How do I optimize an e-commerce site without rich content?
On February 26, 2009, Google software engineer Matt Cutts collected questions on Google Moderator and answered many of them on video.
Paddy Moogan from the UK asked:
Hi Matt, what are your opinions on optimising an Ecommerce website where the main pages/products may not necessarily be rich in content?
Duration : 0:1:53
July 17th, 2010 at 4:20 pm
lolol
lolol
July 17th, 2010 at 4:20 pm
@fantasyperson2009 …
@fantasyperson2009 SILENCE Earthling The Google Gods have spoken! feel free to plead your case along with the rest of us who didnt get a “real answer”
July 17th, 2010 at 4:20 pm
so if Google …
so if Google doesn’t have an answer to a question, we change our business? Come on matt. Give me the Google and I will tell you the answer
July 17th, 2010 at 4:20 pm
they have that it’s …
they have that it’s called google product search..
July 17th, 2010 at 4:20 pm
Why would people be …
Why would people be annoyed getting a page with a product, when they want to buy you say….value add, bla bla …no answer…..I would ask yourself…or do you want to find something compelling…if I sell desks…how the heck can you be a high value desk….you never answered the question…yet again no answer.
July 17th, 2010 at 4:20 pm
Alternatively, …
Alternatively, Google should build a product where ecommerce advertisers can submit their site to and “rank”. Something like Froogle, but more betterer.
July 17th, 2010 at 4:20 pm
Your right. That’s …
Your right. That’s why most people should invest into using a professional marketing company with a money back guarantee. If people can’t afford it, they should save up until they can run a web site that people will actually see rather than wasting away your confidence an bank account on hosting and designs alone. Marketing is the engine to your web vehicle.
July 17th, 2010 at 4:20 pm
Actually, my …
Actually, my category pages are populated with like items – same item, but slightly different size etc…. That means duplicate content penalty for that page. Or, in worse case, “keyword stuffing” penalty. It is a catch 22 in my case.
July 17th, 2010 at 4:20 pm
In that case I …
In that case I recommend you to block Googlebot indexing the single product pages, if the products are already listed in the categories pages. That way you will reduce the number of pages in the supplemental results, and will boost the most lucrative pages of your web site.
July 17th, 2010 at 4:20 pm
But but but but … …
But but but but …. what if my ecommerce site has 10,000 product pages? Adding rich, keyword-rich content for EACH product will take many lifetimes.
Aw shucks…..its easier to just pay google for top adwords listings
July 17th, 2010 at 4:20 pm
Video boils down …
Video boils down this.
Q: How do I optimize an e-commerce site without rich content? A: You don’t. So add rich content.
Matt, please add richer content to your video answers.
July 17th, 2010 at 4:20 pm
I’m not sure I …
I’m not sure I understand the answer. So, are you saying that you should just build a different type of site? Or are you saying that you might want to supplement the product pages with some added content that provides added value?