Common problems with SEO

SEO doesn't always go to plan. If your store isn't ranking or your traffic has dropped, there is usually a specific reason. This guide covers the most common SEO problems and how to fix them.

My Store Isn't Appearing in Google

If your store doesn't show up in Google at all:

• Check Google Search Console. Have you added your store? If not, that's the first step.
• Submit your sitemap. Make sure your XML sitemap has been submitted in Search Console.
• Check your store is set to "Live". Stores in "Coming Soon" mode may not be indexed.
• Be patient. New stores can take a few weeks to get indexed. Keep adding content and building links.

🔗 Get indexed in Google fast

My Traffic Has Dropped Suddenly

A sudden traffic drop usually has a specific cause:

• Google algorithm update. Google regularly updates its ranking algorithm. Check SEO news sites to see if a recent update matches your traffic drop.
• Manual action. Check Google Search Console for any manual actions or penalties on your store.
• Technical issue. Is your store loading correctly? Check for errors, broken pages, or SSL issues.
• Lost backlinks. If a major site that was linking to you removed the link, your rankings can drop.
• Seasonal changes. Some niches have natural traffic cycles. Compare with the same period last year.

My Pages Aren't Ranking for the Right Keywords

• Check your titles and meta descriptions. Do they include the keywords you want to rank for?
• Check your content. Does the article thoroughly answer the question the keyword targets?
• Check the competition. Search for your target keyword and look at the pages that are ranking. Can you create something better?
• Build internal links. Link from other articles to the page you want to rank, using descriptive anchor text.

🔗 On Page SEO

Google Shows "Indexed, Not Submitted in Sitemap"

This means Google found the page but it's not in your sitemap. This is usually harmless, but you should make sure your sitemap is up to date and submitted in Search Console.

Google Shows "Crawled - Currently Not Indexed"

Google found your page but decided not to include it in search results. Common reasons:

• The page has thin or duplicate content
• The page is very similar to another page on your store
• Your store is new and Google hasn't built enough trust yet

Fix it by improving the content on the page. Make it more thorough, unique, and useful.

"Soft 404" Errors

This means Google thinks a page exists but has no useful content. It often happens with:

• Product pages where the product has been removed
• Empty category pages
• Pages with very little text

Fix it by adding content to the page or removing it and setting up a redirect.

Duplicate Content Warnings

If Google detects very similar content on multiple pages, it may only index one of them. This can happen with:

• Product descriptions that are identical across multiple products
• Category descriptions that are copy-pasted

FreshStore's AI automatically creates unique content for products, which helps avoid this. Make sure AI content generation is enabled in your Product Settings.

General SEO Health Tips

• Check Search Console regularly. Look at the Coverage report for errors and warnings.
• Keep adding content. Fresh, quality content signals to Google that your store is active and valuable.
• Build backlinks gradually. Don't try to get hundreds of links quickly. Steady, natural link growth is what Google rewards.
• Don't use black hat techniques. Buying links, keyword stuffing, and content spinning will eventually get you penalised.