Promotion of Online Stores in the USA and Europe in 2024

Between 2020 and 2024, the global ecommerce market grew significantly. Most offline businesses, whether restaurants, clothing stores, or bookstores, moved their operations online to avoid bankruptcy.

Global statistics and forecasts for revenue in the ecommerce niche. Source.

The companies that had a website and a delivery service long before the global crisis have significantly pulled ahead of their competitors, especially if their site was well-optimized and user-friendly.

However, it is very difficult for small online stores, even if they are well-established, to reach the top. The main reason for this is the presence of ecommerce giants such as Amazon, eBay, Walmart, and others.

In this article, I will explain how to increase your chances of reaching the top in the ecommerce niche using effective link building methods and SEO techniques from experts.

Comparison of E-commerce Niches in the US and Europe

Of course, it would be possible to generalize these two regions, but when discussing the quality promotion of ecommerce sites, we should still address the key differences between Americans and Europeans.

Several Consumer Characteristics of Americans

1. When it comes to grocery and household online stores, it is typical for Americans to buy everything in bulk, just in case. In offline markets, you can clearly see that almost all products are sold in large packages.

2. Promotions and discount coupons are important. The larger the discount, the bigger the future order will be, regardless of actual needs.

3. In the US, people are very particular about delivery. It must be convenient and fast.
4. Products in an online store must have a competitive price tag, as any product can be ordered from ecommerce giants.

5. In the USA, there are rules and regulations that govern the activity of e-commerce services.
6. Americans prefer door-to-door delivery. Delivery to pickup points is also popular, most often located within hypermarkets.
7. In the United States, a unified tax applies to online purchases.

Several Consumer Characteristics of Europe

1. Most European consumers are meticulous. They value order and quality in both products and services. If you want to succeed in the top markets in a specific region, you should consider the preferences of buyers and the nuances of local life.
2. The call center should be staffed with competent employees. Europeans are very demanding of those who interact with them. In the UK, the manager should speak clear English; in Spain, fluent Spanish, and so on. Any deviations can cause irritation.
3. In Europe, each country and region has its own regulations for e-commerce sites.
4. Each European country has its own shipping preferences, which should be considered. For example, in France, delivery to pickup points is popular.
5. All regions have individual tax regulations. For example, in Germany, a value-added tax is applied before the purchase.

Basic Rules of Link Building for Online Stores 

1. a simple, convenient, and user-friendly store interface;
2. high-quality SEO optimization;
3. detailed product descriptions;
4. a variety of visual elements on product pages — photo and video reviews;
5. effective content optimization for selected countries/states, considering linguistic and behavioral characteristics;
6. a wide range of promotions, discount coupons, and special offers;
7. competitive pricing compared to giant stores.

With the general characteristics covered, we can now take real action.

Scanning the Online Store’s Website for Errors

One of the first, and perhaps most important, steps in promoting an e-commerce site is identifying and correcting errors.

There are two options for site analysis:

1. manual analysis using SEO checklists;

2. analysis using specialized tools and services.

I recommend using both options to avoid serious technical errors and minor issues.

After the analysis, ensure that the basic rules of online store optimization are followed:

1. the semantic core is selected correctly;
2. high-quality internal linking is in place;
3. the store’s appearance is concise;
4. functionality is simple and intuitive;
5. all necessary legal documents are presented on the website;
6. there is detailed information about payment and delivery;
7. various payment methods are available;
8. the site is translated into the required languages, and relevant currencies are available;
9. contact information is added: support phone number, email, office address, social media links, etc;
10. multiple feedback methods are available: call, email, chat (and/or chatbot);
11. all user data (not just payment data) is securely encrypted;
12. products have detailed descriptions along with photos/videos;
13. prices are up to date.

If all these points are met and you are confident that your online store is ready for promotion, the next step will be to take a baseline measurement of the site’s performance metrics.

A Snapshot of E-commerce Site Metrics at the Start of Link Promotion

To properly evaluate the effectiveness of your upcoming link building strategy, you need to take a preliminary snapshot of key metrics.

This include:

1. Site rating, such as DR in Ahrefs, TF in Majestic, etc.
2. Number of backlinks and referring domains, best measured by Ahrefs. 
3. The dynamics of the link profile at the start, as shown in Ahrefs. 
4. Anchor list, available at Ahrefs.
5. Site traffic metrics, via SimilarWeb or any other service.
6. Site positions in Google for relevant queries. You can check these in Serpstat or Ahrefs.

All data should be transferred to a separate document for future reconciliation and adjustment of the link building strategy.

Mechanics of Link Building for Ecommerce Sites

Due to strong competition in the ecommerce niche, it’s not advisable to experiment too much with promotion mechanics. By using only basic methods of acquiring links, you can significantly improve your site’s ranking and outperform direct competitors (we’re not talking about large aggregators or giant stores).

Here are a few safe link-building strategies to elevate your site:

1. Links from local directories;
2. Forum links + Q/A websites;
3. Link Insertion.

These methods will not only boost your site’s SEO rankings and traffic but also attract your target audience, which will, in turn, drive sales growth.

Now, let’s go into more detail.

Links from Local Directories

This method helps inform Google about your store.

To add your site to a directory, you need to create a detailed company profile. The most popular directory in the world is Google My Business

Basic recommendations for creating an online store profile:

1. add the full name of the company;
2. attach the logo and related files (photos and videos);
3. provide a detailed description of the store;
4. include a price range and popular items in the store;
5. list current contact information: phone numbers, website, social networks, email, messengers;
6. specify the delivery regions and their terms;
7. upload the necessary legal documentation;
8. download the necessary legal documentation.

This list may vary depending on the type of directory.

In some directories, by creating one profile, you can be listed on multiple services simultaneously. For example, by adding your company to Google My Business, you also appear in Google Maps and other Google services.

I also recommend adding your site to social media profiles and job search sites. These links are considered natural.

Forum Links + Q/A Websites

Forum links are a proven and effective link-building strategy for online stores. 

By using Brandcitations strategies to write recommendation comments, you can significantly improve your site’s rankings and attract a large number of potential customers from forums and Q/A sites

The main things to remember are:

1. Build up the author account. This helps minimize the risk of your comments with links being strictly moderated. The author’s profile should be fully completed, including an avatar, location, etc. Make sure at least two weeks have passed since registration before you start working with links on forums.
2. Post at least 20 comments without links from the target account. These comments can be on niche topics or general subjects.
3. Focus on the topic of discussion, not the platform. Remember that even on highly specialized forums, there are general discussions.
4. Always write correctly. Pay attention to the communication style of other participants, and avoid grammatical and lexical mistakes.
5. Consider the regional characteristics of your target audience. Study the culture, language, and lifestyle of the country if you are targeting a different region. This helps create high-quality posts.
6. Identify the pain points of discussion participants before posting a link. Your post should help solve a problem rather than just serve as another advertisement.
7. Use photos and videos in your posts. This will attract more attention to your comment and illustrate your points. This is especially relevant for online stores when discussing a specific product rather than the entire store

Link Insertion

Link Insertion is a unique method for acquiring backlinks from existing pages that already have authority, traffic, and rank well on Google for relevant keywords. To implement this, you simply need to negotiate with the site owner on mutually beneficial terms (such as payment, barter, etc.).

Interested in learning more about Link Insertion from Brandcitations? Contact us via chat on our website, and our managers will provide detailed advice on how Link Insertion can benefit your site

With the help of Link Insertion, you can place a link:

1. on blogs;
2. in ratings;
3. under popular YouTube videos;
4. in reviews;
5. within advertising inserts;
6. and more.

When reaching out, be sure to follow these communication guidelines:

1. use a personal email rather than a corporate one;
2. clearly define the subject of your message;
3. introduce yourself;
4. briefly describe the store and its features;
5. specify where you would like the link to be placed (which page, location, and anchor text);
6. clarify the placement terms.

Next, create the necessary content, if needed. This could include a short text, banner, video, commercial, special offer, promo code, etc. Finally, monitor the effectiveness of the placement.  

Link Insertion, Local directories and Forum links are methods that can be used to regularly promote your site. These strategies will help you secure dozens of quality links right at the start of your journey.

In addition to these link-building methods for e-commerce sites, you can also consider:

1. Creating a company profile in promotional code aggregators: This is highly effective for e-commerce websites.
2. Guest posts. These can include reviews, guides, product selection recommendations, and life hacks. Such content creation from the store’s side is particularly effective in international markets where high-quality content is valued
3. Links from social profiles. Links from social profiles enhance your site’s link profile and appear natural. You can link not only to the homepage but also to internal pages

By properly distributing links across these link-building strategies, you can achieve positive growth in your link profile and consistently attract your target audience.

Importantly. The first evaluations of effectiveness should be conducted no earlier than 3-6 months after the start of promotion. Link building for Google is a complex process designed for the long term.

Basics of Developing a Comprehensive Link Building Strategy for E-Commerce

To create an effective link building strategy for an online store, start by analyzing the direct competitors of your site and determining the reference number of links. 

Follow these steps:

1. Select 3 direct competitors;
2. Analyze their link profiles in Ahrefs;
3. Determine the number of donor domains for each competitor;
4. Calculate the average arithmetic number: sum the number of donor domains for all three competitors and then divide by 3.

This will be our reference number of links for the first stage of link building for our site. 

After determining the required number of links, distribute it over the selected period. For example:

First stage of promotion: 6 months (for the initial effectiveness review).

Selected methods: local directories, forum links, Link Insertion, guest posts.

Number of links: 200 (arithmetic average of competitors’ donor domains).

We distribute:

MONTH	MECHANICS OF LINK BUILDING	NUMBER OF LINKS
1	local directories forum links Link Insertion	5 links 5 links 5 links
2	local directories forum links Link Insertion	10 links 10 links 5 links
3	forum links Link Insertion guest posts	20 links 5 links 5 links
4	forum links Link Insertion guest posts	30 links 5 links 5 links
5	forum links Link Insertion guest posts	40 links 5 links 5 links
6	forum links Link Insertion guest posts	50 links 5 links 5 links

This is an example of how to distribute the number of links for the promotion of an online store. Keep in mind that this is individual and depends on the specifics of the site and its topic.

To develop an effective link building strategy, you need to go through the following stages:

1. analysis of your site, fixing errors, and preparing for promotion;
2. initial assessment of indicators;
3. competitor analysis;
4. selection of promotion methods;
5. determining the reference number of links for the initial stage of promotion;
6. distribution of links by methods and timelines;
7. evaluation of the first stage’s effectiveness;
8. strategy adjustment;
9. continuation.

That’s all✔️

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