SECTOR · RETAIL AND FMCG
The physical store and the online store compete for the same customer. You have to play both at once.
In retail, "near me" search, the online catalogue and each store's listing all coexist. We work so whoever searches finds you, whether they buy online or walk through the door.
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Brands that have trusted Laika
The chains and retailers who call us have a physical and an online store that don't always pull in the same direction.
"Near me" search decides which store the customer visits
If each store's listing isn't complete and up to date, that customer walks into the competitor's store, the one that got it right.
The online catalogue and the in-store one don't always match
Different stock per store, prices that vary and products that only exist at some locations create confusion and distrust.
Every store opening or closing leaves a mark on the search map
Outdated or duplicate store listings confuse whoever is searching for the nearest one and erode trust in the whole chain.
You compete on price in categories where everyone sells the same thing
When the product is identical to a competitor's, the difference is made by the listing, availability and the trust the brand conveys.
Online and in-store traffic get measured separately, and they shouldn't be
A large part of in-store sales starts with an online search, and that influence gets lost if you only look at the channel where the sale closes.
The scope
Doing SEO in retail means treating the physical store and the online store as one business. We build visibility so local search and catalogue search pull in the same direction.
We work on each store's listing, the consistency between the online catalogue and physical stock, and the content that connects both channels.
Which capabilities matter here
In retail not every capability carries the same weight. These are the ones that connect the physical store and the online one.
High weight
Search enginesThe base: each physical store's listing complete and consistent, and an online catalogue structured by category.
High weight
ConsultingDeciding how effort is split between the store network and the online catalogue, and what gets measured in each channel.
Medium weight
Social SearchPresence on platforms where people search for availability and reviews of a store before visiting it.
AI search still matters less in "nearest store" decisions, so we don't force it: if it starts moving visits, we'll tell you with data.
The areas of work
Four areas of work built for a business with a physical and an online store: first the store map, then the catalogue, then the product page and finally the connection between channels.
Physical store listings and map
Make sure every store has a complete, up-to-date listing with no duplicates confusing local search.
See the detail
- Audit and clean-up of duplicate, closed or outdated store listings
- Hours, stock and services at each location reflected correctly in search
- Own store pages worked to capture local search in each area
- A protocol for openings and closings, with a criterion for what gets archived and what gets created
Online catalogue and store consistency
Make the online catalogue reflect what's actually available, without creating frustration once the customer reaches the store.
See the detail
- Online category architecture aligned with how the physical store organises and gets searched
- A criterion for which product to show when stock varies by store
- Managing discontinued references and replacements without losing rankings
- Linking between the online catalogue and in-store availability info
Product page competitive on price
Make the product page resolve availability, price and comparison when the product is the same as a competitor's.
See the detail
- Content that differentiates the page when the product is identical to another chain's
- In-store and online availability shown clearly in the same place
- Reviews and ratings worked as a trust signal against price-based competition
- What to do with a sold-out product and where to redirect that demand
Connection between online and in-store channels
Understand and take advantage of how much in-store sale starts with an online search.
See the detail
- Tracking the path between online search and a visit to the physical store
- Content that pushes from product search to the nearest store's listing
- Coordination of campaigns and promotions between the online channel and the store network
- A measurement criterion that doesn't artificially separate the two channels
Who does it?
The project is run by a senior profile with multichannel retail behind them, the kind who has worked the physical and online store as one business. MJ leads the strategy and the specialist team works listings, catalogue and content.
Why Laika?
We know the tension between the physical and online channel, because we've worked it from both sides.
Optimising only one of the two channels doesn't work here. If they compete against each other, the whole business loses.
You always talk to whoever decides
There's no management layer between you and the judgement. MJ leads the strategy and the specialist team executes.
If we're not the right fit, we say so
Even if that means there's no project for us, we'd rather say so before signing.
We work the physical and online store as one business
We don't optimise one channel at the expense of the other. We aim for local search and the online catalogue to add up in the same direction.
We know how to clean up a neglected store map
Duplicate listings, closed stores that still show up, outdated data: we sort it out before building on top.
Frequently asked questions
Do you work on each physical store's listing or only the online catalogue?
Both, because they're connected. A poorly maintained store listing can divert traffic that was already set to buy, and the online catalogue has to be consistent with what's actually at each location.
What do you do if stock varies from one store to another?
We define a criterion for showing real availability without creating frustration, and decide how that difference is reflected on the online listing without losing rankings.
How do you measure online search's influence on in-store sales?
We track the path between a product or nearest-store search and the physical visit, so that influence isn't lost when channels are measured separately.
What happens when we open or close a store?
We apply a protocol so the new listing is created properly from the start and the closed one gets archived without leaving anything that confuses whoever is searching for the nearest store.
Tell us how many locations you have
With your store network and your online catalogue we can tell you where to start sorting things out.
Physical and online store, pulling the same way.
Tell us where you are and we'll tell you what needs sorting out first.
We look at your project before proposing anything. Reply within two working days at most.
Let's talk about your project