Debunking SEO Myths in Fashion E-commerce 2025.pdf

Presenters

Dimitrios Papatsanis, Head of SEO at NETSTEPS.GR

Anastasia Kalogirou, SEO Specialist at NETSTEPS.GR

Overview

The presentation tackles common SEO misconceptions in the fashion e-commerce industry and contrasts each myth with the actual truth, using examples, data, and references.

Key Myths & Truths

Myth: “SEO is a one-time job.”
Truth: SEO is an ongoing process — algorithms, competitors, and user behavior constantly change, requiring continuous optimization.

Myth: “An SEO company can guarantee #1 ranking.”
Truth: No one can guarantee a top spot on Google — even Google explicitly says so.

Myth: “Fast SEO results are guaranteed.”
Truth: SEO takes time — usually 3–12 months, depending on site history, competition, goals, and execution.

Myth: “SEO is dead.”
Truth: SEO is evolving and expanding — with billions of daily searches and a $100B+ market value, it’s far from over.

Myth: “Paid search improves organic rankings.”
Truth: It depends. Paid and organic can complement each other, but PPC doesn’t directly boost SEO rankings.

Myth: “Cheap SEO works the same way.”
Truth: You get what you pay for. Low-cost SEO skips strategy, uses risky shortcuts, lacks transparency, and rarely drives long-term growth.

Myth: “The more backlinks, the better.”
Truth: Quality over quantity. A few reputable, relevant links outperform hundreds of spammy ones.

Myth: “E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) is a direct ranking factor.”
Truth: Not a ranking factor itself, but it correlates with signals that influence rankings (e.g., brand mentions, authority).

Myth: “Local SEO isn’t useful for online-only stores.”
Truth: Local SEO matters — it helps with visibility, brand trust, and location-based search relevance, even for e-commerce brands.

Core Message

SEO in fashion e-commerce is dynamic, strategic, and long-term. Success depends on:

Consistent optimization

High-quality content

Collaboration across teams

Avoiding shortcuts and false promises

1. How to Step Further, Faster and Higher

Debunking SEO Myths in Fashion E-commerce 2025

2. Hi! I'm Dimitrios Papatsanis
Head of SEO at NETSTEPS.GR.

3. The 12 SEO Myths

4. Myth 1:
"SEO is a One-Time Job"
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Guarantee Fast Results"

9. How long does SEO take?

Based on a poll of 3,680 people.

© 11%: 1-2 months:
© 58%: 3-6 months
19%: 7-12 months
12%: 12+ months

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10. A Myth y

"SEO is Dead"

11. “SEO IS DEAD”

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Myth 5:
"Paid Search Improves Organic
Rankings"

13. "Paid Search Improves Organic Rankings"
Truth: It Depends

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15. leap SEO Works the Same Wa

’ecome a major revenue driver, but only if treated as a core business priority.

© skips strategy.
-ost providers often use cookie-cutter tactics instead of building a plan tailored to your business goals.

3. You get what you pay for.
Quality SEO requires skilled professionals, research tools, and time — things that bargain services can't afford to include.

4. Shortcuts can hurt your site.
Cheap SEO often relies on spammy backlinks or keyword stuffing, which can trigger Google penalties and damage your
rankings.

lo focus on content quality.
-cost SEO usually ignores valuable, well-written content that drives real engagement and authority.

6. Limited long-term growth.
Without consistent optimization and reporting, any short-term wins from cheap SEO quickly fade away.

Lack of transparency.
ate services rarely explain what they're doing or provide clear performance reports, making it hard to track results.

iboration with your team.

16. Myth 7:
“The More Backlinks, the
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Myth 8:
"Product pages don't need
long or detailed content"

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Ingredients / Composition content”

‘important for beauty, skincare, apparel, etc.
ppreciate clarity about what isn't included (e.g. "BPA-free,” "no parabens") as much as what is.

+ Dimensions / Size / Physical Measurements
Not just overall dimensions but feature-specific ones (e.g. seat width, back height) help reduce guesswork.
Units should be clearly labeled, and sometimes providing alternate units (metric + imperial) is helpful.

+ Compatibility / Interoperability Information
For accessories, components, or items that must work with existing gear, users need clear compatibility specs.
Even small ambiguities (e.g. “fits model series X") can deter users if they aren't confident.

_+ Explanations & Context for What Images / Icons Show

product images include graphics, overlays, or icons (e.g. waterproof imagery, "clean" badges), the description
what those mean

Ifimages include extra accessories or ambiguous items (e.g. attachments shown), the description should explicitly state "w
included / what is optional."

scriptions can "anchor" ambiguous visuals, helping users interpret scale ("fits in my hand") or function.

se cases by other users.

21. — 9

Myth 9:
“Merchant Center is just a
complementary channel only
for Shopping Ads"

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23. 4

Myth 10:
"SEO is only for Google or/and
Traditional Search Engines"

24. SEARCH PLATFORM PREFERENCE

How Often Do You Use “Search” On Social Media’? INFORMATIONAL SEARCHES.
“Outside OF Searching For A Friend

LT 73.0
Google x

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ChatGPT 125
Instagram YouTube Facebook TikTok Social Media PE RS
Bing
DuckDuckGo
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25. 4 Myth 11:

“Local SEO and GMB (Google
Business Profile) optimization
has no value."

26. al SEO and GMB (Google Busines
rofile) optimization has no value."

-h: Local intent is huge, GMB profile is a major organic surface, and reviews drive clicks and trust.

+ Local intent is massive: ~46% of monthly Google searches have local intent. Allin
One SEO

+ The Map Pack gets real clicks: =42% of local searches click results in the Google
Map Pack. Allin One SEO

+ People actively search for nearby businesses: 8 in 10 U.S. consumers search for a
local business online at least once a week, Backlinko

+ Reviews affect whether people choose you: 71% wouldn't consider a business with
an average rating below 3 stars; 91% say local branch reviews influence their view
of big brands. BrightLocal

+ Your GMB Profile gets seen: An average local business profile gets ~1,200
views/month (and benefits from fresh posts, photos, Q&A). SEO.com

How Google ranks local: proximity, relevance, and prominence all improved by a
mplete, optimized Google Business Profile and strong reviews. BrightLocal

file signals matter for rankings: Industry surveys consistently place GMB
jong the top Local Pack ranking factors. Search Engine Land+1

27. 4

Myth 12:
""Shopify is not good for SEO"

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