strategy.

Take Ecwid by Lightspeed, for example. It is a powerful ecommerce platform designed to help business owners succeed online.

One of the features of Ecwid is its ability to create custom slugs for your product and category URLs. With Ecwid, you have complete control over your URL structure, allowing you to optimize for SEO and improve user experience.

An example of a custom slug for a product URL in an Ecwid store

Ecwid’s user-friendly interface makes it easy to create and manage custom slugs. You can quickly edit the URL for any product or category, ensuring that your URLs are descriptive, keyword-rich, and optimized for search engines.

This level of customization gives you the flexibility to create a cohesive and effective SEO strategy.

Creating custom slugs for products and categories in your Ecwid couldn’t be more straightforward. It literally takes several clicks in the product or category settings. See the details in the Ecwid Help Center.

Customizing a slug for a product in Ecwid admin

Note: Creating custom slugs is available for the latest version of Instant Site only. Learn how to check which version you have here.

Best Practices for Creating Custom Slugs

Now, let’s walk through the best practices to customize your URLs:

Evaluate Your Current URL Structure

Begin by assessing your existing URL structure. Identify any elements that are complex, lengthy, or irrelevant. Look for opportunities to simplify and streamline your URLs to make them more user-friendly and SEO-friendly.

Incorporate Relevant Keywords

Keywords are the backbone of any SEO strategy. Ensure that your custom slugs include relevant keywords that accurately describe the content of the page. This inclusion helps search engines understand the context of your page and improves your chances of ranking higher in search results.

Add keywords when customizing product URLs for the best results

Remove Unnecessary Elements

Eliminate numbers, special characters, and any other unnecessary elements from your URLs. Focus on creating clean, descriptive URLs that clearly convey the purpose of the page. This simplification not only enhances SEO but also improves the overall user experience.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

When creating custom slugs, keep these common mistakes in mind to ensure that your URLs are optimized for SEO and user experience:

Overstuffing Keywords

While incorporating keywords into your URL is essential, overdoing it can backfire. Keyword stuffing makes URLs look spammy and can negatively affect your SEO. Aim for a natural balance that enhances readability without compromising on SEO.

Ignoring URL Consistency

Consistency is key when it comes to URL customization. Ensure that your URL structure follows a consistent pattern across your entire site. This consistency not only improves SEO but also makes it easier for shoppers to navigate your online store.

Some Other Ways to Improve SEO for an Online Store

Custom slugs are just one aspect of SEO. Here are some other ways to improve your online store’s search engine rankings:

Register a Custom Domain Name

A domain name is the unique address of your website. For example, if you want to visit Ecwid’s site, you will type ecwid.com.

To succeed in search engine optimization, your site must have its own domain instead of using the default one provided when setting up a new store. A unique domain helps consolidate your content, links, keywords, and other SEO elements, enhancing your website’s performance.

Ecwid sellers can easily buy a custom domain from the Ecwid admin. It’ll be set up automatically, so no manual configuration is needed. Plus, you can generate the domain name with AI to speed up the process!

Generating a domain name with AI in an Ecwid store

Find out all you need to know about registering a custom domain for your online store in this article:

Learn more: The Easiest Way to Buy a Domain for an Online Store

Optimize Product Descriptions and Titles

Ensure your product descriptions and titles are descriptive, accurate, and keyword-rich. These elements not only help with SEO but also provide customers with valuable information about your products.

To speed up the process of generating SEO-optimized product descriptions, Ecwid sellers can use various apps from the Ecwid App Market. For example, ContentGenie AI or AI SEO.

Set Up 301 URL Redirects

If your website has inactive or deleted pages, it’s crucial to set up proper redirects from the old URLs to the new ones. Failing to do so can result in broken links and a poor user experience. Use 301 redirects to ensure shoppers and search engines are directed to the correct pages.

If you’re using Ecwid for your online store, setting up 301 redirects is a breeze right in your Ecwid admin. They’re especially handy if you move your store to Ecwid from another ecommerce platform.

Creating redirects in an Ecwid store

Learn how to set up 301 redirects in the Ecwid Help Center.

Start Improving Your SEO

In the competitive world of ecommerce, making your products more discoverable is essential for success. Custom slugs are a powerful tool that can improve your SEO, enhance user experience, and boost click-through rates. They help improve your visibility on search engine results pages and drive more traffic to your online store.

Ecwid makes it easy for business owners to create custom slugs. With its intuitive interface and powerful features, Ecwid empowers you to optimize your URLs and achieve better SEO results. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to improve your online presence — start using custom slugs today and see the difference they can make for your business.

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About the author

Anastasia Prokofieva is a content writer at Ecwid. She writes about online marketing and promotion to make entrepreneurs’ daily routine easier and more rewarding. She also has a soft spot for cats, chocolate, and making kombucha at home.