Learn how the number of products affects your E-commerce store's SEO rankings, and get tips on what to do if your competitors have a larger selection of products than you.
Does number of products affect your rankings?
Yes. The number of products might not be a direct ranking factor, but a good product selection can enhance user experience, increase engagement, and improve overall site quality, which can positively impact your SEO rankings.
In this example, I'm searching for the broad term "sleeping bags" on Google, and the REI Co-op store has a huge selection of 316 products:
The number of products on the top 20 search engine result pages shows, all else being equal, that it would be hard to rank if you had a small selection of only 5 sleeping bags:
Chart: The chart shows the relationship between SERP positions and the number of sleeping bags listed on the top 20 web pages. Red dots represent the number of products at each SERP position, and the green trend line indicates the overall trend.
As SERP position increases, the number of products tends to increase as well. In other words, the number of products has a significant impact on your webshop's rankings on Google.
"Don't just add more irrelevant products to your webshop's landing pages. This can cause users to quickly return to Google, indirectly leading to lower rankings." – Torbjørn Flensted, Co-founder of SEO.AI
What to do when your product selection is smaller than the competition?
When your product selection is smaller than the competition, it's essential to optimize your SEO strategy to stand out.
Here are my three favorite tricks to enhance your Google rankings when your number of products is small:
1. Feature all product variations on the selection page
Instead of hiding multiple colors of a specific sleeping bag model behind a click, showcase all available colors directly on the product selection page. This approach not only improves user experience but also increases the likelihood of your products being ranked at the top of Google.
2. Create product bundles
Offer bundles that combine related items, such as sleeping bags with sleeping pads or camping pillows. These bundles provide added value to customers and can help you rank for a broader range of keywords. Other bundle ideas include pairing sleeping bags with portable camping stoves or hiking backpacks.
Pro tip: The best eCommerce platforms for SEO make it easy to feature bundles and more product variations on your selection pages.
3. Highlight quality and expertise
Unlike competitors with endless scrolls and numerous products, your simpler selection allows you to emphasize quality. Provide detailed advice on choosing the right sleeping bag and share the stories behind the selected brands. Make it clear that your team consists of outdoor enthusiasts and experts, which builds trust and authority with your audience.
Study: According to a study by Searchmetrics, E-commerce pages in the top 10 search results tend to have a 30% larger file size and a 25% higher word count than other queries, indicating that having more content and products can correlate with better rankings. The study also noted that top-ranking ecommerce pages have 73% more internal links.
What factors affect Google rankings?
When it comes to product selection pages, or category pages, several intricate factors can indirectly influence Google rankings. These factors are deeply intertwined with user behavior metrics and on-page SEO elements. Understanding these SEO aspects can help optimize your e-commerce store's SEO strategy.
- Clicks: The number of users who click on your category page link in the search engine results pages (SERPs). More clicks indicate relevance and can boost rankings.
- Price: Price can indirectly influence Google rankings by affecting user behavior metrics. Competitive pricing can lead to higher engagement, which can positively impact your keyword positions.
- Dwell Time: The amount of time a user spends on your category page before returning to the SERPs. Longer dwell times suggest valuable content and a positive user experience.
- Pogo Sticking: When users quickly return to the SERPs after clicking on your category page, indicating dissatisfaction (maybe there are too few products). High pogo-sticking rates can negatively impact rankings.
- Last Click: The final click a user makes before converting or leaving the site. High last-click rates on your category pages can indicate strong user intent and satisfaction, indirectly boosting your rankings.
- Internal Linking Structure: The way category pages are linked within your site. A well-structured internal linking system can improve crawlability and distribute link equity effectively.
- Page Load Speed: The time it takes for your category page to load. Faster load times enhance user experience and can positively influence rankings.
- Mobile-Friendliness: Ensuring your category pages are optimized for mobile devices. Mobile usability is a critical ranking factor in Google's algorithm, especially within the B2C e-commerce space.
- Schema Markup: Implementing structured data to help search engines understand the content of your category pages. For e-commerce specialists, using specific markups like , , , and can enhance SERP features such as rich snippets, product availability, and pricing information, making your listings more attractive and informative to potential customers.
- Content Depth and Relevance: The comprehensiveness and pertinence of the content on your category pages. High-quality, relevant content can improve user engagement and SEO performance.
- Backlink Profile: The quality and quantity of external links pointing to your category pages. A robust backlink profile can significantly boost your rankings.
- User Engagement Metrics: Metrics such as bounce rate, average session duration, and pages per session. High engagement levels indicate a positive user experience and can enhance rankings.
Also read: Does Product Price Affect Google Rankings?
FAQ
Here are some frequently asked questions about the number of products and SEO answered:
What makes your product selection pages rank higher on Google?
Several factors contribute to higher rankings for product selection pages on Google, including user engagement metrics, high-quality content, internal linking structure, mobile optimization, and the use of schema markup. Ensuring a seamless user experience and providing valuable, relevant content are key to improving your rankings.
Does more products improve Google rankings?
Having more products can indirectly improve Google rankings by enhancing user experience and increasing engagement. A larger selection can attract more clicks, reduce pogo-sticking, and increase dwell time, all of which are positive signals to search engines.
Can fewer products impact SEO on Google?
Fewer products can impact SEO negatively if it leads to lower user engagement. On the other hand, lots of irrelevant products can cause pogo sticking, where users quickly return to Google after clicking on your page. It's a balance between offering the right selection that meets user needs and maintaining high-quality, relevant content to keep users engaged and satisfied.
Is there a perfect number of products?
There is no perfect number of products for SEO. The focus should be on providing a comprehensive and relevant selection that meets user needs. Quality and relevance of content, along with user engagement metrics, are more critical factors than the sheer number of products.
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