Search engine optimisation for a small store does not need a big budget. It needs a clear structure, pages that answer real questions, and a site that works well. Here is where to focus.
Know what people search for
Think about the words a customer would type, not the words you use internally. A customer looks for "linen shirt for summer", not "SS26 capsule". List the ten most likely phrases for your main products and categories. Free tools such as Google Search Console show which queries already bring people to your site.
Make category and product pages useful
- One main topic per page. A category page for "running shoes" should be about running shoes.
- Write real descriptions. Say what the product is, who it suits, sizes, materials and care. Copying a supplier's text gives search engines no reason to prefer you.
- Use descriptive image file names and alt text, for example "grey merino scarf folded on a table", not "IMG_2041".
- Answer common questions on the page: delivery, returns, sizing.
Get titles and descriptions right
The page title is the headline in search results. Keep it clear, include the main phrase and your brand, and aim to stay under about 60 characters so it is not cut off. The meta description does not directly rank pages, but a clear one of around 150 characters helps people decide to click.
Keep the site structure simple
Visitors and crawlers should reach any product within about three clicks from the homepage. Use readable URLs such as /shop/running-shoes. Link related products and categories to each other. If you remove a product page, redirect it to the nearest relevant page instead of leaving a dead end.
Speed and mobile matter
Most shoppers browse on phones. Compress images, avoid heavy scripts and test on mobile. Our guide to speeding up WordPress applies to most platforms in principle.
Add structured data
Structured data helps search engines understand product pages: name, price, availability and ratings. Most good themes and platforms can output it. Check your product pages with Google's Rich Results Test. Only mark up information that is actually visible on the page, and only show review ratings you really have.
Build trust
Clear contact details, shipping and returns policies, secure checkout and genuine reviews all support conversions, and they matter to people far more than any keyword.
Be patient and measure
SEO takes weeks to months. Set up Search Console and an analytics tool, review them monthly, and improve the pages that already get impressions but few clicks. If you want expert help, we offer technical SEO and analytics as a quoted service.