The Searchmetrics study measured search performance by analysing weekly search results for millions of keywords throughout the year, scoring websites for factors such as how frequently they appear in results and how high they rank. The top ten ranking was based on a website’s absolute improvement in search performance between the start and end of 2021.

No pure-play e-commerce brand (those without physical stores) made the top ten winners list. And while three major online marketplaces - Amazon, ebay, and Etsy - were among the major e-commerce winners in search in the 2020 analysis, no online marketplaces featured in 2021.

“The pandemic continued to impact people’s ability or willingness to shop freely in physical stores last year, meaning curb-side pickup, and click-and-collect and buy online pickup in store (BOPIS) have been booming. So perhaps it’s fitting that the sites that have made the most gains in search during the year are mainly those with physical stores who can offer shoppers these options,” said Lillian Haase, CMO of Searchmetrics. “During the pandemic, the brick-and-mortar retailers invested significantly in improving their web presence, product range and their purchase, delivery and collection processes. They seem to have accepted the challenge to compete with online marketplaces and they are seeing some good success, as this study reveals”.

The report reported that 2021 was a busy year for search with the roll-out of two major core algorithm updates (in June/July and November). Google uses core updates to correct and optimise its algorithm to ensure it is delivering the most relevant results. While the timing of the November update was criticised for hitting retailers close to the holiday shopping season, Searchmetrics’ analysis shows it actually had a positive impact on the Google visibility of retail websites including Best Buy and Target.

July also saw the roll-out of the core web vitals update (also known as the page experience update) in which Google began rewarding websites that deliver a good user experience in areas such as load time, interaction, and stability. This new ranking factor is not just important for e-commerce stores’ visibility in search; it also has a positive impact on revenue and conversions.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RR)