![Shoe Store: use SEO so everyone can find you on internet [SEO checklist]](http://onlineyougrow.com/cdn/shop/articles/cov-seo-checklist-1_6af7fe03-6db4-4020-b4b5-590a11bfb523.png?v=1715867269&width=1100)
SEO isn't just for tech giants and online stores—it's a powerful tool that the best shoe stores in the world use strategically to attract customers.
We understand that you're busy managing your shoe store, and the idea of optimizing your website might feel like an added burden.
But here's the thing: you don't need to be an SEO expert or spend a fortune to make it work. Just a few simple steps can significantly improve your online visibility and bring more customers through your doors.
To help you out, we have built a free SEO checklist - also, for a full action plan, please check our pack of marketing tactics and strategies for shoe store owners.
Get the SEO checklist made for shoe store owners
The best shoe stores rank first on Google. Here is a free tool to to get you started.
What is SEO for shoe stores exactly?
Simply put, SEO is all about making your shoe store’s website more attractive to search engines like Google.
When someone searches for "best running shoes in [Your Town]" or "stylish boots for winter," SEO helps your shoe store show up in the results. The goal is to get your website higher up on the search results page so more people can find and visit your store.
Why is SEO Important for Shoe Stores?
SEO is incredibly important for shoe stores, and here’s why:
- Increased Online Visibility:
The higher your website ranks on search engines, the more people will see it. This means more potential customers discovering your shoe store online, especially when they're looking for footwear options.
- Higher Rankings on Search Engines:
Most people don’t look past the first page of search results. By optimizing your site, you can climb those rankings and beat out the competition. Imagine someone searching for "best sneakers near me" and finding your store right at the top!
- Attracting More Local Customers:
SEO isn't just about getting anyone to your site—it's about getting the right people. Local SEO helps ensure that when someone nearby searches for a place to buy shoes, your store pops up. This means more foot traffic and more customers trying on and buying your shoes.
Key Components of SEO
Now, let’s break down the main parts of SEO specifically for your shoe store:
On-Page SEO
This involves making sure the content on your website is optimized. It includes things like:
- Keywords:
Using the words and phrases people are searching for in your titles, descriptions, and content. For example, if you sell athletic shoes, make sure you use phrases like "best running shoes" or "top-rated athletic footwear" on your site.
- Content Quality:
Providing useful, engaging, and fresh content about your shoe store. Share your latest collections, special offers, upcoming sales, and stories about your brand and team.
- Meta Tags:
Using meta titles and descriptions that are relevant and appealing to searchers. For instance, a meta description for your homepage could be "Discover the latest trends in footwear at [Your Store Name], the top-rated shoe store in [Your Town]."
Off-Page SEO
This focuses on actions taken outside your website to impact your rankings:
- Backlinks:
Getting other reputable websites to link to your site, which signals to search engines that your site is trustworthy and relevant. This could be from fashion bloggers, local news sites, or community event pages.
- Social Media:
Being active on social media with your shoe store’s page can drive traffic to your site and improve your online presence. Share your latest arrivals, customer reviews, and special promotions to engage with your audience.
Technical SEO
This ensures your website meets the technical requirements of search engines:
- Site Speed:
Making sure your website loads quickly. No one likes to wait, especially customers eager to see your latest shoe collection!
- Mobile-Friendliness:
Ensuring your site looks and works well on mobile devices. Many people search for shoes on their phones while on the go.
- Secure Website (HTTPS):
Having a secure website that users (and search engines) can trust. This is especially important if you have an online shopping or reservation system.
Some shoe stores make 5x more profit than you!
We have studied the strategies of the best shoe stores in the world. Replicate them now!
Which keywords should you target for your shoe store?
Shoe store owners, like you, must target specific keywords in SEO because it helps your website appear in search results when potential customers look for the type of shoes or shopping experience you offer. This increases the chances that people will find and visit your store.
For example, if you specialize in running shoes, targeting keywords like "best running shoes" or "running shoes near me" helps attract customers searching for those terms. This makes it easier for people interested in running footwear to find your store online.
Here are some keyword ideas for you, if you want a more developed strategy, with actionable steps, go check out our strategy pack for shoe store owners.
| Keyword | Competitiveness Level | Tips and Initiatives |
|---|---|---|
| Best [Shoe Type] in [Your City] | High | Optimize your website with high-quality images of shoes, gather customer reviews, list on local directories, and use local SEO strategies. |
| Where to buy [Shoe Type] | Medium | Create blog posts or pages on your website highlighting your best shoes, use keywords naturally in content, and engage with local fashion bloggers. |
| Shoe store with good customer service near me | Medium | Use beautiful imagery of your store's interior, gather positive customer reviews, and ensure your Google My Business profile is complete. |
| Best place for [Shoe Type] in [Your City] | Medium | Feature specific shoe types prominently on your website (e.g., sneakers, formal shoes), use local SEO tactics, and promote specials on social media. |
| [Your Shoe Type] store in [Your City] | High | Highlight unique aspects of your shoe collection, create SEO-friendly content about your products, and engage with the local community online. |
| Top-rated [Shoe Type] store near me | High | Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews, optimize your website for mobile, and ensure accurate information on local listings. |
| Affordable [Shoe Type] in [Your City] | Low | Highlight affordable options and specials on your website, use keywords related to value, and promote deals on social media. |
| Where to find [Shoe Type] near me | Medium | Use local SEO strategies, create content around popular shoe styles, and ensure your website is optimized for mobile users searching nearby. |
| Popular [Shoe Type] in [Your City] | Medium | Use social media to share popular shoe styles, engage with local influencers, and gather customer testimonials to build credibility. |
| Best [Shoe Type] for families in [Your City] | Low | Create family-friendly content, highlight amenities for families on your website, and host family-themed events to generate buzz. |
What really matters when you do SEO for a shoe store
Actually, we think that SEO often follows the 80/20 rule, meaning that 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts. For shoe store owners, like you, this means it's crucial to focus on the right strategies to maximize impact without feeling overwhelmed.
| Action / Initiative | Why It Matters / How It Helps Bring New Customers |
|---|---|
| Optimize Google My Business profile | Ensures your shoe store appears in local search results, provides essential information (hours, location, product range), and collects reviews to build trust. |
| Gather and respond to online reviews | Positive reviews build credibility and trust. Responding to reviews shows you value customer feedback, encouraging more people to visit. |
| Create high-quality content with targeted keywords | Helps your website rank higher in search results for relevant queries, attracting customers looking for specific types of shoes or brands. |
| Optimize for local SEO | Ensures your shoe store shows up in local searches (e.g., "shoe stores near me"), driving foot traffic from nearby potential customers. |
| Ensure website is mobile-friendly | Most users search for products on their phones. A mobile-friendly site provides a better user experience, leading to higher engagement and conversions. |
| Use high-quality images of products and store layout | Attractive photos entice potential customers, showcasing your shoe collection and store ambiance, which can significantly influence their decision to visit. |
| Include an online catalog with keywords | Allows search engines to index your product range, helping you appear in searches for specific shoes, and makes it easy for customers to see what you offer. |
| List your store on local directories | Increases your online presence and backlinks, improving your search engine ranking and making it easier for customers to find you. |
| Engage with local fashion bloggers and influencers | Generates buzz and word-of-mouth, reaching a wider audience and attracting customers who trust these local voices. |
| Promote special events and offers | Creates a sense of urgency and excitement, encouraging potential customers to visit your store for unique deals and experiences. |
| Utilize social media to share updates and engage with customers | Builds a community around your store, keeps customers informed about new arrivals, and drives traffic to your website. |
| Ensure accurate and consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) information across all platforms | Prevents confusion, helps search engines trust your business information, and improves your local SEO ranking. |
| Offer online shopping and in-store pickup | Makes it convenient for customers to shop from home or pick up their orders in-store, leading to increased sales and customer satisfaction. |
| Create blog posts about shoe trends and styling tips | Attracts visitors to your site through informative and engaging content, improving SEO and showcasing what makes your store unique. |
Copy the tactics of the best shoe stores in the world!
There are shoe stores that make way more money than you do. We have studied their tactics. Get them now!
What is always useless when you do SEO for a shoe store
We have studied a lot of shoe stores when we built our strategy pack and we saw a lot of SEO-related initiatives that don't help attract new customers. We explain here why they might be a waste of time or even counterproductive.
| Action / Initiative | Why It Doesn't Matter / How It Doesn't Help Bring New Customers |
|---|---|
| Using meta keyword tags | Search engines no longer use meta keyword tags to rank pages, so focusing on them doesn't improve SEO for your shoe store. |
| Keyword stuffing in product descriptions | Overusing keywords in product descriptions makes them hard to read and can be penalized by search engines, turning away potential customers. |
| Paying for backlinks from unrelated websites | Backlinks from non-fashion related or low-quality websites don't improve your SEO and can even hurt your ranking if considered spammy by search engines. |
| Using exact match domains like bestshoesintown.com | Having an exact match domain has minimal impact on SEO and can appear spammy, especially if it doesn't reflect your brand well. |
| Creating multiple pages for the same product | Duplicate content confuses search engines and can dilute your SEO efforts. Focus on one high-quality page for each unique product or topic. |
| Using Flash for product or checkout pages | Flash is outdated, not supported by many devices, and negatively impacts SEO. Modern alternatives like HTML5 should be used instead. |
| Focusing only on desktop optimization | Many customers search for shoes on mobile devices. Ignoring mobile optimization leads to poor user experience and lower search rankings. |
| Using automated link-building tools | These tools often create low-quality or spammy links that can be penalized by search engines, hurting your shoe store's SEO efforts. |
| Ignoring structured data for products | Structured data helps search engines understand your products better. Ignoring it means missing out on potential SEO benefits like rich snippets. |
| Not updating your product listings regularly | Outdated product information can frustrate customers and harm your SEO. Regular updates keep content relevant and maintain search rankings. |
| Using irrelevant stock photos on your site | Low-quality or irrelevant images can negatively impact user experience and SEO. Use high-quality photos of your actual products and store. |
| Over-optimizing anchor text in links | Using exact match keywords for every link appears unnatural and can be penalized by search engines. Use varied, natural anchor text instead. |
| Ignoring page load speed for your website | Slow-loading pages frustrate users and can lead to higher bounce rates, negatively impacting your shoe store's SEO. Ensure your site loads quickly. |
| Using too many ads above the fold on your homepage | Too many ads at the top of the page can be off-putting for users and may be penalized by search engines, impacting your SEO negatively. |
Should you pay someone for the SEO of your shoe store?
Well, let's be transparent. Here’s the thing: SEO can get pretty complex, and having some support can really make a difference. Imagine trying to juggle running your shoe store, managing inventory, keeping customers happy, and then on top of that, diving into the world of search engine optimization. It’s a lot, right?
Having someone handle your SEO means you can focus on what you do best—running your shoe store. SEO experts know the ins and outs of getting your website to rank higher on search engines. They stay updated on the latest trends and algorithms, which means your site will be optimized correctly and consistently. This can lead to more people finding your shoe store online, and ultimately, more customers walking through your doors.
- But here’s the kicker: there are a lot of low-hanging fruits in SEO that you can tackle on your own, even if you don’t know much about it.
You will find a lot of low-hanging fruits that cost nothing, are quick to implement, and will make your shoe store’s website much more visible in strategy pack for shoe store owners.
Simple actions like optimizing your Google My Business profile, ensuring your website is mobile-friendly, and using relevant keywords can significantly improve your online presence. These tasks don't require deep technical knowledge but can make a big impact.
So, should you increase the marketing budget of your shoe store and pay someone to manage your SEO? If you can do it, it’s a worthwhile investment. But don't underestimate what you can achieve on your own. Start with the basics, see the results, and then decide if you need more specialized help.
Make your shoe store more profitable
We have studied the strategies of the best shoe stores in the world. All their tactics are explained in our pack!
Useful tools shoe store owners can use for their SEO
Here are some essential tools that our team has collected and listed, to help you improve your shoe store's online presence and SEO.
| Tool | How It's Useful |
|---|---|
| Google My Business | Ensures your shoe store appears in local search results and Google Maps, provides essential information (hours, location, product offerings), and collects customer reviews. |
| SEMrush | Helps identify the best keywords for your shoe store, analyze competitors, and track your search rankings. Provides insights to improve your content and visibility. |
| Yext | Manages your shoe store's listings across multiple directories, ensuring consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) information to boost local SEO. |
| Google Search Console | Monitors your shoe store website's performance, identifies issues, and provides data on search traffic and keywords to optimize your SEO strategy. |
| Yelp | Collects customer reviews and ratings, which improve your shoe store's online reputation and visibility in local search results. |
| BrightLocal | Offers tools for local SEO audits, citation building, and review management, helping your shoe store improve its local search presence. |
| Moz | Provides keyword research, link building, and site audit tools to enhance your shoe store's SEO efforts and improve search engine rankings. |
| Ahrefs | Analyzes your shoe store's backlink profile, identifies top-performing content, and tracks keyword rankings to boost your SEO strategy. |
| Screaming Frog SEO Spider | Crawls your shoe store's website to identify technical SEO issues, such as broken links and duplicate content, helping improve site health and rankings. |
| AnswerThePublic | Generates content ideas by showing what people are searching for related to your shoe store, helping you create relevant and engaging blog posts and pages. |
| Canva | Helps create visually appealing social media posts and graphics for your website, which can improve user engagement and indirectly boost SEO. |
| Hotjar | Provides insights into user behavior on your shoe store's website through heatmaps and session recordings, helping you optimize user experience and reduce bounce rates. |
Copy the SEO tactics of the best shoe store owners
We understand why many shoe store owners might shy away from SEO and marketing.
Running a shoe store is already a full-time job, and the concept of SEO can seem vague and foreign. The terminology can be confusing, and it often feels like marketing is a luxury only big corporations can afford.
Plus, there's the constant worry about costs and whether any marketing efforts will actually pay off. We get that you prefer to focus on immediate, tangible improvements to your store rather than dive into something that seems complicated and uncertain. No need to deteriorate your store’s budget here.
That's why we've created a "marketing pack" specifically for shoe store owners like you.
Our pack is designed to address all these concerns head-on. It includes easy-to-follow guides that break down SEO and marketing into simple steps, so you don't need to be a tech expert to understand. We offer cost-effective strategies that fit within tight budgets, and our step-by-step plans ensure that you can implement a good marketing strategy for your shoe store without feeling overwhelmed.
Plus, we've included real-life examples and tips that have worked for other small shoe stores, so you can see the tangible benefits before you even start.
Our goal is to make marketing accessible and practical, helping your shoe store thrive without adding extra stress to your already busy life.
Your shoe store could make more money!
Most shoe store owners don't know how to grow their business. Let us teach you the right strategies.
