As the world of ecommerce grows evermore competitive, the pressure is on to stand out from the crowd. Search engine results pages (SERPs) are at the centre of this challenge, as the most common way potential customers find your site.
With all the hard work going into boosting your SERP rankings, you want to make sure you’re getting the best results possible from your efforts. One way of doing this is through schema markup. In this post, we’ll discuss what schema markup is and why your ecommerce store needs it.
What is schema markup?
Put simply, schema markup is code that is loaded onto your site to help search engines provide more relevant results for users. The schema markup input onto your site makes it easier for search engines to generate “rich snippets” or “rich results”, which provide further information below the site’s URL.
So, for instance, you may include ratings and reviews, pricing, availability or location, depending on your product or service. But what are the benefits of all this extra information?
1. Adjust information quickly
Very few ecommerce businesses sell their products or services for the same price year-round. Most likely, your prices will change depending on inflation, clearance sales and length of time on the shelf. Updating this information and letting Google in on these changes using schema is quick and easy.
Simply alter your code to the correct pricing, making as many adjustments as you need each day. For retailers, this tool comes in handy during seasonal periods, like Christmas. Prices can fluctuate rapidly during the build up to Christmas and the Boxing Day and January sales, meaning your prices need to be accurate. If they’re not, you risk losing valuable sales or putting extra pressure on your customer service team.
2. Show off positive reviews
You’ve worked hard for great customer satisfaction and plenty of positive reviews and ratings, so why not show them off? By adding your reviews into your schema, you enable Google to add them to your SERP result, enticing customers and promoting your great products or services.
With 77% of shoppers looking at online reviews before making purchases, highlighting your best products and ratings could drastically improve your click-through rate and boost your sales.
3. Highlight social media profiles
Some ecommerce businesses rely on establishing good relationships with their customers. Service-based companies or retailers that sell large and expensive products, for instance, can’t simply appeal to customers with pricing. When making large purchases or signing up to services, many consumers want to get to know the brand before committing to the sale.
By driving customers to social media pages, you can successfully engage users without pressurising them to make a purchase. Allow users to continue their conversation and research over on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter, without forgetting about your company all together.
4. Boost your PPC
Schema markup won’t just benefit your website’s SEO, it’ll also help improve your pay-per-click (PPC) advertisements. Google often checks that the prices on your adverts match up with the prices displayed on your website, penalising those with mismatched prices across platforms.
By keeping up with regular schema changes, you can make sure your ads are accurate and up to date with the latest pricing. Not only will you stay on Google’s good side by being honest and open, but your customers will be aware of your competitive pricing.
Give schema markup a go
Whether you sell women’s clothing, technology or dog walking services on your ecommerce site, schema markup could transform your online presence and boost your bottom line.
At Fluid Digital, we understand that getting to grips with schema code and ecommerce terminology can be tricky. That’s why we offer tailored Magento support packages to provide you with all the information and guidance you need. Get in touch with our team to learn more.