Jeff Oxford’s preliminary try at ecommerce was promoting dropshipped beer pong tables in 2013. The enterprise, he says, didn’t survive, however his love for optimizing natural search site visitors did. Thus started his web optimization profession and the launch of 180 Advertising, his company.
Quick ahead to 2024, and Jeff is an ecommerce web optimization authority. Hyperlink constructing was on his thoughts when he appeared on the podcast in 2022. He now advises engagement — getting people to click on an natural search itemizing and devour the web page’s content material — and reminds retailers that AI search has helped ecommerce rankings.
He and I mentioned these techniques and extra in our current dialog. Our total audio is embedded beneath. The transcript is edited for readability and size.
Eric Bandholz: Give us a fast rundown of who you’re.
Jeff Oxford: I’ve been an ecommerce web optimization nerd for 13 years. I bought into it by making an attempt to start out my very own dropshipping websites, like promoting beer pong tables or 3D printers, however issues didn’t go as deliberate. That’s once I fell in love with search engine marketing, significantly for ecommerce web sites, and I’ve caught with it. web optimization will be difficult, however at its core, it’s about just a few key actions to assist websites rank higher.
When you’re seeking to rank effectively in 2025, consumer engagement is essential. Google determines whether or not guests click on in your website, keep, or rapidly hit the again button. Person engagement is a powerful sign for rankings. You may have a wonderfully optimized web page, however you gained’t rank effectively if folks aren’t staying.
Google’s information leak earlier this 12 months confirmed what many SEOs suspected — user engagement performs a big position in rankings. web optimization practitioners theorize that Google collects information from Android units and Chrome to evaluate how lengthy folks keep on a website, influencing rankings.
Bandholz: How do you defend in opposition to bots that try to control engagement information by visiting and bouncing off competitor websites?
Oxford: The press-through charge on search end result pages is a serious rating issue. Extra clicks ought to enhance rankings. Rand Fishkin, a outstanding web optimization skilled, demonstrated this with stay experiments through which folks clicked on a website and boosted its rating from fifth to 1st or 2nd in actual time.
However manipulating the click-through charge through bots isn’t that simple. Google has superior know-how to detect pretend clicks, primarily to guard its advert system. Google screens patterns, IPs, and behaviors. So, should you tried to flood your website with bot site visitors, Google would seemingly detect it. Some folks use platforms comparable to Mechanical Turk to pay for handbook clicks, however making the sample look pure is difficult. Spikes in site visitors are crimson flags, and Google makes use of sample recognition to detect anomalies.
Bandholz: With AI evolving, how can firms detect if rivals are utilizing malicious AI techniques?
Oxford: Adverse web optimization assaults have been a extra outstanding concern earlier than 2014. Again then, unhealthy backlinks may penalize a website, and rivals may construct spammy hyperlinks to harm you.
Nevertheless, in 2014 Google changed its approach. As a substitute of penalizing websites for unhealthy hyperlinks, they devalue or ignore them. The identical applies to click on manipulation. Google can’t all the time inform if the clicking manipulation is from the positioning proprietor or a competitor. It’s extra about neutralizing the results reasonably than handing out penalties.
Bandholz: What are some techniques for growing click-throughs and dwell time?
Oxford: Dwell time is simpler to manage because it relies on the consumer expertise. To enhance it, concentrate on fast page loads and usefulness. Fundamental conversion charge optimization strategies, comparable to A/B and usefulness testing, can assist hold guests engaged.
To extend branded traffic, although, it’s extra about good digital advertising and marketing than manipulation. When you’re operating robust branding and advertising and marketing campaigns, your branded search site visitors will enhance naturally. You may run Fb advertisements, sponsor occasions, or create content material. Branded search is a symptom of excellent digital advertising and marketing, not the direct objective.
Bandholz: Is there nonetheless a chance for bottom-of-funnel web optimization methods to seize gross sales for folks looking for merchandise?
Oxford: Completely. Backlinks nonetheless work surprisingly well regardless of many pondering they’re lifeless. A lot of the top-ranking websites nonetheless have backlinks. For ecommerce websites, getting backlinks to class pages can assist with rankings. Google confirmed this in its algorithm leak — backlinks stay a confirmed rating issue.
It’s tougher to get backlinks immediately than it was 10 years in the past. Again then, we may ship bulk emails to journalists and get backlinks rapidly. However now, bloggers know their worth. They’re extra prone to ask for cash in trade for backlinks. Nevertheless, ecommerce websites can nonetheless construct backlinks via product critiques. You’ll be able to contact bloggers, supply free merchandise for trustworthy critiques, and earn backlinks.
Bandholz: What else ought to entrepreneurs and operators think about when bettering their web optimization?
Oxford: Moreover engagement metrics and hyperlink constructing, optimized content material is crucial. Many ecommerce websites overlook category pages and have solely a product grid and a heading. Including 200 to 300 phrases of related content material, discussing the advantages of merchandise, audience, and utilization ideas can assist these pages rank higher. You don’t need fluffy content material. As a substitute, concentrate on useful data for potential patrons.
Bandholz: How a lot ought to manufacturers price range for optimum web optimization?
Oxford: It relies on your area of interest. In a aggressive house like weight reduction dietary supplements or CBD, you’re tens of hundreds of {dollars} a month. For much less aggressive niches, $2,000 to $3,000 may suffice. For ecommerce websites with seven or eight figures in annual income, a price range of $3,000 to $8,000 per 30 days is typical. A lot of the price range will go towards hyperlink constructing, content material creation, and technical SEO.
Bandholz: What different developments do you see within the ecommerce web optimization house?
Oxford: Many retailers panicked over artificial intelligence, worrying it’d take market share from Google or damage web optimization. However AI has been useful for ecommerce websites. Google not too long ago cracked down on low-quality affiliate blogs making an attempt to rank for “better of” key phrases, wiping out round 90% of those websites. Now, ecommerce websites are benefiting as they’re absorbing a variety of this site visitors.
Google is prioritizing manufacturers over generic affiliate websites. Ecommerce manufacturers with bodily areas, verified critiques, and a reliable presence get favored in rankings. So, you probably have an ecommerce website, running a blog can be extra impactful now than ever.
Bandholz: The place can folks study extra?
Oxford: Our web site is 180marketing.com. I’m on LinkedIn.
