Optimizing Online Catalog Copy for the Search Engines

It only makes sense. You have an e-commerce catalog site. You want lots of visitors to come to your site and buy. The best (and most cost-effective) way to do that is with great search engine placement. However, search engines are text machines, and most catalogs don't have a lot of text, so herein lies the problem.

The obvious answer is that you need more copy on each page. However, the pictures of your products are just as important as the copy, so they can't be removed to make more space. That doesn't leave a lot of room in the product description area, does it? Maybe not, but who said all the copy had to go in the description area? Who said you have to create a site the same way a paper catalog is created?

Sometimes we view our site's pages with a very narrow vision. This causes us to have an "it's always been done that way" mentality. While direct mail catalogs may be sorely limited on space and require short sections of copywriting, Web pages have infinite room for copy.

Your Home Page

Most often, online catalogs have a home page that is almost exclusively graphic. There may be short blips of copywriting here and there, but not much. Since your home page is the most important page to have optimized for the engines, you'll want to include a minimum of 200 words of SEO copywriting there. Don't panic? it doesn't have to all be in one place.

You can create a short section of keyword-rich body copy as an introduction to the site. Then, under a graphic of your new spring additions, include some SEO copy explaining why your visitors will just *have* to have these products. You can then add a sentence or two of copy under the graphics in your sidebar. Lastly, give the highlights of your customer-service program or money-back guarantee and an invitation to click further into the site to shop around, and you're all done.

Obviously, where the copy goes is dependent on your site's layout, but you get the idea. Spread the copywriting around. You don't have to put it all in one lump in the middle of the page.

Category Pages

What traditionally happens with online catalogs is that you click from the home page to a "category" page. That category page usually just has links on it to other individual product pages plus perhaps a picture or two. That's a shame because category pages are another perfect place for SEO copy.

Since keyphrases are often highly descriptive of products (i.e., crew neck sweaters, six-disc CD players, etc.), they work wonderfully on category pages. Because category pages are selective (they only show products within a certain category), they are exceptional arenas for SEO copywriting.

Let's say you have a catalog site that deals with interior design accessories for the home. One category might be Tiffany lamps. Because the phrase Tiffany lamps is also a wonderful keyphrase, its inclusion in the category page copy comes quite naturally. This means you can create SEO copywriting for the top or middle of the page (just a short paragraph or two) and also write blips of copy for each product description. For example:

===================================

The Tiffany Lamp - A Timeless Masterpiece

===================================

Tiffany lamps have long been considered icons of style. While certain characteristics are constant (that's what makes a Tiffany lamp a Tiffany lamp), there is also tremendous variety. From Tiffany lamps for your floor to those made to adorn your ceilings, you'll find one reflective of your own personal taste and style.

Next you could list all the individual products (floor Tiffany lamps, ceiling Tiffany lamps, desk Tiffany lamps, etc.) and give brief, keyword-rich descriptions of each one.

Product Descriptions

When you get to the product description level, you'll want to include enticing, keyword-rich copy with each listing. However, you'll also want to include more text on each product page.

Consider that most people shopping online don't have the benefit of being able to touch, feel, smell, taste, or see the actual products. Use the lack of human senses to develop more descriptive information for your visitors.

You might also want to include any technical information you have for your products on the same product description page. Contrary to Internet myth, people don't mind scrolling one bit *IF* there is information they want to see on other parts of the page.

By reconsidering your catalog-copywriting techniques when it comes to the Web, you can get your e-commerce catalog ranked highly in the search engines. It just takes a little open-mindedness and a willingness to break free from the ways of the past. When you do, more customers and higher sales levels are bound to follow.

Karon Thackston � 2004

About The Author

Copy not getting results? Let Karon provide search engine copywriting, catalog copywriting, or other types for you. Just visit http://www.marketingwords.com. You can also learn to write your own SEO copy that impresses the engines and your visitors at http://www.copywritingcourse.com.

---

Rock Your Rank With a Dynamite Text Link - Yahoo Directory Explodes Rankings

Last week a client called me excitedly exclaiming that their... Read More

Get Better Search Engine Rankings with RSS

RSS is the latest craze in online publishing. But what... Read More

Choosing a good domain name isnt always so simple.

So you need a domain name for your brand new... Read More

8 Essential SEO techniques

1) Title Tag - The title tag is the most... Read More

All About Links -- Interview With Link Building Expert , Bob Gladstein

Julia: Welcome Bob. Thank you for taking the time to... Read More

See No Google, Hear No Google, Speak No Google

That's right - I dreamt of a World Wide Web... Read More

8 ways to build a really bad web site for Search Engines

Some web sites receive hundreds or thousands of unique visitors... Read More

How To Choose Keywords Before they Skyrocket in Popularity

Long before the days of researching phrases with the helpful... Read More

How to Use the Google Patent to Get More Traffic

According to the recent release of the Google Patent Application,... Read More

Ten Critical Website and Search Engine Promotion Mistakes

When it comes to promoting your website, you might think... Read More

More Hits are Good for My Website - A Myth You Should Avoid

I hear this all the time. "I can get you... Read More

Website Optimization, Good Overall Optimization is Key

Good overall optimization, the right keyword phrases and quality content... Read More

Dynamic Pages

Dynamic pages and the Search Engines By Clare Lawrence 10th... Read More

Getting Listed in the ODP, Google Directory

First of all, the Google directory is really just the... Read More

Search Engine Marketing 101: What Search Engines See When They Visit Your Web Site

If you have a Web site, have you ever wondered... Read More

Google Page Rank Is Dead - Or Is It? - Part I

For a long time now, marketing gurus all over the... Read More

Search Engine Optimization - A Beginners Guide

Getting your site listed in the top search engines, such... Read More

Ten Steps To A Well Optimized Website - Step 5: Internal Linking

Welcome to part five in this search engine positioning series.... Read More

What is Google Pagerank?

PageRank is one of the factors that Google uses to... Read More

Search Engine Ranking - What Works Now

The methods employed to increase your search engine rankings may... Read More

Five Tips to Improve Your Chances with Google et al.

"Dear David: I just created a website on baby toy... Read More

Why You Need a SEO Maintenance Plan

A search engine optimization maintenance service plan will ensure that... Read More

Boost Your Website Rankings with Expert Content

The chase for a high web ranking is constantly on... Read More

Google Love - Five Top Tips To Make Google Love Your Site

1. Google love ...Google and all its programming is not... Read More

Search Engine Rankings for Beginners

Search engine optimization is best left in the mystical land... Read More

What are My Chances to Get the First Place in Search Engine Listings?

You must have heard the stories how people became rich... Read More

Search Engine Traffic Myths, Time Wasters, and Pitfalls

Everyone wants to increase their rankings with the search engines... Read More

Branding Versus SEO

Branding versus search engine optimization is a marketing dilemma that... Read More

SEO Quickstart - 3 Things You can Do to Improve Search Engine Rankings Right Now

Increasing your search engine rankings should certainly be one of... Read More

7 Search Engine Optimization Strategy

Search engine optimization refers to the technique of making your... Read More

Search Engine Algorithm Quandaries

Before you make drastic changes to your website after a... Read More

Google Sitemaps: 7 Benefits You Cant Ignore

Google Sitemaps enables Webmasters to Directly Alert Google to Changes... Read More

How To Rank High On MSN Search

The new MSN Search is quickly gaining popularity among internet... Read More