Do I need an e-commerce-specific SEO audit?
The featured-snippet answer, in plain language.
If you sell products online through a category-product hierarchy with more than around 30 SKUs, yes; the e-commerce audit reviews category page architecture, product schema, faceted navigation, and conversion UX on transactional pages, none of which a standard audit covers in depth. If you sell one or two products through a brochure-style site, the standard audit covers the foundations and the e-commerce-specific work shrinks to a small add-on.
What you get in each audit
The foundations are shared. The e-commerce audit adds store-specific depth on top.
| E-commerce SEO audit | Website SEO audit | |
|---|---|---|
| Check count (Basic / Full) | 32 / 46 | 26 / 46 |
| Price (Basic / Full) | $297 / $597 | $297 / $597 |
| Sections covered | 10 e-commerce-adapted sections | 7 general sections |
| Category page review | Yes; intro copy, internal linking, faceted navigation | No; general on-page only |
| Product page review at scale | Yes; schema, content depth, image SEO, reviews | No; basic on-page only |
| Product schema validation | Yes; Product, Review, Offer, BreadcrumbList | Basic schema check only |
| Faceted navigation strategy | Yes; URL parameter handling, canonical strategy | No |
| Cart and checkout SEO impact | Yes | No |
| Platform-specific checks | Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, BigCommerce, Shopware | No platform layer |
| E-commerce competitor positioning | Yes; top 3 to 5 direct competitors | General competitor analysis |
| Off-site authority (Full) | Digital PR, product review surface, marketplace cannibalisation | General backlink review |
| Delivery time | 5 to 8 business days | 3 to 7 business days |
When the e-commerce audit is worth the upgrade
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01
You sell through a category-product hierarchy with more than 30 SKUs.
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02
Your store runs on Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, BigCommerce, or Shopware, and platform-specific quirks are likely involved.
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03
Page speed and Core Web Vitals matter to you (and they should; 70.5% of online stores fail Lighthouse).
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04
Product schema and rich-result eligibility are a current concern, or you have noticed star ratings and pricing not appearing in your search snippets.
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05
You compete on organic CTR against marketplaces and need every fractional improvement you can get.
The full breakdown is on the e-commerce SEO audit page.
When the standard website audit is enough
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01
You sell one or two products through a brochure-style site, with simple buy-now buttons rather than a full catalogue.
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02
You sell services with optional products as a small add-on (consultancy, training, courses).
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04
You want a foundations check before committing to a full store rebuild or replatform.
The full breakdown is on the website SEO audit page.
Is the upgrade worth $200?
For a store with more than 30 SKUs on a real e-commerce platform, the e-commerce audit consistently finds platform-specific issues that the standard audit cannot. A single fixed faceted navigation strategy, a single corrected product schema field, or a single resolved canonical issue can recover more revenue in a quarter than the price difference.
For a store with five products on a Webflow or custom-coded site, the case is weaker; the foundational SEO work covers most of the surface, and the e-commerce-specific sections do not have enough to review.
If you are not sure where your store sits, send the URL and we will recommend honestly.
Common questions when deciding
Can I start with the standard audit and upgrade later?
Yes. The foundations findings carry forward; you only pay for the e-commerce-specific scope additionally if you choose to upgrade. This is the right call when the store is small or pre-launch.
My store is on Shopify. Will the standard audit catch Shopify-specific issues?
On a foundations level, partially. Platform-specific patterns (Liquid templating quirks, app rate-limiting, theme-level SEO defaults, robots.txt customisation limits) are covered in the e-commerce audit only.
Why is the price difference only $200?
Because the foundations are the same; only 3 to 4 sections out of the 10 are e-commerce-specific. The price reflects scope, not branding.
What if my site has both content and a small product line?
If the products are a meaningful revenue source, the e-commerce audit is the safer call. If they are an afterthought to a content or services business, the standard audit covers the surface.
See the full pricing page for all audits.
Still deciding?
Send the store URL; we will recommend which audit fits.
Try the decision aid for a guided answer.