Running an online store on BigCommerce is great, but getting people to actually buy stuff? That's the real challenge. It's not enough to just have a website; you need a plan to get noticed and convince shoppers to click 'buy'. We're going to look at some solid BigCommerce conversion strategies that can help your business grow. Think of it like setting up a shop on a busy street – you want people to see it, come in, and leave with something. Let's break down how to make that happen online.

Key Takeaways

• Make sure your BigCommerce site is easy for search engines to find and understand by doing regular technical SEO checks.

• Figure out what words your customers use to search for your products and use those words in your store.

• Create good descriptions for your products and helpful articles that answer customer questions.

• Get other trusted websites to link to your store to build its reputation.

• Make it easy and appealing for visitors to buy things once they land on your site.

1. Technical SEO Audits

Think of technical SEO as the behind-the-scenes plumbing and wiring of your BigCommerce store. If it's not right, nothing else will work as well as it should. We're talking about making sure search engines can actually find, read, and understand all the pages on your site without any hiccups. This means looking at things like how fast your pages load – nobody likes waiting around, right? Google doesn't either.

We also check if your site plays nice with mobile phones, because let's face it, most people shop on their phones these days. The structure of your site, how your URLs look, and even how your product pages are set up all matter. We want everything to be clean and easy for both shoppers and search bots.

Here's a quick look at what we focus on:

• Site Speed and Core Web Vitals: Making sure your pages load quickly and are stable.

• Mobile-Friendliness: Ensuring a great experience on any device.

• Crawlability and Indexability: Helping search engines discover and list your pages.

• Site Architecture and URL Structure: Creating a logical flow for users and bots.

• Schema Markup: Adding extra information to help your products stand out in search results.

A solid technical foundation is non-negotiable. It's the bedrock upon which all other SEO efforts are built. Without it, even the best content and link-building campaigns can fall flat because search engines simply can't access or properly interpret your site's information.

We use a detailed checklist, often over 200 points, to find every little issue that could be holding your store back. It’s about fixing the hidden problems so your store can perform at its best.

2. E-commerce Keyword Research

Finding the right words people type into search engines is a big deal for any online store. It’s not just about stuffing keywords into your product descriptions; it’s about understanding what your potential customers are actually looking for. This means digging deep to find terms that signal they're ready to buy, or at least seriously considering it.

We look at a few different types of keywords:

• Transactional Keywords: These are the goldmines, like "buy red running shoes size 10" or "discount code for XYZ coffee maker." People using these are usually close to making a purchase.

• Informational Keywords: Think "how to choose a coffee maker" or "best running shoes for beginners." These show interest and can be used to attract people earlier in their buying journey, maybe through blog posts or guides.

• Navigational Keywords: These are terms people use when they know your brand, like "BigCommerce login" or "[Your Brand Name] customer service."

We also check out what your competitors are doing. What keywords are they ranking for? Where are they getting traffic from? This helps us spot opportunities they might be missing.

Mapping keywords to where someone is in the buying process helps us create content and product pages that speak directly to their needs at that moment. It’s about being in the right place with the right message when they’re ready to click.

Here’s a quick look at how we might categorize keywords for a hypothetical shoe store:

3. Content Strategy and Creation

Content is still king, even with all the fancy tech out there. For BigCommerce stores, this means creating stuff that not only search engines like but also, more importantly, people actually want to read and engage with. Think blog posts that answer customer questions, detailed product descriptions that go beyond just the basics, and maybe even some helpful guides related to what you sell.

The goal is to build trust and show you know your stuff. When people find your content useful, they're more likely to buy from you. It's about being a resource, not just a place to shop.

Here's a breakdown of what goes into a good content plan:

• Understand Your Audience: Who are you talking to? What problems do they have that your products solve? What kind of information are they looking for online?

• Keyword Integration: Weave in those keywords you found during research naturally. Don't stuff them in; make it sound like a normal conversation.

• Content Types: Mix it up. You've got your product pages, of course, but also consider blog articles, how-to guides, comparison pieces, and even customer success stories.

• Quality Over Quantity: A few really good pieces of content are better than a dozen mediocre ones. Make sure it's well-written, accurate, and provides real value.

• Regular Updates: Keep your content fresh. Old blog posts can be updated with new information, and product descriptions can be refined based on customer feedback.

People can spot fake or AI-generated content a mile away these days. It's better to have content that feels human and genuine, even if it's not perfectly polished. Authenticity builds connections, and connections lead to sales.

Don't forget about visuals. While this section focuses on the words, good images and even short videos explaining products can make a huge difference. Think about how you can use customer photos or videos to show off your products in action. It adds that extra layer of trust that generic marketing copy just can't match.

4. Strategic Link Building

Building links is a big part of getting your BigCommerce store noticed online. Think of it like getting recommendations from other websites. When reputable sites link to yours, it tells search engines like Google that your store is trustworthy and has good stuff to offer. It's not just about getting any links, though; the quality and relevance of the sites linking to you really matter. We focus on getting links from places that actually make sense for your business and your products.

Here’s how we approach it:

• Finding Opportunities: We look at what links your competitors have and see if we can get similar ones, or even better, find links they're missing out on.

• Creating Shareable Content: Sometimes, the best way to get links is to create really useful content, like guides or unique data, that other websites will want to reference.

• Outreach: We reach out to relevant websites and influencers to see if they'd be interested in linking to your content or products.

• Brand Mentions: Even if a site mentions your brand without linking, we try to turn that into a link. It’s all about building up your store's authority.

Getting good backlinks is a slow burn, not a quick fix. It takes time and consistent effort to build a strong profile that search engines trust. We aim for natural growth, avoiding anything that looks spammy or could get your site penalized.

The goal is to build a natural, high-quality link profile that signals authority and drives relevant traffic to your BigCommerce store. This off-page work complements all the on-page and technical SEO efforts, creating a well-rounded strategy for better search rankings and more customers.

5. Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)

Conversion Rate Optimization, or CRO, is all about getting more of your website visitors to do what you want them to do. For an online store, that usually means making a purchase. It’s not just about getting traffic to your BigCommerce site; it’s about making sure that traffic actually turns into sales. Think of it like this: you wouldn't spend money attracting people to a physical store if the doors were hard to open or the checkout line was a mile long, right? CRO is the digital version of fixing those problems.

The core idea is to understand why visitors aren't converting and then make changes to fix those issues. This involves a lot of looking at data and trying things out to see what works best. It’s a continuous process, not a one-and-done fix.

Here’s a breakdown of how we approach CRO:

• Analyze User Behavior: We look at how people actually use your site. Tools like heatmaps show where they click, scroll, and spend time. This helps us spot confusing parts or areas where they drop off.

• Identify Bottlenecks: We figure out what’s stopping people from buying. Is the checkout process too complicated? Are product descriptions unclear? Is the site slow to load?

• Formulate Hypotheses: Based on the data, we come up with educated guesses about what changes will improve conversions. For example, "Changing the 'Add to Cart' button color will increase clicks."

• A/B Testing: This is where we test our hypotheses. We show one version of a page (the control) to some visitors and a modified version (the variation) to others. We then compare the results to see which performs better. This is how we make data-backed decisions instead of just guessing.

• Implement and Iterate: Once we find a winning variation, we implement it. But we don't stop there. CRO is ongoing. We keep testing new ideas to keep improving your conversion rates.

CRO is fundamentally about making your website work better for both your business and your customers. It's about removing friction and making the path to purchase as smooth as possible. By focusing on what your users are actually doing and responding to their behavior, you can significantly improve your sales without necessarily needing to drive more traffic.

We track key metrics like product views, add-to-carts, completed orders, total revenue, and average order value. This helps us see the real impact of our optimization efforts. For a deeper dive into actionable strategies, check out these 30 actionable strategies for optimizing your ecommerce conversion rate.

6. On-Page Optimization

On-page optimization is all about making your actual store pages as appealing as possible to both search engines and, more importantly, your customers. It’s where you directly influence how people find and interact with your products.

This means carefully crafting elements like title tags and meta descriptions to grab attention in search results and clearly communicate what your page is about. Think of title tags as your product's headline and meta descriptions as a mini-sales pitch. Header tags (H1, H2, H3) are also super important for organizing your content, making it easy for shoppers to scan and for search engines to understand the page's structure. For BigCommerce stores, this includes optimizing product pages, category pages, and any informational content you have.

Here’s a breakdown of key on-page elements:

• Product & Category Pages: These are your money-makers. Ensure product titles are descriptive and include relevant keywords. Category pages need clear descriptions that help users and search engines understand the products within. We focus on optimizing BigCommerce stores for search engines by looking at these core pages.

• Image Optimization: Use descriptive file names and alt text for all your product images. This helps with search visibility and makes your site accessible to everyone.

• Content: Engaging content, like blog posts or buying guides, establishes your authority and attracts customers. Make sure this content is relevant and uses keywords naturally.

• Internal Linking: Connect related products and content within your site. This helps customers discover more and keeps search engines crawling your pages effectively.

Making sure your on-page elements are spot-on is a direct way to improve your store's visibility and guide shoppers toward making a purchase. It's about clarity, relevance, and making it easy for everyone to find what they need.

7. Performance Tracking and Reporting

You can't really improve what you don't measure, right? That's where tracking performance and putting together reports comes in. It’s all about looking at the numbers to see what’s working and, more importantly, what isn't.

Think about it like this: you wouldn't drive a car without a dashboard, would you? Same idea here. We need to know how fast we're going, how much fuel we have, and if the engine's making weird noises. For your BigCommerce store, that means keeping an eye on things like:

• Conversion Rate: This is a big one. It tells you how many visitors actually buy something. A higher conversion rate means more sales from the same amount of traffic.

• Average Order Value (AOV): How much are people spending on average per order?

• Total Revenue: The overall income from sales.

• Traffic Sources: Where are your visitors coming from? Social media, search engines, direct links?

• Bounce Rate: How many people leave your site after viewing just one page?

Looking at these numbers regularly helps you spot trends. Maybe you notice that traffic from a specific social campaign is high, but the conversion rate is low. That's a signal to investigate why. Or perhaps your AOV is lower than you'd like, suggesting you could try bundling products or offering upsells. This kind of data-driven insight is way better than just guessing.

Regularly reviewing your analytics data is key to making informed decisions. Instead of relying on hunches, you can pinpoint exactly where users are dropping off or what content is performing best. This allows for targeted improvements that actually make a difference to your bottom line.

We can use tools to see how users interact with your site, like where they click and how far they scroll. This gives us a clearer picture of user behavior. By calculating your e-commerce conversion rate and looking at other metrics, we can create reports that show what changes will lead to better performance. It's not just about making the site look good; it's about making it work better for your business and your customers.

8. BigCommerce Platform Expertise

When you're running a business on BigCommerce, knowing the platform inside and out makes a huge difference. It's not just about having a store; it's about making that store work as hard as possible for you. This means understanding all the little settings, how different features connect, and what's new that could help your business grow.

Think of it like this: you wouldn't try to fix a complex machine without knowing how it works, right? The same applies to your online store. Getting the most out of BigCommerce involves a few key areas:

• Store Setup and Management: This covers everything from designing how your store looks to organizing products, handling orders, and making sure everything runs smoothly day-to-day. It's the foundation.

• Developer Tools and APIs: For those who need more custom solutions, understanding the platform's developer side lets you build unique features or connect with other software.

• Utilizing Built-in Features: BigCommerce has a lot of tools already built-in that can help with things like SEO, marketing, and customer service. Knowing how to use these effectively saves time and money.

Having a team that truly understands the BigCommerce ecosystem is what separates good stores from great ones. They can spot opportunities you might miss and fix problems before they even become big issues.

It's easy to get lost in all the options a platform like BigCommerce provides. The real skill comes from knowing which features to use, how to configure them for your specific business needs, and how to integrate them with your overall marketing and sales plan. This deep familiarity helps remove technical roadblocks and keeps your store performing at its best.

For instance, BigCommerce offers built-in SEO tools that can really help streamline your efforts. These tools allow for centralized management of redirects and meta data, ensuring a smooth transition without hurting your search rankings. It’s these kinds of platform-specific advantages that a knowledgeable partner can help you capitalize on.

9. Customer Success Management

Think of your Customer Success Manager (CSM) as your dedicated partner in making your BigCommerce store work better for you. They're not just there to answer questions; they're actively looking for ways to help your business grow.

Your CSM will get to know your specific business goals and then work with you to create a plan. This plan isn't a one-size-fits-all document. It's tailored to your store, pointing out things like products that aren't selling well and suggesting how to fix that, or finding new ways to get more traffic.

Here’s what you can expect:

• Regular check-ins: Your CSM will reach out regularly to discuss progress and new ideas.

• Personalized strategy: They'll help build a roadmap with actionable steps based on your unique situation.

• Platform insights: You'll be kept in the loop about new BigCommerce features and how they can benefit your store.

• Problem-solving: They act as your internal advocate, helping to speed up solutions when issues arise.

A good CSM relationship means you have someone in your corner who understands your business and is committed to helping you get the most out of the BigCommerce platform. They help bridge the gap between the technology and your business objectives, making sure you're not just running a store, but growing one.

They'll also keep you informed about important updates to the BigCommerce platform that could impact your business. It’s about making sure your store is always set up for success and growth, not just today, but down the road too.

10. Growth Coaching

Think of Growth Coaching as having a seasoned guide for your BigCommerce store. It's not just about fixing problems; it's about actively finding ways to make your business bigger and better. A coach works with you to figure out the best ways to get more people to your site and, more importantly, to get them to buy.

Here's what a Growth Coach can help with:

• Identifying your store's weak spots and figuring out how to fix them. This could be anything from improving how your product pages look to making the checkout process smoother.

• Developing smart strategies for getting found online. This includes looking at keywords you should be using and how to get other websites to link to yours.

• Turning visitors into customers. They'll help you understand why people aren't buying and what you can do to change that.

The main goal is to help you make more money by making your store work better.

A Growth Coach helps you see the bigger picture for your online store. They'll look at your current situation, find opportunities you might be missing, and give you a clear plan to follow. It's about making informed decisions that lead to real growth, not just guessing what might work.

They'll often look at things like:

• SEO: How well your store ranks in search results.

• Conversion Rates: The percentage of visitors who actually make a purchase.

• Customer Behavior: How people interact with your site.

It's a hands-on approach to making sure your BigCommerce store is set up for long-term success and keeps growing.

Wrapping It Up: Your BigCommerce Store's Next Steps

So, we've talked about how to get your BigCommerce store noticed and turn those visitors into buyers. It's clear that just having a store isn't enough anymore. You really need a plan to show up when people are searching and then make it easy for them to buy once they land on your site. BigCommerce gives you a good starting point with its features, but getting to the top requires a smart approach. Think about it like this: you can either keep hoping customers find you, or you can actively work to bring them in and make sure they leave happy with a purchase. Investing in strategies that boost your search rankings and improve the shopping experience isn't just spending money; it's building a more reliable way for your business to grow over time. Don't let your competitors grab all the sales – it's time to put these ideas into action and see your store reach its full potential.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to see results from BigCommerce SEO?

SEO is like planting a seed for your business. You won't see a big tree overnight, but you'll start noticing small sprouts within a few months. Most stores see real growth, like more customers finding them and buying things, within 6 to 12 months. It takes time because search engines like Google need to see that your site is helpful and trustworthy.

Is BigCommerce good for SEO?

Yes, BigCommerce is a great platform for getting found online! It has built-in features that make it easier for search engines to understand your store. Think of it like having a well-organized shop that customers and search engines can navigate easily. It helps with things like making your website load fast and showing up correctly on phones.

Can I do BigCommerce SEO myself?

You definitely can try! Learning SEO takes time and effort, like learning a new skill. For small businesses or those just starting, it can be a good way to learn. However, if you want to grow fast and compete with bigger stores, hiring experts is often a better choice. They have the tools and experience to get results quicker and avoid mistakes.

What's the difference between SEO and CRO?

SEO is like getting people to find your store in the first place by making it visible on search engines. CRO, on the other hand, is about making sure that once people are in your store, they actually buy something. It's about making the shopping experience smooth and easy so more visitors become customers.

What should I look for when hiring a BigCommerce SEO expert?

When choosing someone to help with your BigCommerce store, look for experts who know e-commerce well. They should have a proven history of helping other online stores succeed, especially on BigCommerce. Good communication is key, and they should be able to explain what they're doing and show you clear results. Make sure they use honest methods that won't get your site in trouble.

Why is it important to track performance and report on SEO results?

Tracking your results is like checking your progress on a map. It shows you what's working and what's not. By looking at things like how many people visit your site from search engines and how many of them buy something, you can see if your SEO efforts are paying off. Good reports help you understand your store's growth and make smart decisions for the future.