How To Do D2C SEO For Your Brand: A Complete Guide

Direct-to-consumer eCommerce is a strategy in which traditional B2B companies or new startups sell their products directly to end-consumers via their eCommerce website. If you run a company that sells products directly to consumers, then it is recommended that you opt for professional D2C SEO services rather than opting for the DIY way.

When developing a direct-to-consumer brand, it is critical to develop a search engine optimization strategy. SEO is the process of optimizing your eCommerce content for Google in order to increase organic traffic to your online store. You use different SEO tools, strategies and optimization methods to achieve the first position for different keywords.

It is critical to develop your foundational SEO knowledge as a direct-to-consumer (D2C or DTC) brand. This guide is intended to help you understand the significance of SEO and how to develop and implement a solid SEO strategy for your company.

Importance of D2C SEO For Brands

SEO is a key marketing factor that could decide the success of any brand. As Direct to Consumer brands are mainly focused on eCommerce sales, it is essential for them to bring high quality search traffic on their website. Here’s how D2C SEO services can help them do so:

1. Higher product page ranking in the SERPs
2. Increasing overall visibility
3. High quality traffic
4. Better revenue 
5. Boosting organic traffic and optimizing marketing budget

Using SEO, a D2C brand can help their marketing and customers in a number of ways. Keep reading this post to know more about D2C brands and SEO for them.

Exploring The Search Interest In Different Direct-To-Consumer (D2C) Markets

A D2C business can operate in a variety of sectors. Let’s explore some examples of search interest in distinct D2C sectors.

The first sector we’ll consider is pet-care businesses. The global monthly search volume for the keywords ‘dog snacks’ totals 84 thousand. Of this total, the United States (US) accounts for 44 thousand searches, the United Kingdom (UK) for 11 thousand, India for 5.6 thousand, and Australia for 4.5 thousand. This data suggests a consistent search demand for this phrase across many nations.

Moving on to the wellness industry, ‘skin care’ receives 537 thousand monthly global searches. Brazil generates 193 thousand searches, the United States contributes 73 thousand, India accounts for 42 thousand, and Indonesia for 26 thousand. Once again, we observe significant search interest from various nations.

Finally, in the fitness category, ‘sportswear’ receives 74 thousand monthly global searches. The United States leads with 11,000 searches, followed by the United Kingdom with 7.2 thousand, France with 6.3 thousand, and Italy with 4.2 thousand.

This data underscores the importance of SEO services for any D2C firm, regardless of their specialization. A skilled SEO service can analyze this data and leverage it to enhance your website’s visibility.

As the costs and competition for PPC advertisements and social media marketing continue to rise, developing a robust SEO strategy can attract thousands of interested visitors to your site each month, all while saving you money. This, in turn, positions you for a solid long-term return on investment.

Why Do Direct-To-Consumer Brands Require SEO?

As a D2C brand, your website is more than just an e-commerce store. You must not only convert ready-to-buy shoppers, but also raise brand awareness among potential customers while they are still at the beginning of their customer journeys.

That means you must interact with customers at various stages of their customer lifecycles. You can tailor your messages to your potential customers and introduce your brand to them early by carefully crafting content that targets different search keywords.

This means you should communicate with customers at various stages of the customer journey.

As a result, your communications should be tailored to your prospects, while your brand requires recommendations early in the process. SEO is one of the top two most important acquisition channels and the top organic one for D2C brands.

Let’s go over the four steps to developing a D2C SEO strategy that will attract and convert customers.

Step 1: Assess Your D2C SEO Situation

If you have not put much thought into your SEO strategy in the past, the first step is to assess your current organic search performance. Assuming you have installed Google Analytics on your website, you can use the ‘Acquisition’ reports in Google Analytics to see how much traffic you have received from organic search and how it performs on your website in comparison to traffic from other channels.

However, Google Search Console is required to understand how your website performs in Google searches. You can use Google Search Console to determine the number of search impressions, clicks, click-through rate, and average ranking position for a specific search term. 

You can perform some analyses directly in Google Search Console and export the results to Google Sheets. For more advanced users, the Search Analytics for Sheets add-on can retrieve data and create automatic backups from Google Search Console into Google Sheets.

Step 2: Branded Versus Unbranded Search

Branded searches are search queries that include your company’s name. For us, branded searches include terms like ‘PageTraffic’ or ‘PT.com.’ Branded searches come from people who are familiar with your company or products and are looking for more information.

They are usually from existing customers or prospective customers who are close to making a purchase decision. Non-branded searches, on the other hand, are queries that do not include your brand name. Non-branded searches are typically performed by people who are unfamiliar with your brand but are interested in something you have to offer.

You can categorize your organic search impressions and clicks into branded and non-branded searches once you have the search data in Google Sheets. This gives you an idea of the nature of your organic search traffic and the effectiveness of your SEO strategy.

Step 3: Perform a Competitive Analysis.

Once you have determined what your organic searches look like, it is time to discover what your competitors’ searches look like. While Google Search Console does not provide search data for other websites, many SEO tools do. 

You can use tools like SEMRush, Ahrefs, or Moz if your company has a subscription to them. Otherwise, Ubersuggest is a great free tool to get started with.

As an example, imagine you are the marketing manager for boat-lifestyle.com, a direct to consumer e-commerce site. Your company has a distinct product and a large social media following. You now want to increase brand and product awareness through your SEO strategy and drive more traffic to your website via search engines.

To begin, enter your web domain name into your preferred SEO tool to get an overview of your domain. As an example, consider Ubersuggest. Keep in mind that the data from SEO tools about your domain may differ from the data from Google Analytics and Search Console. Each SEO tool has a method for gathering data. 

While their data may not be as accurate as what you would get directly from Google for your domain, it does provide a common baseline for comparison. It is critical to use data from the same source when conducting a competitive analysis.

Also Read: Ahrefs Vs Semrush: Which SEO Tool Is Better And Why? 

Step 4: Create a Keyword Map For Each Stage of The Customer Journey.

Before we get into keywords, let’s define what a customer journey is. A customer journey is made up of the steps a visitor takes to purchase your product for the first time and beyond. As new information becomes available, the customer journey map may change.

The customer journey map can take many forms, but it can be divided into four stages. We will concentrate on the first two phases of developing a D2C SEO strategy for the rest of this lesson.

• Brand awareness: This is how potential customers will learn about and value your brand.
• Conversion: This is the process by which prospective customers become paying customers.
• Building relationships: This is how your brand will continue to provide value to customers.
• Word-of-mouth: Encourage your customers to spread the word about your brand.

Also Read: 13 eCommerce SEO Best Practices for Your Online Business 

Short and Long Tail Keywords

Let’s return to keywords. We need to introduce another concept, short-tail and long-tail keywords, to map the appropriate keywords to the customer journey. Short-tail keywords (or head keywords) are search terms that typically contain one or two words.

 This type of keyword represents a broader and more general search topic. It has a high search volume but a more ambiguous intent. As a result, the click-through rate is generally lower.

Long-tail keywords are search terms that are three or more words long. This keyword denotes a more specific search topic. While there is less search volume, there is more explicit search intent and a higher click-through rate because Google can better match content to the search.

You can create a 2×2 grid highlighting the four stages of the customer journey by combining the concepts of short-tail/long-tail keywords and non-branded/branded keywords. A 2×2 grid illustrating how non-branded and branded keywords, as well as short-tail and long-tail keywords, correspond to four stages of the customer journey.

Stage 1: A mix of short-tail and generic keywords

The customer journey frequently begins here, where customers investigate a wide range of products that may meet their needs.

Stage 2: A mix of long-tail and generic keywords. 

Consumers narrow their options and search for more specific types of products once they have a general idea of what they want.

Stage 3: A mix of long-tail and branded keywords. 

When consumers learn about a brand that is related to the type of products they are looking for, they will want to learn more about the brand’s reputation, products, and so on.

Stage 4: A mix of long-tail and branded keywords. 

This is when a consumer discovers a product that piques their interest and wants to learn more about it. They are almost ready to make a purchase decision.

Keep in mind that, while consumers typically progress from the first to the fourth stage before making a purchase, this is not a linear process. They could move back and forth between the four stages, and they could also end the journey entirely if they choose your competitor over you. 

However, by categorizing keywords and associating them with the four stages of the customer journey, you can better design your SEO strategy to increase brand awareness and conversion.

Learn About The Most Important SEO Metrics

You will have to learn about important SEO metrics to be able to lead the optimization efforts for your brand. Even if you are considering outsourcing the services, it is essential that you know the basic terms and information to be able to track progress and monitor results effectively.

Here are few metrics that are crucial to any SEO strategy:

• Organic keywords: The number of keywords for which your website ranks in the top 100 positions.
• Organic search traffic: The monthly organic search traffic estimate.
• Domain score: This is a measure of the trustworthiness of your domain. Its name may differ depending on the SEO strategy tool used, such as Domain Authority or Authority Score.
• Backlinks: the number of links to your website from other websites. This is the most important factor in determining the domain score.

Identify your competitors using your search data

It is not always obvious who your competitors are. So, do not forget to investigate your keywords by clicking the “organic keywords” tile to learn who your competitors are on the search results page.

Compare your D2C SEO performance to that of your competitors

Enter your competitors’ domain names one by one to retrieve their data. Then, quickly compare the four primary SEO metrics. For example, you can see that ‘wireless earphones’ is one of the non-branded keywords you rank well for, but so do two other companies. If you did not think of them as competitors before, you should now.

Examine the differences between branded and non-branded search

Download your competitors’ keyword lists and categorize the keywords as branded or non-branded. Keep in mind that you must use the same data source for comparison, including domain data.

Create a Target Keyword List for Each Stage of the Customer Journey

Put on your boat-lifestyle.com marketing manager hat again. How would you go about finding keywords for each of the four stages? Here are a few ideas.

Begin with your current keywords

First, gather all of your branded keywords and categorize them as short-tail or long-tail. The term ‘branded keyword’ does not imply that it must be the same as the domain name.

A branded keyword is any keyword that has a strong association with your brand. For example, boat-lifestyle.com’s branded terms include ‘earphone,’ ‘smartwatch,’ ‘smart watch,’ and ‘ear phone.’ Long-tail keywords for the fourth stage of the customer journey include ‘where can I buy an earphone’ and ‘earphones for samsung mobile.’

Then, find non-branded keywords with high relevance and search volume. ‘Bluetooth earphones’ and ‘green earphones’ are good references for boat-lifestyle.com.

Target relevant non-branded keywords from your competitors

Relevant non-branded keywords from your competitors are good targets. ‘Neckband earphones’, ‘foldable earphones,’ and ‘waterproof earphones’ are good target keywords for boat-lifestyle.com. You can create content based on those terms to highlight the similarities and differences between your products and those of your competitors.

You can also target the branded terms of your competitors. You can, for example, target and create content that highlights your product versus your competitors.

Gather information from your customers

Customer acquisition is the ultimate goal of your D2C SEO strategy. As a result, you must comprehend your existing customers’ customer journeys and the value your products provide to them.

How did they track you down? What prompted them to buy your product? What do they do with your product? What are the demographics and geolocations of your customers?

For example, if the majority of your customers use bluetooth earphones, you might want to target keywords like ‘earphone bluetooth’ and ‘wireless earphone.’ If the majority of your customers use earphones while swimming, however, ‘waterproof earphones’ is a better target keyword.

Draw insights from Google

Last but not least, Google is an excellent resource for determining which keywords to target. When you type into the search box, Google may suggest search keywords. These recommendations are based on actual search results.

Keyword Suggestions From Google

Another excellent source of relevant keywords is the ‘People also ask’ section of the search result page. Do not limit yourself to the first set of questions you see, click on any question in this section, and Google will show you more inquiries related to the one you just clicked on.

You can create web pages with content that targets those specific keywords. Consider the stage of the customer journey your target audience is in and the type of information they seek while creating content. 

As a direct-to-consumer brand, your website serves as both an e-commerce store and a channel for you to build your brand and engage with potential customers.

People Use Multiple Keywords To Find D2C Businesses

One critical element of a successful SEO plan stands out: keyword research. This process involves investigating search phrases to determine which pages on your website should be created or adjusted to align with those keywords. The goal is to maximize website traffic. Consider this: when people search for something, they might not only type ‘dog treats’ or ‘sportswear.’ There are numerous additional terms they might use to find what they’re looking for.

For instance, someone might be looking for ‘eczema skin care’ or ‘puppy dog treats.’ People may search for a specific product or something more general, like ‘best sportswear for snowy weather’ or ‘makeup products for contouring.’

People employ various terms when searching for products or services, and we have evidence to support this. We have some graphics illustrating the monthly search volumes for keywords related to ‘dog treats’ and ‘skincare.’

Every month, a substantial number of individuals search for these terms. Remember: by effectively incorporating these terms on Google, you can attract these individuals to your website. This is where a proficient SEO agency can be invaluable. They can assist you in optimizing your site to leverage the increased search demand. Additionally, they’ll manage your technical SEO, which, as SEO expert Neil Patel emphasizes, forms the “backbone” of a website.

Neil Patel, Co-Founder of Crazy Egg and Hello Bar, points out, “No website can stand without a strong backbone. And that backbone is technical SEO.”

So, utilizing the right keywords and solid SEO is the way to go to draw in all those potential visitors!

Numerous D2C Enterprises Are Already Benefiting From SEO Services

SEO can be a game changer for your business, and we’ll break it down without any fluff.

When you excel at SEO, you can bid farewell to high advertising expenses. More visitors will naturally discover your website without the need for a significant ad budget. Moreover, your website’s search engine rankings will soar, leading to exceptional results. Don’t just take our word for it; let’s look at a couple of direct-to-consumer (D2C) companies that owe their success to effective SEO strategies.

First, there’s Hims & Hers, a wellness company that offers skincare, hair loss, and sexual health products. Their men’s website, for instance, receives 1.3 million organic visitors. What’s the value of that traffic, you ask? A staggering $1.5 million. That’s the kind of money they would need to spend each month if they were relying on paid advertising to achieve the same results. But they’re not. They’re getting it for free, all thanks to their excellent positioning in Google’s search results.

It’s not just about attracting eyeballs to their homepage; their blog posts and other pages also draw significant attention. An experienced SEO specialist can analyze your website, as well as your competitors’ sites, make necessary improvements to existing pages, and create new ones to drive a steady flow of organic traffic.

Now, let’s turn our attention to BarkBox, the subscription service for dog products. They receive 226,000 organic visits every month, valued at $161,000. They are generating substantial free traffic by ranking prominently on Google. No need to splurge on pay-per-click (PPC) ads or social media marketing when SEO is doing the heavy lifting.

The key difference here is that PPC advertising costs money, and when you stop paying, the traffic stops. However, SEO is like having a constant stream of free visitors to your website. Your rankings remain stable, your money stays in your pocket, and your visibility on Google continues without the ongoing financial drain of ad spending.

This strategy isn’t limited to a handful of keywords; there’s a multitude of them that can bring in free Google traffic. An SEO specialist can delve into your site, optimize pages, and promote them in a way that generates more business without the never-ending costs of advertising.

In short, whether you operate in the health, pet care, or any other industry, a well-executed SEO strategy can work wonders for your D2C business. It’s all about leveraging what people are searching for to attract traffic to your site without breaking the bank on advertising. Isn’t that fantastic?

What An SEO Agency Does

Google has stringent controls in place to prevent low-quality websites from dominating its top search results. To ensure that your company’s website stands out, you’ll need a strong background and top-tier SEO services.

For years, our SEO agency has been delivering high-quality SEO services to businesses across various industries, including e-commerce, SaaS, startups, real estate, and medical clinics. We possess extensive experience in a wide range of industries.

We understand precisely what it takes to propel your website to the top page of Google. Here are some suggestions for enhancing your D2C company’s Google rankings:

• Create SEO-optimized content to rank higher on Google for a broader range of keywords.
• Optimize existing pages in accordance with Google’s recommended best practices.
• Develop new pages to attract more organic visitors.
• Secure placements in reputable, industry-relevant directories, such as listing a pet care company on pet business aggregator websites.

In summary, a robust SEO strategy executed by proficient experts can yield outstanding results.

Conclusion

SEO has the most moving parts of any digital channel. This makes it difficult to comprehend and invest in. However, the potential gains make it unavoidable, and with the right partner, much of the anxiety associated with investing can be removed. Make a plan to invest in SEO and time it correctly to maximize your short-term cash flow as well as your brand’s future potential.

Frequently Asked Questions