Why aren't my products ranking well in search results?

Having products online isn't enough to generate sales. If your product sheets are poorly ranked on Google or marketplaces, your visibility and conversion rate are directly affected. There are many reasons for poor positioning. Here are the main causes and concrete solutions to improve your ranking.

1. A lack of SEO optimization on your product pages

Search engine optimization (SEO) is crucial to the visibility of your product pages. There are several errors that can slow down your positioning:

• Absence or poor choice of keywords: if your listings don't include the terms your customers are looking for, they'll be hard to find.
• Duplicate content: copying manufacturers' descriptions penalizes your SEO.
• Poorly structured HTML tags: title, meta description, H1, H2 and alt images tags must contain relevant keywords.

Solutions:

• Carry out keyword research to better target purchasing intentions (see also our tips on how to optimize product titles and descriptions for SEO).
• Write unique, clear and engaging descriptions (see our recommendations on how to generate effective descriptions).
• Structure your files correctly with appropriate tags.

2. Poorly optimized images and videos

Visuals have a direct impact on SEO and conversion rates:

• Heavy images slow down the page.
• Absence of alt tags.
• Lack of explanatory videos.

Solutions:

• Compress images while preserving their quality.
• Fill alt tags with relevant keywords.
• Integrate product videos to enrich the experience (for more ideas on enriching product information, see our dedicated article on how to enrich product information).

3. Incomplete or poorly structured product sheets

Marketplaces such as Google Shopping prefer well-documented listings:

• Missing information (dimensions, specifications, etc.).
• No customer reviews.
• Wrong categorization.

Solutions:

• Complete all sections, including technical attributes and visuals.
• Encourage your customers to leave post-purchase reviews.
• Check the classification of your products (and for a rigorous control, see the importance of a catalog audit).

4. Loading time too long

Technical performance has a major impact on SEO:

• Uncompressed images.
• Unnecessary scripts or heavy plugins.
• Low-quality accommodation.

Solutions:

• Test site speed (PageSpeed Insights, GTmetrix...).
• Optimize images, use a CDN.
• Lighten code for faster loading times.

5. A poor backlinks and domain authority strategy

Your domain authority has a direct impact on your visibility:

• Few backlinks pointing to your product pages.
• Lack of external content relaying your products.

Solutions:

• Develop a netlinking strategy via partnerships or comparators.
• Create optimized content on a blog (buying guides, tips) to naturally attract inbound links.

6. Insufficient presence on marketplaces and Google Shopping

Marketplaces demand a high level of product optimization:

• Incorrect configuration of product flows.
• Sub-optimized files compared to competitors.

Solutions:

• Optimize your Google Merchant Center feeds.
• Adapt titles and descriptions to the specific needs of each marketplace.
• Discover our recommendations on how to automate certain tasks around product catalog management to simplify this regular update.

Conclusion

Poor rankings are often due to a combination of factors: neglected SEO optimization, incomplete product sheets, insufficient technical performance or lack of authority strategy. Setting up a regular audit and correcting these points will enable you to significantly improve your visibility.