1.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
• I started in SEO about 10 years ago
(when directory submission was still a
thing)
• I’ve worked on agency side and in-house
• I went freelance last August
• Founder of MarketingSyrup
• And I absolutely love eCommerce

2.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
• I started in SEO about 10 years ago (when
directory submission was still a thing)
• I’ve worked on an agency side and in-house
• I went freelance last August
• Founder of MarketingSyrup
• Creator of the SEO Challenge Course
• And I absolutely love eCommerce ♥

3.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
“By 2040, around 95% of all purchases
are expected to be via eCommerce”
(Source: Nasdaq)

4.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest

5.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest

6.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
Source: Segmentify

7.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
How to build specific
categories targeting long-tail
keywords that sell
A scalable edition

8.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
I met this client last year

9.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
At that time I was working
for an agency in Toronto

10.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
$5.99
$4.99
$10.99
$9.99
Medium-sized
Store

11.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
The main product - t-shirts

12.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
The biggest issue…

13.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
All categories were too general

14.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest

15.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
They didn’t rank
for long-tail queries…

16.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
… the queries with
transactional user intent…

17.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest

18.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
…and were just letting their
competitors get all the money!

19.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
Monthly
Search
Volume

20.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
So how do we fix that?

21.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
Create more specific categories
to capture lost opportunities!

22.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
1.
Perform keyword research

23.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
2.
Identify a set of pages
opportunities with the highest
impact

24.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
3.
Send content
recommendations

25.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
4.
Send internal linking
recommendations

26.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
It’s easy, right?

27.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
Oh,
and follow up ~5 times
to make sure the recommendations
are actually being implemented

28.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
It’s not a real SEO recommendation
if it’s implemented right away
© azarchick
”

29.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
3 months later…

30.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
The new pages were created…

31.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
The recommendations were
implemented…

32.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
The traffic was steadily
growing…

33.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
But something was missing…

34.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest

35.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
SCALABILITY

36.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
The new pages captured
~10% of the opportunities

37.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest

38.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
19% 29%
71% was still missing :(

39.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
To go through all these steps again
would mean spending about 1-2 years
on the implementation

40.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest

41.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
That’s why I needed
something more here

42.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
Something that will be
faster and more scalable

43.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest

44.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
The 8-step
eCommerce framework

45.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
That will help any online store
do exactly this:

46.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
Create high-quality sub-categories targeting
long tail keywords with buying user intent
(without spending years on implementation)

47.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
Yay!Yay!Yay!

48.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
Important note:
A store should have filters

49.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
Step 1:
Complete the initial
keyword research

50.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest

51.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
Step 2:
Analyze the existing filters and
find those that will become basis
for the new indexable facets

52.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
Fit
Women
Men
New Balance
Lacoste
Short Sleeve
Sleeveless
Colour
Brand
Style

53.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
• Fit (e.g. for women, for men, for children)
• Colour (e.g. black, green, white)
• Brand (e.g. New Balance)
• Style (e.g. short/long sleeve)
Filters that will become indexable facetsFilters that will NOT become indexable facets
• Price
• Size
• Country of produce

54.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
• Price
• Size
• Country of produce
Filters that will NOT become indexable facetsFilters that will become indexabl
• Fit (e.g. for women, for men, fo
• Colour (e.g. black, green, white
• Brand (e.g. New Balance)
• Style (e.g. short/long sleeve)

55.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
Step 3:
Define the rules for creating
indexable facet pages

56.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
• The facet pages should only be created
for top level categories (e.g. T-shirts)
Filters that will become indexable facets

57.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
• Only the combination for ‘category + filter’
should exist (i.e. no ‘category+filter+filter’
variations should have their separate URLs)
Filters that will become indexable facets

58.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest

59.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
Is this facet for a top level category?
Don’t create a
facet page
Create a facet
page
Will this facet be based on one of
these filters: fit, brand, colour, style?
Will the facet be based on the combination
of ‘category + filter’, e.g. ’t-shirt + green’
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
Should I
create a
facet
page?

60.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
Step 4:
Define the rules for canonicalization
of the new facet pages

61.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
• If a facet page lists 9 or more products
set up a self-referencing canonical
How to choose the right canonical

62.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
• If a facet page has less than 9 products
set up a canonical tag to the parent page
(i.e. top level category)
How to choose the right canonical

63.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
• *9 was the golden middle number in my case.
You can change it
How to choose the right canonical

64.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
Don’t create a facet
page
Create a facet page
Does the page lists
≥ 9 products?
Canonical to itself
Canonical to parent
page
Yes No

65.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
Step 5:
Set internal linking to success

66.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
Link to the new facet pages
using <a href=“”> links

67.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
These are
links
to the new
pages
Fit
Women
Men
New Balance
Lacoste
Short Sleeve
Sleeveless
Colour
Brand
Style

68.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
Step 6:
Create Title & H1 tags templates

69.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
Titles
{Facet Name} {Category Name} in Canada | Brand Name
Green T-Shirts in Canada | Brand Name

70.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
H1s
{Facet Name} {Category Name} in Canada
Green T-Shirts in Canada

71.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
Step 7:
Test everything

72.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest

73.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
Step 8:
Improve!

74.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
(Image from Alexis Sanders’
presentation on perfect vs done -
figures)

75.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
Where are we at right now?

76.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
Complete the initial
keyword research
Analyze the existing
filters and find those that
will become basis for the
new indexable facets
Define the rules for
creating indexable facet
pages
Define the rules for
canonicalization of the
new facet pages
Set internal linking to
success
Create Title & H1 tags
templates
Test everything Improve
1
6
2
5
3
4
7 8

77.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
Will this framework save 2 years
on implementation?

78.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
Yes!

79.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
Will it help to capture
more traffic and $$?

80.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
Absolutely!

81.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
Does it still require resources?

82.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
Yes

83.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
‘But Kristina, what about
the crawl budget?’

84.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
Crawl budget is something
most sites don’t need to
worry about… Unless you
have millions and millions
of URLs”
Source: Google Webmaster Hangouts, Jan 31st, 2020
“

85.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
But for big stores with millions
of pages crawl budget can
become a real issue

86.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
Source: https://izzismith.com/seo-memes/

87.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
There’s an answer!

88.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
Canonicals Noindex

89.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
If the page has <9 products
add <meta name="robots"
content="noindex"> to it

90.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
The 8-step
eCommerce
framework
Step 1: Complete the initial keyword research
Step 2: Analyze the existing filters and find those that will
become the basis for the new indexable facets
Step 3: Define the rules for creating indexable facet pages
Step 4: Define the rules for canonicalization of the new facet pages
Step 5: Set internal linking to success
Step 6: Create Title & H1 tags templates
Step 7: Test Everything
Step 8: Improve!

91.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
I created acceptance criteria
for every step

92.
Kristina Azarenko @azarchick | @techseowomen #WTSFest
bit.ly/8-step-eCommerce

93.
@techseowomen #WTSFest
Thank you!
azarchick
Kristina Azarenko
• eCommerce & Technical SEO Consultant
• Founder of MarketingSyrup
• Creator of the SEO Challenge course