The idea is to actually have your green website standout in your online environment.
A P.R. pal of mine in Seattle asked me to share a new green products website with my readers. I told him I’d be happy to pass it along. Then I saw it.
So I decided to do him – and his client – a favor. I’m keeping quiet.
Why?
Because the new eco-conscious, environmentally sensitive, earth-friendly, green website is not sustainable. In addition to many brand positioning and usability challenges, the site has virtually no search engine optimization (SEO) strategy. That might actually be a blessing in disguise. You know what they say: “Good marketing can kill an average product faster than anything.”
After discussing the site’s shortcomings, my buddy Scott asked me to collect my thoughts in an email. Here is a little of what I shared with him.
How to Create a Sustainable SEO Strategy for Your Green Website:
- Eco Friendly Page Titles: If they want to flourish in their online environment, then they need to feature green-specific page titles. These are critical for SEO. On this particular site, they used their website URL as the homepage title. Shoppers won’t search your URL. If they know it, they’ll just go there. You’re looking for customers who don’t know you exist. Feature essential keywords that are organic to their searches. Green search terms might include, “eco-friendly apparel,” “green products,” “organic personal care items,” etc.. Their personal care page tile is just, “Personal Care.” Too generic. “Organic personal care items,” or “Eco-friendly personal care products” will create differentiation and greater search results because they are specific to your market. Notice my page title above for this post. Loaded with SEO. Take it one step further and copy the URL specific to this post into Google and search for the post. The description line of the post itself is also ladened with SEO keywords. It all helps.
- Environmentally Sensitive Keywords: The home page is almost void of copy content and relies heavily on product images…small product images, to boot. Unfortunately, images are blind to search spiders. Some environmentally focused introductory copy littered with appropriate green and sustainability search terms is needed. In fact, the only copy line on the home page states: “Innovative, cutting edge, eco-wear, designs for any active lifestyle.” The only keyword that is close is, “eco-wear.” And I’m not sure how many people will use this made-up word in their search.
- Green Product Descriptions: Although tedious to pen, product descriptions are SEO gems. They’ve been overlooked here. One homepage tile announces a “FREE Shopping Bag!” There is no differentiation or unique search characteristics in this descriptor. A promotional line that would work a lot harder would be, “Free Reusable Eco-Friendly Tote Bag Made From Recycled Products.” Long, but effective with a picture of the tote (currently it’s a simple line art illustration). The line should be programmed in HTML, not as a graphic like the current one.
- Sustainable Product Page Content: Product pages suffer from the same SEO drought. There is an inconsistent use of descriptions, like in the “Gift Ideas” section. The page starts with, “Recycled glass plates” and proceeds with about 20 generic product terms including “platters,” “towels,” “pet spa,” and “candles.” Where is “organic,” “all-natural,” “sustainable,” environmentally friendly,” and so on?
- Reuse, Recycle and Repurpose Keywords: In the “About Us” section, I counted three-and-one-half search terms out of 106 words: “Environmental shopping,” “earth-friendly products,” “eco-friendly products.” “Planet” is in the same green universe, but I’m not sure it buys them much. So they get a half a point for “planet.” DON’T BE SHY. Reuse, recycle and repurpose keywords throughout your site. I guarantee you there are more search terms that are appropriate to their business in this post than on their entire website.
- Building a Green Community Through Social Media: The new site has no social media strategy. But we’ll leave that opportunity for another post.
Like I told Scott, “It’s a lot easier to be an editor than a writer.” My hat is off to the two ladies that brought their green products business online, which is no easy task. There is also a terrific back story to their mission, which is just waiting to be told. But it’s missing on their site…again, a whole other post.
It makes me wonder how many great ideas and products languish online for want of an effective SEO strategy. “Build it and they will come” only works in the movies…actually, only one movie.
Do you have additional recommendations for sustainable search engine optimization? Please share below.
BTW, I’ll send you a FREE Water – Use It Wisely t-shirt if you are the first one to identify the number of green and sustainable keywords I have in this post.
