When customers are visiting your web store, the worst possible scenario is that they are unable to find the goods they are looking for. You're probably well-versed in external search engine optimization (SEO), which helps your website get picked up by the major web portals such as Google and Yahoo. But what many retail entrepreneurs don't understand is that it's just as important to have internal SEO – it's good and well to get customers to your retail site, but if they can't find the item they want to buy, it's all for naught.

A recent white paper released by FitForCommerce highlights the impact that SEO can have on internet web stores.

It describes on-site SEO as a core part of the web experience as these search functions tap into basic navigation, merchandising and broader SEO efforts. Improving SEO can lead to more relevant results and better conversion rates, which not only improves the customer experience but also drives greater revenue. It's a win-win situation for both you and the customer.

"We have enabled site search to power a b-to-b experience that is similar to our b-to-c shopping experience," said Brandon Finch, director of eCommerce for Jelly Belly. "Many of our retail store purchasers are looking for a b-to-c style experience – including product taxonomy – but integrated into a purchasing structure appropriate for business users. Site search has allowed us to accomplish this, particularly for the thousands of mom and pop retailers out there that rely on us for their retail assortment."

If better customer experiences and improved revenues are your goal, look at how site search is implemented in your web store. ECommerce software such as SalesWarp includes tools that can help you better manage your SEO initiatives across one or multiple online stores.