How to Leverage Search Engine Optimisation for E-commerce Success

Running an online store is exciting, but it comes with challenges—one of the biggest being visibility. 

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How do you ensure potential customers find your store in the crowded e-commerce space? 

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The answer: SEO (Search Engine Optimisation).

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SEO strategy isn’t just about keywords and backlinks anymore. Images now play a crucial role in both search rankings and overall success. 

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The best part? You don’t need to hire an expensive photographer to get high-quality visuals.

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In this article, we’ll explore why SEO is essential for e-commerce, how visuals impact search rankings, and the best practices for optimising AI-generated images to boost your online store’s visibility.

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1. Why SEO is important for e-commerce

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You’ve probably heard it before—SEO is the lifeblood of online visibility. 

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But let’s break it down: SEO is what makes sure that when people search for products like yours, your store shows up on the first page of Google (or any other search engine). 

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^{Here’s the kicker: almost 93% of online experiences start with a search engine.} 

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If your store isn’t showing up in search results, you’re missing out on a massive potential audience.But here is the thing: SEO isn't just about inserting keywords. 

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It means creating a smooth, high-quality experience for your visitors. 

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You want it to be user-friendly, fast-loading, and of course full of great content to which people come and stick around. And one of the best ways you can do this is through visual content.

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Now, picture this: You click on a product page, excited to check out an item, only to be met with blurry, low-quality images.

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Frustrating, right? That’s exactly how potential customers feel when they can’t clearly see what they’re buying.

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Visuals aren’t just about making your store look good—they have a direct impact on user experience, trust, and ultimately, SEO rankings.

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^{In fact, nearly 7 in 10 shoppers say high-quality product images are a major factor in their buying decisions.}

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Crisp, well-shot visuals can make or break a sale. Beyond that, showing products in real-life scenarios—whether through professional photography, lifestyle shots, or user-generated content—has been found to increase conversions by up to 6%.

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When customers see an item in action, they’re more likely to imagine themselves using it, making them more confident in their purchase.

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A great example is Fenty Beauty, which features beautifully shot product images, texture close-ups, and diverse models—including Rihanna—using the products. You’ll also find videos showcasing the products in action.

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2. Visual content and SEO: A perfect marriage

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So, why do visuals matter for SEO?

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Well, Google, or any other engine, only wants to create the best experience for the people using it.

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In other words, good visuals don't make your site look great, they make it a lot more engaging.

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The more time users spend on your site, it is a word to Google that your content deserves to be spent time. But here is the thing: search engines can't "see" images as we do.

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They rely on alt text—the descriptions you add to your image size—and file names to make out what's in an image.

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Thus, the more optimised your images are, the better the chance you have of popping up high in the results of any search.

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You might be thinking, "Okay, but what if I don't have the time or budget to hire a photographer for each of my many products?" That's where AI tools come into play.

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It provides high-quality, customised images of your products at very high speed and low cost, so that you can return your focus to what really matters: growing your business.

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2.1 Best practices for SEO and image optimisation

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Now that we have discussed just how critical images are to SEO, let alone user experience, let's dive in and cover how to make your AI-generated images work hardest for you.

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Here are a few best practices to have your creative get to work as hard as possible: 

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2.1.1 Alt text: Don't skip it!

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One of the most important items that usually gets skipped in visuals relates to alt text. 

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That is the text that shows up when something goes wrong with loading the image, but more importantly, it is how search engines perceive what your image is. 

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The other thing, when you're generating an image with an AI, is to add alt text describing what's in a picture. Of course, put your main keyword in if it would naturally sound good.

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For example, instead of naming it "shoe1.jpg", describe it: "blue-sport-sneakers-for-men.jpg." 

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This may help!

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Google finds out what's there in the image and gives it a chance to place that particular keyword. 

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2.1.2 Compressing your images 

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High-quality images would be great, but their huge file size really increases the time it takes your site to load while possibly harming SEO rankings. 

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The more likely visitors will be to leave without buying, the slower your site will load up.

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The images created with the help of AI normally come in optimised sizes, but it's a good practice to compress them even further.

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This way, your images load fast without losing their quality, and that keeps your site user- and SEO-friendly.

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2.1.3 Descriptive file names count

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When you upload any image, the filename becomes as important as the alt text.

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Instead of leaving it as some vague "image123.jpg," use a name describing the product, like "red-leather-jacket-women.jpg." 

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That gives Google more context on what's inside the image to help your site rank better when people are performing an image search.

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2.2 Create unique visuals with AI

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Equally cool as AI image generators is the freedom to create unique visuals for your products in style—from lifestyle shots, 360-degree product views, or creative promotional images—while AI relieves you of the headache associated with traditional photography. 

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Free and paid tools like Canva, Pebblely, Runway ML, Midjourney, and DALL·E let you create high-quality, brand-aligned visuals with minimal effort.

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The results will definitely make you different from your competitors.

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Consistency is key. 

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Everything should be cohesive with an e-commerce brand, especially the visuals.

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AI-generated images ensure that product visuals follow a unified aesthetic, reinforcing your brand’s identity.

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Whether you sell apparel, electronics, or interior products, consistent imagery enhances professionalism and trust.

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‍^{Tip: Use AI tools to create seasonal or themed visuals effortlessly, keeping your product imagery fresh without the cost of new photoshoots.}

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2.3 Tools and technologies to step up your e-commerce success

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2.3.1 SEO tools

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Platforms like SEMrush, Ahrefs, and Moz help identify the best keywords for your product pages, improving visibility in search results.

2.3.2 Site audits

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Tools like Screaming Frog and Google Search Console analyse your website’s SEO health, highlighting issues such as broken links, duplicate content, and missing alt text.

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2.3.3 Image optimisation & alt text tools

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High-quality, optimised images are key to fast-loading pages and better rankings. Here are essential tools to streamline image SEO:

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• TinyPNG / TinyJPG & Kraken.io compress images without losing quality to improve load speed.
• Cloudinary dynamically optimises and delivers images in the best format for each user.
• Alt Text AI: uses AI to create accurate alt text for images, improving accessibility and SEO.
• Tota11y & Axe DevTools identify accessibility gaps, including missing alt text, to ensure compliance with web standards.

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2.3.4 SEO-friendly CMS

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‍Using an e-commerce platform with built-in SEO tools can simplify optimisation:

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• Shopify & WooCommerce offer native SEO features and plugins to automate alt text and image compression.
• BigCommerce provides automatic image optimisation and structured data for enhanced search visibility.

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By leveraging these tools, you can improve page speed, accessibility, and search rankings—driving more traffic and conversions to your store.

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SEO e-commerce is no longer about keywords and product descriptions; rather, it's all about this high-quality holistic experience that one's customer receives. 

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The best part? You don’t need to be a tech expert. Using AI-generated imagery enhances your site’s visuals and layout, helping it stand out in search rankings.