SSL and responsive - Impact on SEO

SSL and a mobile well-functioning e-commerce platform do the trick for SEO, to say the least. In 2016, we were involved in a case that involved moving an online store to a new platform. During the move, the assignment consisted of assisting so that you do not lose any important balls from an SEO Consultant perspective. The online store has not previously worked with SEO in any form. 

For those of you who have made someone or some move from one platform to another, you know that it is a lot to keep order, you do not want to drop a ball along the way.

When you carry out a platform change, it often means that you get a completely new URL structure. This is one of the most important things to keep in order in the move so you do not lose visitors and serve search engines unnecessary 404 pages. Along with 200 other things to keep in mind when moving, this is one of the most important.

How was the work prepared?

What we did from the start was to secure all current information about the store, both internally and externally. The task was thus to ensure as smooth a transition as possible with the SEO glasses on. Among other things, the following was done in the start-up:

• Spidered the entire online store to make sure we have information about something going wrong in the future
• Exported all information from the Google Search Console for searches, clicks, placements, etc.
• Ensured that all current pages would be redirected to each page in the new URL structure
• Ensured that external links to the store would follow
• Saved down all current titles, H1 and META tags
• Made sure we kept track of the 301 that were already in the old store
• Started following the rankings for almost 500 keywords in the old store

This work had been preceded by a keyword analysis so the almost 500 keywords were not something we invented but are relevant keywords and phrases. This is so that we would have a good idea of ​​how the new store was received by Google in connection with the launch.

How did it go then?

As I said, the difference between the site itself is a new URL structure, slightly changed titles on some pages and that you connected SSL and made the store responsive. The old store was not mobile-friendly. In a case like this, it is of course not possible to point to an individual denominator that affects the end result. Today, there are so many parameters that Google weighs in , so the whole has of course affected the move in general.

But, the result is good. Without us starting to work actively with SEO, the store has, by being made responsive, acquired SSL together with a new platform got a real boost. Not only in terms of design but also in terms of SEO. If we look strictly at the 491 keywords we follow for the store, we have an increase in placements of 21.9%. Without us really starting to work with SEO, only through a well-executed move to a well-functioning platform.

If we look at the organic traffic increase, it is an increase of 26.57%. This indicates that the entire online store has increased its ranking. And now the real work begins!