# Rebuilding Your Ecommerce Empire After Google Core Updates: A 90-Day Action Plan

**Rebuilding Your Ecommerce Empire After Google Core Updates: A 90-Day Action Plan**

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If you’re an ecommerce brand that’s struggled to recover from the latest Google core update, you’re not alone. Millions of online stores have been affected, and it can be overwhelming to navigate the ever-changing landscape of search engine algorithms. But fear not – with a well-crafted plan and the right strategies in place, you can rebuild your authority and regain lost rankings.

walk you through a 90-day action plan specifically designed for ecommerce brands. You’ll learn how to assess and mitigate the impact of Google core updates on your business, identify opportunities to improve topical relevance, and execute tactics to boost visibility and drive sales. By the end of these 90 days, you’ll have a solid foundation to reclaim your market share and establish yourself as a trusted authority in your niche.

Advanced Strategy Part 1

After the Google core update, it’s crucial to reassess your content strategy to ensure you’re building topical authority in a way that resonates with searchers. Here are three advanced strategies to implement within the next 90 days:

1. Identify and Refine Your Niche Expertise

Perform an in-depth analysis of your competitors’ content to identify gaps and areas where you can establish yourself as a niche expert. This might involve creating specialized content, such as:

* In-depth guides

* Industry reports

* Webinars

* Podcasts

For example, let’s say you own an e-commerce brand selling outdoor gear. You notice that many of your competitors are targeting generic terms like “hiking boots.” Instead, focus on more specific keywords like “best trail running shoes for female hikers under 40” and create comprehensive guides to help customers make informed purchasing decisions.

2. Leverage Technical SEO to Enhance Content Quality

Invest in technical SEO best practices to ensure your content is optimized for better user experience and crawlability. This includes:

* **Page speed optimization**: Aim for a load time of under 3 seconds.

* **Mobile-friendliness**: Ensure your website adapts seamlessly to various devices.

* **Secure pages**: Use HTTPS to encrypt data transmission.

For instance, if you own an e-commerce brand selling women’s clothing, optimize your product pages with high-quality images, detailed product descriptions, and user-friendly navigation. This will not only improve the user experience but also help search engines understand the context of each page.

3. Build High-Quality Backlinks from Relevant Partners

Focus on acquiring backlinks from authoritative partners within your niche to increase your brand’s topical authority. This could involve:

* **Guest blogging**: Write high-quality, relevant content for other reputable websites.

* **Product collaborations**: Partner with influencers or complementary brands to showcase your products in a genuine setting.

* **Resource pages**: Create comprehensive resource pages that link back to your website and establish your authority.

For example, if you own an e-commerce brand selling fitness equipment, partner with popular fitness blogs to guest post high-quality content. Include links to your relevant products on these resources page to showcase expertise and attract potential customers.

By implementing these advanced strategies, you’ll be well on your way to rebuilding your ecommerce empire after the Google core update within the next 90 days.

Advanced Strategy Part 2

After the core updates, it’s essential to implement a targeted strategy that will help your ecommerce brand rebuild topical authority. Here are some advanced tactics to focus on in the next 30 days:

Audit and Refine Your Content Strategy

Take a closer look at your content creation process. Analyze which topics are resonating with your audience and which ones are not. Identify opportunities to improve content quality, relevance, and consistency.

For example, if you noticed that product reviews are performing well on your site, consider investing in more high-quality review content. On the other hand, if blog posts about seasonal trends aren’t generating much traffic, focus on creating more topical content.

Optimize for Featured Snippets

With the core updates, featured snippets have become even more crucial. Ensure that your content is optimized to capture these high-ranking spots by using relevant keywords, question words (like “what,” “how,” or “when”), and concise answers.

For instance, if you’re an outdoor gear brand, optimize a product page for “best hiking boots” by including a brief answer to the question in the answer box. This will increase your chances of ranking for that query.

Leverage Internal Linking

Internal linking is vital for helping users find related content and increasing website crawlability. Make sure to create a robust internal linking structure by using descriptive anchor text, grouping related articles together, and avoiding over-linking from individual product pages.

For example, if you have an article about the benefits of shopping online during holiday sales, link to other relevant articles like “Holiday Shopping Tips” or “Best Gifts for [Category].” This will help users explore more content on your site and increase engagement.

Focus on Technical SEO

Technical SEO is critical for ensuring that your website can be crawled by Google’s algorithms. In the next 30 days, focus on optimizing your website’s:

* Page speed: Aim for a score of 80 or above using tools like Google PageSpeed Insights.

* Mobile responsiveness: Ensure that all pages are mobile-friendly and provide a seamless user experience.

* XML sitemaps: Regularly update and submit XML sitemaps to help Google understand your site’s structure.

By focusing on these advanced strategies, you’ll be well on your way to rebuilding topical authority for your ecommerce brand in the next 30 days.

Advanced Strategy Part 3

After Google core updates, it’s essential to take a closer look at your website’s technical performance, content quality, and user experience. Here are some advanced strategies to help you rebuild topical authority in the next 90 days:

Technical Auditing and Optimization

Conduct a thorough technical audit of your website to identify areas that need improvement. Check for:

* Site speed: Ensure your site loads within 3 seconds to improve user experience and search engine rankings.

* Mobile-friendliness: Verify that your site is responsive and provides a seamless user experience on mobile devices.

* XML sitemaps: Submit new sitemaps after core updates to help search engines understand your website’s structure. See Recovering Traffic Drops with AI for a related tactic.

*Canonicalization: Resolve duplicate content issues by using canonical URLs or 301 redirects.

Example: Use tools like Screaming Frog, Ahrefs, or SEMrush to conduct a technical audit and identify areas for improvement.

Content Refresh and Relevance

Refresh your existing content to ensure it remains relevant to your target audience. Consider:

* Updating outdated product descriptions to include fresh keywords and meta tags.

* Creating high-quality, in-depth guides that cover topics related to your products or services.

* Developing a content calendar to plan and publish regular, topical content.

Example: Update your product pages by adding relevant keywords, meta descriptions, and header tags. Use tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to analyze competitor content and identify gaps for your own brand.

User Experience and Conversion Optimization

Focus on improving user experience (UX) and conversion rates using:

* Heatmap and analytics tools (e.g., Hotjar, Crazy Egg) to understand user behavior.

* Conversion rate optimization (CRO) techniques, such as A/B testing, to identify areas for improvement.

* User feedback mechanisms, like surveys or reviews, to gather insights from customers.

Example: Conduct A/B testing to optimize your website’s call-to-action buttons, navigation menus, or product images. Use tools like Optimizely or Unbounce to create and analyze test variations.

Local SEO and Featured Snippets

Optimize your website for local search by:

* Claiming and verifying your Google My Business listing.

* Building high-quality, location-specific content that targets specific geographic areas.

* Targeting featured snippet opportunities with precise keywords and meta descriptions.

Example: Optimize your product pages for featured snippets by using specific keywords, meta descriptions, and header tags. Use tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to identify featured snippet opportunities in your target market.

Advanced Strategy Part 4: Technical Audit and Ecommerce Website Optimization

After the Google core update, it’s essential to assess your ecommerce website’s technical performance and implement necessary changes to improve crawlability, indexing, and overall authority. Here are some actionable steps to help you rebuild your topical authority in 90 days:

1. Comprehensive Technical Auditing

Conduct a thorough technical audit of your website using tools like Screaming Frog, Ahrefs, or SEMrush. Identify areas that need improvement, such as:

* Duplicate or thin content

* Poorly optimized meta tags and descriptions

* Inefficient internal linking structures

* Slow loading speeds (aim for < 3 seconds)

* Mobile usability issues

Fix these issues promptly to ensure your website is crawlable and indexable.

2. Optimize Image Files and Videos

Optimize image files and videos to reduce file size and improve page load times. You can use tools like TinyPNG, ImageOptim, or ShortPixel to compress images while maintaining quality. For videos, consider using YouTube’s video optimization features or tools like VidIQ.

3. Leverage Structured Data Markup

Add schema markup to your ecommerce website to help search engines understand your content better. Use tools like Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper or SEMrush’s Schema Builder to get started. Some essential schema types include:

* Product review

* Price offer

* Event ticketing

4. Internal Linking Strategy Revamp

Revamp your internal linking strategy by creating a clear hierarchy of pages and categories. Use descriptive anchor text for internal links, and ensure that each page has relevant and unique content.

5. Accelerate Mobile-Friendliness

Ensure that your ecommerce website is mobile-friendly, as Google now prioritizes mobile usability in its algorithm. Test your site on various devices and platforms to ensure a seamless user experience.

6. Crawl and Index Frequency Improvement

Contact Google Search Console to monitor crawl frequency and index coverage. Use tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to track crawling patterns and identify areas for improvement.

By implementing these technical optimizations, you’ll be able to improve your ecommerce website’s authority and increase its chances of ranking higher in search engine results pages (SERPs).

Advanced Strategy Part 5: Building Local SEO and Entity Markup

After implementing the foundational fixes outlined in Section 4, it’s time to dive deeper into building topical authority through advanced strategies.

Step 1: Conduct a Technical SEO Audit for Local Entities

Local entities are a crucial aspect of Google Core Updates. They help search engines understand your business’s physical location, hours of operation, and contact information. To improve local visibility, conduct a technical SEO audit to ensure you have:

* **Complete Business Listings**: Claim and optimize all existing business listings on platforms like Google My Business, Yelp, Bing Places, and other relevant directories.

* **Entity Markup**: Implement schema markup for your business’s entities, including name, address, phone number, and hours of operation.

Step 2: Optimize for Voice Search

With the rise of voice assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant, optimizing for voice search is crucial. Ensure your content:

* **Tones Down**: Use conversational language that mirrors how people speak.

* **Focuses on User Intent**: Address specific questions or topics users are likely to ask. See Optimizing Your Bottom of Funnel for a related tactic.

Step 3: Implement Local SEO Link Building

Local link building can significantly impact local SEO efforts. Focus on acquiring high-quality, relevant links from:

* **Local Partnerships**: Collaborate with complementary businesses to create valuable content and build relationships.

* **Reviews and Ratings**: Encourage customers to leave reviews on your website and other platforms.

Step 4: Utilize Entity-Centric Content

Create content that highlights entities like products, services, and locations. This helps search engines understand the context of your business:

* **Product Pages**: Write detailed product descriptions, highlighting key features, benefits, and technical specifications.

* **Service Pages**: Describe services offered, including pricing, packages, and how to get started.

Step 5: Monitor Progress with Tools

Track your progress using tools like Google Search Console, SEMrush, Ahrefs, or Moz. These tools help identify areas for improvement and provide insights into:

* **Entity Clusters**: Identify and connect relevant entities on your website.

* **Technical Issues**: Detect technical issues that might be impacting local SEO.

By implementing these advanced strategies, you’ll be well on your way to rebuilding topical authority and strengthening your ecommerce empire.

Advanced Strategy Part 6: Refocusing Content Marketing Efforts

After a Google core update, it’s essential to refocus your content marketing efforts on rebuilding topical authority in a short span of time. Here are some advanced strategies to help you achieve this:

1. **Technical Audit and Internal Linking**

Perform a thorough technical audit of your website, focusing on internal linking strategies. This involves:

* Analyzing existing page structure and URL patterns

* Identifying opportunities for meaningful internal linking between relevant pages

* Implementing a clear and logical internal link framework to enhance user experience and reduce bounce rates

For example, if you have multiple product pages for the same category (e.g., “T-shirts” vs. “Women’s T-shirts”), create internal links to help users navigate through related content.

2. **Content Update and Refresh**

Update existing content to ensure it remains relevant and high-quality post-core update changes:

* Review and refresh content on low-performing pages

* Create new, high-quality content that targets specific keywords and long-tail phrases

* Utilize Google’s “Recommendations” feature in Search Console to identify underperforming content

By updating your existing content library, you’ll improve overall website quality, increase authority, and boost user engagement.

3. **Content Repurposing and Categorization**

Utilize repurposed content by categorizing and updating relevant resources:

* Identify existing blog posts, articles, or guides that remain relevant post-core update

* Reorganize and reformat the content to improve readability, structure, and clarity

* Use schema markup to enhance featured snippet capabilities

By repurposing content, you’ll maximize your efforts while reducing content creation costs.

4. **Keyword Research and Content Refresh**

Conduct targeted keyword research to identify emerging trends and opportunities for refresh:

* Utilize Google’s Keyword Planner or SEMrush to identify relevant keywords

* Create a prioritized list of target keywords and related long-tail phrases

* Update existing content with fresh, high-quality content addressing new key terms

By focusing on emerging trends and keyword gaps, you’ll improve your website’s topical authority while maintaining relevance.

5. **Local SEO Enhancements**

Enhance local SEO efforts to capitalize on post-core update opportunities:

* Claim and optimize Google My Business listings

* Utilize schema markup for accurate local search feature enhancements

* Create location-specific content targeting specific city or region terms

By focusing on local SEO, you’ll improve visibility, increase brand awareness, and enhance user engagement.

6. **E-commerce Product Listing Page (PLP) Optimization**

Optimize PLPs to boost product visibility post-core update:

* Utilize schema markup for accurate product features

* Improve product image quality and captions

* Implement clear and concise product descriptions

By optimizing your PLPs, you’ll increase user trust, improve conversion rates, and enhance overall ecommerce experience. See Middle Of Funnel Content Ideas for a related tactic.

7. **Technical SEO Enhancements**

Implement technical SEO enhancements to improve website crawlability, indexability, and speed:

* Conduct comprehensive crawl diagnostics using tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush

* Implement canonical URLs and redirects as needed

* Utilize caching mechanisms for improved page load times

By enhancing your website’s technical foundation, you’ll improve search engine crawling efficiency, enhance user experience, and boost overall authority.

Advanced Strategy Part 7

Refine Your Content Strategy

After the core update, it’s essential to refine your content strategy to ensure you’re targeting the most relevant keywords. This involves conducting an in-depth analysis of your existing content and identifying areas that need improvement.

* **Conduct a keyword audit**: Use tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Moz to analyze your website’s keyword profile and identify opportunities for optimization.

* **Identify long-tail targets**: Focus on less competitive keywords with higher conversion rates. For example, instead of targeting “summer dresses,” target specific keywords like “beach cover-ups” or “summer maxi dresses.”

* **Optimize meta tags and descriptions**: Ensure that your title tags, meta descriptions, and header tags accurately reflect the content of each page.

* **Create high-quality content hubs**: Develop in-depth guides, e-books, or whitepapers on topics relevant to your niche. This will help establish your authority as an expert.

Enhance Your Technical SEO

A solid technical SEO foundation is crucial for long-term success. Focus on improving the following aspects:

* **Page speed optimization**: Ensure that each page loads quickly (less than 3 seconds). Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix to identify areas for improvement.

* **Mobile-friendliness**: Ensure that all pages are mobile-friendly and responsive, as this is now a key ranking factor.

* **SSL encryption**: Install an SSL certificate to secure your website and protect user data.

Amplify Your Content Marketing Efforts

Content marketing plays a critical role in rebuilding your authority after a core update. Focus on:

* **High-quality content creation**: Develop a robust content calendar that includes blog posts, videos, podcasts, or infographics.

* **Guest blogging**: Reach out to authoritative sites in your niche and offer to write guest posts. This helps build backlinks and establish relationships.

* **Influencer partnerships**: Collaborate with influencers in your niche to expand your reach.

Monitor and Adjust

Keep a close eye on your website’s performance using tools like Google Analytics and SEMrush. Monitor:

* **Traffic trends**: Track changes in your traffic patterns and adjust your strategy accordingly.

* **Keyword rankings**: Keep an eye on your keyword rankings and make adjustments as needed.

* **Conversion rates**: Focus on improving conversion rates through targeted optimizations.

By implementing these strategies, you can rebuild your ecommerce empire’s authority after a Google core update and establish a strong foundation for long-term success.

Part 8: Building Evergreen Content for Long-Term Authority

After navigating the impact of Google Core updates on your ecommerce brand’s content, it’s essential to shift focus towards creating evergreen content that establishes long-term authority. This involves crafting high-quality, informative, and engaging content that addresses specific pain points or interests in your target audience.

Step 1: Conduct Thematic Research

Identify key themes and topics relevant to your niche. Use tools like Google Trends, Ahrefs, or SEMrush to determine popular keywords, questions, and pain points associated with your product or service. Create a list of potential themes and prioritize them based on relevance, search volume, and competition.

Step 2: Develop a Content Pillar Strategy

Create content pillars that address specific aspects of your theme or niche. A pillar strategy involves creating multiple pieces of content around a central topic, such as “Sustainable Fashion” with sub-pillars like “Eco-Friendly Materials,” “Second-Hand Shopping,” and “Designing for a Sustainable Future.” This approach helps establish authority on a specific topic and attracts link equity from high-quality sources.

Step 3: Invest in High-Quality Content Creation

Develop a content calendar that focuses on evergreen topics, rather than chasing trendy or seasonal content. Allocate resources to create high-quality, well-researched content that incorporates the following elements:

* **In-depth guides**: Create comprehensive, step-by-step guides that educate readers on specific aspects of your niche.

* **Infographics and visual aids**: Use data visualization to present complex information in an engaging, shareable format.

* ** Interviews and expert insights**: Partner with industry experts or thought leaders to provide unique perspectives and authoritative opinions.

Step 4: Optimize for Long-Tail Keywords

Focus on long-tail keywords that have lower competition but higher conversion rates. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, or SEMrush to identify relevant long-tail keywords and incorporate them into your content.

Example:

Target keyword: “Eco-friendly fashion brands for men”

Optimized content: “Discover the best eco-friendly fashion brands for men who care about sustainable style. Explore our curated list of top brands offering environmentally friendly clothing, accessories, and footwear.”

By following this step-by-step approach, ecommerce brands can build long-term authority by creating high-quality, evergreen content that establishes their expertise in specific niches and attracts link equity from relevant sources.

Final Takeaway

In the face of Google Core Updates, it’s essential for ecommerce brands to adapt and rebalance their online presence. By implementing a 90-day action plan, you can rebuild your ecommerce empire and establish topical authority. Here’s a concise recap and action checklist:

**Recap:**

Google Core Updates have upended the ecommerce landscape, necessitating strategic shifts in content creation, optimization, and customer engagement.

**Action Checklist:**

* **Optimize for Voice Search**: Incorporate natural language patterns into product descriptions and content.

* **Enhance Content Quality**: Focus on authoritative, informative, and engaging content that addresses specific topics and pain points.

* **Diversify Your Portfolio**: Expand your offerings to include diverse products, services, or niche areas to reduce dependence on a single revenue stream. See How to Build Content Funnels for a related tactic.

* **Leverage User-Generated Content**: Encourage customers to share their experiences, reviews, and testimonials to build trust and credibility.

* **Revisit Technical Optimization**: Ensure website speed, mobile responsiveness, and secure checkout processes are optimized for user experience and conversions.

By implementing these actions within the 90-day timeline, ecommerce brands can emerge stronger and more resilient in an ever-changing digital landscape.

Internal SEO Links

• Recovering Traffic Drops with AI — Recovering Traffic Drops with AI-Assisted Workflows: A Guide to Top of Funnel Informational Keyword Strategy Mistakes to Avoid
• Optimizing Your Bottom of Funnel — Optimizing Your Bottom of Funnel: A Case-Study Guide for SaaS Teams
• Middle Of Funnel Content Ideas — Middle Of Funnel Content Ideas For Affiliates — Checklist For Local Businesses To Boost Rankings Without Paid Ads
• How to Build Content Funnels — How to Build Content Funnels in WordPress: A Step-by-Step Playbook for Beginners
• Optimize for Perfection Lead Magnet — Optimize for Perfection: Lead Magnet Ideas for SEO Traffic and a Comprehensive Audit Process for Content Teams

This article was assisted by AI and reviewed for publishing workflow testing.