Why is E-commerce Share of Search so Important Today?

According to Statista [1], as of October 2019, search traffic generated 65% of total e-commerce sessions – 33% were generated through organic search traffic and 32% were through paid search. It’s important to note these statistics as they impact your Share of Search. The latter is the KPI to monitor and support the performance of your e-commerce.

Today, the concept of share of search is highly relevant for your business to reach consumers and encourage them to make purchases. By understanding Share of Search [2], you can gain valuable insights like where your brand stands based on consumer behavior, preferences, and market trends. These insights can then be used to optimize your online presence, drive your website traffic, and ultimately increase sales.

However, before you arm yourself with insights from share of search (SoS) results, let’s unravel the concept and how you can benefit from it in this dynamic e-commerce landscape. In this guide, you will learn more about share of search through the following sections:

• Understanding the concept of Share of Search
• The Significance of E-commerce Share of Search on Google and Marketplaces
• Why Should You Track Your Share of Search
• Benefits of Focusing on E-commerce Share of Search
• Strategies to Improve E-commerce Share of Search
• Tools and Resources to Monitor and Analyze Share of Search
• The Future of Share of Search in E-commerce

Understanding the concept of Share of Search

Share of search refers to the percentage of the search in which your brand appears compared to your competitors. It is a metric that helps measure your brand’s visibility and popularity in the online space. It indicates how many products of your brand appear in a search result every time shoppers put a keyword related to your offerings into the marketplace search bar.

In simple terms, it helps your brand understand where it stands for a specific keyword or category in the market.

The Significance of E-commerce Share of Search on Google and Marketplaces

E-commerce share of search plays a crucial role in the success of your online retail. In the digital era, where consumers have countless options at their fingertips, being visible and discoverable online is essential to attract and retain customers.

Understanding Share of Search allows your business to optimize its online presence and make data-driven decisions. By analyzing the search patterns and queries of your target audience, you can tailor your marketing strategies, improve product offerings, and enhance overall customer experience.

Statistics from FirstPage show that in 2024, ranking on top of SERP (search engine results page) in your niche results in 39.8% CTR rates [3]. Comparatively, the second and third-ranking results get 18.7% and 10.2% CTR rates respectively. So, how do you get on the first page and in the top results? The simple answer is – with better SEO and content that meets customer expectations. This is how it works on Google Search. What about marketplaces like Amazon?

On Amazon, approximately 70% of customers [4] never look past the first page of search results. To make it to the first page and improve your share of search, the marketplace suggests [5] using Amazon SEO, researching keywords and optimizing product offers to connect with more customers. It also claims that, product listing quality and your account health can contribute to your ranking results.

This is why you must monitor your Share of Search (SoS) on marketplaces. Accurate knowledge of your market share will help you determine what steps you should take to boost your brand’s search ranking.

Elevate Your Brand Visibility by Tracking Your Share of Search on Marketplaces

Why Should You Track Your Share of Search

Understanding your share of search for all your products is like giving each one a thorough look in comparison to the market standards. Share of search gives you valuable insights into how successful you are in standing out. It also offers you information to correct your business operations, so you receive a favorable share of the e-commerce pie.

If you’re underperforming in relation to your competitors, it’s probably time for some healthy changes. Your market share of search can reveal where you stand in various product categories, your placement on retailer and marketplace websites, your ranking compared to competition, and much more. So, if you want to win the digital shelf, you need to know what your percentage of search of search is in the e-commerce market.

Benefits of Focusing on E-commerce Share of Search

Focusing on Share of Search offers numerous benefits for your e-commerce business. Firstly, it helps you understand your position in the market and identify areas for improvement. By analyzing your brand’s Share of Search against your competitors’, you can identify gaps in your online listings, optimize your SEO strategy, and increase visibility in search results.

Secondly, Share of Search provides valuable insights into consumer behavior and preferences. By monitoring the search patterns and queries of your target audience, you can identify emerging trends, understand customer needs, and tailor your marketing efforts accordingly. This data-driven approach enables companies to create personalized and relevant experiences for their customers, ultimately driving higher engagement and sales.

Thirdly, you can replicate your success based on which marketplace your share of search is highest. When you know what your share of search is across different marketplaces, you can identify what’s putting you in a strong position on one channel and implement this across your other sales channels as well.

With these benefits in mind, let’s see how you can improve your share of search in e-commerce.

Strategies to Improve E-commerce Share of Search

Improving Share of Search requires a focused and strategic approach. Here are some strategies that you can employ to enhance your brand visibility and increase your e-commerce share of search:

Create high-quality content: Producing informative and engaging content not only attracts users but also improves your brand’s credibility and visibility. By regularly enhancing your product content, you can establish yourself as an industry expert and increase your share of search. The best way to manage and update your online listings is through PIM and DAM technology.

Implement search engine optimization (SEO): SEO plays a critical role in improving your brand’s share of search. By optimizing website content, meta tags, and keywords, you can improve your organic search rankings and increase your chances of being discovered by potential customers.

Leverage social media: Social media platforms have become powerful tools for driving engagement and increasing share of search. By actively engaging with your audience, you can encourage users to search for your brand and products, ultimately increasing your share of search.

Invest in paid search advertising: Paid search advertising, such as Google Ads or Amazon Sponsored Ads, can significantly boost your brand’s visibility and share of search. By bidding on relevant keywords and creating compelling ad copy and content, you can ensure your products’ appear prominently in search results.

Tools and Resources to Monitor and Analyze Share of Search

To effectively monitor and analyze share of search, businesses can leverage various tools and resources. Anchanto Digital Shelf, for instance, is a powerful tool that provides insights into search trends and search volume for specific keywords. It allows your business to track the popularity of your brand and compare it to competitors.

Start monitoring your Share of Search with Anchanto Digital Shelf

The Future of Share of Search in E-commerce

As e-commerce continues to evolve, the importance of share of search will only increase. Today, consumers have countless options, which makes brand visibility and discoverability a growing challenge. Knowing your share of search in e-commerce gives you the opportunity to connect with your target audience and stand out in a crowded market.

By employing strategic SEO techniques, promotions, and creating high-quality content, you can improve your Share of Search and position your business for long-term success in the competitive e-commerce landscape.

So, the future of e-commerce lies in the hands of those who understand and embrace the power of share of search. By understanding and improving your share of search, you gain valuable insights into consumer behavior, optimize your online presence, and drive higher engagement and sales.

Learn How to Measure Your Brand’s Actual Share of Search

References – 
[1] – Statista.com – Distribution of global e-commerce sessions as of October 2019, by source and medium

[2] – coschedule.com – Share of Search

[3] – firstpagesage.com – Google Click-Through Rates (CTRs) by Ranking Position in 2024

[4] – onlinedasher.com – 10+ Amazon Search Statistics And Trends 2023

[5] – sell.amazon.com – Amazon SEO: 7 ways to improve your product’s search rankings