The fashion industry is all about catching consumers’ eyes with the latest trends, stylish outfits and practical pieces that meet their needs. Without online visibility, this can’t happen. However much you toil away with refining your products – be they sustainable activewear, prom dresses or subculture-specific garments – if you don’t get them in front of prospective buyers, these beautiful pieces you’ve curated are going to stay in your shop’s back room or storage facility. Which is where SEO for fashion brands comes in.
This highly targeted, highly effective strategy is precisely designed to get customers on your clothing website, leading them down your sales pipeline like a trail of digital breadcrumbs. By working with Google’s algorithms, rather than ignoring them, you can turn intrigued one-off visitors into buyers, and one-off buyers into loyal repeat customers.
This process begins with a little homework. Boring, right? Wrong!
Before your eyes glaze over, check this: an effective SEO strategy produces an average ROI of 257%! Besides, once you dig deeper into this topic, you’ll find that it’s more interesting and (the best part) less complicated than you might have given it credit for.
Now you know that it’s both profitable and doable for any fashion brand owner to try their hand at SEO, you’ll be dying to dive in. Here’s everything we’ve learnt from years of supporting ecommerce sites across the Yorkshire region and beyond to improve their online visibility and drive sales.
Skip to:
- Demystifying SEO for fashion brands
- How to build a well-rounded SEO strategy for fashion brands
- Quickfire FAQs
Demystifying SEO for fashion brands
In a post-Amazon world, the retail industry is as competitive as ever. With the landscape completely transformed by the ecommerce giant and the advent of internet shopping – not to mention all of the shiny new innovations springing from them – it can feel tricky to keep up with what’s hot, how customers are behaving and the most appropriate retail marketing tactics to prioritise.
The good news is that SEO, or search engine optimisation in full, is a strategy that isn’t going anywhere. Some might even say that it’s the future of retail.
What is SEO?
If you’re a bit uncertain about what SEO actually is, here’s a quick explainer to get you up to speed.
Search engine optimisation is the strategic methods and practises used to get pages to rank organically in the search engine result pages. These methods include 3 categories:
- On-page SEO – the tactics employed via your website content;
- Off-page SEO – the tactics employed outside of your website;
- And technical SEO – the techy ‘backend’ elements of a website.
Think back to the last time you read a recipe blog. Was there a whole backstory to the recipe or an FAQ section? This is SEO. All of the extra information is there to satisfy popular, relevant queries, which Google has then rewarded with a decent, high-up spot in the search results.
The importance of digital presence
In a digital-first eco-system, SEO is a powerful tool. And that couldn’t be more true of the online retail space, where nearly 60 million Brits do their shopping. Zoom into the fashion sector and you’ll see that more than half of the entire population buy their clothing, bags and accessories online.
Your dream buyer could be browsing the web right now on the lookout for a particular outfit you offer, but if your clothing shop isn’t easily found online, you risk missing out on valuable customers.
Whether that’s a young woman searching for “seamless gym clothes” or a middle-aged guy on a quest to find the perfect “water-resistant walking trousers”, it’s important you serve up high-quality, relevant and interesting content to your audience. A) It keeps them on your page longer, giving you more opportunities to market your products to them, and B) it keeps you on the good side of our search engine overlord, the algorithm.
If your website content, business profiles and social media accounts are optimised with search engines in mind (i.e., implementing the SEO best practices we’ll share later), it means that you’ll get found by the right people at the right time. The longer you keep people on your site, the more favourably search engines will view your content, which equals higher rankings. Higher rankings? More people will go to your page… And so, a cycle emerges.
What makes SEO for fashion ecommerce stores unique
While optimising your website for organic search is a universal practice that any type of business can benefit from, there’s a special precedent for using it in the fashion ecommerce space. Here are a few things to keep top of mind when you consider investing in SEO for fashion.
- About half of all online retail consumers start their purchasing journey with an internet search.
- As the fashion industry is so visually focused, there’s a great opportunity to leverage image search as you promote your products.
- The average clothing shopper is browsing with a specific item in mind – from aesthetic considerations like colour and style to more practical things such as size, fit and materials – this is ripe ground for implementing a solid SEO keyword strategy.
- Fashion is an oversaturated, volatile and highly competitive market, meaning that you need to stand out from the crowd and keep your ear to the ground as new trends emerge.
- As apparel thrives off seasonal marketing, there’s an added incentive to the frequent monitoring of your site’s SEO performance and looking for ways to continually improve.
How to build a well-rounded SEO strategy for fashion brands
There are many reasons why SEO is a winning marketing strategy for fashion businesses, but if we were to go into them all in detail we’d be here until the cows come home. So here are just 5 key areas you can work on today to increase your website engagement, page rankings in search results and, ultimately, boost sales.
Step 1: Revamp your website
As a small business owner, your website should be your pride and joy. After all, isn’t it merely an extension of your bricks-and-mortar store? And that’s not all, while a website primarily functions as a sales channel, it also says a lot about your character, brand mission and expertise. A smart website with good functionality exudes professionalism, and it need not be expensive.
The important parts to nail down are all to do with keeping its users happy, which are for the most part easy and cheap to implement.
Almost 70% of online shoppers go straight to the search bar when they visit ecommerce stores, but not many stick around for long. Get this – 80% admit to leaving the site when their expectations are let down. This is likely down to a few things:
Slow loading speeds
Who likes a website that loads at a snail’s pace? Not me! And that’s true for pretty much all internet users, so make sure that you tweak your website until it falls into the sweet spot of 1-2 seconds (the golden ratio to keep users sticking around).
To check how your site is currently performing you can use Google Search Console for free, but a good place to start is by removing unnecessary plugins, moving banners and bloated code. If this sounds alien to you, feel free to reach out to one of our experts for some sound web design advice and next steps.
Poor navigation
If your website is confusing to get around, people will click off. The best online selling platforms have a clear, appealing design with visual hierarchies that naturally guide the eye from the most important elements on the page downwards. Keep things clean, logical and don’t forget alt image tags for visually impaired folks depending on screen readers.
Poor internal search
If users can’t find the items/categories they type into your ecommerce site’s search box, they’re probably going to close the tab and try one of your competitors. Make sure the search function is easy to spot, you have detailed listings, incorporate tags and categories, and the whole experience will be improved for users.
Lack of mobile optimisation
When designing a website, you need to think about screens of all sizes, and that includes smart devices. If a website is formatted poorly or functions are unusable on mobile, customers will check out of your site – and not in a good way! Ensure the design is user-friendly, simple and quick to navigate. Trust me, this will make a world of difference.
Broken links and other technical errors
If links on your ecommerce site take you to the wrong page, a broken URL or simply don’t load, you’re actively discouraging people from buying your products. Sometimes, these issues are as simple as a spelling mistake in a URL that you can edit and redirect, but other times it’s more complicated.
Things like missing metadata and structural issues with your site might be trickier to identify. To check for all of these problems and more, I suggest running through our ecommerce website SEO checklist – it goes through absolutely everything you’ll need to tweak in order to keep it ticking along nicely.
Step 2: Get local
If you’re struggling to promote your business locally, listen extra carefully to this next section, because oh boy we have some handy tips. By leveraging the power of local search, you can reach a whole new audience right on your doorstep and drive people not only to your online store but your physical location too.
Optimising for local search
To optimise SEO for fashion brands and clothing ecommerce stores, it’s essential to target relevant keywords. The top keyword research on the market include Moz Keyword Explorer (Web), Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs Free SEO Tools and SEMrush. These tools are highly effective in our experience.
While the freemium versions of these tools offer limited searches, partnering with an SEO expert can also prove a cost-effective solution. SEO agencies/freelancers often include tool subscriptions in their fees, providing you with comprehensive keyword research without the extra price tag.
Keyword implementation
When conducting keyword research for your brand, don’t just choose terms with high search volumes. Focus on relevance and competition level. Long-tail keywords – AKA phrases with three or more words – are usually easier to rank for and more specific to user intent as you can more accurately satisfy your audience’s queries.
Strategically placing keywords in your content is crucial. Here’s where to include them:
- URL
- Metadata
- Main header (H1)
- First paragraph of your content
Maintaining a keyword density of 1-3% in your body text is a must as overusing keywords can appear spammy to both users and search engines, potentially harming your ranking. Always prioritise natural, engaging content for your audience over algorithm optimisation.
If your fashion brand targets a local market, perform keyword research specific to your area. Local users might use different search terms such as regional synonyms. KW Finder is one of our favourite tools for researching keywords by nation, region, or city. It’ll help you tailor your strategy to local search behaviours.
Business listings
A good starting point is to create or claim your Google My Business listing and verify all the information. This will help your business show up in local map searches and improve your local visibility when people google your brand name, or queries related to your content. Having accurate and consistent citations in various directories is beneficial for local SEO, so make sure you’re not just copying and pasting the same block of text each time. We have compiled a list of over 60 top UK business directories for SEO along with some useful advice.
Utilising reviews
Another aspect of local online marketing strategy that is particularly tied to clothing products is exploiting the power of customer reviews. First of all, they play a meaningful role in shaping the success and credibility of fashion brands. These reviews provide potential buyers with genuine insights into product quality, fit, and overall satisfaction, helping them make informed purchasing decisions. Positive reviews can enhance your brand’s reputation, build trust, and encourage more conversions as a whopping 70% of British shoppers look at multiple customer reviews before making a purchase decision, with 27% likely to watch reviews on social media.
On top of this, there is an SEO impact. One of the key benefits of reviews is their ability to generate rich snippets. Rich snippets are enhanced search results that display additional information such as star ratings, number of reviews, and even specific comments directly on the search engine results page (SERP). These snippets make your listing more attractive and informative, potentially increasing click-through rates.
It’s also a good idea to think about Google Seller Ratings, which aggregate reviews from verified purchasers. These ratings are displayed prominently in Google Ads and organic search results, providing users with a quick and trustworthy assessment of your business’s reputation. By encouraging customers to leave reviews and ensuring these reviews are indexed by Google, you can improve your site’s SEO, drive more traffic, and ultimately increase conversions.
Step 3: Create sharp content
Search engines love fresh, relevant content that captures readers’ attention and keeps them on the page. Plus, the fashion industry moves quickly, so there’s a huge demand for high-quality, unique content. Whether you’re writing product descriptions, fashion blogs, how-to guides, or social media posts, this is your opportunity to show off your knowledge and creativity.
Customer-centric content
Write about the things your target customers are interested in and align your content with their purchasing journey. For example, a fashion blog for your activewear store could cover topics like workout tips, fitness trends, and how to style athleisure wear.
Keyword rich content
Use tools like those we discussed earlier to find out what terms people are searching for in relation to your products. Incorporate these keywords naturally into your content to help search engines understand what your page is about.
User-generated content (UGC)
Encourage customers to share their own photos and reviews of your products on social media. You can then feature this content on your website, which not only provides social proof but also adds fresh, unique content to your site.
Visual elements
Fashion is a visual industry, so make sure your content includes high-quality images and videos. If yours are blurry, it may result in a dip in trust and, thus, engagement. Incorporating these elements can significantly enhance user interaction and entice visitors to spend more time exploring your website.
Writing quality copy
Writing good copy for fashion brands involves a blend of creativity, clarity, and strategic thinking. To begin with, your copy should reflect the brand’s unique voice and resonate with your target audience. This means understanding their desires, pain points, and language preferences. Start with a strong headline that grabs attention and succinctly conveys the essence of your message.
Use vivid, descriptive language to paint a picture of your products, highlighting features and benefits that matter most to your customers. Incorporating storytelling elements helps create an emotional connection, whether it’s the inspiration behind a collection or how your sustainable practices make a difference. Be concise and avoid jargon; clear, easy-to-read copy ensures your message is accessible to all readers. And always include a compelling call-to-action (CTA) that guides the reader towards the next step, whether it’s making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or following your social media channels.
Okay, I get it. But where can I see these techniques in action?
We suggest taking a look at big fashion brands’ blogs like Fatface and Nike who provide actionable information on a whole range of relevant topics from extending the mileage of your shoes to outfit ideas for specific occasions.
Internal linking structure
Internal linking is a helpful tool in guiding your buyers through their journey on your fashion ecommerce site. Search engines like Google follow links to digest and rank your content, and a well-linked page signals to these engines that the content is well-produced. By strategically placing relevant, properly formatted internal links, you can direct visitors and search engines to your most important pages, such as best-selling products, seasonal collections, or informative blog posts.
Think of internal links as a roadmap for your customers and search engines alike. When a user lands on a blog post about styling summer outfits, a well-placed internal link can guide them to a product page for a summer dress or a category page featuring similar items. This not only enhances the user experience by providing relevant content but also helps Google understand the structure and priority of your site’s content.
However, it’s important to be strategic. Overloading a page with links – more than about 100, including both internal and external – can dilute the value each link passes on. Keep your internal links purposeful and focused on driving traffic to the most crucial parts of your site. By doing so, you ensure that both users and search engines have a clear path to follow, ultimately boosting your search engine rankings and keeping visitors engaged for longer.
Step 4: Encourage others to link to your site
Backlinks, or inbound links from other websites, are like votes of confidence for your site in the eyes of search engines. The more high-quality backlinks you have, the more authority your site will have, which can improve your search rankings.
Organic backlinks
The easiest way to gain backlinks without paying for them is to produce content that others will want to link to, such as how-to guides, infographics, and industry reports. The more valuable and informative your content is, the more likely others will link to it on their own platforms. The links are called “organic backlinks”.
Conducting SEO outreach
Conducting outreach is a good way to boost your backlink profile and acquire high-quality links, which are essential for improving your website’s authority and search engine rankings. Outreach involves connecting with bloggers, influencers, and industry experts to create mutually beneficial relationships, often through guest posts, collaborations, or content sharing.
Reach out to fashion bloggers, influencers, and other relevant websites to build relationships and earn backlinks. This could involve guest posting, collaborating on content, or simply asking them to link to your site.
Also, don’t forget to promote your content on social media to increase its visibility and encourage others to share it. This can lead to more backlinks and social signals, which drive traffic to your site.
This organic approach not only helps in acquiring valuable backlinks but also enhances your brand’s credibility and visibility. However, paying for backlinks is a contentious practice and can be risky, so do be careful to follow Google’s guidelines in this area.
Step 5: Complement with additional strategies
SEO is a powerful tool, but it works best when combined with other digital marketing strategies. Here are a few complementary tactics to consider.
Email marketing
Email marketing remains one of the most effective tools for fashion brands to engage with their audience, foster loyalty, and drive sales. With a well-crafted email campaign, you can deliver personalised content directly to your customers’ inboxes, keeping them informed about new arrivals, exclusive offers, and upcoming sales.
By segmenting your email list based on customer behaviour, preferences, and purchase history, you can tailor your messages to resonate with different groups. For instance, sending a sneak peek of a new collection to your most loyal customers or offering a special discount to those who haven’t made a purchase in a while.
You can glean valuable insights through metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates, enabling you to refine your strategy and continuously improve your campaigns and learn more about your audience.
Social media marketing
Social media is a dynamic and indispensable platform for fashion brands to showcase their collections, engage with their audience, and build a loyal community. Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Pinterest offer unique opportunities to visually captivate your audience with high-quality images, videos, and stories that highlight your products and brand personality. After all, these platforms are the birthplace of so many trends, “internet aesthetics” and memes.
By regularly posting engaging content, such as behind-the-scenes looks, user-generated content, influencer collaborations, and interactive polls, you can foster a sense of connection and excitement among your followers.
Social media also allows for real-time interaction, enabling you to respond to comments, address customer inquiries, and build relationships that translate to brand loyalty. Use insights into audience demographics to implement market segmentation and target each segment more granularly.
Pay-per-click advertising
Pay-per-click, also known as PPC, is an advertising method tied up with bidding to have your website displayed for specific keyword search terms. The handy part is that you only pay for the ad when someone clicks on it.
PPC advertising can work wonders in the fashion industry, offering brands a way to instantly drive traffic and boost visibility for specific products or collections. Given the highly competitive nature of the fashion market, PPC ads can help fashion brands stand out by placing their offerings at the top of search engine results pages (SERPs) and on popular social media platforms.
This type of search engine marketing is a highly effective and budget-friendly way to ensure that your page ranks well for the most important keywords in your niche, with visibility being crucial during peak seasons and product launches when consumer interest is at its highest.
Some quickfire insights before you go: Do you need to pay for SEO?
It’s rare that we have a cut-and-dry answer for SEO topics, but in this instance we do. The answer is no, well not necessarily.
The main aspects of SEO are best practices you can weave into your existing processes. With everything from websites, research tools and local business listings being available for free, you don’t need to spend a single penny.
The real question here is do you want to pay for SEO?
A reputable SEO agency like beefound can guide your fashion ecommerce site in the right direction with expert knowledge and a whole suite of premium SEO tools at their disposal – all for a reasonable cost. If your budget allows it, you can find that outsourcing all the extra work here can be a profitable way to encourage small business growth as you expand into new markets and diversify your offering.
Time to put your learning to the test
There we go – everything you need to know in order to take the first steps with your own SEO strategy for fashion ecommerce. Begin by fixing simple mistakes with your website, claim any local listings, start publishing useful content, get link-building and look to complementary tactics.
Once you feel confident with each of the 5 steps we’ve outlined above, you’ll see a natural improvement in your site’s performance and your ability to apply our tips to your content. Of course, as a newbie, you may find the process riddled with trial and error, but when you make your first breakthrough it will all be worthwhile. It’s all about taking best practices before eventually turning them into automatic habits. The better you get at it, the quicker and easier it will be. And if you need a hand, there is no lack of experienced professionals out there willing to share their insights. For one, our friendly specialists are poised and ready to offer assistance, whether it’s a website audit or paid ads on your mind. Give us a ‘buzz’and we’ll see what
