What Is SEO That EC Managers Should Understand First? Basics of Search Engine Algorithms and E-E-A-T

WRITTEN BY

Risa Watanabe

Senior Consultant

Meets Consulting Inc.

When it comes to maximizing EC site revenue, search engine optimization — known as "SEO (Search Engine Optimization)" — is something that cannot be avoided. To secure sustainable traffic while controlling advertising costs, it is necessary to understand the essence of how search engines like Google evaluate pages and the criteria they use. In this article, we comprehensively explain everything from the definition of "What is SEO" that newly appointed EC managers should first grasp, to E-E-A-T, the latest evaluation criteria.

1. SEO Definition and Importance in EC

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) refers to measures to display one's website at the top of search engine results pages (SERPs) when specific keywords are searched. For EC sites, it is required not just to increase traffic, but to efficiently attract "high-LTV premium customers."

Operation-type ads like listing ads offer immediacy, but soaring CPAs are an issue. On the other hand, the greatest merit of SEO is that by accumulating high-quality content, you can build a highly valuable traffic channel in the mid-to-long term. Improving crawlability and optimizing user experience are keys to sustainable growth.

2. Three Steps Search Engines Use to Determine Rankings

Before search engines like Google evaluate a site and determine its search ranking, there are primarily three following processes.

• Crawling: A patrol program called a "crawler" follows links on the web and reads the site's structure and content.
• Indexing: The collected information is stored in the search engine's database. At this time, the meaning and context of the content are analyzed.
• Ranking: Based on over 200 ranking signals for the search keyword, the most relevant and beneficial pages are ranked and displayed.

3. E-E-A-T: Requirements for Trusted EC Sites

In current SEO, the evaluation criterion Google emphasizes most in its search quality rater guidelines is E-E-A-T. This is a concept taking the initials of the following four elements:

1. Experience: Does it contain primary information based on actual experience?
2. Expertise: Is deep insight provided in a specific category?
3. Authoritativeness: Is there name recognition within the industry and high-quality backlinks from other sites?
4. Trustworthiness: Is the operator clear, and are the payment environment and information accuracy guaranteed?

Since EC sites fall under the "YMYL (Your Money or Your Life)" domain where monetary exchanges occur, this "Trustworthiness" is examined extremely strictly.

4. Search Intent Understanding and Keyword Design

To achieve top rankings, it is necessary to accurately grasp the "intent (search intent)" of why the user searched with those terms.

• Informational (Know): Intent to gain knowledge, such as "What is ~" or "How to ~".
• Navigational (Go): Intent to reach a specific place, like "Brand name" or "Login".
• Transactional (Do): Intent to take specific action, like "Comparison" or "Estimate".
• Commercial (Buy): Intent considering a purchase, such as "Recommendation" or "Purchase".

For EC sites, a strategy to enhance brand awareness (citations) by solving user issues with Informational queries—not just Commercial/Transactional queries that directly lead to CV—is effective.

Related Articles

SEO Basics and the Importance of E-E-A-T

SEO Fundamentals for EC Managers

2026 Semantic SEO Strategy